IT'S A BOY!!!!!!!!!!!!

............Okay, not YET, but soon enough! Just got a call from my Mom & Dad (aka: Mimi & Grandpa) and they're on there way to Kansas City!!!!!!!!!!! Erin had her epideral & now it's just a matter of time! I'll give updates as the day goes on........do I really have to go to work today? I mean, I'm becoming an AUNT!!!!!!!!!!!!! :) :) :) JUNE 7th, 2007!!!!!!!!!!!

New Day, New Week...110 DAYS TO GO!!! :)

Well, I've mentally accepted the fact that letting my ankle heal properly will pay off in the long run. :) I've done pretty well since Wednesday night. I didn't do any cardio Thur, Fri. Sat. and then yesterday I did about 40 min. of upright bike and a full shoulder/chest workout. Today, I'm hoping to do the same thing cardio wise, and do a back session. Tomorrow, if all feels well, I'm doing to do legs. There are plenty of non-weight baring exercises I can do.
Let see.........Ohh, I got my new diet for the next 3-4 weeks and am realllllly excited. I have three variations to it, depending on what body part I'm lifting or if it's an off day. Gotta love mixing it up! So, I'm taking a nice little power nap here in a minute, then heading to the gym, then to the store and then home to watch Hell's Kitchen......oh yeah!
Any day now I'll be signing off as, "AUNTIE EM" :) :) :) :) Can you tell how excited I am?!?!

I AM my Own Worst Enemy...........????????

REALLY?? I am so frustrated. Apparently, my right anterior talofibular ligament HATES me. I rolled the CRAP (that's medical terminology, right?) out of my right ankle on March 6th............It was bad. I've had worse, but it was right up there pain wise. Well, I like to think I did a fair job of rehabbing it............I guess I thought wrong.
Tonight at TurboKick I DID IT AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!! Like, literally, rolled the ankle, fell to the floor to "go with the roll". Oh My Gosh..........That's all I can say. Oh My Gosh. Please tell me I'll wake up and feel great. I've already ice massaged it twice, and I'm compressing and elevating it as we speak. I'm really bummed. Just when I pump out a month straight of consistent work..............I don't know what else to say, except I need to take care of this. And please, patience in not MY virtue. This will be tough, but I know, I know, I must be smart and deal with this before anything else. Oh, and of course when I'm researching it, I read this:
"Ankle sprain is the most frequent sports injury encountered today. The complications include prolonged ankle pain, a high rate of recurrence, and chronic ankle instability."
Huhhhhh, well, that about wraps it up for me: High rate of recurrence,and apparently, chronic ankle instability. Must I mention, too, that I was wearing my Mid Ryka's (think high top) and my ace ankle brace and it still happened?...........................................................
GOOD NIGHT!

I was "TAGGED"

So, I got tagged and this is what I'm suppose to do. I don't know enough people to tag back, but I thought I'd play along:
Here are 7 random facts about me:

1. I can do a straddle sit on my elbows/triceps. PERFECT for my fitness routine! Pictures coming soon............
2. I have a mild obsession with 94% Fat Free KETTLE KORN popcorn......it's my nemesis come pre-contest diet..........grrrr........so tasty, just try it
3. I dance anytime I can. Even in my car......Yes, I'm that girl, jamming out in my seat.
4. I introduced the wonderful world of Sonic Drive-In to my significant other......really, who HASN'T has Sonic? I practically lived there in high school......we were so cool. :)
5. I have two 10 month old cats, siblings: Sophia & Nash. THEY ROCK!!!
6. Growing up I couldn't tell you if Washington State was above or below Oregon. Now I live here..........:)
7. I'm double-jointed in both hips.......just ask, I'll demonstrate! :)
8. Okay, just one more::: I have to give a shout out. I will be 'AUNTIE EM' in a matter of days, and yes, I am from KANSAS! HOLLA TO GAVIN MICHAEL PEREZ!!!!!!!!

Saturday Shoulders

Alright. So much for time off Memorial Weekend, right?? I worked this morning, and will be working Monday too......Luckily I love my job and it's no biggie.
I trained my shoulders today. It went very well. I'm hoping to develop the "cap" (medial Delt) so I have the nice Round look to the upper body. But, I'm also trying to hit rear delts, too. I make sure and warm up my rotator cuff muscles really well before. The LAST thing I need is a shoulder injury! I'm thinking I'm about due for a massage, myself....my forearms are nasty!
I've only done 35 min. of cardio thus far. But, I intend on hitting my new upright bike downstairs after dinner............
Tomorrow will be LEGS. I'll lift and then heading to CVHS to do some stadium stairs........Geez, I haven't done those since volleyball in '01...........ohhh, bad conditioning memories! :)
Anyway, I hope Memorial Day is enjoyable for everyone!
MUCH LOVE, *EM*

16 DAYS DOWN........122 to GO!!!!!!!!!!

The last physical challenge I accomplished (besides becoming a Group Exercise Instructor & TurboKick instructor) was completing a Half Marathon. I was living in Tempe at the time, and had hit a point where I was only "maintaining" my physical condition......so, the goal to finish the Half really made me focus on a goal. I "upped" my mileage accordingly each week, and finished without walking (that was my mini-goal, run the whole thing!)
ANYWAY, my point to this is: training for a Half is a hell of a lot easier than training for a Fitness Competition. With running, there are basic templete like charts that recommend how much you run each week, distance, intensity, rest day, and so on......Competing, on the other hand, has FAR too many variables to try and chart. It's different for everyone!!!! Like I've said before, trial & error!!! I'm amazed so many women do this while maintaining a full time job and a lot of them are mommies, too........I don't know how they do it..........I feel consumed (don't get me wrong, I FREAKIN' LOVE IT) by the training, diet, motivation required......it's just amazing. There are far too many times when I'd rather stay in bed then get dressed & head for treadmill in the cold basement for cardio on an empty stomach (fasted cardio) BUT, 70% of the time I do it........I need to work on that! :)
You could easily give yourself a year of Prep, but I'm still POSITIVE I'm on track. I'm not afraid to say I'm proud of myself.....I really am progressing nicely, but it surely is a part-time job. I love it and would be blessed if it turns into a career opportunity, not just competing, but helping others Prep............ :-) :-) :-)
On the training side of things.......This morning I did 35 min. fasted cardio @ home, and just finished Back & 2o min. cardio @ gym. I'll head back in a few hours for TURBO, and then we'll do a leisurely bike ride after..........
That's it for now! Thank you all for any comments, they brighten my day & make me laugh! :)

Sunday, a Day of Rest?

Wednesday ended with Turbo. Another great class, my participants really pump me up and push me to take it up another level! So much fun. I've actually encouraged one of my members to get TurboKick certified in June! Yay!
Thursday class went well, as did Gymnastics. My coach took a copy of my routine music and plans to help me with choreography!! I'm so glad I'll have help. She was impressed with how far I've come in just 4 classes! :)
Friday was my "active rest" day. I biked in the morning, and did cross training in the evening (bike & incline walk). Saturday I did Shoulders and HIIT on the stair mill. Today I'll do legs and some incline s.s. cardio. I'm feeling great!! Diet is great, my clothes are already loose! I still need to practice my holds and watch my posing DVD.
I think Monday & Friday will be my "active rest" days. Each week I find something I can tweak when it comes to my training............Oh well, that's part of it~ a willingness to adjust! :)