Ok, here ya go.. photos from Miss Chesapeake 2009! ENJOY!!!!!
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Friday, February 20, 2009
Fitness: Interviews from Three Very Different People
A few days ago, I interviewed three different people about their opinion of health and fitness as related to their personal lifestyles. I tried to find three totally different opinions of fitness. Here are the people I found: a physical therapy major, and culinary arts graduate, and a high school basketball player. They may not seem very different, but they kinda are. Take a look at their answers to my questions.
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The first person I interviewed is the physical therapy major; his name is Cameron.
Me: How long have you been interested in physical therapy?
Cameron: it's been a fascination of mine for quite a long time now. I used to play lots of sports, including basketball and football. But when I was a high school freshman I was playing a football game and my knee was injured. It took a physical therapist to get me back on my feet. I was never able to get back into the game, but I'm able to walk now. That's what really got me into physical therapy.
Me: Do you think health and fitness is important in a person's everyday lifestyle?
Cameron: Yes. If I hadn't been healthy and physically fit, my physical therapist says I would've never healed as quickly as I did. I think it's really important for people to eat right and exercise.
Me: What does you diet consist of?
Cameron: I have to admit, it's not perfect, especially living on a college student's salary! So sometimes I throw some bad stuff in there. But I eat a lot of cereal and plenty of lean meats for protein. Drink a lot of milk. Stuff like that.
Me: Do you exercise?
Cameron: Yes! In fact, every night before I go to bed, I do crunches and push ups regardless of whether or not I'm not able to work out during the day. I also play intramural basketball to keep me in shape.
Me: Would you recommend playing sports to stay in shape?
Cameron: Not necessarily. I think people can stay in shape without doing sports. It all depends on what your exercise preference is. Whatever you do to stay in shape, do what you gotta do! As long as you're doing something!
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The next person that I interviewed is the culinary arts graduate; her name is Giovanni. I decided to interview her to get a feel for how contemporary culinary artists felt about incorporating health into their dishes.
Me: How long have you been cooking?
Giovanni: I have been cooking ever since I ca remember. My father is a cook, so he brought me into the "family business".
Me: Before you studies culinary art, did you think about health when cooking?
Giovanni: Not really! I was a lot more worried about taste to be honest with you. In fact, I still am! But back then, I never even thought about it. I was brought up cooking Soul Food, which is notorious for being unhealthy! Nonetheless, I love it and it was hard to consider health issues when I began tostudy culinary arts because it meant cutting most of this food out!
Me: How did things change when you began to study culinary arts?
Giovanni: It changed a lot. It made me think about the effects of continuing to eat unhealthy food- high blood pressure, diabetes, and even death. I was happy to learn though that I can still cook a lot of my food without sacrificing the tase. For example, using Splanda instead of sugar. It still tastes pretty much the same! Just more expensive...
Me: Have you changed the proportions of food that you serve after studying culinary arts?
Giovanni: Definitely. I have learned that sometimes you don't have to take your facorte foods altogether out of your diet. Sometimes it's just about eating them in moderation. Like instead of eating a whole piece of steak, I'll cut it in half. If I'm still hungry I can always come back. But if I have the whole piece of steak on my plate I feel compelled to eat it. So cutting it in half helps me take better control of my hunger.
Me: How much Soul Food have you cut out of your cooking?
Giovanni: I'll be honest, not much! I still cook a lot of the old faves, but I'm a lot more conscious about the ingredients. I cook a lot for family and friends, and I would hate for my food to be the reason they have health issues later.
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The last person I interviewed plays JV high school basketball; his name is Shelton. What makes hi interesting is that this is his first year playing a sport in about five years. So he's kinds going from 0 to 60 pretty quickly. Let's see what he had to say:
Me: What made you wanna play basketball for your high school?
Shelton: Well, I've been dating someone for about a year now, and she plays basketball. She kinda inspired me to get back into the game.
Me: Has it been hard getting back into basketball?
Shelton: Yeah. I used to play whan I was younger; I played football and baseball too. All rec. But I stopped for a long time, so to come back into it randomly was a little hard.I gained weight and wasn't eating too healthy. So it was pretty tough.
Me: What hurdles did you have to overcome getting back into sports?
Shelton: I had to start eating healthier and exercising a lot more. When you play ball it's constant running up and down the court. So if you're not eating right and in shape, you'll get tired immediately.
Me: How did you change your exercise and diet plans?
Shelton: I have to work out with the team and everything, that's not an option! But I also try to do some running and weight lifting on my own. I also try to eat a lot of chicken and fish, vegetables... More protein than just a lot of fat.
Me: Do you think playing basketball again has helped you to become more healthy?
