Team Bombshell Bootcamp Recap!

Last weekend I attended Bombshell Weekend Camp in Daytona Beach, Florida.  It was my second time attending.  The first time was one year ago when I was a camp “Newbie”.   This year, as a “Veteran”, I loved camp even more.  It was a relatively small, intimate camp, which I prefer over the bigger ones—I got to spend time with each of my wonderful coaches and catch up with them.

I stayed in a hotel with a wonderful teammate named Susan (find her Facebook page here).  She is a wife, mom of three kids, and she works—she has such a full plate, and still keeps up her amazing physique!

On the first evening at camp, the “Veterans” showed up after the new campers had already left for the day.  We had a great shoulder workout led by my friend IFBB Bikini Pro Lacey DeLuca.  Lacey pushed me to lift heavier than I thought I could, and she taught me to stop using my traps to assist me—big traps don’t look good on female competitors, so I need to prevent mine from growing.  Here’s a pic of Susan and another great bikini competitor, Barbara:

We worked a lot on posing this weekend, which was invaluable for me because I had no idea how to pose like a Figure competitor.  It’s much different from bikini, and I have grown to LOVE it.  It just feels more like “me”. I’m not a naturally outgoing, sassy girl, so it was a real stretch for me to act out that role onstage—and in the end, if you look uncomfortable onstage, the judges can sense it.  I am certain that as a “Figure girl”, I will be much more confident onstage.

We ran a lot over the weekend—over the infamous bridge (a total of 4 times!), down to the beach to do a killer plyo workout, and all around Daytona Beach.  We lunged, squatted, jumped and worked out every muscle in our bodies—and I loved it!  Here is a silly picture of me after plyos (I am drenched in sweat but SO HAPPY!)

The best part about camp is the connection between all the women.  Lots of people feel pretty confident in their clothes, but when they’re standing in front of a huge mirror in a tiny bikini and high heels with pale, un-tanned skin, a few extra pounds from the holidays, and the coach sitting on the floor directing poses, it’s not easy to feel confident.  We have to let it all hang out at camp—literally!  This vulnerability creates a bond between all the girls that is really wonderful.  We excitedly discuss each others’ upcoming shows and cheer each other on as sweat pours down our faces.

 Plan for 2013 Season

I sat down with my coaches, Rob & Shannon, to discuss my show schedule for the year.  I originally thought I might be ready for a June show, but since I am switching to Figure, it’s going to take more time for me to be really ready.  They don’t want to “diet me down” too fast—they want to take it slow, which is fine with me.  I’m in this for the long haul.  My big far-off dream is to become an IFBB Pro Figure competitor and be able to compete with the best in this business, which requires a lot of time, hard work, sweat and patience.

Three Days Til Showtime!

It’s Wednesday, and on Friday I’ll be flying to Florida for the Ft. Lauderdale Cup. It’s an awesome event featuring both IFBB pro and NPC competitors—and it’s all-girls! They even have a red carpet at the night show—it’s really fun.

Here’s a picture of me on my birthday last weekend, which was wonderful.  I know what you’re wondering–did I eat birthday cake? NOPE!  I am determined!  (But I will definitely be having some after the show this weekend!)

Progress From January to October 2012

This will be my 5^th show of 2012, so I’m pretty used to the contest-prep routine by now.  My first show was in March, and 7 months later, I know I’ve improved a lot—physically and mentally.  I’m much calmer.  And I did much better sticking to my diet.  I’ll be totally honest—in every prep before this one, I cheated a little bit—just little bites here and there.  I didn’t think it really mattered, but it does!  I can see the difference in my photos this time.  I had to take drastic measures—I cleared out my apartment of extra food.  I had nothing in my cabinets/fridge except my meals I’d prepped for the week—which were frozen so didn’t I pick at them (yes, this is extreme—but bad habits are hard to break).

My wonderful coach Vanessa Campbell told me she thinks I look the best I have so far this year.  That made my day, and gave me the motivation to push through til the end—only 3 more cardio sessions and 2 more weight sessions now!

Improvement Season Begins

After this show, I think my 3-month “improvement season” will begin.  Essentially I’ve been in contest-prep mode since January, when I went to Bombshell Camp in Daytona Beach, FL and they kicked my butt into gear.  That’s pretty tough on your body!  I’ll cut it down to 1 cardio session per day, and lift heavier weights to create some more shape in my shoulders, glutes, back, etc—and eat more! (Yessss!!)

