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Hi collegiettes™!
My success so far to lose the the freshman 15 with the Jump Start Diet has me feeling like a beauty queen, in my own little world, of course! To inspire readers to get on track with their diet and fitness, I decided to give you a different perspective from SELF’s Jump Start Diet and let a real beauty queen give you her advice on how to stay fit. Today’s guest blog by Allyn Rose, Miss Maryland USA–a former collegiette™– is all about her beauty pageant diet and fitness! 
I’m a 22-year-old graduate of the University of Maryland. While I was there, I studied Philosophy, Art History and Government & Politics.
I grew up playing sports and participated in everything from artistic roller skating, to tennis, soccer, volleyball and track & field. I was raised in a 200-year-old Colonial home in rural southern Maryland that I helped my parents renovate from the ground up.
Not only can I strut my stuff in a bikini with the best of em’, I can patch your roof too! I’ve been on a reality TV show, played guitar in a punk rock band, worked on Capitol Hill and now have the pleasure of representing Maryland at Miss USA!
I started 2 years ago with the Miss Sinergy pageant – it funded a breast cancer charity and I competed to honor my mother (who passed away from the disease when I was in high school). Shockingly, I won and decided to try my hand at the state level by participating in Miss Maryland USA. I was blessed and walked away with the title again and here I am!
I played volleyball in college and it helped maintain my weight, but as soon as I graduated, I had to develop my own fitness plan and stick with it. My diet has significantly improved. Unfortunately, no more late night pizza or Chinese!
For the best results, it’s a combination of diet, strength training and cardio. With a high protein diet, I am able to build muscle through my strength training. The cardio helps burn fat and with limited sugar and carb intake, I am able to sculpt my body to its potential.
I exercise 3-4 days a week. Three of those days I work with a fitness instructor in a program that includes weights, interval training, cardio, and flexibility training. On the extra day I like to do a group session, either yoga or a cardio class.
I eat as much protein as I can get my hands on and I try my hardest to limit carbs, sodium, and sugars. A normal day could consist of a low-calorie cereal, like honey nut Cheerios for breakfast, a small portioned lunch with a protein and grain, a granola bar and/or fruit for a snack and dinner with a protein like salmon, whole grain rice and asparagus.
As of right now, the pageant is my life for everything I do is motivated by it, but having a healthy lifestyle is important for your physical AND emotional well-being. I fully intend to maintain my lifestyle after the competition is over. When you are exercising and eating healthy, everything in your life improves.
My life has been an incredible journey and it’s not over yet!
How do you stay in shape? Please let me know! Leave a comment below or Tweet me (@RealMissMDUSA).
If you’d like to join Ally in her healthy, happy weight loss (and please do), go register for the Jump Start Diet on SELF.com and be sure to use the SELF logs to keep track of your daily workout and meals, which is an awesome way to keep track of your calorie intake and how much you’re burning off!
To follow Ally’s journey on the Jump Start Diet, check out her out on Twitter (@allylopez), and while you’re at it, follow the latest news from SELF (@SELFmagazine) and Her Campus (@HerCampus)!