Shelton: You have to become more healthy to play. End of story. Otherwise, you'll never get in the game. Since it's my first year, I haven't got in much but I still gotta be ready at any time to get in. Can't be huffing and puffing up and down the court. Gotta change your lifestyle if you wanna play.
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Three different people, three different backgrounds. Somehow, though, they all agree that health and fitness is important. Hmm, something to think about.
Ash:-)
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The first person I interviewed is the physical therapy major; his name is Cameron.
Me: How long have you been interested in physical therapy?
Cameron: it's been a fascination of mine for quite a long time now. I used to play lots of sports, including basketball and football. But when I was a high school freshman I was playing a football game and my knee was injured. It took a physical therapist to get me back on my feet. I was never able to get back into the game, but I'm able to walk now. That's what really got me into physical therapy.
Me: Do you think health and fitness is important in a person's everyday lifestyle?
Cameron: Yes. If I hadn't been healthy and physically fit, my physical therapist says I would've never healed as quickly as I did. I think it's really important for people to eat right and exercise.
Me: What does you diet consist of?
Cameron: I have to admit, it's not perfect, especially living on a college student's salary! So sometimes I throw some bad stuff in there. But I eat a lot of cereal and plenty of lean meats for protein. Drink a lot of milk. Stuff like that.
Me: Do you exercise?
Cameron: Yes! In fact, every night before I go to bed, I do crunches and push ups regardless of whether or not I'm not able to work out during the day. I also play intramural basketball to keep me in shape.
Me: Would you recommend playing sports to stay in shape?
Cameron: Not necessarily. I think people can stay in shape without doing sports. It all depends on what your exercise preference is. Whatever you do to stay in shape, do what you gotta do! As long as you're doing something!
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The next person that I interviewed is the culinary arts graduate; her name is Giovanni. I decided to interview her to get a feel for how contemporary culinary artists felt about incorporating health into their dishes.
Me: How long have you been cooking?
Giovanni: I have been cooking ever since I ca remember. My father is a cook, so he brought me into the "family business".
Me: Before you studies culinary art, did you think about health when cooking?
Giovanni: Not really! I was a lot more worried about taste to be honest with you. In fact, I still am! But back then, I never even thought about it. I was brought up cooking Soul Food, which is notorious for being unhealthy! Nonetheless, I love it and it was hard to consider health issues when I began tostudy culinary arts because it meant cutting most of this food out!
Me: How did things change when you began to study culinary arts?
Giovanni: It changed a lot. It made me think about the effects of continuing to eat unhealthy food- high blood pressure, diabetes, and even death. I was happy to learn though that I can still cook a lot of my food without sacrificing the tase. For example, using Splanda instead of sugar. It still tastes pretty much the same! Just more expensive...
Me: Have you changed the proportions of food that you serve after studying culinary arts?
Giovanni: Definitely. I have learned that sometimes you don't have to take your facorte foods altogether out of your diet. Sometimes it's just about eating them in moderation. Like instead of eating a whole piece of steak, I'll cut it in half. If I'm still hungry I can always come back. But if I have the whole piece of steak on my plate I feel compelled to eat it. So cutting it in half helps me take better control of my hunger.
Me: How much Soul Food have you cut out of your cooking?
Giovanni: I'll be honest, not much! I still cook a lot of the old faves, but I'm a lot more conscious about the ingredients. I cook a lot for family and friends, and I would hate for my food to be the reason they have health issues later.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The last person I interviewed plays JV high school basketball; his name is Shelton. What makes hi interesting is that this is his first year playing a sport in about five years. So he's kinds going from 0 to 60 pretty quickly. Let's see what he had to say:
Me: What made you wanna play basketball for your high school?
Shelton: Well, I've been dating someone for about a year now, and she plays basketball. She kinda inspired me to get back into the game.
Me: Has it been hard getting back into basketball?
Shelton: Yeah. I used to play whan I was younger; I played football and baseball too. All rec. But I stopped for a long time, so to come back into it randomly was a little hard.I gained weight and wasn't eating too healthy. So it was pretty tough.
Me: What hurdles did you have to overcome getting back into sports?
Shelton: I had to start eating healthier and exercising a lot more. When you play ball it's constant running up and down the court. So if you're not eating right and in shape, you'll get tired immediately.
Me: How did you change your exercise and diet plans?
Shelton: I have to work out with the team and everything, that's not an option! But I also try to do some running and weight lifting on my own. I also try to eat a lot of chicken and fish, vegetables... More protein than just a lot of fat.
Me: Do you think playing basketball again has helped you to become more healthy?
