Quote for Today...
"To have that sense of one's intrinsic worth…
is potentially to have everything…."
— Joan Didion

This Is The Pay Off...

The Moment Too Sweet for Words...When all your sacrifice pays off and you think to yourself...Wow- I really made it, I really did it- It is a moment I want my children to feel for themselves!

A feeling I cannot begin to explain..when a young girl looks up to you and asks to have her picture taken with you...Dream Big Beautiful Little Lady!

The opportunity to show, not by my words, but actions...you Can be anything You Want To be! Especially to my daughter..to never give up her own dreams just because she becomes a Mom- she doesn't have to loose who she is and what she is passionate about.

All That We Are..We pass onto our children...

Let The Celebration Begin:)

In Honor Of All The Service Men & Women Before Us...
We honor You Today & Everyday!!

Happy Memorial Day!!

Members Journal...
3 weeks out -"Journey to Jr. Nationals" pics posted tonight:)

UPDATE...
This week's update includes 120 pictures!! This 4 part series takes you behind the scenes as to "What it Takes" to compete! Parts 1-3 posted this week (120 photos) Part 4 along with other galleries posted next week:)
Just 3 weeks until Jr. Nationals..I have no idea what to expect. All of the women I anticipated competing aren't, so it may be a stage full of fresh faces:)
Jen:)

Quote For Today...
"When we appreciate how much we have, we feel the urge to pare down, get back to basics, and learn what is essential for our happiness. We long to realize what's really important."
— Sarah Ban Breathnach
Have A Safe & Happy Holiday Weekend!

A preview Pic from the 4th part of "What It Takes- Out of the gym" members gallery. Parts 1-3 posted this week, part 4 to be posted next week:)

First Time Competitor Jason McLindsay
Performs Like A Patron!

First time competitor, Jason McLindsay is a full-time personal trainer at the Lifetime Fitness location I usually lift at. He decided to embark on competing in the Rockford Natural for the first time about 12 weeks out from the show date.
I have attached some photos he sent to me of the prejudging. Jason competed in the Mens Novice Bantam Weight Class and placed 2nd...Way to go 1st timer:)
Jason's evening routine was performed flawlessly and he had the stage presence of a patron up there.
Mission accomplished!
His hard work helped him achieve what he set out to do.

"You'll Never Know What You Might Have Been
Unless you Try To Be"

Jason-1

Jason-2

Jason-3

Jason- 4

Just home from my 4 am. biking client....
Quote For Today...

What is a Workout?

A workout is…25% perspiration and 75% determination. Stated another way, it is 1 part physical exertion and 3 parts self-discipline. Doing it is easy once you get started.

A workout…makes you better today than you were yesterday. It strengthens the body, relaxes the mind, and toughens the spirit. When you work out regularly, your problems diminish and your confidence grows.

A workout is…a personal triumph over laziness and procrastination. It is the badge of a winner – the mark of an organized goal-oriented person who has taken charge of his or her destiny.

A workout is…a wise use of time and investment of excellence. It is a way of preparing for life’s challenges and proving to yourself that you have what it takes to do what is necessary.

A workout is…a key that helps unlock the door to opportunity and success. Hidden within each of us is an extraordinary force. Physical and mental fitness are the triggers that can release it.

A workout is…a form of rebirth. When you finish a good workout, you don’t simply feel better, you feel better about yourself.
- George Allen

This Goes Out To All Of My Clients Today!!!

Alyssa "bridges" from Daisy's to Brownies:))

My little "Daisy":)

Pictures...
And More Pictures...
I have attached some of the pictures recently sent to me from the rockford show as well as some family pics from last weekend;)
A few gym shots in my members journal this morning as well.
my members update this week will be quite extensive...the theme of this 4 part gallery..."What It Takes"!!

My routine to "Girls Just Want To Have Fun":))

My routine:)

Overall pose down

Overall Pose down

Winning the Women's Overall title!!

Winning the team trophy!

Winning the Open Women's Heavy Weight Class!

