Kids are home for springbreak for a full week... and some have been out of school for a full 3 weeks straight due to the year round school schedule in Vegas... and let's not forget about my 12 days off from work. I had big plans for myself... no 12 hour shifts, no homework to get through, no making of school lunches, no getting up early to make sure the kids make it to school on time, no sports games or practices to attend, etc... I was free, free, free!! The plan was to use this time to get a strong foundation in my competition prep... somehow, I did not accomplish anythingI set out to accomplish. Somehow, I've found myself to be busier and more tied down than when the kids were at school, sports practices, and I'm knocking out 12 hour shifts... oh, and did I mention I am somehow 6 lbs heavier. The good thing is that I am not 12 weeks out as of yet... which is initially when I planned to kill it but still, I wanted to get a strong base!! The bad news is that I've backed tracked... I will spend the next 2 to 3 weeks getting rid of these additional 6 lbs that I managed to gain in only 3 to 4 days!! Yes the kids are home and although I have been knocking out my gym time... I've also been knocking out the pizza, the tub of popcorn at the movies, cold stone creamery... my diet has gone to hell!! All in the name of making sure the kids vacation isn't shot to hell! Especially since I'm feeling so bad about our cancelled vaction plans...we initially had plans to go out of town that came to a screeching hault after discovering some vehicle problems during a routine oil change. So needless to say, our vehicle went into the shop for repairs for a full week and we are all stuck in Vegas during springbreak, which might I add is the best place to be "stuck" at! This morning I woke up with that bloated filling after another splurge meal last night, I hopped on the scale to discover myself 6 lbs heavier, went downstairs and annouced to my family that vacation has officially ended!! So now I have found myself on a new journey... undo the damage I did in a matter of days!!

.COM BABY!!!

The sun is finally shining here in Las Vegas. Lately we have had nothing but rain and gloomy days!! I don't know about you but on those types of days I find it very hard to get up out of bed and get motivated. Today however, was different. My alarm went off at 0430 and instead of pushing the snooze button for an additional 15 minutes of sleep, I jumped right up brushed my teeth and put on my usual workout gear... sports bra, wifebeater, and an over sized pair of sweatpants. It was such a great day, I even managed to to coax my husband into accompany me to the gym.
I usually workout solo but on those days I can get him to go with me... watchout!! I for some reason I get stronger. Maybe it's because I'm suddenly bitten by the competition bug. My husband and I are very competitive by nature and in gym, it's against eachother. Now my husband is about 6'1, 265 lbs and is very strong!! Sometimes he will lift the whole stack of weights and I sit there in amazement egging him on saying things like "damn baby they gonna have to buy a new machine just for you!!" We have two boys who are 5 and 2 and I can't wait until they hit about 13. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they will have his height and size but my determination, dedication and gym knowledge.... they'll be beasts!!
So yes my husband is a very strong man and lift triple what I lift but it's just something about being in the gym with him that really gets me going. My weights are heavier and my reps are higher... love it!! It's rare that we get to do this because our work schedules are so different. I work night shift so much of my training is done during the day and he is the total opposite... works during the day and trains at night. Now if only we could work on that diet of his but I'm pleased to say that my husband has been taking my advice alot more lately and has shed about 10 lbs in 3 weeks. I'm so proud of him!!
Did I mention that I have my first photo shoot in about 5 weeks in Scottsdale, AZ with John Atherton aka Coach A. I am so excited!! I decided that I needed some professional pics for my website. As far as the website goes... it's coming along and I can't wait to be a .com!! Funny, it hasn't even launched and already I've been getting so much feedback and in the process gained 5 new clients. Maybe, I will be able to retire from nursing early then expected (lol)!! No, I love my job and can't see myself doing anything else but helping get others in the best shape of their lives!! I have the best life ever!! Great kids, fabulous husband, a very rewarding career, and now I'm doing something that is beyond anything I ever imagined... I'm gonna be a .com baby!!!

NO EXCUSES!!

So I worked a 12 hour shift last night but won't complain because it was a good night... and those types of night are sometimes hard to come by. It was so nice that I manage to run up and down 8 flights of steps on my 30 minute lunch break... sweet!!! This morning however, was madness!! On the way home which is only about a 5 to 7 minute drive I received about 4 phone calls from my kids... "mom, Etaya's (my youngest daughter) not listening to me or mom, Etaya is fighting with me (she's a feisty one), mom, mom , mom....). I couldn't drop these kids off fast to school fast enough.
It just amazes me how much laundry we have. I spent all day yesterday watching clothes only to see the laundry basket fill up again so quickly. So here we go again, first load in the washer while trying to get some cat naps in between loads. I'm off tonight so getting in some shut eye is really not a priority. If I'm lucky I will get 2 to 3 hours max. I can function off of 2 hours of sleep with little difficulty though because I'm so use to it. So while the kids are at school I use this time to get my household back in order.
It's now about 1430 (sorry I'm a nurse and all I know is military time) and while I wait for my oldest daughter to walk through the door I'm catching up on Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, my up and coming website... and blogging of course. Whew, time consuming but necessary to accomplish what I'm trying to accomplish. As soon as my daughter walks through the door I'm off to the gym for 60 minutes on the stepmill... cardio session #1. I'm back before the the rest of the crew walks through the door and it's time to knock out homework and get dinner started. My husband is usually home by 1730. Today is leg day and I'm seriously hoping I can talk him in to doing some late night weights and cardio #2 with me when the kids are down... I dragging here and need some pushing!! Aahhh... a day in the life of Etaya!! No, this shit is not easy and I should be allowed to find an excuse here and there but I don't and that's what happens when you want something so badly... you make no excuse!! How do I find the time with my broad is the number one question that I get thrown at me!! Easy... I'm in the gym before my kids wake up and after they go to sleep at night. Sometimes I'm in the gym 3 x a days getting my workout done in spurts just to make sure it gets done. For example, tonight I will be in the gym for about 2 hours from 10 to midnight (now remember with only 2 to 3 hours sleep today) and then I will be back in the gym bright and early right when they open at 5 am to get my first round of cardio in and then back again for weights and more cardio once I drop the kids off to school. I work tommorrow night... my work schedule is so messed up this week. I told the owner of the gym he should seriously think about putting me on his payroll since I'm there so much. He just laughed of course but I'm dead serious!!
So I'm going to be bold this year and commit myself to 5 competitions in 2010 with the first happening mid June in El Monte, California. I will be 16 weeks out this coming Sunday. Last year I prepped for 2 competitions only to pull out when it came near. My kids are heavily involved and athletics and their game time always managed to fall on those dates. My girls have voiced how badly they want to see me on that stage. I even had my oldest daughter tell me she will skip track this year because she knows the season is right around the time these competitions take place... sweet kid!! Track will still resume and so will my competitions... just like everything else in my life, I will find a way and I will make it happen... NO EXCUSES!!!

