Prep Life

Glam Girl Bikini Presents: Fabulous after 50 Coach Deborah Baska

Age is just a number for this bikini coach and athlete as @getfitdone Deborah Baska got her bikini career started at the age of 50! Listen in as bikini coach @amyehinger interviews Deb on what it means for her to live out the prep life. Further topics include her "why" for coaching and what makes her unique in her methods for helping other bikini athletes hit the stage. Additionally, there are talks regarding Deborah's tips and tricks to shrinking the waistline, tracking macros, posing practice and much much more!! To apply for coaching click the application link: https://glamgirlbikini.com/glam-girl-bikini-application/ You can also find us on Instagram @preplifepodcast and @glamgirlbikini

Glam Girl Bikini Presents: Prep Life Mishaps and Motivation

What are some of the worst things that have happened to you during prep, peak week and show day? If you want to hear our's be sure to listen in on this episode as Co-hosts and bikini coaches @chrisnicole_ifbbpro and @amyehinger share their personal bikini fails along with their personal reasons for living the prep life. Other topics included are: establishing routines and habits with food and exercise, goal setting, working with judges feedback, developing mental toughness, and learning about how your body works. You can apply for the team at: https://glamgirlbikini.com/glam-girl-bikini-application/ You can find us on Instagram @glamgirlbikini or @preplifepodcast

Glam Girl Bikini Presents: The Shoe Fairy

Are you new to the bikini competition world and wondering how to pick the perfect heel to hit the stage? Have you ever wondered what type of heel to pick if you have wide feet or narrow? Are you curious about what the best heel type of heel would be for a half shoe size? If so you need to listen in while bikini coach @amyehinger interviews @alexastimp about all talks heels and jewelry. She covers those crazy question like: What to do if your toes hanging out of the front of your heel. Or how to break in a heel, what type of jewelry is right for you, and so much more. Also included in this episode are talks on mindset and the power of never giving up! Alexa Stimple also shares her journey as an Entrepreneur and how she constructed the ultimate Olympian heel.   Be sure to find us on Instagram @preplifepodcast and @glamgirlbikini Be sure to use the coupon code: GLAMGIRL for 15% off at https://shoefairyofficial.com or find them on Instagram @theshoefairy_ On Facebook https://m.facebook.com/shoefairyofficial or on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDMcgjinw23bN8gcEqmf89vQ You can apply for the Glam Girl Bikini Team by clicking the application link: https://glamgirlbikini.com/glam-girl-bikini-application/

Glam Girl Bikini Presents: Overcoming Show Cancelations

Has your show been canceled? Has your show been rescheduled for a later date? If it has, then we can relate! In this episode bikini coaches @chrisnicole_ifbbpro and @amyehinger talk about how to overcome these obstacles and so much more!! We include our team show recap, peaking protocols, misson of @glamgirlbikini , importance of tailored training and nutrition and how quality over quantity matters! We also include how the competition world looks very different this year due to Covid-19. Additonally, how this pandemic has impacted prep for athletes and the altered expectations for competitors this year. Be sure to find us on InstaGram @preplifepodcast and apply for the team by clicking the link:  https://glamgirlbikini.com/glam-girl-bikini-application/ 

Glam Girl Bikini Presents: Reversing into Recovery Post Show

Are you new to the world of bodybuilding and want to know what to expect post show? Have you been around the sport for a while and just haven't been able to nail that post show reverse diet? Well, we are here to help with all the ways to battle those high hunger signals and how to best deal with an adapted metabolism. Be sure to listen in as Bikini Coaches @amyehinger and @chrisnicole_ifbbpro talk about the recovery diet, cardio taper, overshooting body fat, reverse dieting and much, much more. Getting back on track after a contest prep is not ever easy; but hopefully the tips and tricks included in this episode will help! You can find us on InstaGram @preplifepodcast and @glamgirlbikini You can apply for the team by clicking the application link:https://glamgirlbikini.com/glam-girl-bikini-application/

Glam Girl Bikini Presents: How to select the proper suit with Toxic Angelz Bikinis

