Cut To The Core Training

Once I plugged in the words, photo shoot, photographer, Las Vegas, in Google, it was the beginning of the something that I knew I wanted to do so badly.  Besides, for the longest time, I had wanted to meet Fitness Model/Writer, Jamie Eason as well as a few other influential people that have guided me on this journey of getting in shape and providing me the opportunity to grasp onto a newly found confidence. My husband and I have been saying for years, that instead of going to Las Vegas in July/August like we normally do,  we should attend the Olympia Fitness Expo that is usually in late September. However, things happen that take precedence over going to Las Vegas to a fitness expo, and we just kept putting it off. Not only did I enjoy going to Vegas in July/August, the kids had off from school, and well, it just worked better that way. But this was 2012!  It was the year to get shit done, so we made the decision to just go for it. Besides, I had just competed in my first ever figure competition, and I thought why not? Why not now? It was on my “anxiety” bucket list, so I felt that I had to definitely check that off my list.

I do not really know what made me start looking for photographers in Las Vegas, but I did, and came across Natalie Minh, a well-known photographer, who was from California, but was going to be in Vegas for the Olympia and had set up a location for photo shoots. I don’t remember sending her the email; I think my body and mind went numb in a “what are you thinking” kind of way, and even when I received the response to let me know that there was one day open for a shoot left and that I could take it, I was ready to bite not just my nails, but my fingers off too! But I was also super psyched! I submitted my photos as requested, and followed my competition diet with a few tweaks here and there; I didn’t want to get as low in body fat as I did for the figure competition I did 2 ½ months earlier.  I had 2 months to prep for it, and during that time, I tracked my calories, weighed and measured my food using measuring cups and a food scale, and worked hard in the gym. For some reason, prepping for the photo shoot was much less stressful than prepping for a competition.  Maybe, it was because I was just so excited about finally being able to attend the Olympia fitness expo, and being in Vegas always makes me happy! I guess stepping in front of a photographer whom I have never met before, wasn’t quite resonating with me at that time! Also, I was so excited about the trip and being in a place where everyone carries food around in little plastic baggies and Tupperware containers, that I kind of let the nerves fall by the wayside.

September 26, 2012….Vegas time!!!! We had arranged for my mother in law to come up from NYC to stay with the kids so that we wouldn’t have to take them out of school. It literally took my husband and me 2 whole days to prep all of my food and supplements; he did the cooking and I did the packing. I didn’t want to have to add another carry on bag to our load because I knew that if I did, the airline would charge me more moolah, so I did away with the Tupperware, and found another way to pack my food! I came across Eco-Zip bags while at the grocery store one day, and turns out that they were actually quite convenient and practical! I was able to separate my meals, attach labels to indicate which meal they were for and what day, and they didn’t take a lot of space!

Eco-Zip bags

24 meals packed and placed into my small blue cooler, which I was able to carry onto the plane with no problems.

My awesome cooler!

Once I arrived at the hotel, I placed all of my food into the refrigerator I had requested weeks earlier.  Carrying my food around in a bag was a lot easier than carrying around a few Tupperware coolers or even the entire cooler. I could just take how many meals I would need and on the go I went!

We have arrived!

The first two days were the Expo, I stood in line for 3 hours to meet Jamie Eason and I was so happy! She really is the most genuine, sincere person I have ever met! She took the time to chat with me and take a photo

Jamie Eason

We also got to meet some other fitness models, high-level pro competitors that have been featured on many of my countless fitness magazines.

Nicole Wilkins

My husband with MMA fighter, Forrest Griffin

Adela Garcia

Amanda Latona

We also collected free supplements and samples “trick or treat” style. It was awesome! I also got a chance to attend a seminar, which was basically a Q&A with another awesome knowledgeable person in the fitness industry, Jim Stoppani.  As you can see, apparently I have a clothing mishap everywhere I go, my boobs must have a mind of there own. It’s just that the first day I went to the expo, I kind of felt overdressed. A Lot of the people there were walking around in sports bras, tight booty shorts, muscles showing, so the next day, I wanted to fit in just a tad. First of all, I was so anxious to get back to the expo, that I left wearing sandals not sneakers like I originally had planned. I felt like an idiot among all those fitness pros! Plus, I’m not even going to go there with how my crotch looks with the waist of my pants rolled down! hehe whaddya gonna do now?

