Beauty Tips

I Was a Beauty Queen for a Day

Think beauty pageants are all fluff and glitter? We went behind the scenes to find out how Miss Universe hopefuls really prepare

by Hayley Mason | 1 COMMENT

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Healthy Body, Happy Mind Before I arrived at Chic Secret, I was prepared to hear all about the latest juice cleanses, fad diets and extreme measures these women have to take to get their bodies in top shape. Instead Allen told me, "We aren't runway models." Super skinny, bony girls are a thing of the past when it comes to today's beauty pageants. "The swimsuit portion is about health, fitness, toned muscles, symmetry and proportion. We aim to look like healthy, active women." But this philosophy means different things for different women. Super-athletic women will work to reduce muscle mass and keep limbs lean, whereas other women may find themselves eating more than usual in order to build well-defined muscles. "When I was preparing for pageants I ate more food than ever in my life, just different kinds of food. Protein three to five times a day, tons and tons of veggies and creative cheat days, like having chocolate cake made from black beans, was my routine," says Allen. Keep in mind the women competing in Miss Universe have to keep up their diets while staying in hotels in Moscow for close to a month (so no late-night McDonalds runs to curb the stress).

A typical diet day might look like this:

Breakfast: Egg whites with spinach, mushrooms and salsa; turkey bacon
Mid-morning snack: Protein bar
Lunch: Tuna with mustard, whole-wheat toast and a side salad with light dressing
Mid-afternoon snack: An apple and almonds
Dinner: Tilapia, vegetable stir-fry and cucumber salad

Aside from the fact that my usual diet consists of coffee for breakfast, whatever is around the office for lunch (read frozen meals that I'm sure aren't as 'lean' as they claim) and a pasta dish for dinner, the menu seemed fairly simple to follow. The only thing I couldn't get on board with was the time it takes to actually slow down and prepare a morning and evening meal. Add in the crazy workout schedule (keep reading), and I feel like I've lost my precious relaxation hours.

SEE NEXT PAGE: Work It Out

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