Are You Better Than You Were Yesterday?

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how dangerous it can be to compare myself to other competitors.  I can really bum myself out if I spend too much time wishing I had someone else’s abs or arms or whatever—the truth is, in this sport, the point is to be better than your previous ‘version’.  And I know I am getting better as time goes on.  As I lean out during this prep, I can see muscles emerge that I didn’t really know were there!  It’s exciting.

I hope you are having success working toward your goals—do not give up, even if you’re having one of those days where you just want to throw up your hands in frustration. (If you ARE feeling like that—email or FB message me! I’ll try to help!) 

I’ll post pictures and updates as the weekend goes on—follow me on Twitter, too (@LegallyFitKatie).

Progress from December 2010-September 2012

Sometimes when I’m frustrated with the pace of progress in my physique, I have to step back and look at old photos to see how far I’ve come.

Don’t give up! Every little effort you make DOES make a difference. When you add them all up, major changes happen.

3 weeks out from my next show–the Ft. Lauderdale Cup!  Time to tighten up and lean out a bit & I’ll be ready

Legally Fit Version 2.L

Holy. Cow.

That’s the only way I can describe these last three weeks. It is my second year of law school, and here’s the good part:  I am doing lots of interesting, worthwhile things both on- and off-campus.  I’m also competing again in 6 weeks (October 20), then again a couple of weeks later (NPC Nationals on November 9-10 – this is the BIG show where I try to earn my pro card again).   The bad part:  I am on the brink of overwhelmed.  So far, I’ve been successful in balancing everything, but it hasn’t been easy. I will be grateful for “improvement season” after I compete at NPC Nationals in November.

(For those who don’t know, “improvement season” (also called the “off-season”) is when competitors spend time away from the stage, making improvements in their physiques to unveil in the spring.  Our diets relax a little bit and we do less cardio.)

Currently I’m sitting in an airport waiting for my flight to Vegas do a job interview tomorrow morning at 9 AM.  After the interview I will have posing practice with IFBB Bikini Pro Skye Taylor, which I am very excited about.  Then I fly back home to catch up on all my reading and assignments.

Training Update: Headed in the Right Direction!

Training is going well.  I never miss a weight training session (admittedly, I did miss a cardio session or two when I was in the middle of moving into my new apartment.  I am not perfect.  I always try to make up the sessions, however, if I have to skip them.)

My physique is making great changes.  And you know what the difference is?  Living by myself.  Living with roommates is fun, but my cravings are much worse when I see their peanut butter/cereal/etc. in the kitchen.  When I live alone, I don’t keep ANY foods that aren’t on my diet in my apartment.  I just don’t buy them.  I always think about buying them (I can’t help but stare longingly at the wall of peanut butter options when I go to the grocery store) but my willpower is pretty strong, and I don’t put them in my cart.

The result of this discipline?  My bodyfat is lower than ever!  I don’t measure the percentage, but I can tell in the mirror and photos.  When I’m lifting weights, particularly my shoulders, biceps and triceps, I can see all sorts of muscles, and I LOVE IT.  It makes all the hard work feel so worth it.

Today at the gym a friendly older guy came over and asked if I was “doing that Figure show in October”.  I told him that I was Bikini competitor with aspirations to compete in Figure.  He seemed convinced that I would be ready for Figure now.  That completely made my day;  I could have hugged him (so I guess some of the ‘creepers’ are harmless, huh Sean?).

Next Show: 6 Weeks Out

I am six weeks out from the Fort Lauderdale Cup.  I think/hope this will be the best I’ve ever looked. My coaches have been trying to add some more muscle to my upper body while keeping everything tight and toned.  I also have a beautiful brand new suit that is much for flattering for my body.  I think this will help bring the whole ‘package’ together.

In conclusion, I’m pushing my body and brain to their limits over these next few weeks.  But it takes challenging times for me to discover how strong I actually am.  I’m also trying to be better about balancing a social life with school and training.  During my 1L year I wasn’t very good about that, but I’m going to try harder now to reserve at least one night per week to go out to dinner and have a fun cheat meal with people I care about.

What are YOU up to?

