Comparing yourself to other pageant contestants will only end in defeat. When a contestant starts focusing on the other girls (or ladies), the tendency is to compare their own perceived weaknesses to another’s perceived strengths. It’s like comparing an apple to an orange. The two aren’t similar at all. They’re totally different.

Which would you choose- an apple, orange or banana? The appearance, nutritional value and taste of these fruits are completely different; and, I didn’t give you much information on which to base your decision. You don’t know if I want you to eat the piece of fruit fresh from the refrigerator, bake it in a recipe or juice it. Your decision will be influenced based on the purpose the fruit will serve.

Let’s say I wanted you to bake a pie. You would most likely choose the apple. That doesn’t mean the banana and orange are bad. They’re just not a fit for what is needed at the time. But if I wanted orange juice or banana bread, the selection would be different.

When a person starts to play the apples to oranges game at a pageant, that’s when the negative self talk sets in. All the reasons why they’re not good enough start running through their head; and they eliminate themselves from the opportunity. Or, it can go the other way. Through the comparison game, they have come to the conclusion that they’re the superior choice and they expect to win. The line between arrogance and confidence may be thin; but the energy between the two is huge and everyone can feel it.

Here’s the deal. At a pageant, you have no idea if the judges are looking for an apple, orange or banana. It’s their job to select the one person that will best represent and serve the needs of the pageant at that time. The directors inform the judges as to what qualities and requirements to look for in the titleholder.

 

Let’s say they’re all the traits of an apple. The judges are looking for the best apple in the bunch. You may be the perfect banana; but they’re not looking for a banana this year. They’re looking for an apple. It’s not to say an apple is better than a banana. But the apple is a better fit for the direction or purpose of that pageant on that day.

This is something you have no control over. Each year the needs of the pageant are different so you can’t say, “this pageant picks only oranges” or “I need to be an orange to win”. LOL. You can’t successfully become someone else any more than an apple can change into a banana. All you can be is the best version of you at the time of the pageant.

If you want to discover what makes you unique, contact me  to get started.

Request my free special report, 10 Insider Secrets to Winning, and receive  for my free award winning newsletter weekly. Just click the GET YOUR FREE REPORT button at the top of this page. Then fill out your name and email address in the boxes.

The comparison game can affect all areas of a person’s life. In comparing jobs, marriages, children, and material objects, people aren’t appreciating the unique traits about themselves. What areas of your life have you been comparing yourself to someone or something else? How’s that way of thinking working for you? Awareness of your thoughts is the first step to moving towards change, if that’s what you desire.

Rhonda Shappert is an expert pageant coach, an iPEC Certified Professional Coach, an Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner, and a member of the International Coach Federation. She created Winning Through Pageantry® to partner with pageant contestants and their support people to provide complete pageant preparation, achieve winning results in life through pageantry, and to Succeed From The Inside Out®. She has over 30 years experience in the pageantry world as a contestant, judge, emcee, staff member, mother of daughters who compete, Mrs. Ohio America 2005, and has held multiple titles at the local, state and national levels.
Rhonda graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelors degree in Musical Theater from The Ohio State University and has performed on stage in 15 countries on the Asian, European and American continents. This mother of three home educates their children and has been married 21 years to her husband Stephen, is the former mayor of her community, and serves on the Board of Trustees for the Ohio Virtual Academy. She and her husband perform original contemporary Christian music. Their music CD entitled Cana is available through  www.cdbaby.com/cd/shappert or on her website. For more information on Rhonda, visit  www.WinningThroughPageantry.com .

Yes, you can! I share these photos of myself to give you hope, and here’s why. All of the above photos were taken 5 years ago when I was 39 years old and actively competing. One of the reasons I chose to reenter the pageant world after having my third baby was to get my swimsuit body back. I wish I could share a before photo with you but only a couple exist and I couldn’t find them.

You see, I had three babies (weighing 7lb 10oz; 7lbs 12 oz; and 9lbs 4 oz- all born naturally, no c-sections) within four years. With my last daughter, I had gained over 60lbs. On my tiny 5’3” frame, I was as wide as I was tall. Ugh!

