When you’ve finally made it to peak week.

I recently competed in my first bikini competition after 14 weeks of intense dieting, training & posing practice. If you’re not familiar with bikini competitions (a division of bodybuilding), the final week before your show date is your “peak week.”

Peak week is a week full of a whole lotta emotions. I think these gifs explain it pretty accurately 

1) Excitement

YOU ARE SO CLOSE.  Just a few more days till you get to display your hard work from the past few months.  And not to mention all the $$$ spent…

2) Paranoia

Am I lean enough?  Is my hair the right length?  Suit the right color?  Are my meals all measured to the exact gram??

3) Exhaustion

Between the changes in food, salt, and water intake and the last few training sessions before the show, I was wiped!

4) Thirst

After drinking 2 gallons of water a day for so long, cutting back to a liter at most was REALLY difficult.  My mouth felt like sandpaper!

5) Tanning

On the Thursday before my competition I got my first 2 coats of an extra dark spray tan.  Never have I ever imagined I could look so Dorito-esque.  There’s nothing quite like being sprayed with multiple coats of a dark sticky substance while standing in the nude by someone you just met…and then standing in a half-squat for an hour to let it dry!

6) Hunger

Where did all my carbs go?!?

7) The final shower

I showered at the last possible second before my next spray tan on Friday, because it would be the final shower before the show was over Saturday night.

8) Tanning again

Round 2 happened on Friday night.  See above (but now I looked even MORE like a Dorito, if that’s even possible).

9) Pewwwww

Deodorant will turn the tan green, so no deodorant from Friday until Saturday night after the show….glamorous, huh?

10) Glamming up

Damn, I may stink, but at least I look good!  I’d never worn this much make-up in my entire life – I’d never even worn fake lashes!

11) Waiting

In the check in line.  For the athlete’s meeting.  Backstage…for HOURS!  I didn’t get on stage until about 3 PM.

12) Stepping on stage


HOLY CRAP.  The moment I’ve been waiting for is real and happening now!  Everything is (not) fine!  Smiling and contorting your body for this long should be illegal.

13) DINNER

Nachos. Burger. Fries. Ice cream. All of it.

14) Post-show confusion

So now what?  After spending the past few months preparing for this event, the next steps in life are a little unclear! For now, I plan on enjoying food, family, and friends.  

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About The Author

Jess is a fourth year student at Northeastern University. She studies physical therapy, and how the human body and all of its little pieces move together has always fascinated her. After a wakeup call during her freshman year of college, Jess has been working hard to fuel her body with the nutrients and activity it needs. When she isn’t studying, she can be found in the gym (especially on leg day!) or in the pantry looking for a (sometimes) healthy snack!

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