Have you ever wondered how to select the ultimate bikini for your physique competition? There is a lot that goes into the selection in terms of getting the proper cut, color, connectors and crystals. Be sure to listen in on this interview with Toxic Angelz Bikinis owner Margaret Chin and @glamgirlbikini coach @amyehinger as they deep dive into the ins and out of selecting the perfect suit. Included in this episode are: how to tie in properly, how to wear the bottoms correctly, how early to order a suit, and also trends with connectors, colors and cuts for 2020. You will also learn about the new custom masks, wellness suits, figure suits, how to earn a sponsorship, how to book a consultation, matching suit to hair color and skin tone and much much more. You can find us on Instagram @preplifepodcast and apply for the team by clicking the application link: https://glamgirlbikini.com/glam-girl-bikini-application/ You can find Toxic Angelz Bikinis on Instagram @toxicangelzbikinis You can contact them via the website by clicking the link: https://toxicangelzbikinis.com/pages/contact-us or by emailing Margaret: margaret@toxicangelzbikinis.com

 

Glam Girl Bikini Presents: Training for Your Body Type

Have you ever wondered why weight loss STRATEGIES work for some and not for others? There are three basic human body types: the endomorph, the mesomorph, and the ectomorph. Despite what it might feel like at times, you're not completely bound to one category or the other. Your lifestyle, genetics, history, and training style all play a part in how you look, and you can definitely change it over time. 

That being said, many of us to have certain tendencies toward one group or the other. Here are typical characteristics of each type. ECTOMORPH: An ectomorph tends to be thin, and struggles to gain weight as either body fat or muscle. They can eat piles of food and stay looking the same, even when is their biggest goal. People who battle to gain muscle are often known as "hardgainers." Ectomorphs tends to have a lean build, long limbs, and small muscle bellies. Even if an ectomorph manages to put on weight, they may still look skinnier than they are, particularly in the calves and forearms. Being an ectomorph doesn't mean you're doomed to be weak, though. You can still get remarkably strong, and you can be every bit as fit and healthy as someone who looks larger and more muscular. But if you want to gain weight, you'd better be prepared to eat like you've never eaten before. 

MESOMORPH: The mesomorph has a middle-of-the-road build that takes the best of both worlds. They tend to have wide shoulders, a narrow waist, relatively thin joints, and round muscle bellies. In short, if you're a mesomorph, you have a natural tendency to be fit and relatively muscular. Does this mean you can do nothing, eat everything, and get away with it forever? Definitely not—and you're not necessarily healthier than the other two types, either. But you may be able to "bounce back" from being out of shape more easily than the other two body types, gaining muscle and burning fat with comparative ease. 

ENDOMORPH: The endomorph tends to gain weight and keep it on. Their build is a little wider than an ectomorph or mesomorph, with a thick ribcage, wide hips, and shorter limbs. They may have more muscle than either of the other body types, but they often struggle to gain it without significant amounts of accompanying body fat. If you ever feel like you gain 5 pounds simply walking by a donut shop, you may be an endomorph. This definitely doesn't mean that an endomorph can't be healthy. They can be every bit as strong, healthy, and capable as the other two groups, and may actually have some strength advantages due to their additional muscle mass. But if and when they decide to lean out, it'll take hard work! 

In this podcast we share our strategies for nutrition, weight training and cardio for these specific types. @chrisnicole_ifbbpro and @amyehinger give tips on how to combat anxiety of the scale and how to set alternative bikini goals. You can find us on Instagram @preplifepodcast and @glamgirlbikini Apply for the team using this link: https://glamgirlbikini.com/glam-girl-bikini-application/ 

Glam Girl Bikini Presents: Metabolism, Hormones and Stress Response

Do you struggle to drop weight? Are you watery, have trouble digesting foods, and have chronic fatique? If so, listen in while Bikini Coaches @chrisnicole_ifbbpro and @amyehinger address the metabolic compensation that occurs due to chronic stress in this episode. Unfortunately there are so many Bikini athletes that are currently dealing with this issue due to chronic dieting and too much cardio. Their hormones are out of whack and they have dysregulation of key hormones that impact regulation of metabolic functions. In general this seems to affect female athletes primarily.