When I made up my mind to do the Mrs. Ohio pageant, I used my previous dance and exercise background, a library of home workout videos, and one year’s time to get back into my swimsuit. I didn’t have any surgery, and yes I have stretch mark and some saggy skin. I mean let’s be real. Some things just aren’t going to snap back after they’ve been stretched to the limit, know what I mean?

 

I am a master at the art of tape and glue, which I needed to be able to pull off that two-piece bathing suit. But that’s another story for a different time. That was a onetime deal and I did it just to prove to myself I could.

 

Was it hard work? Oh my gosh, yes! But to me, the alternative was like a living death sentence. Not only did I want to look and feel good about myself again, I wanted to be able to keep up with my daughters. So pageant haters can bash the swimsuit portion of pageantry all they want, but it was the external motivation I needed to jump start my internal drive to get off my butt and do something about my “after baby” body.

This week's Pageant Secret article:

Aleah Oelmann:
Photo-Expression Photography

It’s never too late to make the decision to regain your health and wellness. Within the next 3-6 months, woman across the country will be preparing for the Miss USA, Miss America, Mrs. America, Mrs. United States and Mrs. International pageants. I’m sharing not only my experience but interviewing an expert to help you get fit and keep your swimsuit body for a lifetime.

 

Get Fit and Keep Your Swimsuit Body For A Lifetime

Aleah Oelmann:
Photo-Deb Knoske

When most people are putting away their swimsuits and breaking out their sweaters for fall, pageant contestants around the country are getting fit and shopping for the perfect competition swimsuit.

With the Miss USA and Mrs. America state competitions taking place in the upcoming months, I asked Aleah Oelmann, a Certified Personal Trainer and a Presidential Director with ViSalus Sciences, to share with us the nutrition and fitness plan she uses for her competitions.

 

Last year when we were working on her interview skills for the Miss Ohio USA pageant, I was very impressed with her passion for wanting to help people better their lives through building a healthier body. Aleah’s passion for this topic stems from the fact that her mom and dad both have Type 2 diabetes and her sister struggles with her weight. Her vision is to blend faith and fitness so people can p hysically, spiritually, and mentally be healthier. The Miss Ohio USA 2009 pageant was her first pageant ever and she made the top 15. Aleah is currently training for a figure competition with the National Physiques Committee and planning her wedding.

Q : What is the hardest thing about preparing for either swimsuit or figure competition?
A: The mental struggle people go through when trying to accomplish their weight loss goals.

Fighting the cravings is the worst. It’s that fight between what your brain is wanting (the foods that taste good) and what your body needs. There’s also the feelings of guilt when you have a cheat meal or eat something you know isn’t good for you. Your body gets conditioned to what you put in it. It’s craving nutrition and it’s not being satisfied with junk food. That’s why people can eat so much junk and still be hungry. People need to recondition their brain. I’ve found once you master your thoughts; you can achieve anything you want.

Q: How do you fight your cravings?
A: When you’re trying to slim down and reducing your calories, fatigue and cravings can be a huge issue. One key product I use from ViSalus is Neuro which is an all natural herbal energy blend. It mixes with water and has less than 1 gram of sugar unlike other energy drinks that are filled with tons of sugar and caffeine. I use it in between meals when I need that extra boost of energy without feeling jittery.

Another product I use is Vi-Shape. Because there are three unique proteins in Vi-Shape, it’s 60% more absorbable than whey protein so you don’t have that bloated, gassy feeling some people experience with meal replacement drinks. Each protein in the Vi-Shape has been specially processed to remove fat, lactose, carbohydrates and isoflavones to provide pure, concentrated protein. Our shake is lower in sodium, fat, and carbohydrates than other shakes. It’s diabetic friendly, has no gritty or chalky after taste like other shakes and is affordable.
For more information about ViSalus products email Aleah at aleah@bodybyvicompletewellness.com and visit her website at www.bodybyvicompletewellness.com.

