For those that know me, you probably know about my friendship with the man that people know as dallas3. Some of you know who dallas3 is by his real name, but let me give you an insight on the type of guy he is. He's a cool dude who respects this business and the ladies involve. Most people probably know him via his involvement in female muscle boards such as Siouxcountry, Muscular Development, and RxMuscle, among others. He's been at the Arnold and Olympia a few times and is respected by many of the female (as well as male) athletes. I'm very blessed to call him one of my first true friends of this industry.
He runs a blog called Iron Bizz (formerly called Fit Stop Central), which is aimed at talking about the financial aspect of this sport. In his words, Iron Bizz "provides resources for female physique athletes who want to make a career in the bodybuilding and fitness industry" As we all know, the fitness industry is not a cheap one by any means. What he does is point out some of the tips that competitors have used to stay financially active in this industry. Over time, you will see the blog take a slightly different approach by putting more focus on the sponsored athletes, and not just the ones who are at the top of the heap, either. If you have not bookmarked Iron Bizz yet, I HIGHLY recommend you do so ASAP. You'll be glad you did.
Visit Iron Bizz at http://ironbizz.wordpress.com.
Iron Bizz: Body Tight, Career Right.
Showing posts with label finances. Show all posts
Showing posts with label finances. Show all posts
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Monday, August 2, 2010
FitGems Nation Online Store is OPEN!!
Hey everyone!
As you all know, I try to find different ways to help spread the word about FitGems Nation and its main objective: to give respect to the female competitors from all divisions in all federations. Not only that, but I also try my best to help you competitors out however I can, whether it's emotional support, encouragement, just needing someone to talk to, whatever. Now, I've decided to open up a online store to help not only spread the word about FitGems, but to also help support a few competitors along the way. Proceeds from all purchases made will go toward the 2011 FitGems Sponsorship, which will be given to a deserving competitor for the 2011 season. I will explain more about the FitGems Sponsorship later on this month.
The shop has a few items right now, but be on the lookout for more items to be added this week, including Save Women's Fitness Now merchandise, where proceed of THOSE items will go toward a deserving National-qualified fitness competitor.
I personally will not benefit from this shop by finances. I will benefit from it knowing I'm able to help you competitors out however I can. If you have any suggestion for what I should sell, leave me a comment below. If you personally would like to see some designs of yours on future merchandise, please send them to me at admin@fitgemsnation.net and put "FITGEMS STORE DESIGN" in the Subject line.
The link to the online store: http://www.cafepress.com/FitGemsNation
As you all know, I try to find different ways to help spread the word about FitGems Nation and its main objective: to give respect to the female competitors from all divisions in all federations. Not only that, but I also try my best to help you competitors out however I can, whether it's emotional support, encouragement, just needing someone to talk to, whatever. Now, I've decided to open up a online store to help not only spread the word about FitGems, but to also help support a few competitors along the way. Proceeds from all purchases made will go toward the 2011 FitGems Sponsorship, which will be given to a deserving competitor for the 2011 season. I will explain more about the FitGems Sponsorship later on this month.
The shop has a few items right now, but be on the lookout for more items to be added this week, including Save Women's Fitness Now merchandise, where proceed of THOSE items will go toward a deserving National-qualified fitness competitor.
I personally will not benefit from this shop by finances. I will benefit from it knowing I'm able to help you competitors out however I can. If you have any suggestion for what I should sell, leave me a comment below. If you personally would like to see some designs of yours on future merchandise, please send them to me at admin@fitgemsnation.net and put "FITGEMS STORE DESIGN" in the Subject line.
The link to the online store: http://www.cafepress.com/FitGemsNation
Thursday, July 8, 2010
New Site Alert: Fit Stop Central
Hey everyone! I've been informed of a great new blog side dedicated to the business side of being a female competitor. The site is called Fit Stop Central. FSC provides information that can help those that are full-time or part-time in the bodybuilding industry. In these economic times, competitors need all the help they can get. This just might be one of the most informative sites you'll ever need. It just opened today, but trust me, this is one blog you will want to bookmark right away.