Shelton: You have to become more healthy to play. End of story. Otherwise, you'll never get in the game. Since it's my first year, I haven't got in much but I still gotta be ready at any time to get in. Can't be huffing and puffing up and down the court. Gotta change your lifestyle if you wanna play.
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Three different people, three different backgrounds. Somehow, though, they all agree that health and fitness is important. Hmm, something to think about.
Ash:-)
Miss Chesapeake 2009
In my class, we were instructed to attend an event that pertained to our individual theme. Mine is fitness, and so I decided to blog about the Miss Chesapeake 2009 pageant- an event that I actually participated in. The reason why it pertains to my theme is because, as many people know, the Miss America Organization includes a swimsuit competition. In that competition, the judges are told to look for a girl's overall fitness and evidence of a healthy lifestyle. It is important for a girl to be physically fit in order to have a chance at winning the local, state, or national title.
The other phases of competition are interview, talent, evening wear, and onstage question. However, the swimsuit competition is one of the hardest to perform well because it's the one phase you cannot fake! You have to have a good diet and work out for at least several months prior to the pageant in order to make a good impression on the judges. It signifies dedication and lots of hard work. It's for people who are very serious about their health, fitness, and winning a local title.
Unfortunately, I don't have pictures from the actual swimsuit competition, but maybe I'll be able to find someone who took pictures then. Anyway, there are some photos below in a nice little slide show. So enjoy!
Oh, by the way... I WON!!!!!!!! YAY!!!!!
Ash:-)
The other phases of competition are interview, talent, evening wear, and onstage question. However, the swimsuit competition is one of the hardest to perform well because it's the one phase you cannot fake! You have to have a good diet and work out for at least several months prior to the pageant in order to make a good impression on the judges. It signifies dedication and lots of hard work. It's for people who are very serious about their health, fitness, and winning a local title.
Unfortunately, I don't have pictures from the actual swimsuit competition, but maybe I'll be able to find someone who took pictures then. Anyway, there are some photos below in a nice little slide show. So enjoy!
Oh, by the way... I WON!!!!!!!! YAY!!!!!
Ash:-)
Friday, February 13, 2009
How to Win a Swimsuit Competition: What I've Tried to Do Over the Last 3 Years!
I've been competing under the Miss America Organization for a while now, and over the years I think I've pretty much narrowed down what it take to be successful at the swimsuit competition (now, if I can just get my body to coincide with my brain!!!!!)
OK.... Everyone should know that the swimsuit competition is the time where the judges get to see how well each contestant has maintained a very healthy lifestyle and exercise schedule. They are overall looking for poise, grace, fitness and a great attitude.
Here's what every pageant girl should do to get ready for the swimsuit competiton:
And remember, even if you're not competing in a swimsuit competition, this is advice you can take with you in daily life. Be healthy, be fit, and be confident!
Well, that's about all I know... Hope that helped someone!
Ash:-)
OK.... Everyone should know that the swimsuit competition is the time where the judges get to see how well each contestant has maintained a very healthy lifestyle and exercise schedule. They are overall looking for poise, grace, fitness and a great attitude.
Here's what every pageant girl should do to get ready for the swimsuit competiton:
- DIET. It is essential that you constantly eat the right foods and drink lots of water each day (accept a few days before the pageant. You don't wanna look bloated!) Stay away from sodas and sweets.... acne is a no-no!!! But we all know what's good for us, and it's not just celery and carrots. Chicken, turkey, fish, and tons of other foods are good for you. And remember, just about anything is good in moderation! Watch your diet, and the first step to winning swimsuit is underway.
- YOUR PERSONAL BEST. A lot of people assume that you have to be thin to win the swimsuit competition. Totally not true! Very few people are actually born thin, but anybody can be healthy! Judges are more so looking for muscle tone versus thinness in swimsuit. Think about it this way: being thin could just mean you have a high metabolism. It doesn't mean you're in shape. However, muscle tone shows work; it shows a constant dedication to a fit lifestyle. Work very heavily on abs (ex. crunches) and legs (ex. squates) ... these are focal points for the judges. If those parts are toned, you're good to go!
- FIRM BU
T FEMININE. Ok, don't go too overboard! Although you wanna be fit, you don't wanna lose your girlish look. Look at toned movie stars for example- they obviously work out, but they don't have man-muscles! Remember, you are still going for Miss America, so you have to relate to women mentally and PHYSICALLY. You can still do exercises for your bust (ex. push ups), but don't overdo it.
