Lessons from Miss Virginia Part I: What I Told Them in Interview

Well, it's been a little over a week since I got back from Roanoke, where I competed to become Miss Virginia. I was honored to make the top 11 in a group of 26 inspiring, smart, and beautiful women who I came to love a whole lot over the course of the week.

I could probably write a novel about what I experienced and learned, how I was inspired, and how I grew, but I don't think you want to read all that :) What I do want to do is write a little about my interview, because it really speaks to why I was even competing in a swimsuit competition in the first place (hint! The swimsuit competition is just a means to an end). I'll write a more general post tomorrow about my entire experience.

top 11 gown - Julius Tolentino

monologue - Julius Tolentino

prelim swimsuit

My interview kicked off with questions about SEC football changing to a rotating conference schedule (no, seriously), my job with Delta Gamma, and ways to provide healthy food to low income families. And then, I was asked about my various interests and where Miss Virginia fit into them. Here's the gist of what I told the judges:

I was competing to become Miss Virginia because I absolutely, positively wanted the job. Because if I could put down on paper the job that I wanted to have at 24, traveling the state as Miss Virginia was (and is) it. Because I had already had a job where I lived out of a suitcase, traveled all over the country, and inspired women. It was a job that challenged and fulfilled me on a daily basis, and it was a job that I very much wanted the opportunity to do again.

I wanted to be Miss Virginia not only to impact the lives of little girls but because I believe that Miss Virginia is also the perfect platform to empower and inspire women.

As it stands, the Miss America Organization is the world's largest provider of college scholarships for women, and last year alone, it provided nearly $50 million in scholastic assistance to women at the local, state, and national level. Clearly MAO empowers contestants to achieve their scholastic and career ambitions already, but what if we took it to the next level?

What if, by speaking on college campuses and having real conversations with women, Miss Virginia (and ultimately Miss America) could inspire and empower her own generation -- even those women who will never enter a Miss America preliminary? I was competing because I know that Miss Virginia can be that role model for women that our generation really needs.

Miss America isn't just a pageant. It is a values-based organization, building and rewarding well rounded women who are driven to succeed in whatever field they choose. By building relationships with and inspiring her peers, Miss Virginia (or Miss America) becomes a role model for college-aged women, and ultimately inspires participation in local preliminaries by women who may have never considered competing in a pageant.

It's just like sorority recruitment. People don't join organizations, people join people. In this case, women join women. If you are able to communicate the values of the organization in your words and actions through building relationships, women want to be a part of your organization because they understand the value the organization can give them.

My story of my year would have been one of empowerment, inspiration, and recruiting new women to be a part of an incredible organization. I envisioned closed local preliminaries at colleges and universities throughout the state, much like in Georgia, as a way for MAO to widen its circle of influence.

I was competing because not only did I want the job of Miss Virginia, but I knew that I could do the job of Miss Virginia.

And while I may not have won, the judges did select a fantastic representative of our group of 26 winners. Desiree Williams is a role model for women; I know I certainly look up to her. She's smart, fit, driven, personable, and successful in pursuing her passions.

Look how much we love her - Julius Tolentino

And I cannot wait to cheer her on at Miss America.

I have already won.

When I competed in pageants when I was younger, I remember standing on stage as the emcees prepared to call the tenth finalist to the top ten. Without exception, they'd always ask for the audience to applaud for every contestant, stating that "Every girl up here is a winner."

I'm going to be honest, I probably rolled my eyes. I certainly didn't believe that EVERY one of us were winners. After all, it was a competition, and there would only be one winner.

Well here I am, three days away from leaving for Miss Virginia, and I just have to pause to reflect for a second: I have already won.

I have already won because two years ago, I was 35 pounds heavier than I am today, unhealthy, and battling disordered eating.

I have already won because in my quest to become Miss Virginia, I have never compromised what I stand for or who I am.

I have already won because since being crowned Miss Great Springfield, I have run two full marathons, a sub two-hour half marathon, and a 24:20 5k; feats I could only dream of this time last year.

I have already won because to the 18 little girls I coach, the hundreds of elementary school children I have spoken to, and the college students I have met, I am already Miss Virginia.