Aleah Oelmann:
Photo-Taggart Photography

Q: Tell me about your competition meal plan and exercise routine?
A: I eat 5 smaller meals a day of about 250-300 calories ever 3-4 hours, watch my carb intake, and use the Vi-Shape meal replacement shakes and supplements. Here are five sample meals that I use:

Meal One:
½ cup regular oats
¼ cup blueberries
1 whole egg + 3 egg whites

Meal Two:
1 Vi-shape Meal Replacement with water or Almond milk
4oz. sweet potato

Meal Three:
4 oz. Tilapia
4oz. sweet potato
4 asparagus spears

Meal Four:
4 oz. baked chicken breast
½ grapefruit
10 almonds

Meal Five:
4 oz. Tuna
2 cups fresh spinach
¼ cup cucumbers & peppers
3 walnuts
1 lowfat string cheese

Aleah consumes a gallon to a gallon and a half of water a day. The last week of competition she gradually decreases that amount by 16 oz. For the days of the swimsuit competitions, she just sips water throughout the day.

Most people think that drinking water will cause them to bloat. The opposite is true. Water keeps the body hydrated so it doesn’t hold onto excess water. It’s the salt, sugar, caffeine, carbs and alcohol that all dehydrate your body and causes it to retain water and be puffy.

The swimsuit look in pageantry is a trim, lean look with no bulky muscles. So interval cardio training is important. When using weights use light weights and high reps to achieve a toned smooth look without the ripping definition you may see in figure competition.

Food cravings are nothing new; but it’s only been in recent years that researchers have begun to study the psychology of food. Psychological scientists Eva Kemps and Marika Tiggemann of Flinders University, Australia, review the latest research on food cravings and how they may be controlled in the current issue of Current Directions in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science. Their research suggests that cravings start with mental imagery. Try these suggestions if you find you’re struggling with cravings.

• Shut off the TV. The commercials trigger your desire to snack on junk.
• Think of something else.
• Go for a walk or exercise.
• Drink more water.

Isn’t it amazing how everything comes down to the way we think. Everything starts with our thoughts. It’s never too late to make changes that benefit in your health and wellness. Contact me today if you want to create a plan that will give you winning results in swimsuit and beyond.

Request my free special report, 10 Insider Secrets to Winning, and receive  for my free award winning newsletter weekly. Just click the GET YOUR FREE REPORT button at the top of this page. Then fill out your name and email address in the boxes.

Really, this was totally his idea☺.

The 90 day challenge – In 90 days, it will be Christmas. When most people will be thinking about holiday weight gain, Steve (my husband) will be celebrating his new found health. His current 42” inch waist and weight of 233lbs will shrink over the next few months. I’ll be posting a picture every 30 days so you can see the transformation.

 
Want to join him? Take a photo of yourself today, create a realistic plan that you can hold yourself accountable to, and give yourself the best Christmas gift of all- your health. If you need someone to hold you accountable, then contact me.

A note from Steve:
Well, here I go…90 days to fitness and health. I do have to say that putting my beautiful starting photo on here is definitely going to keep me accountable, but still it is a bit overwhelming. I have the Visalus products for the challenge…As Aleah says, they are really good. Still though, I don’t think I am going to be able to pour one of the healthy Visalus mixes over a large bowl of chocolate ice cream and get the desired results. I’m going to have to put effort into this as well, so ladies…here I go. If you friend me on Facebook I will walk you through my daily transformation from a caterpillar into a butterfly…..or perhaps just a less chubby caterpillar. Either way, I am into it. It’s time to get it done!

Rhonda Shappert is an expert pageant coach, an iPEC Certified Professional Coach, an Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner, and a member of the International Coach Federation. She created Winning Through Pageantry® to partner with pageant contestants and their support people to provide complete pageant preparation, achieve winning results in life through pageantry, and to Succeed From The Inside Out®. She has over 30 years experience in the pageantry world as a contestant, judge, emcee, staff member, mother of daughters who compete, Mrs. Ohio America 2005, and has held multiple titles at the local, state and national levels.
Rhonda graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelors degree in Musical Theater from The Ohio State University and has performed on stage in 15 countries on the Asian, European and American continents. This mother of three home educates their children and has been married 21 years to her husband Stephen, is the former mayor of her community, and serves on the Board of Trustees for the Ohio Virtual Academy. She and her husband perform original contemporary Christian music. Their music CD entitled Cana is available through  www.cdbaby.com/cd/shappert  or on her website. For more information on Rhonda, visit  www.WinningThroughPageantry.com .

