Moms on Fiyah | Cristina Aruta, Bikini Competition Momager

It's a New Year and many of us are looking at the scale thinking I Can't.  Well trust me you CAN!  Don't believe me?  Just keep reading about one of my favorite Momager girlfriends and how she at the fabulous age of above 21 is working the bikini competition circuit.  Managing the basketball career of her son that she affectionally calls The Yellow Mamba, keeping the fire in her marriage and living her passion is why I'm celebrating her in this edition of Moms on Fiyah.

Cristina started doing competitions after she'd torn her ACL doing muay thai kickboxing and had to have surgery.  She met a trainer that suggested she try the competition but in her mind she didn't want to be buff, he assured her there were different categories in bodybuilding: Bodybuilders, Physique, Figure and Bikini.  The bikini competitors are fit, not muscular.  She got a trainer, actually went through 4 - 5 before finding the right one.  The first one told her that she'd never have a chance at entering a competition!  (Bye Felipe)  She sure showed them having competed in not 1 but 4 competitions, 1 INBA and 3 NPC shows.

Her required training consists of 30% training and 70% diet, she says eating well is the key.  Training

Photos courtesy of Cristina Aruta

for muay thai kickboxing she didn't have good eating habits and noted her muscles and abs never "popped" out.  To get competition ready she works out with a trainer at her local gym and with a nutritionist at Max Muscle in Stockton, CA.  Additionally she also takes natural supplements like fish oil, protein powders and multi-vitamins.

Now folks check out this Momagers' daily routine:

"Wake up at 3 AM, commute for 1.5 hrs. to work from 5:30 am - 2 PM. Get home at 4PM. Prepare my training stuff and leave for the gym by 4:45. Train from 5 - 6 PM. Prep, cook and eat dinner from 6:30 - 8PM. Shower and get ready for bed. This is my daily routine. So glad my son Jacob drives now. He can take himself to practice and games. I don't train when he has games. I try to schedule my training around it. If we are traveling, I try to work out at the gyms in the hotels or a 24 hour fitness gyms, since they are all over California & Nevada. If there is no gym around, I run around the neighborhood."

And I complain about going to the gym with my 15 minute commute to work.  Mouth officially closed!

Training for a competition takes 3 months consisting of major weightlifting, cardio and a good diet.  All sugar and diary are cut out.  Heading into the week before competition it's a total carb balance, cutting some and adding others.  Training stops 2 days before competition and the prep for glamour begins.  Mani/peds, hair, tanning and makeup take place during the 2 days before and fittings for the bikini of course, which can run between $100 - $1000.  WOWSERS! Competitions last all day with prejudging during the day and winner announcements in the evening.

Bedazzled her own bikini.

Like with anything Cristina notes there is a downside to pageantry.  Due to the rigorous diet she has to follow she often has to refuse eating at events making hosts feel as if their entrees aren't up to snuff.  Some have even told her she is to old to compete but she uses that as motivation and says, "I feel like superwomen when I'm out on that stage."  She is careful not to judge herself based on the other competitors.  If she win's great, her real win is stepping up on the stage.  The best part of this venture has been her transformation from old geek working at a financial firm to bikini diva!

Think you might want to try a competition?  Cristina's best advice is, "Do it for yourself.  It's YOU vs. YOU.  Train and eat happy.  Find a balance with your food."

This beautiful bikini powerhouse is taking some off time from competitions to catch up on some gains (a gym term for building up muscle) and supporting her son in his senior year of high school basketball.  Jacob plays PG / SG for St. Mary's in Stockton, CA and reps #32.  They are focusing on college options now and getting into a great program where Jacob can continue his passion!  Check out his profile on Max Preps Jacob Aruta - Max Preps Profile.  Of course every baller has a video package and here's Jacobs':

Both Mom and son have bright futures and I thank Cristina for sharing their story with us to get the motivation for 2015 kickstarted.  I don't know about you but I'm setting my clock for a 5:30 am every day this week for Crossfit class, now I just have to train my brain.

Toodles,




Curvy Momager