It means a lot to me when I get Facebook messages or emails from people telling me about their own journeys with fitness, eating clean, self-esteem, etc.  Please don’t hesitate to contact me with questions or comments.  Do you have goals for this fall?  Training for something?  I love hearing about it.

 **Update: I did the interview this morning.  The first thing out of the interviewer’s mouth:  ”So tell me about these ‘fitness competitions’…”  He then asked me question after question about it for the next 10 minutes.  Ha!

 

Recap of NPC AZ Open, Upcoming Shows & Life Dreams

Hi everyone!

I have been MIA from my blog because it’s been a time of transition: I did a competition (the NPC Arizona Open), completed my summer judicial externship, moved back in with my family for a couple of weeks, and will be moving again in a week to start my second year of law school.  It’s also been a time of deep thinking about what direction my life is heading. I’ll explain more below…

The NPC Arizona Open July 2012

Regarding the AZ Open, I had a fun time and took home a fifth place trophy.  I am proud to have received a top-5 placing, especially because I seriously messed up my tan!  I tried to cut costs by applying it myself. It didn’t turn out so well.  For those who compete, you know how vitally important your tan is.  Under those blindingly bright stage lights, every flaw shows up.  A bad tan is distracting, regardless how great your body looks.  My tan was streaky and blotchy, but I didn’t realize it in the dim lights of my apartment.  By the time I tried to fix things, it was too late.  I was in tears a few moments before stepping onstage for prejudging.

Fortunately, I hired the professionals to re-do my tan for finals, so it looked great at when the trophies were presented.  But by that time, the judges had made their decisions.

The most important thing about this story is that I’ve learned my lesson!  Never again will I try to do my own tan without professional assistance.  It’s just not worth it.  After hundreds of hours sweating in the gym and diligently practicing my posing, I’ll spend the $80 or $100 on a professional tan.

What’s Next?

My next show will be the Fort Lauderdale Cup on October 20.  I am really excited about this show because (a) it’s near my birthday (October 13 – I’ll turn the big 2-5!); (b) it’s an all-girls show – no male competitors!;  (c) it’s about 11 weeks away, which gives me a bit of a break from stage-prep mode, and (d) several of my Team Bombshell friends will be in attendance and I can’t wait to see them!  After the Ft Lauderdale Cup, I plan to compete at the NPC Nationals in November in Atlanta (my 2^nd national show – this one should be massive.)

When I say I’m taking a “break”, I should be honest that I don’t mean it in a normal-person sense.  I love the gym and no one can keep me away from it! Ha ha.  So I’m still training really hard, but adding in one or two extra small food “treats” each week.  I continue to watch my weight to make sure I’m staying within 5-7 pounds of my stage weight.  I do this because dropping a lot of weight before a competition is NOT fun, NOT easy, and NOT great for your body – trust me, I have experienced it.  Additionally, if you have a high percentage of bodyfat, it’s hard to see any changes happening in your body underneath that layer of fat.

The Journey of Life….

On a different note, lately I’ve been thinking hard about where I see myself in 5 or 10 or 20 years.  I really enjoy law school and I know that it is training me to be a better critical thinker, a stronger writer, etc.  But I also know that I’m deeply passionate about health, wellness and fitness.  I always assumed that my passion for health would have to remain my “hobby”, outside of and apart from being an attorney.   But after a deep conversation with a close friend today, I’m now able to step back and see that, eventually, my law degree and my passion for health & wellness WILL be able to fit together into a wonderful career where I (hopefully) make a difference in the lives of many individuals.  Just because I can’t see the exact roadmap yet doesn’t mean I’m not getting there – I have to see this as a “ten-year plan”.

For now, I’m going to just keep working hard each day both in the gym and in law school, and eventually things will work out – probably better than I could have designed them.

I love to hear from other fitness-minded folk, so please send me a message/post a comment with what you’ve been up to.  Do you have any current fitness goals/aspirations?

3 Days Out from NPC Arizona Open

I’m three days out from competing at the NPC Arizona Open in Mesa, AZ!  I am really excited about this contest because (a) it’s local so I don’t have to travel! (meaning: I don’t have to bring my food through airport security, terrified that they’ll take it away from me);  (b) my wonderful, supportive roommates are coming to watch prejudging on Friday night, and my dad & sister are coming to finals on Saturday;  (c) it’s a regional (not national) show, so I’m not nervous – just excited.  I’ve been to this venue before and it’s really cool. 

