So, you’ve decided to really focus and lose those last few stubborn pounds by crash dieting before your pageant.  While you may lose those extra pounds with a crash diet, you could also be losing important interview points!  Here are three diet don’ts and two do’s for a winning pageant interview when on a diet:

1. Don’t severely restrict your caloric intake.  In an attempt to drop those last five pounds many contestants restrict themselves to 1000 calories or less per day.  Eating less than 1000 calories will undoubtedly leave you completely exhausted and unable to concentrate.  According to the National Institute of Health, if you’re eating fewer than 1000 calories per day your symptoms may include fatigue, mood swings, and an inability to think clearly.  I can’t tell you how many pageants I’ve been to where a contestant looked good at prelims, but crashed on day two because she just hadn’t been eating enough.  Make sure you’re eating enough calories to keep up your energy level and maintain that competitive edge.

1. Don’t dramatically limit or completely eliminate food groups.   Let’s face it: low-carb diets are a popular way to lose weight fast.  While they can be effective, they may have a significant impact on your pageant interview.  According to the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, most people who limit or eliminate carbs will experience difficulty concentrating, loss of energy, and severe mood swings.  The primary fuel for the brain is glucose, which your body creates from carbohydrates.  When carbohydrates are restricted (especially when limited to under 40 grams per day), there is little or no glucose available for the brain.  I can always tell in an appointment, or at a pageant, when a contestant hasn’t been eating enough carbs.  They appear to be confused and their interview answers aren’t clear and focused.  So skip the last minute no-carb crash and make sure you’re feeding your brain a balanced diet in order to get those top interview points.

1. Don’t restrict water prior to the pageant.  Typically this happens when your personal trainer has advised you to limit water for a period of time prior to your swimsuit competition.  The logic here is that if you can completely flush the water from your system your muscles will look more defined.  While this might be a great idea for body builders who don’t have to answer complex interview questions, it’s not a great idea for pageant contestants.  If your body is even just 10% dehydrated it will impact your brain’s ability to function clearly.  And please note that diuretics or “water pills” will have the same impact on you.  Any way you cut it, limiting your water intake to blast through the physical fitness competition will reduce your ability to get a top interview score.

1. Do get enough rest as you prepare for your pageant.  You’re working out, limiting your food intake, and taking vitamins, but are you getting enough sleep?  Think about it for a minute:  you’re putting your body through stress by working out and limiting your food intake.  Your body is working hard to develop new muscles and burn fat.  You’re going to need to get enough rest so your body can rebuild. Help your body reenergize by adding an extra hour of sleep each night or sneaking a nap in during the day.  You’ll be surprised how just a little extra sleep can improve your ability to concentrate and ace your pageant interview.

1. Do plan to achieve your competition weight one month prior to your pageant.  The #1 reason contestants crash diet is because they wait too long to get serious about their fitness level.  Take a realistic approach: start earlier than you think you need to and plan to hit your desired weight or fitness level one month prior to your competition.  This will allow your body time to adjust to the new weight and you won’t be starving your brain of important nutrients and sources of energy right before the pageant.  (Your seamstress will love you too because you won’t be making those last minute alternations to your competition wardrobe!)  A healthy, consistent approach to your diet will result in a top swimsuit score that won’t put your pageant interview in jeopardy.

        Love and success!