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!!