No more skinny fat… How Deena Gindling went from
relatively inactive to WOW in 6 short months!
Bikini Competition Diet and Supplement Plan

Until 6 months ago, I had never been a particularly athletic person and had not really considered a bikini diet and supplement plan. I played some intramural softball as a kid & enjoyed walks at the park as an adult. For most of my life, this low amount of physical activity didn’t really seem to affect my physique. I was what they call “skinny fat”–I looked pretty good with clothes on, but as I was approaching my 40th birthday, was increasing self-conscious in a swimsuit because of the extra few pounds I carried in my belly and thighs.

My husband had been lifting weights for years and finally convinced me to give it a try. Exactly 6 months before my 40th birthday, I began lifting weights 3 days per week. I saw a decent amount of toning, especially in my arms in the first few months but then felt like my body remained the same for the next 7 or 8 months, even though I continued to lift 3 days per week.

In October of 2014, a friend of mine who had just begun training to compete in her first figure competition suggested I commit to competing in a bikini competition in the Spring of 2015. My initial reaction was, “Me? Are you kidding? No way!”, but I was definitely intrigued by the idea & a former co-worker recommended I contact women’s fitness expert, Julie Lohre. Before I could even take that small step, I read every word on Julie’s website & viewed many competition photos on her Facebook page. I remember first being in awe of these confident, fit women, and then thinking, “Could I really look like that?” After taking the leap of faith and contacting Julie, she asked me to email her some current photos in a bikini. I thought for sure she’d say there was no hope for me, but instead, she said she felt confident I could be stage-ready in 6 short months with a reasonable bikini diet and supplement plan along with a lot of hard work in training! Julie & I worked together through her online personal training program for a few months prior to the 12-week team contest prep that she offers. In the 6 months that I worked with Julie prior to my first contest, I went from 22% body fat down to 11%. I feel fantastic, have more energy than ever before, and love my new hobby: weightlifting!

“Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away” –Maya Angelou

No More Skinny Fat – Bikini Diet and Supplement Plan

Deena Gindling at a glance:

• 41 years old
• I am a Registered Nurse on a very busy Labor & Delivery unit at a hospital in Cincinnati, OH
• I’ve been married for 18 years to my husband, Greg, and we have 2 fantastic children: Paige (15) & Blake (12)
• Birthplace & Current Residence: Lawrenceburg, Indiana
• Height: 5’10”   off season weight: 138lbs   contest weight: 132lbs
• Favorite bodybuilding meal: Healthy Peanut Butter & Jelly
• Favorite supplements: UMP. I keep 2 or 3 different flavors around all the time for variety. I work 12 hour night shifts, so when I’ve slept all day and need to get all of my macros in in a shortened period of time, I will add peanut butter, yogurt, or even oats, and blend it all together with ice & water!

• What would you recommend to someone who has never used Beverly supplements before? Try UMP! Clean eating doesn’t have to be torture & protein powder doesn’t have to taste bad! I truly look forward to my 2 meals each day made with UMP. Its so versatile: besides the protein shakes, I’ve used UMP to make French toast, pancakes, pudding (with peanut butter & cold coffee)… The possibilities are endless!
• On my iPod: Lots of rap. It gets me pumped up and feeling invincible.
• Most inspiring book: 11.22.63 by Stephen King. It’s a fictional account of the days leading up to the assassination of JFK, but it really emphasizes the chain of events that can come from a single event.
• Hobbies/Interests: Reading, traveling, cheering my kids on at their many sporting events.

Preparing for a Bikini Contest

Bikini Contest diet: In the weeks leading up to my contest, and now in the off-season, I eat 6 meals each day. I try to eat that first meal within an hour of waking, and then eat every 2-3 hours after that. I believe the biggest contributor to my success is planning ahead & food preparation. I spend time once or twice a week preparing food in bulk: grilling chicken breasts, roasting veggies, steaming rice, baking sweet potatoes, chopping veggies for omelets, etc… Its much easier to choose healthy when the good stuff is right there, ready to eat! To stay on track eating every couple of hours, I will pack a small cooler with 1 or 2 meals that can be eaten cold when I’m running errands or at my kids’ ball games. And I always carry my 32-ounce water bottle with me to be sure I drink at least a gallon each day. This is a typical day in the 8 weeks or so leading up to my contest:

Deena’s Bikini Diet and Supplement Plan – Bikini Diet

Meal 1: 1 whole egg, 3 egg whites, 1/2 c omelet veggies, 1 grapefruit
Meal 2: 1 scoop UMP, 1 cup strawberries
Meal 3: 4 oz grilled chicken, 2/3 c brown rice, 1 cup broccoli
Meal 4: 2 scoops UMP
Meal 5: 6 oz fish or 4 oz chicken, 1/2 c quinoa, mixed greens salad, 1 T. olive oil & vinegar salad dressing
Meal 6: 2 slices whole grain bread, 2 T. natural peanut butter, 2 T. sugar-free grape jelly

This diet really worked for me. I enjoyed all of these foods and never went hungry or felt deprived.

Deena’s Bikini Diet and Supplement Plan – Supplements

• 2 Fit Tabs twice a day– 2 in the morning and 2 in the evening. Considering all the training I was doing, I had more energy during contest prep that ever before. I can’t help but think it was from these cover-all-your-bases multivitamins. As an added bonus, my nails grow long and strong & I’ve been getting tons of compliments on how thick & shiny my hair looks!
• 2 Lean Out taken before 4 meals per day to aid in the usage of fat as an energy source
• 3 capsules of 7 Keto MuscLEAN with my first & third meals of the day to give my 40-something metabolism a boost
• GH Factor— 4 in the am & 4 in the pm on an empty stomach to help lose stubborn hip & thigh fat
• 1 scoop of Creatine Select before training to aid in lean muscle-building & recovery

Bikini Diet and Supplement Plan

Be sure to check out part 2 of this article to find out Deena’s Bikini Training and Cardio Plan.

No More Skinny Fat Part 2 – Bikini Training and Cardio Plan