Dieting, cardio, training, stressing to get leaner and general stressing in life all add up to huge stress on the body. Our bodies’ response is to produce more cortisol. If you produce too much cortisol that is when problems start. Your body uses progesterone from the progesterone/pregnenolone pathways to create more cortisol. This is generally fine if cortisol stays in a normal range because for the most part there is plenty of progesterone remaining to still form other hormones. However, when cortisol gets too high, progesterone becomes depleted and you don’t have enough remaining for other critical hormone creation. You need progesterone to create DHEA and eventually testosterone, thus disruption in the pathways will eventually lead you to become low in testosterone.

A Bikini athlete with high cortisol, low progesterone, and low testosterone typically ends up being estrogen dominant (which causes many issues, one of which being difficulty losing body fat). The dysfunction also affects the thyroid as it starts to down-regulate due to the disturbances. This does not always occur, but most of the time it’s what we will see happening. So now you have an athlete that is in a much more sympathetic state, not sleeping, insulin resistant, holding water, not burning calories or using them properly, etc. Additionally in most cases they have coinciding digestion issues since the body is not digesting food properly due to the fact that high stress/cortisol leads to lower stomach acid.

If you’re looking to correct this: First, YOU NEED TO REST! Training should be pulled back and nothing should be taken to failure. Also, it’s helpful to add in 1-2 days of restorative yoga. The focus during this time is to restore hormones.

Estrogen Dominance and Blood Glucose: For supplementation, athletes can take Core-21 https://1stphorm.com/products/core-21/?a_aid=glamgirlbikini&a_aid=glamgirlbikini&a_bid=4b7ce806&chan=AE to bring down cortisol correctly since that is the main issue. Adding Harmony https://1stphorm.com/products/harmony/?a_aid=glamgirlbikini to bring down the estrogen dominance and help the body begin to raise testosterone since there is an inverse relationship. This product will also boost progesterone. With cortisol high it can cause insulin resistance; so adding a GDA https://1stphorm.com/products/gda/?a_aid=glamgirlbikini can help as well. If you have high cortisol levels it’s important to check fasted blood glucose levels and post prandial (due to Dawn phenomenon). If you have high blood glucose you will lose insulin sensitivity, which needs to be restored.

Thyroid and Gut: In order to support the thyroid during this time use: Thyro-Drive https://1stphorm.com/products/thyro-drive/?a_aid=glamgirlbikini&a_aid=glamgirlbikini&a_bid=4b7ce806&chan=AE because it will help to minimize weight gain. Digestion will also need to be addressed in order to get the body properly utilizing nutrients again, which is vital for recovery. An physique athlete will do well to utilize a digestive enzyme: https://1stphorm.com/products/digestive-enzymes/?a_aid=glamgirlbikini and GI Advantage https://1stphorm.com/products/gi-advantage/?a_aid=glamgirlbikini for gut health.

Adrenals: NOTE: if someone complains of being super tired all day they will very likely need to also support their adrenal glands. Take Adrenal Restore: https://1stphorm.com/products/adrenal-restore/?a_aid=glamgirlbikini&a_aid=glamgirlbikini&a_bid=4b7ce806&chan=AE as it is perfect for this.

As an athlete is able to rest more and raise calories over time they will continue to improve the health of their body.

To close, it’s best to take measures to prevent this entire cascade from happening again, so any time you “diet” (eat in a caloric deficit) OR if you just have very high stress in your life it’s going to be important to keep these hormones in check. For athletes who compete, they should be considering taking care of keeping cortisol at bay the entire prep. Then after the show or prolonged diet be sure to take Adrenal Restore to get your adrenals back in working order since they were taxed heavily during the lean out phase. This strategy should help prevent that nasty wind up from occurring.

Don’t be that person who comes into the sport who looks worse after competing than before starting. Some upfront time and money can help prevent a lifetime of battle.