This competition prep has been less stressful than previous ones, because I stayed within about 5-6 pounds of my contest weight (about 125).  It’s much easier on my body to remain constant and not have big weight fluctuations.  The diet is always tough, but at least this time I’ve been able to consume more carbs than usual to keep my muscles full and round. 

Until this week, I had one cheat meal per week, so that was nice.  I usually crave sweet potato fries.  Over the Fourth of July I went to San Diego with my best friend, and beforehand I conducted research to find the best sweet potato fries in the area!  We also walked a couple of miles to track down an amaaaazing bakery with the BEST cupcakes!   (Last note about food:  have you guys seen the commercial for IHop red velvet pancakes??!!  I saw it at the gym and almost fell off the StairStepper. Post-competition meal, here I come!)

My next national show will be IFBB North Americans at the very end of August in Pittsburgh.  This will be my second attempt at earning my IFBB Professional status.  The best part about this show is that I will have brand new suit from CJ Elite Competition Suits!  CJ is well-known in the industry for making exceptional suits.  I didn’t realize how important a high-quality suit was until I’d done a few competitions and seen how CJ’s suits stand out and flatter the body.  It will be bright BLUE!  I can’t wait!

Lastly, a new friend of mine recently gave me a hard time about the fact that I can only do 3 pull-ups.  Now it’s a challenge: I have to beat him in a pull-up competition.  The foolish person who initiated this challenge clearly doesn’t know me very well yet.  When you tell me I can’t do something, my response will be…  “WATCH ME.”

3 Life Lessons I’ve Learned From Competing

I was inspired to write this post by a fellow blogger, Donloree Hoffman (find her hilarious and inspirational blog here: http://www.donloree.com/).  She wrote a post called Five Amazing Things I Learned From Gluing a Bikini to my Arse.  After reading it I realized that I’ve learned a lot from my experiences in the competition world as well.

1. You are capable of so much more than you know.

When I first developed an interest in competing, the competitors’ bodies seemed completely unattainable.  I did not sincerely believe that I could ever look like them.  But the idea of pushing my body to the next level of fitness kept eating away at me until I decided, “Darn it, I’m going to do a competition.”

When I was prepping to step onstage for the first time, I was a total mess.  I was cranky (sorry friends and family), anxious, and did not believe in myself.  I hated doing twice-daily cardio and had a really tough time sticking to my diet.

Fast-forward to today:  My attitude toward everything has changed dramatically.  I don’t mind doing 2 cardio sessions plus an hour of weight training each day. In fact, (most days) I look forward to it.  I don’t mind eating cold tilapia from a plastic Ziploc bag in public.  And I don’t get nearly as nervous about stepping onstage as I used to.  I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been in, and it keeps getting better each month as I track my progress.  I’m a changed woman! 

You, too, have the inner strength to achieve any fitness (or life) goal you want.  If you want it bad enough, there is nothing that can hold you back except your own doubts/fears.  Drop your excuses.  Excuses don’t impress anybody. Push yourself further than you think you can go.

2.  Asking for help is okay

When I tell people I pay for my workouts and diet plan, they often say, “Don’t you know your body well enough now that you could just train yourself?”

Answer: No!  First of all, that isn’t a safe idea.  Prepping for a competition pushes your body to its limits and can become dangerous if you take it too far.  Having knowledgeable, experienced coaches watching over me keeps me safe and healthy. 

Furthermore, I cannot look at my body objectively.  I need my coaches to look at my progress pictures and determine what changes to make in my training and diet.  Like many women, I’m too self-critical when I look at myself in pictures.  I have a hard time seeing the “big picture”.  I put my trust in my coaches.  So far it’s worked out great!  Sometimes I don’t understand why they make certain changes, but I TRUST them, so I follow the plan. 

If you’re not getting the results you want, or if you keep trying new diets and buying the latest fitness fad DVDs or books to no avail (a couple years ago, that was me!), ask for help.  Find a trainer, either online or at your gym.  It has been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

3. Focus on YOUR progress

I enjoy following the competition world and cheering on my teammates.  But sometimes I catch myself scrutinizing my photos in comparison to the competitors that I look up to.  I have to force myself to stop doing this because it’s not helpful for me.  The journey of another competitor doesn’t affect my own journey. 