Think back to the last pageant you watched and tell me the color of the winner’s gown. Most of you will answer white, or some shade of it.

Neutral colors of white, beige, gold, champaign, and black dominate the crowning moment followed by shades of blue and red.

There are exceptions to this “white wins” paradigm but for the most part, when you look at the stage of contestants, it’s a sea of white.What do you think? Here are photos from 2010’s Miss America, Miss USA, Miss Universe, Mrs. United States, Mrs. America and Mrs. International pageants. For even more, click on this link to see the top five in 48 states in the 2010 Miss USA pageants, and you’ll see neutrals, red and blue (with a couple other sprinkles thrown in). http://www.pageantupdate.info/missusa2010/topfivegroups.htm

Most people see this pattern but never take the time to understand why. I receive greater insight into this phenomenon each time I judge. Simply put, whites and neutrals are safe and draw the focus to the woman in the dress.

I use the word “safe” because the colors don’t elicit strong emotional reactions from the judges. Think about your own feelings when you see certain colors. Some colors make you go “ugh” while others make you scream “I like it”. Even in the most beautiful green gown, if two of your judges love your choice and the third doesn’t, you won’t score as high. Remember, one point could be the difference between the Queen and the 1st runner up.

 

Every human being has emotional reactions to colors. All you have to do is sit out in the audience and listen to the comments made when the crowd sees certain gowns. Or, just pay attention to your own thoughts and feelings when you’re looking at color.

 

Judges try to be as objective as possible; but when it comes right down to it, they trust their gut feeling about a contestant, and the color of a gown will affect how some people feel.Because the crown goes to the contestant with the highest composite score from all of the judges, a contestant needs to connect with every judge in each area of competition. So you don’t want to be wearing something that will potentially turn judges off. That’s why I say neutrals are safe. I’m not saying everyone should wear white or a neutral color. There are some skin tones that need brighter colors to make the contestant radiant.

 

Whites and neutrals draw the focus to the woman in the dress. The style and color of your gown should work together to highlight your physical beauty. More importantly though, the gown should bring attention back to your face, where your inner beauty shines through your eyes and smile. That’s where you want the judges to be focusing anyway. If they’re admiring (or distracted by) the color and detail of your gown, they’re going to miss YOU. That’s where you get comments like “the dress wore her”. The contestant must wear the dress if the crown is to come to her.

When you’re at a Red Carpet event or making an appearance, you can make a bolder statement. But when the opportunity of being a titleholder is being decided by a panel of judges, you need to find the middle ground. When competing in a pageant, this is the one time when I will say, it’s safer to drive down the middle of the road than to veer too far to the left or to the right. Your judging panel will be a mix of people. That’s why it’s safer to choose a timeless classic gown. It appeals to the masses.

You must be true to who you are. Never be someone or something that you’re not. Choose a gown that has a color and fit that highlights who you are without being overbearing. Remember, it isn’t the color alone that wins.  It’s what the color brings attention to and that should be the real you. 

Request my free special report, 10 Insider Secrets to Winning, and receive  for my free award winning newsletter weekly. Just click the GET YOUR FREE REPORT button at the top of this page. Then fill out your name and email address in the boxes.

Rhonda Shappert is an expert pageant coach, an iPEC Certified Professional Coach, an Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner, and a member of the International Coach Federation. She created Winning Through Pageantry® to partner with pageant contestants and their support people to provide complete pageant preparation, achieve winning results in life through pageantry, and to Succeed From The Inside Out®. She has over 30 years experience in the pageantry world as a contestant, judge, emcee, staff member, mother of daughters who compete, Mrs. Ohio America 2005, and has held multiple titles at the local, state and national levels.
Rhonda graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelors degree in Musical Theater from The Ohio State University and has performed on stage in 15 countries on the Asian, European and American continents. This mother of three home educates their children and has been married 21 years to her husband Stephen, is the former mayor of her community, and serves on the Board of Trustees for the Ohio Virtual Academy. She and her husband perform original contemporary Christian music. Their music CD entitled Cana is available through  www.cdbaby.com/cd/shappert  or on her website. For more information on Rhonda, visit  www.WinningThroughPageantry.com .