Fit Stop Central is run by one of my best internet friends, dallas3. If you're part of Siouxcountry, RxMuscle, or FitGems, you know this guy quite well. :) If not, let me tell you a little about him. Like me, he's one of the young guns taking a stand and willing to go above and beyond to give respect back to the female muscle industry and all of the competitors. You won't find many people quite like dallas3; I promise you that.
Here's the link to his site:
http://fitstopcentral.wordpress.com
I HIGHLY recommend you bookmark this site.
If you have any questions, please contact dallas3 on Siouxcountry, FitGems Nation, or RxMuscle.
Fit Stop Central is run by one of my best internet friends, dallas3. If you're part of Siouxcountry, RxMuscle, or FitGems, you know this guy quite well. :) If not, let me tell you a little about him. Like me, he's one of the young guns taking a stand and willing to go above and beyond to give respect back to the female muscle industry and all of the competitors. You won't find many people quite like dallas3; I promise you that.
Here's the link to his site:
http://fitstopcentral.wordpress.com
I HIGHLY recommend you bookmark this site.
If you have any questions, please contact dallas3 on Siouxcountry, FitGems Nation, or RxMuscle.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
So You Want to Compete?! by Lizzy Ostro
I am now 8 weeks out from my first national bikini competition, and this is where the nerves really start to heat up! Of course, making sure my body is in peak condition is of high importance, but it’s the minor details that are stressing me out the most!
The Suit: $50 - $1,000 Depending on how much money you have at your disposal and how much you’re willing to shell out for a top quality suit, finding a suit that flatters your figure, and a color that brings out your best features can be a daunting task. Bikinis are basically made in a few different styles, but every girl’s body is different. I am a flat-chest, long torso, long leg kind of girl. Straight on I’m kind of boxy, but if I turn to the side, you will see my lovely lady lump. Yep, I’ve got a booty. Needless to say, finding just the right suit can be difficult, but that’s why we have tailors
The Tanning: $50-$150 To the innocent bystander, we all look like we got into a fight with a puddle of mud. In reality, it’s one of the sacrifices we give to look great on stage. The extravagant tan looks just plain ridiculous in broad daylight, and is by no means an attractive look. However, when you step under the extremely bright lights of the stage, you look like you belong, and it brings out your figure to the fullest. I won’t even get into what your skin starts to look like about a week after the competition (think Michael Jackson going from black to white), but it’s just a part of competing. Bending over so your tanning expert can make sure you have no lines on stage is a totally different story in itself, but I will just preface by saying that you must feel completely comfortable being naked and in awkward positions. Moving on….
The Hotel: Up to $500 Again this depends on how much you’re willing to spend and how long you’re staying in that city. Some go for luxury, some are okay as long as there is a clean floor to sleep on. The big thing that is an absolute MUST for any competitor staying at a hotel is the refrigerator. If you are able to pull off a microwave as well, then you’re just plain lucky. All of that pre-cooked chicken and asparagus has to go somewhere, after all. Find a few girlfriends to share the room with to cut down on costs, and obviously to rub your bikini bite on you. Hey, someone’s gotta do it. You will become closer to these people than you ever thought possible, that’s for sure.
The Hair: $50 - $100 This is a pretty crucial part of the process. You want to look dazzling on stage, and a good hairdo can bring this out. Some girls prefer to just keep it simple, and some girls go all out with crazy curls and updo’s. I have redunkulously (yeah I said redunkulous) long hair, so I like to go with long, flowy curls. It looks best on me, and most importantly, I feel most comfortable in it.
