Former Miss USA runner-up reveals how she got into the best shape of her life for the pageant - as she shares her ultimate guide for how to shed fat and 'get lean'

A former Miss USA contestant has revealed the three things she did to get in the best shape of her life before competing in the pageant.  

Chelsea Hardin, 32, admits that she was out of shape and lacking confidence when she was challenged to enter the Miss Hawaii USA in 2016. However, after hiring a trainer and cleaning up her diet, she transformed her body and took home the crown.

The beauty queen, who is now a fitness coach, spent another four months training for the Miss USA 2016 pageant before being named first runner-up to Deshauna Barber of the District of Columbia. 

Hardin opened up about the competition on TikTok, sharing a photo of herself strutting down the stage in a skimpy white bikini and nude platform stilettos. 

'This is me competing for Miss USA in Las Vegas after winning Miss Hawaii USA, and this is definitely the leanest I've ever been,' she said. 

Hardin explained that she did three things to lose body fat and tone up for the pageant. 

'First thing is to pay attention to your nutrition,' she advised. 'Get rid of all the packaged foods, the high sugar, the inflammatory oils, and eat clean.'

The fitness guru said 'it doesn't matter how much body fat you have to lose' or 'how much muscle you have to gain,' most of your success will come from your diet. 

Secondly, Hardin said you need to move your body, but she admitted that she no longer has the time to train the way she did when she was prepping for the pageant. 

'I had time, energy, and effort and the will and motivation to get like this at that time period,' she said. 'Obviously, right now, I don't have as much time to put into that, so my body looks different as a mom now.'

However, whether you are training for a competition or just want to get in shape, she explained that consistency is key. 

'It's not about that one good workout or that one good salad,' she said. 'I was consistent. I trained for four months after winning Miss Hawaii USA. I trained hardcore. I was strict.'

Hardin reiterated that this routine is only for someone who 'wants to lean out' and 'have really low body fat. 

'Find what works for you to be consistent in the gym,' she said. 'Show up four to five times a week and have those rest days.'

Hardin ended her video by stressing the importance of prioritizing sleep and staying hydrated, saying a lot of women make the mistake of pushing those habits to the wayside when training. 

'No matter how hard you push in the gym, no matter how clean your diet is, if you're not letting your body rest, if you're not staying hydrated, it's going to be very hard to see changes,' she said. 

'So if you want to lean out, if you want to lose body fat, be intentional, focus on these three things,' she concluded. 

Hardin's video has been viewed nearly 473,000 times and has received more than a hundred comments.

Many people wanted to know about her exercise routine and diet, and she was happy to answer their questions. 

The model explained that she strength-trained four to five times a week and did 30 minutes of cardio three times a week in preparation for the pageant. 

As for her diet, she shared that she counted macronutrients, which are carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. 

'The right ratio will help change your body composition!' she said.