Glam Girl Bikini Presents: Eating Exercising and Enneagram

TYPE 1: THE PERFECTIONIST-The Reformer-can be critical and impatient with results. They do well to have a coach to lead them the "right" way

When Type Ones focus on a priority, they want to do it right. Ones tend to go all-in with healthy eating and exercising and are very detail-oriented along the way. 

How Ones Succeed: Type Ones need little outside motivation to get them into gear. When they know what is right for them as far as diet and exercise, they set their mind to it and are successful. Ones work well with short-term programs with few requirements. 

Strengthen Through Stress: When Ones are stressed, they become moody and irrational. Type Ones can redeem this need to balance their emotions by slowing down exercise to focus on performing each move well and eating mindfully. Like preparing a wholesome meal, sitting down at the table, giving thanks, eating slowly. 

TYPE 2: THE HELPER-can be people pleasing so they do well to have a coach pushing them. They tend to take care of others before themselves so need to be held accountable.

Type Two's motivation to get healthy is to support others. Type Twos tend to show their love in eating and exercising by cooking for others or doing manual labor chores, like helping with a move. If a coach tells them what they need to do to get healthy, they are better at adhering to their advice rather than trying it out on their own. 

How Twos Succeed: Type Twos can encourage others to eat well by preparing delicious, healthy foods that everyone will enjoy. They are a joy to train or counsel because they take advice to heart and their motivations are others-centered.

Strengthen Through Stress: In times of stress, Type Twos disintegrate towards becoming aggressive and domineering. Twos can blow off steam with exercise that is challenging to them, like running farther or lifting heavier weight. Instead of dominating food by putting it into their mouth, they could redeem this need for control by engaging in an extended meal prep. 

TYPE 3: THE PERFORMER-The achiever can be workaholics, competitive and image focused. At their best they can push themselves and others to finding their highest potential. 

Type Threes are the go-getters of diet and exercise. They set goals and achieve them. Type Threes are focused on checking off lists, crushing personal records, and are motivated by healthy competition. When I look at setting fitness goals, I prefer to choose a program rather than an indefinite type of general workout. I get motivated by the sense of completion and accomplishment. If a program has a calendar, or to-do list that I can check off as I progress, even better!

How Threes Succeed: When Threes are challenged, they rise to the occasion. Threes are disciplined and are not easily distracted. Since Threes thrive on success, they can inspire others by achieving what others think cannot be done. 

Strengthen Through Stress: In stress, threes disintegrate into the unhealthy side and will detach from others. Threes can redeem their tendency to withdraw in stress by taking some time to discover what their personal needs are and take care of themselves in a private setting. 

TYPE 4: THE INDIVIDUALIST

Type Fours are the creative eaters and exercisers. If they can express themselves in some unique way, fitness and cooking is more fun and sustainable.

They will sometimes use their broad tastes as a way to express their uniqueness. They tend to make decisions based on unique experiences. It doesn't matter how healthy they are trying to be, if they have something unique or interesting on the menu, they'll have to try it.

How Fours Succeed: Type Fours think outside the box, and expand our perspectives of what food and fitness can be. They use their creativity to make typical healthy food taste amazing, or present it in a way that makes others get excited about eating well. Fours make games out of fitness and move their bodies in ways that encourage others. They also tend to have unrealistic expectations

Strengthen Through Stress: In stress, Fours become clingy and over-involved. Individualist Fours can lean into this tendency by finding someone to help instead of seeking others out for validation. 

TYPE 5: THE OBSERVER

Fives are the thinkers of diet and exercise. They observe human motor patterns and diet correlations, share what they've found out with others, and experiment with personal theories. 

How Fives Succeed: Since Fives are systematic and analytical, they are gifted at creating solid workout routines and meal plans. Fives are good listeners of others and sensitive, can easily recognize problem areas and will think hard about how to solve them. Sometimes this means walking for miles until they reach an answer in their minds. 