That's the beauty of the Miss America Organization; in our pursuit of the job of Miss Virginia, each of the 26 local titleholders have touched countless lives, and are already Miss Virginia in the eyes of the people we have impacted.

Instead of choosing a winner from 26 contestants, our judges are choosing the representative of a group of 26 winners.

We have all already won.

And with that, I am ready to begin my one week job interview for a job that I both want very much and am ready to take on. I am ready to be 100% authentic, and I am ready to share my story.

Thank you for your thoughts, prayers, well wishes, tweets/Facebook posts/Instagrams. I appreciate all of them very much, and I promise to do my best in Roanoke. You can watch preliminaries and finals on webcast at missva.tv, or, if you're in the DC area, finals will be televised on CW50 on Saturday, June 29th, at 9pm.

Let's do this.

Because I was never a runner, until I was.

I run because every mile, even when it is actually kind of miserable, is filled with pure joy.

Joy.

Because there is nothing like doing what you never thought you could do.

Post Springfield 15k: Race #7 in seven weeks.

Because it gives me much needed time with my own thoughts.

Because I was never a runner, until I was.

Because I am not defined by the speed I run or how good I look doing it, but instead by accomplishing what I set out to do.



Not looking good doing it, but still accomplishing marathon #2 in less than five months.

Because it is a passion that has blessed me with the opportunity to be a role model.

My Girls on the Run post Spring 5k.

Because it makes me feel alive.

And, because I really, really, REALLY like carbs.

Happy National Running Day! Why do you run?

Why you should run community races

On Saturday morning, I ran my third race of my #runningformissvirginia tour -- the Falcon 5k sponsored by the Flint Hill Elementary School PTA. While I was enjoying my race on Saturday, I was thinking about a fun way to blog about it (obviously). I thought a top four list might be fun -- both as a recap and as a way to inspire you to find a 5k out in your community to run.

When I say community race, I mean one that's sponsored by a small community organization - a church, a school, even a local animal shelter. It's probably the only one of its kind, and you're probably running with maybe 500 people max. You might not even get a t-shirt (I registered late and didn't get one until after the race today), but you will definitely have a good time.

The Top Four Reasons to Run a Community Race

1. You'll be running with people who are truly passionate about the cause you're running for. With smaller races, the advertising is typically local outreach or grassroots advertising by the people who work with the organization. This means that you are surrounded by people who care a lot about whatever you're running for. That passion is contagious, and it makes the run a lot more fun. Today, for example, I ran with about 300 elementary school students and their parents, and the money benefited those kids. I was able to focus more on high fiving the kids as they passed me (and stopping at the stand manned by a couple students labeled "Free Water") and less on trying to PR.
   
2. You can feel good knowing that most of your race fee is going to the title cause. Because there are fewer bells and whistles, more of your money is going to the cause, and less to putting on a show of a race. Don't get me wrong, I love the "show of a race"s too, but it is nice knowing that a large chunk of my money going to something important.
3. What you don't get in pre-race swag, you might get in post-race swag. Smaller races mean you have a better shot at placing, at least in your age division. Today, I won my age group. I have only placed in my division twice before, and I have run a lot of 5ks. If you want to feel totally awesome and you're in your 20s, go run a 5k benefiting an elementary school... turns out these are not hot spots for people our age :)

   

   That 1/1 is the real deal!!

4. There's a lot of cute and inspiring personalized things. Things like: chalk messages cheering you on on the road, spectators out clapping, even your name being read out at the finish line. These are small things, but they're really only possible at smaller races.

   

   Loved the chalk messages! Lots of personalized messages for all of the classes too!

Thanks for a great run, Flint Hill Elementary! I will certainly be back and running again next year :) 

Thanks to my mom for being my awesome supported and capturing cool finish line shots that make me look way faster than I am.

GMU Positive Body Image Seminar

This is what I felt like on Thursday night, around 11pm:

On Tuesday, I had the awesome opportunity to be the featured speaker at a Positive Body Image Seminar, hosted by George Mason University's Panhellenic. I had reached out to the Executive Board, and specifically Emily, their Vice President of Programming earlier this year, and Emily put together this awesome event. I spoke and others set up booths for women to visit. Nearly 500 women attended, and we had an hour and a half long conversation about positive (and negative) body image, disordered eating, and dieting.