My sister Michelle and her husband Lucas:)

My little brother Jack and his girlfriend Lauren.

Alyssa's new PLAY HOUSE! my carpenter husband is THE BEST!!! he made it in less than an hour..still needs to be painted and decorated though..that's my job;)

"Sissy can I have some cookies too?"

Our hard working little boy!

What I've Been Up Too...aside from training & working...

Havin' some fun with the kids:)

Tickling Wade:)))

Rollar blading with Wade while Alyssa rode her bike...she made it 4 miles! Way to go Alyssa!!

Getting Ready to go to the "Daddy -Daughter Dance at school...flowers from Daddy;)

Alyssa off to the dance with her Daddy:)

Pose Down Pics -In My Members Journal Today...
I recieved more pictures from a fan in the audience today (she will also be part of "Team Abrams" in November:) I will be preparing 3 ladies for November's show as of now!
I posted a few pictures that she took of the pose down from the Rockford show..they turned out GREAT:) Really makes you feel like you are there!
Off to train a client...
Jen;)

A Letter From A Fan/Two Future Clients...
I recieved two letters from two incredible woman yesterday that really touched me. I posted one of them to my members area along with photos she took of me performing my "Girls Just Want To Have Fun" routine in Rockford..she and her husband came to cheer me on!
I am posting a portion of the letter fom the other woman here...
This was actually a letter from one of the photographers at the Rockford show who I will now be working with and preparing for competition in November:) Hopefully she will allow my members to follow her progress in my members area:)
Here are a few bits and pieces of her letters to me;

"Jennifer I just wanted to say you ROCK girl! My friend that was at the Rockford competition informed me you had a website, I had to check it out!

I hope you don't find this insulting but I can see why they pulled you for drug testing, girl you look great! Its a pleasure to know its all natural!"

"Jennifer the reason I am seeking you out for personal training is
#1 you have the exact look I want (but I don't expect this overnight or even in the time between now/November), I am not one of those women that are afraid to lift heavy for fear of getting to much muscle, that is EXACTLY what I want, MUSCLE but natural muscle.
#2 while I loved my previous trainer, he was awesome, he was also a guy, and had never been in a bodybuilding competition before.. so he could train me but had no idea how to prep me for a BB show.
He was a power-lifter, you are a bodybuilder.
#3 you seem to be such a down to earth person, dedicated to the sport but more so your family, I respect that very much."

"George got your DVD out last night! He did a little something extra special for you on the cover of the DVD at my request. I hope you like it when you receive it. He can't do it for every competitor as it would make the process of getting them out that much longer, but for one he can make it possible. "

Thank You!!
Thank You To Pradel Productions for doing a great job video taping
the Rockford competition!
To contact them visit www.kevinnoble.com for information:)

Quote For Today...

"Time does not change us. It just unfolds us."
— Max Frisch

"Buff Mom"...
"Bodybuilder balances family life with grueling training"
Story and Photos By Michelle Loehmann

This was the title of the article that appeared in the "Cary-Grove Countryside" Pioneer Press newspaper last Thursday, May 12th:)
Including 9 photos displaying what really goes into my contest preparations while balancing my life as a wife, mother and professional.
To say the article has been "the talk of the town" is putting things lightly:) It's been fun! Our neighbor even came over with a dozen eggs to help with my contest prep. Thank you to the Millers...you guys are great!!
My hubby of course is hearing most of it, as part of our incredible fire dept!! You want to talk about dedication, commitment and sacrifice...that's the group of individuals to interview...although they are all too humble for that;)

The past week, following my 2nd Overall win for the year:), was spent eating some great food and catching up on some much needed rest. Of course I still had two early mornings, up at 3:15 am. to meet with my incredible biking client...there just aren't too many people who would get up at that hour to bike outside for an hour before going off to a 10 hour work day. That is what makes my career so exciting..I have the opportunity to meet and work with so many different people!

