LA here I come!

Hi Everyone-

It has been a while since I posted last. Mostly that is due to the start of the school year, and well not much happening in fitness since then. It was my off season, a time to allow my body to get back to its natural set point. I know I am back to 'normal' when I :

1. don't feel the urge to binge eat
2. don't gain any more weight

My set point is around 130lbs. Anymore than that and I start to feel aches and pains in my joints, and lower back. I train much heavier than I had in the past, so perhaps this type of workout (which I tended to stay away from), keeps me leaner in the off season. Lesson learned - don't fear the weights!

My regular day time job continues to be a source of stress in my life; however my 'new attitude' that I am trying on seems to curb many negative thoughts on these 'changes'. I am a high school math teacher, and there has been an overhaul in the Education system where I live over the past 10 years. Over the last 2 years the changes have been implemented with the current level of students that I teach - that is - grade 9, and 10. The changes are not easy to understand, and by rehashing all that is 'the reform', I don't feel that this would be the best place to do that. However, I will say that I am handling the changes much better this year; enjoy my students much more; feel that I am teaching better; and like going to work every day. I only work 50% this year, as all those changes were affecting my family life - so I was able to cut back. So glad I did.

With that being said, the other half of my day is spent on fitness stuff. I do go to the gym in the morning - I love everything about the gym, the clanging of the weights, the sweaty guys grunting, the smell of the rubber floor....everything. I like being there. I am sure if my job was to be in the gym all the time I would not love it so much. Maybe it is the fact that I don't have to be there, that I love it so much. I mean I compete, so going to the gym is apart of that.

But eventually, not sure when, I will start to train people. I am NSCA-CPT certified, so I might as well put it to good use, eh? Maybe I am a bit scared to train people. All these folks around me seem to know there stuff, and well, I feel a bit behind on the 'why' of things. I can tell them 'how', but not always 'why'. And that is the part that I need to be able to explain to folk I train - the why. I am a teacher, so the 'why' is important. I am starting with my hubby, and a few friends, and will train them. That way I can get some courage to offer my services, to you out there, who so often request it. I am just not ready yet to charge someone for a service, and not be able to provide a quality service.

For now, someone is providing me a good quality training service - Erik Ledin of LeanBodiesConsulting (Shameless plug)

On to the fitness news - good news! I am off to Los Angeles next week for the Ironman/Bodybuilding.com Spokesmodel search - can you believe it?

Here is the story - I saw that bodybuilding.com was putting on a model search - the winner would receive a possible cover on Ironman magazine, and be at the Bodybuilding.com booth for the Arnold and Olympia. I thought this to be very cool, so I entered. The amount of people who view your bodyspace profile online gave you votes.

Allison Ethier's Bodyspace Profile

Round 2 was my first round. I did not end up being a finalists. So I thought to myself - how am I am going to get to the finals? I sent out more emails in one day than I had ever, hoping that everyone would view my profile and thus get me to be a finalist. To my surprise I was a finalist.
So there was 15 girls, and 15 guys by the end of the 3 round. To move on to the 4th and 5th rounds (in LA with travel provided by BB.com), you had to be selected by their team to move on. I was numb when I found out I was selected. I actually found out in Siouxcountry.com that I was a finalist. Too cool. I was shaking.

Luckily - all worked out on my end that I would be able to attend this event. All the finalists - women who were selected will be attending. You can see a list of the finalists here -

Bodybuilding.com Finalists

So this Wed I am leaving for LA and am vying for that top spot. I would never discount any of my competitors as we all have an equal chance of being chose - 1 in 5. I am very honour, and humbled to be apart of this. I will make the most of this trip as many have changed their personal and work scheduled to accommodate mine. Thank you.

Thank you to everyone who voted for me. I appreciate all your support and persistence in voting. Thank you so much.

The Ironman was an unexpected event that I will be attending, however, I am in full preparation for the Arnold Amateur - cannot wait to be on stage again. I am 46 days to the Arnold. Although I am not peaking for the Ironman, I will be ready for the Arnold

Here are some pics of January 7nd:























































From my perspective, I have put on some size in the off season. Now I just have to lean out. 46 more days to the Arnold....

I will update after the Ironman show, post some more progress pictures, and talk a bit more about my training/diet. For now, I want to leave you with one more image - my son - Zachary, running his truck in my posing session.

He is 2.5 now, very verbal, independent, and funny. He laughs at his own jokes.