Since Fives are hoarders of energy resources and often feel tired, thinking on an empty stomach often leads me to gorge on high-carb or sugar-laden foods. " 

Strengthen Through Stress: In stress, Fives become hyperactive and scattered, which leads to gluttony. Fives eat to comfort themselves from mental work and will delay exercising by overthinking it. Fives redeem this tendency by going on a walk or doing something adventurous out in the open. This kind of movement gives their hyperactivity a place to vent and rhythmic motion pulls their scattered mind together. 

TYPE 6: THE LOYALIST

The devoted Six is a creature of habit when it comes to diet and exercise. Type Sixes like to stick with what they know, enjoy connecting with others in their healthy journey, and like having someone or some program leading them along the way. 

They are fine eating the same thing over and over. But then I also get overwhelmed if majorly restricted and end up binging or falling off the wagon. When at restaurants I always order same thing. As far as fitness goes, they love group exercise. They hate going into a gym alone 

How Sixes Succeed: Sixes do not get bored easily and can eat leftovers for days or do the same routine every week without fail. This makes it easy for them to stay on track, as long as they have a well-balanced plan. 

How Sixes Strengthen Through Stress: In stress sixes tend to become arrogant and competitive. Sixes can redeem this tendency by joining with others and competing not against other people but against an impersonal measurement, like signing up for a contest to get healthy for a set event. It helps for the Six to have a coach they know and trust to guide them when in stress. 

TYPE 7: THE ENTHUSIAST  

Type Sevens are the fun-loving early adopters of diet and exercise. They want to try all the food, are full of energy, and are always up for a new adventure in fitness. 

How Sevens Succeed: Sevens are not in danger of movement or nutritional deficiency. Sevens don't need to be told to exercise. They have to move to move out all the pent-up energy within them! Since Sevens want to try one of everything, their diet is typically full of a variety of nutrients. Food can be a way to escape from feelings by eating them. Plan a Refeed for them

How Sevens Strengthen Through Stress:  Sevens can redeem their stress-induced tendency towards perfectionism and criticism by adding structure to their eating and exercising. Sevens can adopt a habit of meditating on one question each morning like, "What is my one purpose for today?" while holding a challenging pose for an extended period. It needs to be something they can achieve to avoid self-judgement, and done on a regular basis to demonstrate gradual progress over perfection. 

TYPE 8: THE CHALLENGER 

Eights are passionate about whatever they are eating and thrive on opposition in fitness, whether the challenger is someone else, an impersonal target, or even a version of themselves they want to see changed. They like challenges, but don't have to compete against someone else.

How Eights Succeed With Their Health: Eights succeed in their health journey when they are educated about methods of diet and exercise that benefit them in the long-run.  An Eight will do research, equip themselves with proper workout gear and healthy food, and defeat their enemy, at least for a time.  

How Eights Strengthen Through Stress: In stress, Eights can do well to let go of their usual passions for feeling like "this is the only way" and exercise just for fun or eat a previously shunned health food in a new way.  

TYPE 9: THE PEACEMAKER  

Type Nines are experts at discerning what they need and choosing what will bring their mind, body, and spirit into harmony. They can tune into what their body needs is when they eat the best. And sometimes the best doesn’t mean the 'healthiest' option. They would much prefer to enjoy ice cream with a loved one or do what’s best for them in that moment.

How Nines Succeed With Their Health: Since Nines are sensitive to what is out of sync in their body (like stress that needs venting), they don't have a need to stick with a particular exercise program. Nines feel free to change course according to their needs. They love exercise that makes them feel good. They are not wired to be competitive, and they give themselves a lot of grace. It’s more about how they feel than how than how they perform.

How Nines Strengthen Through Stress: Instead of finding comfort in food or exercise, Nines can redeem this tendency by having a go-to "stress" practice of deep breathing, yoga, or some other mind-body movement that can help re-establish the peace.