- (SPRAY) TANNING. I tan too, and I'm black! Tanning is not just a way to achieve a more galmorous skin tone, but it can also make your body look more defined if done in the right way. It's all about contouring: spraying in some places a tad bit heavier than others. Now, I say spray tanning because it's the safest way to get a great tan and still protect your skin fron harmful UV rays. Now, for dark-skinned girls such as myself, tanning is also helpful for evening out a skin tone. My skin is discolored slightly on my legs, and tanning is like puttin makeup all over your body to even it out. And it does not make you darker (if you pick out the right color).
- STRUT. I've seen competitions in which a girl wasn't that physically fit, didn't eat ri
ght, and still won swimsuit! Why? Because she struts her stuff! She is confident and has an amazing walk, and the judges just eat it up! Now, I doubt this girl just walked on stage and fell into amazing confidence. NO! She practiced and practiced and practiced to perfect her walk while making it appear natural at the same time. I have heard several times that the swimsuit competition, contrary to popular belief, is won from the neck up. Therefore, if you believe you're hot, everyone else will believe it too. It'll come through in your eyes and in your smile. You'll be a shoe-in to catch the award!
And remember, even if you're not competing in a swimsuit competition, this is advice you can take with you in daily life. Be healthy, be fit, and be confident!
Well, that's about all I know... Hope that helped someone!
Ash:-)
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Becoming Miss....?
I'll tell ya, it's not the easiest thing in the world!
I found myself talking with my good friend about competing in an upcoming pageant; she asked me what exactly she needed to do to get ready. The conversation went a little like this:
"Well, girl.. I HOPE you have been watching the news AND reading the newspaper... and do you have an opinion on the what the President should do about the economy and the war? You'll probably have to answer those questions. Think about what you want the judges to know before you walk into the interview room; write it down and go over it before you walk in. Oh, and by the way... What is your platform going to be? It has to be something meaningful to you; please don't pick anything random. And you need to think about how you're going to PROMOTE that platform as well. You can't just pick something and be done. It's all about community service! And girl, have you been working out? You have to get to the gym! if you can't make it to the gym, at least try to run a few times a week... It's really important because you don't want random things showing on stage! What's your talent by the way? Can you sing? Dance? Play piano?... Okay, you should probably pick a complicated piece to get more points, but it can't be too long, because you only have a minute and a half. You don't wanna go over because then you could be penalized. So you're basically gonna need an interview suit or dress, swimsuit, talent dress, and evening gown... Oh, and an opening number dress. Make sure it's cute... you're not judged technically, but you're always being watched! Oh, and you need to get pictures taken, and they have to be really nice. But make sure they don't look too overdone, because you want to look natural. Do you know how to do hair and makeup? You should probably work on that because you probably won't be allowed to have hair and makeup artists backstage...
But anyway girl, that's about it. Any questions???????"
The funny thing is I'm sure that I've left a lot out of that description. HAHA! Over the years I have learned that once you know what to do, you're good to go. But those first couple of pageants... Let's just call them a "learning experience"!
I'm very thankful for all of those that have helped me to understand the world of pageants, and hope I can make them proud this year as I compete again in the journey to become Miss Virginia, and maybe even Miss America.
It's a demanding job, but somebody's gotta do it!
-Ash:-)
I found myself talking with my good friend about competing in an upcoming pageant; she asked me what exactly she needed to do to get ready. The conversation went a little like this:
"Well, girl.. I HOPE you have been watching the news AND reading the newspaper... and do you have an opinion on the what the President should do about the economy and the war? You'll probably have to answer those questions. Think about what you want the judges to know before you walk into the interview room; write it down and go over it before you walk in. Oh, and by the way... What is your platform going to be? It has to be something meaningful to you; please don't pick anything random. And you need to think about how you're going to PROMOTE that platform as well. You can't just pick something and be done. It's all about community service! And girl, have you been working out? You have to get to the gym! if you can't make it to the gym, at least try to run a few times a week... It's really important because you don't want random things showing on stage! What's your talent by the way? Can you sing? Dance? Play piano?... Okay, you should probably pick a complicated piece to get more points, but it can't be too long, because you only have a minute and a half. You don't wanna go over because then you could be penalized. So you're basically gonna need an interview suit or dress, swimsuit, talent dress, and evening gown... Oh, and an opening number dress. Make sure it's cute... you're not judged technically, but you're always being watched! Oh, and you need to get pictures taken, and they have to be really nice. But make sure they don't look too overdone, because you want to look natural. Do you know how to do hair and makeup? You should probably work on that because you probably won't be allowed to have hair and makeup artists backstage...
But anyway girl, that's about it. Any questions???????"
The funny thing is I'm sure that I've left a lot out of that description. HAHA! Over the years I have learned that once you know what to do, you're good to go. But those first couple of pageants... Let's just call them a "learning experience"!