The pageant contestants I have coached know what sets them apart from the others. They are thoroughly prepared, and experience less drama in their lives.

Coaching isn’t a hobby of mine or something I do on the side. While being a full time Certified Professional Coach and an Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner through iPEC (Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching), I am also a member of the International Coaching Federation. When you combine my professional coaching certifications, my decades of extensive experience in all areas of pageantry, and the unique process of how my clients and I work together, you have a winning combination that’s different from other pageant coaches.

 

Some hairstylists, makeup artists, personal trainers, wardrobe stylists, modeling/talent instructors, and photographers call themselves pageant coaches when in reality they’re consultants. Consultants give answers to specific external needs. The problem is their advice is usually one dimensional and isn’t always integrated with the other areas of your pageant preparation. Plus, if the person is inexperienced within the pageant world, their expertise isn’t going to benefit you to the fullest extent.

 

Usually,with consultants there’s very little accountability or follow up to make sure you stay on track. Plus few are Professional Coaches who are skilled at addressing both the physical and mental obstacles that come up when preparing for a pageant (and we all know that most of the drama within pageantry is caused by internal issues, not external).

 

I’m a unique blend of a consultant and Professional Coach. My expertise within pageantry allows me to address all the external needs, however, unlike the traditional consultant I integrate all pieces of the pageant puzzle. As a Certified Life Coach, I partner with you to create a plan based on your agenda that will help you grow internally and live the life you want. I help you work through the internal and external obstacles, and hold you accountable to what you say you’re going to do.

 

I absolutely love what I do and have a passion for coaching, teaching and learning. I started teaching dance lessons at age 14 and have continued throughout my life. Family is central to me, and especially the relationship between mothers and daughters. I’ve home educated my three daughters for the past 12 years. This has been a blessing in more than one way to our family. No two people learn in the exact same way. I have developed my ability to isolate a person’s learning style and speak their language so the information makes sense to them. By knowing how to take big principals and break them down into easy understandable parts, both children and adults can relate to me.

 

Finally, what sets me apart from others is how I view pageantry and winning. Pageants are a fun tool that women can use to develop themselves and strengthen their relationships. My definition of winning doesn’t refer to just the crown. If you’re looking to achieve winning results in your life THROUGH pageantry, then you’ve found the right expert pageant coach. Welcome to Winning Through Pageantry®.

Receive weekly pageant tips directly to your email. Sign up for my free award winning newsletter. Just click the GET YOUR FREE REPORT button at the top of this page. Then fill out your name and email address in the boxes.

Rhonda Shappert is an expert pageant coach, an iPEC Certified Professional Coach, an Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner, and a member of the International Coach Federation. She created Winning Through Pageantry® to partner with pageant contestants and their support people to provide complete pageant preparation, achieve winning results in life through pageantry, and to Succeed From The Inside Out®. She has over 30 years experience in the pageantry world as a contestant, judge, emcee, staff member, mother of daughters who compete, Mrs. Ohio America 2005, and has held multiple titles at the local, state and national levels.
Rhonda graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelors degree in Musical Theater from The Ohio State University and has performed on stage in 15 countries on the Asian, European and American continents. This mother of three home educates their children and has been married 21 years to her husband Stephen, is the former mayor of her community, and serves on the Board of Trustees for the Ohio Virtual Academy. She and her husband perform original contemporary Christian music. Their music CD entitled Cana is available through  www.cdbaby.com/cd/shappert or on her website. For more information on Rhonda, visit  www.WinningThroughPageantry.com .