The Makeup: 50- $150 This is one gift I am thankful for. Although I couldn’t do someone else’s makeup to save my life, I am able to do my own pretty well. Stage makeup is completely different than your every day make up or even your “night on the town” makeup. You are on stage with bright lights and you need to shine. This equates to putting on pounds of makeup. In regular light, some might mistake you for a clown, or worse, Lady GaGa, but on stage, you will look amazing. My best advice: Become really good friends with a make-up artist (if they do hair as well, that’s icing on the cake, but don’t eat the cake until after the competition) and make them follow you around to your competitions.
The Nails $40-$60 I made the mistake of showing up to a competition without my nails done once (gasp!). I didn’t think anyone would notice, but after placing 5th and not being happy about that, I talked to the judges. “Your hands and toes didn’t match and weren’t done.” I guess they noticed. Although to me that seems like a stupid reason (there were other reasons too, mind you) to make someone place lower, I realized that overall stage presence is a big deal. Do whatever you can to look great on stage, this means shelling out a few extra dollars to get yo’ nails did!
The Shoes $20-$40 This is the cheapest part of competing. It’s also the most fun because it’s an excuse to wear 5-6 inch clear stripper heels and not be considered, well, a stripper. Not that there’s anything wrong with strippers, but you actually get to be considered classy while wearing them. Double score!
The Entry Fees $200ish This is fun. Not only do you pay an entry fee, but you pay a fee to the organization you’re competing with. They always get you somehow!! Such is life…
The Travel Accomodations $Varies This can be really cheap or really expensive. It all depends where you’re coming from and how you’re getting there. If you are only a few hours away and can drive, that’s your best bet. Not only is it usually cheaper to drive (unless you are like me and drive a big diesel truck that gets negative 6 miles to the gallon) but it’s easier to pack! Bringing protein powder and 5 pounds of pre-cooked, pre-bagged chicken can cause quite the back-up at airport security. If you can drive, do it. If not, freeze your chicken, then pack it right before your flight. It will thaw out some on the flight, but won’t spoil (hopefully.)
Posing $ 1.5 bajillion Posing coaches are expensive. If you can find a friend/former competitor or anyone that knows a thing or two about posing, you are better off doing that. Posing coaches are a great tool, and stage presence/posing is extremely important in overall scoring. If you have the extra funds, go for it, if not, get a mirror, log on to You Tube, start doing your daily chores in your heels, and practice, practice, practice!!
As you can see, all of those additional components of competing (read: stresses) that I mentioned had nothing to do with dieting or training. The dieting and training are essentially the least stressful. Sure, they are tough and must be on point, but when you know what you’re doing, it’s just a matter of doing it. Getting everything coordinated is quite the task in itself.
I’m not trying to scare anyone off from competing. As pricey and stressful as it is, the rewards of competing outweigh them immensely. Your confidence, resilience and overall outlook on life change with competing. It has been the greatest influence on my life and I wouldn’t trade those experiences and future experiences for anything in the world!
The Suit: $50 - $1,000 Depending on how much money you have at your disposal and how much you’re willing to shell out for a top quality suit, finding a suit that flatters your figure, and a color that brings out your best features can be a daunting task. Bikinis are basically made in a few different styles, but every girl’s body is different. I am a flat-chest, long torso, long leg kind of girl. Straight on I’m kind of boxy, but if I turn to the side, you will see my lovely lady lump. Yep, I’ve got a booty. Needless to say, finding just the right suit can be difficult, but that’s why we have tailors
The Tanning: $50-$150 To the innocent bystander, we all look like we got into a fight with a puddle of mud. In reality, it’s one of the sacrifices we give to look great on stage. The extravagant tan looks just plain ridiculous in broad daylight, and is by no means an attractive look. However, when you step under the extremely bright lights of the stage, you look like you belong, and it brings out your figure to the fullest. I won’t even get into what your skin starts to look like about a week after the competition (think Michael Jackson going from black to white), but it’s just a part of competing. Bending over so your tanning expert can make sure you have no lines on stage is a totally different story in itself, but I will just preface by saying that you must feel completely comfortable being naked and in awkward positions. Moving on….