The same goes for you.  Don’t compare yourself to celebrities, friends, or coworkers.  You can certainly use them for inspiration and motivation, but when that morphs into jealousy or you find yourself wanting that person to fail, you must stop these thoughts in their tracks.  Go back and look at your own progress and remember how far YOU have come.

 

Update on my contest schedule:

I competed at the NPC Jr. Nationals in Chicago earlier this month, and had a great time.  Here are photos from the stage:

Here are some of my Bombshell teammates eating a delicious meal after the night show:

I didn’t place very high, but I’m okay with that.  It was only my third competition to date, and just attending nationals is a big deal.  I got helpful feedback from my coaches and I’m working hard bring a better package to the stage in a little less than 4 weeks when I compete in the NPC Arizona Open.  I’m excited to compete again in my home state because I don’t need to pay for a hotel or plane ticket!   Wish me luck as I prep hard for these next few weeks.

Good luck with your own fitness journey!  And if you’re in the Phoenix area, come check out the AZ Open on July 21^st!

“I’m not working out – I’m TRAINING!” Plus Upcoming Competition: Jr Nationals

It’s the final week before I fly to Chicago for the NPC Junior Nationals where I’ll compete for the chance to earn my IFBB Pro card.  I’ve never been to Chicago and I’m so excited!  Although most of the hard work has already been done in the gym and kitchen, the final week is very important for last-minute adjustments, packing (very careful packing – I don’t want to forget something important!), practicing posing, double-checking my flight times, arranging hair and tanning appointments, etc.  

Goals for the show:  I don’t have any specific placing goals because it’s my first national show, and I know that everyone competing will have been working just as hard as I have.  I want to focus on looking better and presenting myself better than I did at my previous show in Atlanta on March 17, 2012, where I placed 4^th in my class (against an amazing lineup – the girl who took first in my class recently turned pro!  Awesome job Tiffany!)  In high-pressure situations, I perform better when I keep my “blinders” on and ignore what everyone else around me is doing, instead focusing on doing the best I can. 

This final week of prep has been mentally and physically tough.  My legs are very tired, I haven’t gotten quite enough sleep, and every time a commercial for IHop pancakes comes on the TV at the gym, I force myself to look away because I want it so badly!  My metabolism must be on fire because I’m hungry ALL. THE. TIME.  Even 15 minutes after a meal!  And I’ve been consumed with thinking about the show, visualizing my posing over and over and making lists for everything – things to pack, things to buy at the grocery store, things to email my coaches about. 

I Don’t Have Motivation to Go to the Gym/Eat Right

Lately I’ve been thinking about motivation.  Why do some people have an abundance of it, while others do not?  A big part of my motivation comes from how I think and talk about my healthy habits.  I don’t just go to the gym for fun… I go there to train.  Same goes for my eating plan – I don’t care if I have to eat cold tilapia and asparagus, because it’s fuel for my training.  I don’t care if it doesn’t taste good – if I want to have an awesome, high-intensity workout, I NEED it! 

So if you’re lacking motivation, try choosing a specific goal – a half-marathon, a triathlon, a bike race, an upcoming event like wedding/reunion, etc., because then you can tell people “I’m training for _____, and that’s why I’ve got to hit the gym after work.”  Additionally, tell people about your event/goal, because then you’re accountable!  They’ll ask you about it, and you’re going to be embarrassed if you say, “Oh, I gave up on that.”

I hope everyone is having a wonderful June so far.  I’ll take lots of pictures at Jr. Nationals and write a blog about the experience after it’s over.  Follow me on Twitter for updates there, too:  @LegallyFitKatie

8 Weeks Out Update

Hi guys,

Just wanted to give an update about what’s going on.  I’m currently taking a quick break from studying for final exams.  I am terrified about finals (as usual), but making a conscious effort to breathe and remember that they are not, in fact, the end of the world.

8 Weeks Out 

8 weeks until I fly to Chicago and compete in the Junior Nationals! I can’t believe I will be competing on the national level. It’s a big deal! And I’m scared! But I will not get caught up in thoughts about my placing.

My goal instead: to look better than my March competitions, and improve my stage presence.