I was inspired by the courage of women who shared their own stories, and I found strength in the reception I got from sharing my story. The questions at the end were thoughtful, and I loved how engaged everyone was using Twitter -- I opened up my Twitter to questions and comments throughout the event because, let's face it, if people are on their smart phones for any other reason but to tweet at me, I'm not doing my job.

A few people approached me at the end of the night with some feedback, and I thought it was really outstanding, so I don't want to wait until the next time I speak to share a few more pieces of information:

•  First, I was approached by Corey, who asked me to focus more on eating healthier in order to be happier. She's so right, and I can't believe I failed to make this statement during my presentation. Exercising and choosing to eat healthy foods -- to eat more fruits and vegetables, add in more lean protein and whole grains, even to enjoy the occasional cookie -- makes you a happier person. You're happier because you feel better when you treat your body right. I talk a lot about how dieting makes you unhappy because it's a constant mindset of deprivation, but I failed to mention that "anti-dieting" -- that is, adopting a healthy food philosophy rather than a list of things you can't eat -- will make you both happier and healthier.
• Next, one of the campus nutritionists spoke to me, and asked that I add in more information about the mental implications of eating disorders. If you are or someone you know is suffering from an eating disorder, please seek professional help. Eating disorders are the most fatal mental illnesses, with some studies reporting that nearly 30% result in death. If nothing else, please point them in the direction of nationaleatingdisorders.org, which has a live anonymous helpline.
• Lastly, I spoke with Kathleen, who works with the "Perfect Body Project." They are working to organize "No Makeup Monday," which I'll post more about this weekend. You should participate, though, by wearing -- you guessed it -- no makeup on Monday. Take a picture of yourself and post it to Instagram or Twitter using the hashtag #nomakeupmonday.

Again, a huge thank you to GMU Panhellenic for a very inspiring night, as well as your extremely generous donation to Children's Miracle Network. It was an honor to speak with all of you, and I know CMN will be so appreciative :)

If you are interested in having me speak at an event, please email me at jengilbert11@gmail.com.

The spirit of running

This morning, I ran the MAD 5K, which was sponsored by the Madison High School Track and Field Team. I registered on Thursday because I got this crazy idea in my head that I would run a race each weekend up until Miss Virginia (if you have one in mind, let me know!).

I am so glad I picked this 5K to kick off my racing "season." It really had it all: beautiful weather, a small but spirited group of runners, a fun course with some hills, and an awesome group of supporters (thank you, Madison Track and Field team!!).

It's been a rough week for runners. The Boston Marathon bombing hit close to home for runners everywhere for a couple reasons. First, the Boston Marathon is pretty much the pinnacle of distance running. If you're a marathon runner, somewhere, deep inside, you would do pretty much anything to earn that BQ (Boston Qualifier time).

The second reason is more important.

If you are a runner, whether you have run a 5k or ten marathons, you have experienced the emotional windfall that happens at a finish line. It's a mix of the joy of accomplishing what you set out to do with the pain in your feet and the eagerness to see those who have come out to support you. It is accomplishment and relief all rolled into one. To be quite honest, it's pretty much unexplainable (although I'm trying very hard to do it right now) if you have never experienced it.

And Boston could have been any race. It could have been any of us. The bombings broke the heart of every runner.

Today, I was reminded of how powerful and special the running community is. Running is amazing in that there are no rules, and, really, it's not about the clock. Runners are young and old, fat and thin, fast and slow. We are runners not because we BQ or don't BQ or because we've run a certain distance, and we're not really competing against each other. Each run - whether one mile or fifty - is about fighting to become the best version of you that you can be. It's about spending some QT (quality time) with yourself, letting go of the self-judgements and negative thoughts, and not allowing the voice in your head to tell you that you can't.

For 20 minutes or four hours, it's just you and the run.

Today was a great run. Runs like the one I had this morning are the reason I fell in love with running. I had a gigantic smile on my face from the first gun to the finish line, and I found myself being paced by an eight year old boy and his father.

They bombed the finish line of the pinnacle of distance running, and we are still running, with smiles on our faces and joy in our hearts. I think that means that it never was - and never is - about the finish line.

