Jennie's Big Day!!
My client "Jennie" is competing tomorrow in Ottawa, IL! I have been working with her for almost 4 months now with every detail relating to this competition!
Weight Training with her twice a week, meeting for posing practice once a week, her diet, cardio guidence/ instructions, choreographing her routine and then the "dialing in" for show day!
She has a bit more water to loose and some carbing up to do but I would like you all to see the incredible transformation that took place over the past 3 months...
The first pic is from 12 weeks out...the second from this morning...there are more posted to my members journal.
I am so proud of you Jennifer Nichols, you will shine so brightly tomorrow!
I hope this journey has taught you many things about yourself...I hope you have grown from what you have experienced and you never, ever forget how hard you worked for this.
You will never be the same after this journey! I hope you also remember who you are within...and never allow the external image or "other people's" reactions to your external self cloud the real "you". And..how can i not mention 'Chris", your husband that got you through it all..cooking for you, shopping for you, video taping, taking pictures, helping you practice!
Chris, you have played such a HUGE role in this...I hope you know that!!
As for tomorrow...I will be there every step of the way, to make sure everything is
'perrfect' and every detail remembered!
I told you I would give you 110%!!... that is what I always do!!

Swimming with the kids-
and my friend Nichole's girls after lifting yesterday!

15.5 weeks out...

Quotes For Today...
"When we are motivated by goals that have deep meaning,
by dreams that need completion,
by pure love that needs expressing,
then we truly live life."
Author: Greg Anderson

"In my experience, there is only one motivation,
and that is desire.
No reasons or principle contain it or stand against it."
Author: Jane Smiley

"Life's challenges are not supposed to paralyze you,
they're supposed to help you discover who you are."
Author: Bernice Johnson Reagon

A preview pic from this week's member update gallery.."Forever In BlueJeans":)

Quote For Today...
"All we actually have is our body and its muscles
that allow us to be under our own power,
to glide in the water, to roll down a hill,
and to jump into someone's arms."

— Allegra Kent,
from Once a Dancer

"Class & Quality" Gallery...

A preview pic from the "Class & Quality" Gallery in my members area this week..over 70 photos!

Contest & Ticket Information:
Just 11 days until the M.I.C in Ottawa, IL! My client Jen Nichols will be competing in 2 bodybuilding classes! Come on out to support her and say 'Hi' to me too:)
I'll be there all day and night for Jen!!
For tickets & info. visit; www.flexgymonline.com
I won the women's overall at this show last year:)

Just 6 weeks and 3 days until the Mid-States Classic All Natural! Kim, John and Jen will all be competing in various classes at this show representing..."TEAM ABRAMS"!
For tickets and info. visit; www.kevinnoble.com
I won the women's open overall, and best posing award last May..AND Karen, Janelle and I were the May 2005 "Team" winners:)
This is also the competition I guest posed at in november..as "Wonderwoman":)
That was very fun! I just may be guest posing again in the future...hint-hint;))

"Words for Today"-
"There was a moment..like a flash of light... it all flooded back-
The memories like waves, crashing before my eyes-
Everything that had been then- leading to now-
My heart beat faster, feeling the loss of my breath-
Then ...the moment had passed....
I was here, I was now...
Filled with the capacity and ability-
To use all that still resides-
To fuel my mission-
So it never leaves me."

Author: Jennifer Abrams

Happy St. Patrick's Day!
Top of the Mornin' to everyone!
A litle Irish blessing for all
and a few pics of our little Irish babies..
at least part-Irish..my part of course:)

May the road rise to meet you
May the wind be always at your back
The Sun shine warm upon your face
The rain fall soft upon your fields
And until we meet again
May God hold you in the palm of his hand

"Irish Eyes and Legs" Members gallery Update this week...17 weeks 'till Team U!!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

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2

Selling those last few boxes of Girl Scout cookies with Alyssa's Brownie troop, at Dominick's last Sunday...

Making cookies last night...

Kising my baby..mommy all sweaty from early morning cardio..he doesn't care though:)

OK -I'm Back Again...
With More News To Share...
Alright, back home for the night finally...whooo I have a wild schedule:) After the Brownie field trip, I took Alyssa to gymnastics, then worked out with "Jen" 2 weeks out from Ottawa;)- Quads and Biceps tonight with her and I trained chest today...but all is good because no cardio today...tomorrow is another story, just like Monday and Tuesday were....ahhh contest prep:)

Soo the news...I am very honored to share that I have been asked to guest speak at an all- girls substance abuse rehabilitation center in April. For those of you who do not know, in high school I did a lot of public speaking for the Snow Ball and Snow Flake programs on substance abuse...I then led a peer group my Jr./Sr. years in high school to aide other students who needed guidence and help..It was an unbelievable experience and to say it was rewarding would be the understatement of all time. Therefore, to have the opportunity to do something like this again is quite incredible!!
Afterall, what I have to offer now, compared to back then is tramendous...
Having the opportunity to make a difference in a young person's life has more power than an adults..at such a tender age, at a point in their lives when so much of who they are and who they will become depends apon who they believe themselves to be...I will help them see their capacity, if just for a moment..the possibility that they are soo much more than what they have accepted themselves as thus far...
like I said...what an opportunity and honor! The gentleman who contacted me about this is actually an NPC judge who judged one of my competitions last year and came to see me guest perform in Novemeber.