Book credit "The Road Back to You" by Ian Cron and Suzanne Stabile

Find us on Instagram @preplifepodcast and @glamgirlbikini Apply for the team here: https://glamgirlbikini.com/glam-girl-bikini-application/

Glam Girl Bikini Presents: Breaking the Slump Cycle

Has quarantine got you in a slump? if so listen in while Bikini coaches @chrisnicole_ifbbpro and @amyehinger give tips on how to transition out of a slump cycle. If you have fallen out of exercise or diet, due to quarantine disruption or from stressful things going on in life, it’s hard to get started again. If this you let’s go through ways to break out of that slump:

1. One Goal. Sometimes being in a slump, is often because we have too much going on or too much stress in life. We are trying to do too much. It saps our energy and motivation. It’s probably the most common mistake that people make: they try to take on too much, try to accomplish too many goals at once. You cannot maintain energy and focus (the two most important things in accomplishing a goal) if you are trying to do two or more goals at once. It’s not possible. You have to choose one goal, for now, and focus on it completely. This can be hard but you can always do your other goals when you’ve accomplished your One Goal.
2. Find inspiration. Inspiration, comes from various sources. For some it’s following others who have achieved what you want to achieve, or who are currently doing it. Watching YouTube videos, listening to podcasts or following successful people on Social Media
3. Get excited. This sounds obvious, but most people don’t think about it much: if you want to break out of a slump, get yourself excited about a goal. But how can you do that when you don’t feel motivated? Well, it starts with inspiration from others (see above), but you have to take that excitement and build on it. talk about it, read about it as possible, and visualizing what it would be like to be successful (seeing the benefits of the goal in my head), I get excited about a goal. 
4. Build anticipation. This will sound hard, and many people will skip this tip. But it really works Many of us will get excited and want to start today. That’s a mistake. Set a date in the future — a week or two, or even a month — and make that your Start Date. Mark it on the calendar. Get excited about that date. Make it the most important date in your life. In the meantime, start writing out a plan. .
5. Post your goal. Print out your goal in big words. Make your goal just a few words long and post it up on your wall or refrigerator. Post it at home and work. Put it on your computer desktop. You want to have big reminders about your goal, to keep your focus and keep your excitement going. A picture of your goal (like a vision board etc)
6. Commit publicly. None of us likes to look bad in front of others. We will go the extra mile to do something we’ve said publicly. hold yourself accountable — don’t just commit once, but commit to giving progress updates to everyone every week or so.
7. Think about it daily. If you think about your goal every day, it is much more likely to become true.
8. Get support. It’s hard to accomplish something alone. Find your support network, either in the real world or online, or both.
9. Realize that there’s an ebb and flow. Motivation is not a constant thing that is always there for you. It comes and goes, and comes and goes again, like the tide. But realize that while it may go away, it doesn’t do so permanently. It will come back.
10. Stick with it. Whatever you do, don’t give up. Even if you aren’t feeling any motivation today, or this week, don’t give up. Again, that motivation will come back. Think of your goal as a long journey, and your slump is just a little bump in the road. You can’t give up with every little bump. Stay with it for the long term, ride out the ebbs and surf on the flows, and you’ll get there.
11. Start small. Really small. If you are having a hard time getting started, it may be because you’re thinking too big. If you want to exercise, for example, you may be thinking that you have to do these intense workouts 5 days a week. No — instead, do small, tiny, baby steps. 
12. Build on small successes. Again, if you start small for a week, you’re going to be successful. You can’t fail if you start with something ridiculously easy.
13. Read about it daily, especially when you’re not feeling motivated.
14. Call for help when your motivation ebbs. Join an online forum. Get a partner to join you. Ask them for advice. Ask them to help you overcome your slump. It works.
15. Think about the benefits, not the difficulties. One common problem is that we think about how hard something is. Exercise sounds so hard! Just thinking about it makes you tired. But instead of thinking about how hard something is, think about what you will get out of it. The benefits of something will help energize you.
16. Squash negative thoughts; replace them with positive ones. Along those lines, it’s important to start monitoring your thoughts. Recognize negative self-talk, which is really what’s causing your slump.

You can find us on Instagram @preplifepodcast or @glamgirlbikini You can apply for the team by clicking the application link: https://glamgirlbikini.com/glam-girl-bikini-application/