I weighed in at my last competition at 146 lb. (that is dehydrated). I am returning to my contest dieting at 159 lbs.- 5 weeks out from Jr. Nationals. This is exactly where I was after a week off from dieting and early morning cardio from the Ottawa show as well. I had my first few days of 'food withdrawal' as I like to call it:) This is when I mourn the loss of all the yummy food I can no longer eat. After 2 days I get into the game, so to speak, and things become more bearable.
So the "Journey To Jr. Nationals" begins as I give it my all to make the top 5.

Today was very busy as I resumed meeting with one of my in-home clients who just had a new baby girl 6 weeks ago! I took pictures today for my members update, what a beautiful baby girl...Terese's story and pictures can be found in the "Steps To Success" section of my members area. Her adorable baby girl was born just two days after I won the overall in Ottawa...what a week that was for both of us!
I am so excited to be meeting with her once again...she is someone who truely has blessed my life as much as I have inspired hers. She was also one of the clients who was interviewed for the newspaper article.
The mother of 3 1/2 year old twin boys and now of a 6 week old newborn!!
WOW...What an Outstanding Woman!

I was also blessed today by the fitness center that I train at on Sundays! They purchased new spin bikes and were selling the old ones to employees who wanted them for $75 ...WHAT A BLESSING!! This means I can sleep in an extra 2 hours because I won't have to drive all the way to the health club for early morning cardio. I am taking this as my little "sign" from above that I can make it through more contest prep. this year;)
Thank you soo much to everyone at the fitness center for making my life that much easier!!
Well, time to hop on that bike and get my cardio in...I had apt's with clients all day and then made dinner and cleaned up the mess. The dog ended up helping a little too much...hope he doesn't get sick from sneaking all that chicken off the table!
Have a great evening!
Jen:)

Quote For Today...
"As we become curators of our own contentment on the Simple Abundance path,
one of the great payoffs is that we start to seek peace and comfort in joyful simplicities.
Little things begin to mean a lot to us."
— Sarah BanBreathnach

My Son & I the day before the Ottawa show....

Quote For Today...
"It is difficult to experience moments of happiness
if we are not aware of what it is we genuinely love."
— Sarah Ban Breathnach

I am sickened and disterbed....
By the events in the news recently reguarding several children's deaths! Several weeks ago in a suburb not far from where we live there were two young children..a little girl 3 years old and a little boy 8 years old who were BRUTALLY murdered by their mother. The father, who was a minister, came home to find both his children stabbed hundreds of times by their mother.
The amount of suffering and horrific fear those two children must have endurred sickens me to the core!!
Then just this week was the story of the father, just released from prison 30 days ago, who in a rage, murdered his 8 year old daughter and her friend over a minor argument about being grounded!!
I have NO comprehension or sympathy for either of thease adults and in my opinion they should be treated with the same reguard they treated their children! What on EARTH makes a person brutally harm a child...the most innocent little person, full of trust, dreams and love???
I studied psychology for years but I think in these cases all the psycho mumbo jumbo goes out the window as to just 'how sick' the parents were or what they came from....at some point people need to be responsible for healing themselves and doing what it takes to make things right in their own lives no atter what they grew up with!
I have not stopped thinking about those two little children killed by their mother since I heard the story, I have held my babies a little longer and closer because of it ...for I could NEVER imagine hurting them! A parents' instinct is to come running to the aid of your child when they are hurt...never inflict the hurrendous, unimaginal hurt these parents did....
I am sickened!
I ask each of you to hug your children today and tell them how much they are loved...
they are the future!
Jen

My Two Angels...

2005 Team Champs:)

Steps To Success- Personal Training & Coaching
Owner: Jennifer Abrams

The Rockford Natural 2005- Competition Results...
www.kevinnoble.com
"Team Abrams" Wins the Team Trophy!
Women's Open Overall Winner - Jennifer!
Women's Open Heavy Weight 1st place winner- Jennifer!
The show's "Best Posing" Award- Jennifer!:)
Women's Open Heavy Weight 2nd place winner- Karen!
Women's Novice Heavy Weight 2nd place winner- Karen!
Women's Open Light Weight 1st place winner- Janelle!
Women's Novice Light Weight 1st place winner- Janelle!
WOW....what a Mother's Day gift!!