I managed to stumble out of bed bright and early this morning at 0430 to get in my first round of cardio. Today like all my days will be busy... so much to do and still only 24 hours remain in the day. I intended on running my typical 5 miles this morning on the treadmill but that came to hault after struggling through the first 20 minutes with shin splints (way too many miles on these Nike Shox of mine... time to trade them in!!) so with disappointment I jumped off the treadmill and hopped on the stepmill for my remaining 40 minutes. I love my morning runs!! This is my "me" time and it is during this time that I'm able to let off steam, relieve some stress, and sort out my day. I do alot of thinking on these morning runs.
After my first round of cardio it's time to head back home and the madness begins. As I walk through the door, I'm greeted by my husband who kisses me on the cheek and ask how my run was and all I can do is grunt while downing my protein shake that I'm hoping will hold me over until my first official meal of the day. I head towards the kitchen to start making breakfast and school lunches while calling up to my children in order to get them up and out of bed... "Jordan, Jadynn, Etaya, Devyn, uh, uh... (Shit, I can't remember my youngest's name!!)... uh, uh... the bow-legged one, you know who I'm talking to, get up and let's those chores done!!"
My mornings are always crazy!! After everyone eats breakfast I'm usually dropping off everyone to school one by one except my boys. My oldest son Devyn is in Kindergarden and doesn't go to school until the afternon and my youngest son Donovan, yes the bow-legged one, is only 2 and gets to stay home and listen to me bitch all day about what chores his sisters managed to leave behind.
It's 0930 and finally I get to have my first official meal... breakfast or otherwise known as meal 1 not counting that morning protein shake I had. Egg whites with spinach, about 4 ounces of bison, 1/2 a grapefruit, and black coffee. It's not what I'm in the mood for because I could really go for some pancakes right about now and I could really do without the egg whites and spinach... not a favorite of mine but I'm eating for purpose not for pleasure. I eat all this while taking some time out of my day to respond to emails, update all my sites (i.e. bodyspace, facebook, etc...), work on my website, and blog of course. Yes, my first official blog.
Blogging was suggested to me along with the idea of launching my very own website. I initially, obtained my Certified Personal Training certificate for "me" after having my youngest child almost 3 years ago. I didn't obtain it with the purpose of actually using it to help others but more so to help me obtain the body that I was so badly trying to regain. Along my journey I have received so many questions and so much feedback about what I did and how I did it that now obtaining my certification has become much more to me. So needless to say, my website is in the works and I'm hoping to have it up and ready by the first day of summer. As far as the blogging goes, it was suggested as a great way to let people in and see what a typical day is like for "Etaya" as I take care of 5 children, a husband, a household, a fulltime job... prepare for my first figure show in June but still manage to break away to take care of the most important person... ME!! Sounds a little selfish I know but the truth is women give to so many... their children, their husbands, family and friends (complete strangers... my patients in my case) and in the midst of taking care of so many others and making sure their needs are met, we neglect our own and always manage to find ourselves at the bottom of the list. As the saying goes "if mom is not happy... then nobody is happy!!"
So back to my website... my focus is but not limited to women. Especially those moms who think their too busy... no one is too busy to lose weight and more importantly get healthy and feel better about yourself. I'm as busy as they come and always manage to find time... I make little excuses!! So by blogging about my days from time to time, I want women to see me in full view and see that like them I am a mom to 5 children who are heavily involved in sports. I attend every game and every practice just as they do. I am a wife of 11 years. I have a household that involves dishes, laundry, taking out the trash, etc... I work fulltime long 12 hour nightshifts as a Cardiovascular Registered Nurse in an Intensive Care Unit but on a regular basis I am watching what I eat and I am in the gym getting plenty of excercise!! How do I do it?? Hmmm, that's a tough one... some days my days are so hectic that I can barely remember my own name but one thing that I never fall short of is taking care of the one person that matters the most... Etaya!!! Ok... enough blogging, I've got 8 loads of laundry calling my name!!