It's about being paced by an eight-year-old, appreciating fresh air and feeling your heart beat, watching as people achieve goals, and celebrating the best that life has to offer. Running is the essence of what it means to be alive -- something violence and hate can never take away. In this way, our hearts may be broken, but the spirit of running is indestructible.

For what it's worth, I was beat by the eight year old boy.

The first thing I had to do when I crossed the finish line was catch up and thank him for helping me to achieve a 26:03 finish -- the fastest 5K time I've ever run in my short running life.

Kids and new foods (plus a breakfast quinoa recipe)

This morning, I got elementary school girls to try quinoa. And it wasn't even that difficult.

Most of you probably know that I coach a Girls on the Run Team. A couple weeks ago, we were talking about nutrition and discussing what they eat for breakfast.

Kids eat a lot of Pop Tarts these days as it turns out. So, in an effort to expand their palates (and teach them that there are more options than Pop Tarts) I volunteered to cook and bring them quinoa... as long as they ate it.

They promised they would, so last night, I cooked up some breakfast quinoa in my kitchen. First, this happened:

Yep... Victim of putting too much liquid in the pot at once. Whoops.

But then... this happened, and I was able to bring a big bowl of breakfast quinoa for my girls to try. We talked about what quinoa was, and I explained to them how I prepared it (one of my girls even asked me for the ingredients!), and then, I invited them to dig in....

 On top of bringing the quinoa, I also brought a variety of healthy toppings -- chopped apple, pecans, crunchy natural peanut butter, Dark Chocolate Dreams peanut butter, honey, and cinnamon -- and invited them to top the base however they wanted. I think that's the key with kids. When you're teaching them about new foods, it's so important to let them play a part in deciding what they try. That way, they take ownership of what they're eating.. and they learn that healthy can be delicious!

Every single one of my girls tried the quinoa. One thought it was disgusting, but the rest were pretty excited about it, with a couple even going back for seconds.

I'm not saying we should never give kids Gushers or Pop Tarts. What I am saying is that I think we should teach kids about healthy foods and give them the opportunity to experiment and try them. Are they going to love everything they try? Absolutely not. I personally hate olives. By encouraging them to try, they're going to find healthy foods that they DO like, and I think that's the approach we need to take. Praise them when they try something new, and let them throw it away if they don't like it. Let them know that they have a choice. The worst thing that's going to happen is that they don't like something -- so what? Who cares? The best thing that can happen is that they find a new favorite food, and either way, you're encouraging them to experiment and rewarding them for having opinions and preferences. It's always going to be a win-win.

Here's my kid-approved breakfast quinoa. Just make sure you have a big enough pot!

Kid-approved Breakfast Quinoa (gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free) (makes 10 servings):

2 cups quinoa

2 cups unsweetened vanilla soy milk

2 cups water

4 tbsp vanilla extract

3 tbsp cinnamon

1/4 cup honey

1. Combine quinoa, soy milk, water, and vanilla in a large pot. Bring it to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until quinoa is light and fluffy.
2. Once cooked, take off of heat and add cinnamon and honey.
3. Top with chopped apples, pecans, peanut butter, more cinnamon, honey, or whatever healthy toppings you want! Encourage kids to go crazy!



NEDA Awareness Week: I am a statistic

This week is NEDA's (the National Eating Disorder Association) Eating Disorders Awareness Week. The theme this year is "Everybody Knows Somebody." The goal is to spread awareness about eating disorders and body image issues -- to provide accurate information, and to educate about the realities of eating disorders.

You all probably know that my platform for Miss Virginia centers around disordered eating. Disordered eating, which is not a diagnosed eating disorder, boils down to an unhealthy relationship with food. It is categorized by behaviors and thoughts about food and eating that are abnormal.

Behaviors like: taking diet pills, eschewing entire food groups from your diet, exercising solely to burn calories, occasional binge eating.

I have a history with each of those behaviors. During my sophomore year of college, when my friends tried to intervene, I was taking diet pills, cutting out all carbs from my diet, and exercising obsessively. I mean, I literally would not eat potatoes (note: potatoes are now one of my favorite foods). Senior year, I would restrict myself from eating "bad foods" during the day only to binge eat an entire pizza alone at night.