I'm very thankful for all of those that have helped me to understand the world of pageants, and hope I can make them proud this year as I compete again in the journey to become Miss Virginia, and maybe even Miss America.
It's a demanding job, but somebody's gotta do it!
-Ash:-)
Monday, February 2, 2009
Where in the World is....?
So.....
ODU is known for many things, including student activities, academics, and sports (SO EXCITED ABOUT FOOTBALL STARTING IN THE FALL!!!) But anyway... One little known beautiful fact about ODU is its position overlooking the majestic Elizabeth River. Why do I say it's little known?... Because I'm a junior and I'm just finding out about it! HAHA!
The position is in the WAY back of campus, and unless you get out that way you won't know about it. However, in one of my classes we had a "scavenger hunt" where each student wrote down clues about different sites on campus. I ended up finding the Elizabeth River Boardwalk. I didn't think I would be too fascinated by what I saw, but I was.
It was probalby about 40 degrees outside, and I had class in about 15 mionutes so I wasn't really interested in taking in the atmosphere. However, when I got there, I just could not help myself. The environment was so serene... I felt peaceful and happy immediately. I got closer to the water and took in the beautiful sounds of the waves. It was absolutely amazing.
After having something like an inner-body revolution there for a sec, I snapped back into it and relized that I needed to get to class. So I did! But I won't forget the Elizabeth River boardwalk is there. ODU can get stressul, not including work and extracurricular activities. It would be nice to get back to the water when I have a little time to uh, relax.... Whatever THAT is!
-Ash:-)
Lose Weight America!
Hello, people! I hope all is well.
Listen, I was surfing the web and found a very fascinating blog post written today... It's about a young man who lost a significant amount of weight and can now fit into his middle school clothing! I found this to be a wonderful story because I myself get very serious when it comes to health and fitness. Ever since I became a part of the Miss America Organization, I have become extremely adamant about eating right and staying in shape. Now, I may not be where I want to be, but over the years I have lost a lot of weight and feel so much more confident about myself. I must admit that reading this guy's blog post gives me hope to keep on going. Check it out:
My wife thought I should do a post with this picture of me in my 8th grade graduation sweatshirt. That’s right, I am actually wearing a shirt that fit me about 20 years ago.
I like to put it on when I am feeling fat or bad about myself and my weight loss efforts. It is good for us to have things like this that can remind us beyond any shadow of a doubt that we have accomplished a huge thing. This shirt does that for me. It is amazing that I can wear this shirt.
What do you use? Before and after pics are great too. If you are just starting, take some. I know that you don’t want to take any, but when you lose that weight and you feel like you look the same as you did before; those pics will come in handy. We need concrete proof sometimes. We have an uncanny ability to forget where we have come from. This is one reason why I think I and so many others revert back to our old ways. We don’t believe the changes that we have made, we think they are not real “for us”. Even when you look at this blog, you might think that it is so real for me, but when I look at your blogs it seems more real for you and not so much for me. That probably didn’t make sense. Anyway, have a good day everyone.
Oh yeah, try and remember today how far you have come. Whether it is 10 lbs., 50 lbs., 100 lbs., or 200 lbs., we have all made a difference in our lives. For ourselves, for our families.
I like to put it on when I am feeling fat or bad about myself and my weight loss efforts. It is good for us to have things like this that can remind us beyond any shadow of a doubt that we have accomplished a huge thing. This shirt does that for me. It is amazing that I can wear this shirt.
What do you use? Before and after pics are great too. If you are just starting, take some. I know that you don’t want to take any, but when you lose that weight and you feel like you look the same as you did before; those pics will come in handy. We need concrete proof sometimes. We have an uncanny ability to forget where we have come from. This is one reason why I think I and so many others revert back to our old ways. We don’t believe the changes that we have made, we think they are not real “for us”. Even when you look at this blog, you might think that it is so real for me, but when I look at your blogs it seems more real for you and not so much for me. That probably didn’t make sense. Anyway, have a good day everyone.
Oh yeah, try and remember today how far you have come. Whether it is 10 lbs., 50 lbs., 100 lbs., or 200 lbs., we have all made a difference in our lives. For ourselves, for our families.
Gosh, that makes me emotional. And yeah, that's his picture beside the italic words of love!. AND THAT'S ME ON THE TOP LEFT! You won't believe how big I used to be.... I won't post that :-) But I do love how this guy mentions that we need PROOF of the changes we have made in life so we never forget. Even when our minds take us back to where we used to be, we have to provide an escape route to where our minds SHOULD be. That photo is mine. His photo is his.
WHAT'S YOURS?
-Ash:-)
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