My husband striking a pose with all our goodies and my little lunch tote! He’s such a good husband!

I still shamelessly struck a pose in front of the Muscle&Fitness Hers sign!

It’s actually quite funny that I was so worried about what I should wear! If you ever get a chance to go, you will find the most down to earth, dedicated, nonjudgmental people I’ve had the pleasure of being around!

Unfortunately, we had to cut the second day of the Expo short because I had to hurry back for my spray tanning appointment. Yep, another one of those! (If you haven’t yet, to find out how my previous spray tanning experience went, read the my previous blog post about my journey to my first figure competition) This time, however, I didn’t have to stand naked to dry off for any length of time, only when the tan was applied! Not to mention, I didn’t have to get as dark for the photo shoot as I did for the competition.  After that was over, we had to head over to Walgreens on the strip because my husband developed a severe sinus infection and my right ear was beginning to hurt really badly.

Beast Mode and pink piggy neck rest

In hindsight, I think it was from all the gum chewing I was doing to curb cravings! hehe.. “Hi, my name is Megan, and I’m a hypochondriac!”  Unfortunately, no one was there to help and we were advised to come back the next day.  We were both exhausted and ready for bed at that point, so we headed back to the hotel to call it an early night.  Besides, I was meeting the photographer at 9 am, and  I needed to make sure that I gave myself enough time to get to the eat and get to the location on time. I had already tried on a couple of things to wear for the photo shoot so I was ready to go!

One of the choices that I was taking to the photo shoot! (And wore)

Awwww shit! We were late. It turns out that not all cab drivers in Las Vegas know where to go. Thankfully, we were only late by a couple minutes, but I still felt horrible. But my nerves and regrets of being late were soon squashed when I met Natalie Minh, she was just so nice and made me feel extremely comfortable. And even though I did drink a bottle of red wine to calm my nerves and loosen up, it really did help that I chose an amazing photographer who put me at ease and was really professional.

Four hours, white backdrop, beautiful scenery I’ve never had the chance to see before, hot desert, and hearing someone who was just there to climb Red Rock Canyon, that I must be a fitness model was an amazing feeling and compliment to say the least. I was on an incredible high, well that plus a slight buzz from the bottle of red wine and rockstar energy drink I had a few sips from! And somewhere in the mixture of wine, Rockstar, desert heat, beautiful Red Rock Canyon, and Natalie Minh, I’m pretty sure there was a girl who had a ton of insecurities and little confidence, but that day pure happiness was driving me, and it was one of the greatest days of my life!

Down time! Just for a few minutes though! too much to see and do!

The rest of the day and time spent in Vegas was just walking around, and enjoying the rest of my time there. I never went to the gym because just walking around the hotels and Vegas strip is enough to wear you out and get a good calorie burn; there are literally stairs everywhere! However, I didn’t do a lot of walking prior to the photo shoot because overuse of your legs could cause water retention, and I certainly didn’t want that to happen. It’s actually quite challenging trying to avoid the unavoidable; walking. Not to mention, I had only a limited amount of water that I could intake; so just being out in the hot blazing sun for any length of time was also a risk. I was however, happy that my husband was finally able to get a prescription for the sinus infection he had. Sinus infection+ cigarette smoke+ desert heat= Not the best time! He did make the most out of it though! I also found out that my ear was just fine. Of course it was…

Sadly, as with any vacation, the day to leave came….

Sadly, it was time to leave

walking up stairs, down stairs, one side of the hotel to another, at the airport,  it was quite the workout! You can seriously find a place to get some exercise in wherever you go! Besides, it doesn’t hurt just to add a tiny challenge along the way. You’ll feel better for it. Trust me.

stairs in our hotel!

stairs at the airport! Bye Vegas! I’ll be back someday!