I was - and probably still am - a disordered eater.

I am passionate about talking about disordered eating not only because for almost ten years of my life, my thoughts and actions were consumed by food, but also because I know that I am not alone. I competed for Miss Greater Springfield because the Miss America Organization gives me a platform to be able to share my story. Ultimately, I want to help other women understand that they're not alone, and that food can be an enjoyable (and awesome.) part of their life.

Some studies estimate that as many as 75% of women in America have suffered from disordered eating. I guess that makes me a statistic. It also makes me frustrated and sad, because when it's that widespread, the abnormal becomes the normal. Instead of enjoying food for what it should be -- culture, heritage, celebration -- food becomes all-consuming, unenjoyable, and something that really controls your everyday life.

For some reason, I was afraid to share my story or talk to other people about my issues with food because I didn't want to be judged or perceived as weak or crazy. The reality is, if three quarters of the population has dealt with or is dealing with disordered eating, none of us are weak or crazy, we just need to work together to get ourselves back to a point where food is fun again.

Over the last two years, I have learned what causes me to obsessive over food, and I avoid it. I avoid exercising on cardio machines as much as possible because I revert to focusing on the numbers instead of how exercising makes me feel. I don't count calories or diet because, for me, it leads to what I'm eating consuming my every thought.

Instead, I pick activities I love - Bikram yoga, boxing, running outside - and try to eat clean. I remind myself that no food is "bad" or "off limits," and talk to friends and family members.

So here I am, and I am a statistic. But I am also somebody who has developed confidence and character through figuring out how to beat that voice in my head that tells me to diet. Instead of making me weak, beating my disordered eating has made me strong -- the fact of the matter is, we all get dealt things in our lives to deal with, and mine just happens to be my relationship with food.

If you suspect your friend is a disordered eater, please talk to her or him about it. Disordered eating can evolve into something more serious, and if nothing else, it is most certainly preventing your loved one from living the happiest life they can.

Taking on p90x

Over the last two weeks, I've really started kicking my butt back into gear. It's kind of amazing how that happens when you look at a calendar and realize that (surprise, surprise), Miss Virginia keeps getting closer! In fact, we're under the five month mark.

Luckily, I have a very supportive boyfriend (who will remain blog-anonymous for now :) ) who has decided to tackle p90x with me.

I actually got p90x for Christmas during my junior year of college. The first time I tried it, I lasted a grand total of four weeks before falling off the wagon. However, in those four weeks, I saw some pretty amazing results.

Kind of amazing what happens when you work out hard six times a week, combining cardio and weight training, huh? And then add in good nutrition?

Anyways, we're nine days in, and are on our second week of the first cycle of workouts. Highs of the week have included: Doing assisted pull-ups instead of using bands for the second time through shoulders and chest, Kenpo, and post-workout meals (gonna start featuring some of these on here). Lows were today's Plyo session (turns out Plyo on tired legs is not as fun) and Yoga X (turns out I'm not as flexible as I want to be).

I will say that p90x is way better when you do it with someone else. Plus, doing it with someone else certainly helps with accountability as well.

I'm also logging my workouts on Fitocracy now. You should join and follow me!

Anyone done the whole 90 days of p90x? Did you follow the nutrition plan as well? What were your results?

Food is supposed to be fun: the real food experiment

If you've been following me on facebook, instagram, twitter, real life, or this blog, you know that I'll be competing in Miss Virginia in June. You also probably know that my platform, You are HOW you Eat, centers around healthy eating habits, talking about disordered eating, and eschewing dieting.

In an effort to proverbially put my money where my mouth is, I will be following a "real food" eating plan in preparation for Miss Virginia. While striving to eat clean the majority of the time, I'll also be incorporating meals eaten from the restaurant group I work for 3-4 times a week. These meals are prepared from scratch, and include real ingredients like butter, whole milk, cream, and oil in their preparation.

Yes, I'm going to eat all of that and still walk on the stage fitter than I did when I competed for Miss Greater Springfield:


photo credit: julius tolentino

Sounds like disaster for a girl who's gotta be on stage in a swimsuit in six months, huh?

I don't think it has to be. I'm on a mission to prove that ANYONE can navigate a restaurant menu (even one without nutrition facts), make healthy choices, and even eat real dessert (not just frozen yogurt) sometimes, all while moving towards your health and fitness goals.