At age 5, my mom brought home a full length royal blue, crushed velvet dress she had borrowed from my cousin. To complete the outfit, she also had long white gloves, white patent leather shoes and a beautiful pearl headband. The ensemble was now fit for a princess. She announced that I was going to be in the local Snow Queen contest. I had no idea what that meant, but I loved the outfit and I was very excited to get all dressed up.

 

Besides the thrill of being on stage under the bright lights, walking down the long runway, the laughter/cheering of the audience, and receiving a brand new silver dollar from gigantic snowmen (OK, the businessmen who dressed as snowmen were a bit scary at the time), what I remember most about the evening was the special time I had with my family, feeling good about who I was, and most definitely wanting to do it again! Yes, I was hooked and that was the beginning of a lifetime of pageantry.

 

As a teen, I won four local and state titles, and enjoyed every aspect of pageantry. For me, each pageant was a time for self discovery, family bonding and, oh, so much fun. Most of my fondest memories and closest relationships stem from my years in pageantry.

 

After the birth of my third daughter, I discovered the world of pageantry for married women. Nothing will motivate a woman faster to shed that baby fat than having to wear a bathing suit in front of an audience. With the exceptions of my first and last pageants, of the eleven I participated in, I always placed in the top five. I was honored to receive the state title of Mrs. Ohio America 2005 (www.MrsOhioAmerica2005.com), and the national title of Ms. American Women Over 30.

 

During this decade of my life, I also became an experienced judge; a polished emcee/public speaker; and a pageant staff member. Hoping to help others receive the same joys and life skills that I developed when working with my pageant coach, I started pageant coaching on the side.

This whole time, my daughters observed what I did, participated in my public appearances, and grew up. At ages 11, 9 and 7, they expressed an interest in trying pageants for themselves. They started as festival queens and moved up to Cinderella state titleholders. At first it felt odd to be the mother of pageant participants, realizing the circle of life had begun. But it was a natural progression as our family continued our journey with pageantry in a style that focused on balance, personal development, quality family time and service to others.

My transition from hobby status into professional pageant coaching began when my daughters and I attended an international pageant in Las Vegas. Although I had seen negative pageant behavior on TV shows, it was the first time I had personally witnessed the devastating effects a demanding mother could have on her daughter’s self esteem and self worth. I was in absolute shock over what I was seeing and hearing. I didn’t personally know that mother/daughter team; however, I did know there was going to be long lasting consequences not only to that little 8 year old girl’s self image, but to their relationship as well.

 

When I came back, I started exploring how I could use my decades of deep expertise of the industry to help contestants experience the fullness of pageantry and strengthen their relationships in life. With that, I created Winning Through Pageantry- Succeed From the Inside Out^®.

If you would like to use pageantry as a fun tool for self discovery, I encourage you to participate in one of my bootcamps, teleclasses or private coaching sessions.

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Your ability to see beyond the pageant night will determine how fulfilling your pageant experience will be. If you only want a crown, then I would suggest taking the money you’re going to spend on your pageant shoes alone, and buy the prettiest crown you can find online. You’re investment of time and money preparing for the pageant will far exceed the price tag of a crown. However, if you’re looking at pageantry as a vehicle to drive you to other places in your life, then you’re in the right place.

 

Rhonda Shappert is an expert pageant coach, an iPEC Certified Professional Coach, an Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner, and a member of the International Coach Federation. She created Winning Through Pageantry® to partner with pageant contestants and their support people to provide complete pageant preparation, achieve winning results in life through pageantry, and to Succeed From The Inside Out®. She has over 30 years experience in the pageantry world as a contestant, judge, emcee, staff member, mother of daughters who compete, Mrs. Ohio America 2005, and has held multiple titles at the local, state and national levels.

Rhonda graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelors degree in Musical Theater from The Ohio State University and has performed on stage in 15 countries on the Asian, European and American continents. This mother of three home educates their children and has been married 21 years to her husband Stephen, is the former mayor of her community, and serves on the Board of Trustees for the Ohio Virtual Academy. She and her husband perform original contemporary Christian music. Their music CD entitled Cana is available through  www.cdbaby.com/cd/shappert or on her website. For more information on Rhonda, visit  www.WinningThroughPageantry.com .