The Hotel: Up to $500 Again this depends on how much you’re willing to spend and how long you’re staying in that city. Some go for luxury, some are okay as long as there is a clean floor to sleep on. The big thing that is an absolute MUST for any competitor staying at a hotel is the refrigerator. If you are able to pull off a microwave as well, then you’re just plain lucky. All of that pre-cooked chicken and asparagus has to go somewhere, after all. Find a few girlfriends to share the room with to cut down on costs, and obviously to rub your bikini bite on you. Hey, someone’s gotta do it. You will become closer to these people than you ever thought possible, that’s for sure.
The Hair: $50 - $100 This is a pretty crucial part of the process. You want to look dazzling on stage, and a good hairdo can bring this out. Some girls prefer to just keep it simple, and some girls go all out with crazy curls and updo’s. I have redunkulously (yeah I said redunkulous) long hair, so I like to go with long, flowy curls. It looks best on me, and most importantly, I feel most comfortable in it.
The Makeup: 50- $150 This is one gift I am thankful for. Although I couldn’t do someone else’s makeup to save my life, I am able to do my own pretty well. Stage makeup is completely different than your every day make up or even your “night on the town” makeup. You are on stage with bright lights and you need to shine. This equates to putting on pounds of makeup. In regular light, some might mistake you for a clown, or worse, Lady GaGa, but on stage, you will look amazing. My best advice: Become really good friends with a make-up artist (if they do hair as well, that’s icing on the cake, but don’t eat the cake until after the competition) and make them follow you around to your competitions.
The Nails $40-$60 I made the mistake of showing up to a competition without my nails done once (gasp!). I didn’t think anyone would notice, but after placing 5th and not being happy about that, I talked to the judges. “Your hands and toes didn’t match and weren’t done.” I guess they noticed. Although to me that seems like a stupid reason (there were other reasons too, mind you) to make someone place lower, I realized that overall stage presence is a big deal. Do whatever you can to look great on stage, this means shelling out a few extra dollars to get yo’ nails did!
The Shoes $20-$40 This is the cheapest part of competing. It’s also the most fun because it’s an excuse to wear 5-6 inch clear stripper heels and not be considered, well, a stripper. Not that there’s anything wrong with strippers, but you actually get to be considered classy while wearing them. Double score!
The Entry Fees $200ish This is fun. Not only do you pay an entry fee, but you pay a fee to the organization you’re competing with. They always get you somehow!! Such is life…
The Travel Accomodations $Varies This can be really cheap or really expensive. It all depends where you’re coming from and how you’re getting there. If you are only a few hours away and can drive, that’s your best bet. Not only is it usually cheaper to drive (unless you are like me and drive a big diesel truck that gets negative 6 miles to the gallon) but it’s easier to pack! Bringing protein powder and 5 pounds of pre-cooked, pre-bagged chicken can cause quite the back-up at airport security. If you can drive, do it. If not, freeze your chicken, then pack it right before your flight. It will thaw out some on the flight, but won’t spoil (hopefully.)
Posing $ 1.5 bajillion Posing coaches are expensive. If you can find a friend/former competitor or anyone that knows a thing or two about posing, you are better off doing that. Posing coaches are a great tool, and stage presence/posing is extremely important in overall scoring. If you have the extra funds, go for it, if not, get a mirror, log on to You Tube, start doing your daily chores in your heels, and practice, practice, practice!!
As you can see, all of those additional components of competing (read: stresses) that I mentioned had nothing to do with dieting or training. The dieting and training are essentially the least stressful. Sure, they are tough and must be on point, but when you know what you’re doing, it’s just a matter of doing it. Getting everything coordinated is quite the task in itself.
I’m not trying to scare anyone off from competing. As pricey and stressful as it is, the rewards of competing outweigh them immensely. Your confidence, resilience and overall outlook on life change with competing. It has been the greatest influence on my life and I wouldn’t trade those experiences and future experiences for anything in the world!
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