The next bit of news..I have 2 photo shoots set up for New York already. One immediately following pre-judging with Reg Bradford and then a 2 day shoot with WPW magazine/Flex after the competition weekend. Considering WPW usually does not cover the Team U I feel very fortunate for them to be making the trip to shoot me at my best! Thank you Bill!
I look forward to working with you all...John N., Steve W.,Barry B...
it should be a lot of fun..ohh yahh and Bill... my husband and I will be sure to send some truffles back to New Jersey for ya..LOL!!
Night-nite everyone!
Jen;)

Well, Well...
What I've been up to...
where do I begin- let's start with my clients;) A woman that I have been working with since Janurary has reached her goal of running an hour straight on her own! She contacted me to coach her through the winter so that come spring she would be running the entire hour using her very own self motivation..and she's done it! I have to say what an inspiration she has been to me and to my other clients...not only did she come to me in the dead of winter wanting to run outside 3 nights a week...but never once did she give up or not follow through with our plan for her. Karen I will miss you, but more importantly I am sooo extreemly proud of you- as you should be of yourself!!
My contest prep. clients are all doing incredibly well...Jen is preparing for the M.I.C. in Ottawa,IL and is just 2 weeks away from competition www.flexgymonline.com
...this girl- who has never competed before- is going to win her class...mark my words!
John and Kim who have 7 weeks until the All Natural in Belvedere, IL www.kevinnoble.com
individuals...each time I see them I see the pride in their eyes and the focus that comes with believing in your abilities! Kim just arrived back home from "Phat Camp" with Fitness Pro Jen Hendershott..pics from camp will be part of her progress update this week in my members area.
Jen, John and Kim...Team Abrams 2006 at the All Natural
will be the Team Winners...mark my words!
As for me..17 weeks out from the Team U where I will be of Pro Quality!! Whether I will be the best that day is yet to be seen ...but I will be worthy of pro status no matter what!
All my elements are in place and my progress is great...training heavy, cardio- intense and my diet (always the hardest element!).
I am just home from the gym and taking Wade swimming..oh my God was he just the energizer bunny in the pool...I think I smiled and laughed the entire time we were there! Now, I'm off to a field trip with Alyssa and her Brownie troop to the animal hospital. I'm almost done delivering all those Girl Scout cookies too!
Got to run..more fun info. to share later....
Got to get corned beef for Friday..this Irish girl is making it for St Patrick's Day, of course:))
Jen;)

Quote for Today....
"The most important single influence
in the life of a person... is another person."
~Anonymous

Weekend Update in my Members Journal...

18 weeks out

18 weeks out- back

18 weeks out-abs

18 Weeks out...
Really feeling "on top of my game" so to speak, this year!!
Progress pics in my members update this week, and some great pics taken after my workout tonight, in my members journal...
I'm pleased!:)
It's all there...can't wait to see how I will peak this year!!

Quote of the Week...
"Don't bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors.
Try to be better than yourself."
- William Faulkner

Happy 22nd. Birthday Lauren!!
We celebrated my brother's Girlfriend's birthday tonight...pics from the day/night in my members journal.
Yesturday's Member's Journal Post....A recap from last year's Jr. Nationals..entitled.."Priceless"!

My Sister's 1st Chicago Marathon...
This week's member's gallery update is from this past summer,
when my little sister ran her 1st Chicago Marathon!!
She Is Amazing!!! What an incredible experience that day was for us all:)

Quote of The Week...
"If I were asked to give what I consider the single most
useful bit of advice for all humanity, it would be this:
Expect trouble as an inevitable part of life, and when it comes,
hold your head high. Look it squarely in the eye, and say,
"I will be bigger than you.
You cannot defeat me."
- Ann Landers

Something Great I Recieved Today...
"A Keeper...
I grew up in the 40s/50s with practical parents... A mother who washed aluminum foil after she cooked in it, then reused it. She was the original recycle queen, before they had a name for it... A father who was happier getting old shoes fixed than buying new ones.

Their marriage was good, their dreams focused. Their best friends lived barely a wave away. I can see them now... Dad in trousers, tee shirt and a hat... and Mom in a house dress, lawn mower in one hand, and a dish-towel in the other. ! It was the time for fixing things. A curtain rod, the kitchen radio, screen door, the oven door, the hem in a dress , things we keep.
It was a way of life, and sometimes it made me crazy. All that re-fixing, eating, renewing, I wanted just once to be wasteful. Waste meant affluence. Throwing things away meant you knew there'd always be more.

But then my mother died, and on that clear summer's night, in the warmth of the hospital room, I was struck with the pain of learning that sometimes there isn't any more.
Sometimes, what we care about most gets all used up and goes away...never to return. So... while we have it... it's best we love it.... and care for it... and fix it when it's broken...... and heal it when it's sick.

This is true... for marriage... and old cars... and children with bad report cards... and dogs with bad hips... and aging parents... and grandparents. We keep them because they are worth it... because we are worth it. Some things we keep, like a best friend that moved away or a classmate we grew up with.
There are just some things that make life important, like people we know who are special... and so, we keep them close!"

*Today I am thankful for all the love, friendship and support in my life- from my family, friends and people who's lives I touch through my work..because all of you make a difference in my life and help to make it what it is:)
Focusing on all the good in our lives throws any negativity out the window into the swiftness of the wind...