I have been working hard in the gym and sticking to my diet because I’ve realized that if you want to succeed in this sport, it must become your lifestyle.  You can’t train & diet for 12 weeks and slack off the rest of the time.  This is fine with me, because I feel much happier and healthier living this way than I used to.

My current ‘project’ in the gym: build muscle & roundness in my glutes!  If you’ve ever been to a bikini competition or seen photos online, you’ll know that they are frequently won or lost based on the ‘back pose’.  Unfortunately, I wasn’t blessed with many ‘curves’, so I work VERY hard in the gym to create some!

Giving Myself a Break

I realized recently that I never stop to recognize my achievements.  I rarely feel ‘proud’ of myself.   I was listening to a podcast by former ‘Bigger Loser’ trainer Jillian Michaels who made me realize this.  She’s currently on a huge billboard in Times Square, but upon being told about this accomplishment, she brushed it off and said “Whatever, fine. What’s the next project?”

I do the same thing.  I celebrated my win at the NPC bikini show in March for about 30 seconds before wondering when my next competition would be and what I could improve.  This means I’m frequently in a state of dissatisfaction, which isn’t a healthy way to live.

So my new goal is to write 3 things I’m grateful for, proud of or excited about in my journal every day. Here’s today’s entry:

1. Proud of today’s glutes workout – I was dripping in sweat and gave it my all.

2. Excited to start working on my Master’s degree in Public Health in concurrence with my J.D.

3. Proud of myself for getting my butt to the library to study on a beautiful Saturday

…That was actually kind of difficult, which is evidence that I definitely DO need to start doing this regularly.

Proud of my fit friends!

Last thing – I want to give some recognition to friends of mine who have been working on their own fitness goals and doing great.  Andrea has been running consistently & increasing her distance;  Jillian has truly amazed me and I couldn’t be more proud;  Callie has set a big goal this summer and is going to do great;  Emilie has been working hard to implement healthy habits;  Menden (fellow blogger!) will be competing very soon and I can’t wait to hear about it;  Vanessa has not let obstacles like a lack of motivation prevent her from kicking butt!

How Do I Get Rid of My “Muffin Top”?

It’s almost bathing suit season, and I’ve been getting questions from many of my female (and some male!) friends about the dreaded tummy pooch/muffin top – they want to know which exercises to do to get rid of it. The problem is: that’s the wrong focus. I have learned from experience that there is no crunch or plank or sit-up that will destroy that stupid pooch.

It’s 90% about EATING CLEAN. Let me explain…

“Eating clean” means eating whole, unprocessed, natural foods every few hours, and avoiding most of the staples in the standard American diet (“white” everything, especially – white bread, white rice, sugar, etc.). Here are some examples of “clean” foods: sweet potatoes, oats, fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, olive oil, flaxseed oil, etc.

In order to have flat abs and look “ripped” (as my law school classmates called me) at my bikini competitions, my diet had to be pretty close to 100% clean. Every 2-3 hours I ate a small meal with lean protein, a little bit of complex carb (i.e. sweet potato or oats), plus a little fat. I did not cheat. It wasn’t easy. But if you really want to see your abs this summer, there’s no other alternative.

But can’t I just do cardio & burn off that cookie?

Some people have the idea that they can just “work off” whatever they ate – 300 calories of McDonalds fries is equivalent to 30 minutes on the elliptical, right? WRONG. Even if you think that logically should make sense, it doesn’t work that way. Of course cardio helps you drop bodyfat – I did lots of cardio in preparation for my competition, and I still do cardio just about every day just to maintain. So once you’ve cleaned up your diet, do cardio – but make it INTENSE. If you can read a novel while doing cardio, you’re not working hard enough. Try HIIT, which stands for high-intensity interval training. Go as hard as you can for 1 minute, then rest for 1 minute. Repeat this cycle for 30 minutes.

Hit the weights!

Also, for pete’s sake PLEASE hit the weight room! Ladies, I have said this many times, but you will not bulk up. A little extra muscle speeds up your metabolism. Additionally, unless you are trying to add massive size, when you do weight training, do it quickly. Keep your heart rate up the whole time. Superset exercises so there’s minimal rest. That way, it becomes sort of a cardio workout in itself.

I hope this helps you get on the right track toward seeing your abs emerge this summer. I love to hear from people about their thoughts and questions, so please shoot me a Facebook message or a Tweet. Now go start shopping for that bikini!