Rockford's 2005 Women's Open Heavy Weight Winner & Women's Open Overall Winner!

"Pretty In Pink" members gallery preview

"Pretty In Pink" gallery preview pic

A gift from Karen for my ever growing trophy room;)

"Team Abrams" 2005

Happy Mother's Day Mom! Thank you for being with us for the entire day...you are my inspiration!

my mom wearing her jenniferabrams.net t-shirt:))

"Team Abrams" wins the Team trophy!!

My INCREDIBLE husband!! Baby we won the best posing award again!!

My clients who came to cheer me on wearing my jenniferabrams.net t-shirts:)

Wow What A Day!

Team Abrams!

I just finished shaving my body for the competition...
This is what my son looked like after I was done!:)
Time for a nap so I can get my 1st coat of protan on....

I gotttcha!!!

I'mmm gonna gettcha ya!!

Messy baby:))

A kiss for Wade:)

My Final Decision...
Well, I have come to the final days before competition once again this season. Just 4 days until I, along with my two remaining members of "Team Abrams" step on stage to compete at the Rockford Natural Grand Prix in Rockford, IL.(www.kevinnoble.com)- Sat. May 7th 12:30 (prejudging) and 7 pm. (finals).
We started this journey as a team of 6 but "life happened":) There are certain things that take obvious precidence over competing and for three of our team members...those priorities needed to come first in their lives;)
Sooo Karen, Janelle and I are busting our butts to win that team trophy for ALL of us!
I choreographed Janelle's routine and helped Karen with a few transitions in hers to we will all have a little bit of "Jen Abrams stage presence":))
My routine is so cute and fun this time around...very different from the very sentual, serious routine I did in Ottawa to a Sara McGlauglin song.
My routine this time around is to "Girls Just Wanna Have fun" by Cindy Lauper. Everything about the routine and my appearence is "fun" just wait:)
My husband helped me choreograph it over the weekend...we had a blast! He emptied out the family room and I put on the suit I made for the show;) and he videoed so I could see it for myself. What a guy I tell ya! He has such an eye for what looks good on me! Any of you coming to the show will understand when you see the routine. Then Alyssa joined in the fun and did her own routine;))
And yet as exciting as all of this is there is the reality of what dieting and training for competion "really" entails....not only for me, but for my family as well.
Which bring me to the title of this post....
As the strain of competition dieting weighs heavy on my body, the strain is also starting to show in our household. I just can't do everything to be ready to compete and take care of everything that needs to be done at home and for my weekly personal training clients. I have come to this decision rather quickly actually...it is very logical and really intails just a postponement of one of my national competitions for the season.
After competing this weekend in Rockford (my 2nd regional show of the year) I will be competing at the Jr. Nationals in Rosemont, IL as planned June 17h-18th. This show will bring my 2005 season to a close...as I am postponing my trip to New York for the Team Universe until next year.
My body as well as my family really cannot endure another 4 months of contest preparations.
Being an athlete not only means pushing past the "wall" but also means knowing when you've had enough and it's time to recover. I want to be my "best" for every competition and I just don't believe I will be.. continuing to prep all the way through the summer after preping for the past 5 months.
My family deserves a break to resume some "normalcy" once again:)
This is a possitive decison and I feel good about it! I plan to do my best this weekend and then take things to my limit for my national debut this year at the Jr. Nationals. Without the trip to New York all the money I make from photo shoots at the competition can be spent on our family...our house, our necesities and even some extra ''fun" for the summer:)
So everyone, I really want to earn that overall win this weekend and make the top 5 at Jr. Nationals...then I will have achomplished everything I set out to do!
Jen:)

My trophy's from Ottawa...as requested by a few of you;) The smaller one for the Woman's Heavy Weight Class Win and the "Bicep" for the Women's Overall Win:)