My platform hinges on the idea that food is supposed to be fun: fun to eat, fun to share with your family, fun to prepare.

I post everything I eat in a daily collage through my instagram account. Hold me accountable, get inspired, and check out some seriously delicious looking food.

PS: I just got a fitocracy account too... You can follow my workouts on there!

Are nutrition facts making us fatter?

Did you know that obesity rate among adults in the US has increased from 15% to 36% since 1990?

In twenty years, the percentage of obese adults has increased by over 20%. Do you know how ridiculous that is!?

I blame this guy:

 

My issue with the nutrition label is simple: by breaking a food into micronutrients, you are reducing something that is cultural, enjoyable, and part of life to a series of numbers. What’s more, you’re trying to summarize the pros and cons of a food in black and white. This isn’t normal.

It causes the human mind to equate a large banana to a a bowl of fruit loops. A piece of chicken to a York peppermint patty. Rice to French fries.

These things are not equal, and yet the nutrition label – particularly the calorie count – makes us think they are.

But there’s more: Since the nutrition label was mandated by the FDA in 1990, we have seen obesity increase exponentially. Which begs the question: is this correlation, causation, or chance?

Could it be that our growing obsession with “being healthy” has caused us to forget how to eat? That we have lost our instincts for choosing foods that are good for us because we rely so much on the package? Perhaps it means that we are choosing more processed foods instead of real foods solely because we are able to easily count the calories or points when it’s printed on a package.

I am not a nutritionist. I am a 23 year old who spent nearly seven years of my life trying different diets, depriving myself of the foods I love, and spending countless hours on the elliptical trying to get to be the size I wanted to be. I finally got on track to being healthy and loving my body this past year, when I lost nearly 35 pounds without counting calories, cutting carbs, or doing activities I hated all in the name of losing weight.

I am happier, healthier, and fitter than ever. And maybe I’m just one person, but I think it’s a discussion worth having: causation, correlation, or chance? What are your thoughts?

Pancakes and Elvis

There are few things I love more than breakfast:

 

Saturday I got to make two appearances as Miss Greater Springfield, and I had a really great time! My morning started with going to the Greater Springfield Fire Department pancake breakfast, which was held in conjunction with an open house for Fire Prevention Week. I got to meet members of the community and speak with some local heroes – volunteer firefighters.

I learned some really interesting things about fire prevention (duh, Fire Prevention week), and figured I would share. I met the two high school volunteers pictured below at the smoke detector booth. Did you know that you should really have a smoke detector in every room and hallway in your house? Or that there are two different kinds of smoke detectors? I had no idea that you were supposed to have that many smoke detectors!

Later that night, I had a really special opportunity to spend the evening with a group of World War II veterans who were visiting D.C. from Tennessee. The local Veterans of Foreign Wars post hosted the group for dinner, which was delicious and catered by JW and Friend’s in Springfield. It was really special getting to thank these heroes in person, and to work with the VFW veterans as well. And, they even had a special duo of performers:

Not sure anyone else can say they spent their Saturday with Marilyn and Elvis!  

Anyways, it was a pretty fantastic Saturday. I’m looking forward to this Saturday as well – I’ll be speaking about nutrition with a group of kids and also attending the Miss Hampton-Newport News pageant to see the lovely Phyllicia give up her title!

I’m going to Miss Virginia!!

Yesterday, after meeting and competing with 12 other amazing women from all over the state of Virginia, I was given an incredible opportunity by being crowned Miss Greater Springfield 2013.

Over the next year, I will work to promote both the Children’s Miracle Network and my own personal platform, Start the Conversation, which encourages young women to begin talking about disordered eating. I am hoping to spend my year speaking to high school and college students and encouraging them to work with each other to rebuild a healthy relationship with food.

And, I’ll have the chance to compete to become Miss Virginia.

It still hasn’t hit me yet, and I’ve had several moments today where I turn to my parents and just reiterate “I’m going to Miss Virginia.”

If you are interested in donating to the Children’s Miracle Network, please go here. Your donation will directly benefit children, and will help me reach my goal of raising at least $350 for Miss Virginia.