Miss Bikini Ireland | Body Positivity

Hey everyone ,

I thought I would write a little about the competition I have entered Miss Bikini Ireland which I posted on my Facebook page a few days ago . For anyone who doesn’t know miss bikini Ireland is on its 5^th year of running . If you win Miss Bikini Ireland you have the amazing opportunity to represent Ireland at Swimsuit International in Cancun , Mexico later this year .

I came across this competition on Facebook , thought nothing of I but was intrigued so I clicked into it and started reading about the competition . I thought it sounded like a great opportunity so I went ahead an entered not really thinking I would get an email back . I had started going to the gym a year before that and was really enjoying it and thought it was a good chance for me  to really push myself and step up my fitness level .

I would eat generally healthy also but wanted to push that too . Thanks to my sponsor Nutrition to suit you I have learnt a lot about nutrition , especially the effects of sugar on are bodies & she also gave me amazing healthy recipes . I have far more energy then I would have and don’t get that mid day sugar slump . Once you stop taking sugar too after awhile those crazings go . If any of you are looking for nutrition plans 100% recommend Nutrition to suit you , Niamh makes up individual plans to suit you and your lifestyle .

I got and email a few weeks later(funnily enough I was eating a big cream pastery at the time) saying that I got through to the next stage and that the judges were having interviews . I went to Dublin to the interviews and everything went really well . There was also a production team there for filming .

All the girls in the competition are lovely and all so helpful it really doesn’t feel like where in competition at all feel like one big family . Every single one of us girls have a different body shape and that what I love most about it. No two people are the same , woman are very hard on themselves when it comes to appearence & body confidence . We stand in front of the mirror critize ourselves constantly .

Over the last year my confidence has grown big time for a lot of different reasons .

One of the things I started trying to do is stop being so hard on myself and ignoring that voice in your head telling me I need to look or be a certain way . Since I have started thinking more positively about things a lot more positive things have happened .

There will be people in this world that just wouldn’t like you , but please don’t make yourself be one of them . You have to be your own best friend .

The final is in Dublin on the 14^th of October we will have different tasks (which will be filmed) up until that stage . I am both excited and nervous .

You can follow the process on Miss Bikini Ireland’s Facebook page &  other social media accounts.

I also have Instagram : alannahharrigan & snapchat : alannahmakeup where ill be posting updates etc.

To be honest I was a nervous wreck about posting up the bikini pictures the other day but was delighted with the positive response .

Anyway I could go on with this blog post forever so I will stop it here . 

I really am very thankful to have such good friends & family supporting me .

Thanks to anyone who commented , messaged or liked the pictures . You have no idea how much I appericate it .

Alannah x

Fitness : Gym , Sugar Free , Diary Intolerant

Once January comes around we all jump back on the fitness bandwagon for the new year . I was
never really into sports , I did gymnastics and dancing when I was younger but once I went into secondary school I dropped those hobbies like most teenagers do . My family are into fitness and most of are family holidays where kayaking or hiking trips , which I actually enjoyed . But things like the bleep test and sports days in school I absolutely hated .

Last Summer I decided to join a gym .My metabolism was slowing down and I felt like I needed a hobby that would be good for getting rid of stress .  To be honest I didn't think I would last very long with a gym membership , but to my surprise I actually really enjoyed going and hate missing days . This is a big thing for someone who wasn't a fan of exercise . I think we all have that fear of joining a gym thinking everyone's staring at you and wondering why your there for but you soon realise , no one actually cares what anyone else is doing . If you don't know what your doing you could also hire one of the personal trainers to show you around the gym and tell you how to use the equipment properly .

I have kept up the gym since then and had three weeks off for Christmas , so I was happy to get back .The eating is the thing that I struggle with , I don't mind exercising anymore but I always find myself thinking ' I deserve that after all that exercise' . Completely defeating the purpose . Chocolate with tea is my weakness ! 

I had a fitness plan from the gym but I didn't really stick to it . I just kept going to the gym and eating normally .

Since its January my goal is to keep up the gym but eat clean also . That's why I am starting a Sugar Free Plan  . After reading up and watching programmes ( That Sugar Film 2014 , definitely watch it ) about sugar and the damage it does to our bodies is something else . Where all aware its not good for you but I never realised the extent .

I was also told I was Diary intolerant a few years ago .I get bad sinuses if I eat too much Diary . It weakens my immune system and causes bloating .

So as well as going off sugar I decided to finally go off diary . Which basically sounds like I will be eating lettuce and drinking water for the rest of my life , right ? Wrong . The nutritionist that has done out this plan for me has giving me loads of recipes and meals ideas on what I can eat .

I just want to be a healthier person , it has nothing to do with weight for me . You eat crap , you feel like crap .

Thanks for reading and have a nice fun filled weekend .

Alannah x