Joania, How Are You Losing This Weight???

Well, my inbox is full again with numerous people asking the same question. I started responding directly to them but realized it would make more sense to post a general response that everyone could access. I find that I get this question more so, after posting my anniversary pics. I do appreciate the interest and the questions but I just wanted to stress that there really is no easy, quick fix and that I am working hard everyday to reach this goal. So with that said, here's what I am doing:

EXERCISE
I am working out six days a week. I rest on Sundays (not for long as I am currently considering taking a yoga class on Sundays - in efforts of increasing my flexibility; ). I alternate workouts each day. One day I do 20-25 minutes of cardio - using treadmill, elliptical, bike, powerwalk, etc. The next day I do my strength workout; it lasts about 1 hour and includes core, balance, and strength training. This is the program that my trainer specifically designed for me based on my fitness level and goals. It's a progressive program so it gets more difficult as I go along. I am currently on Phase 2! I try to never miss a day of exercising and if I do miss a day, I get right back on track the following day.

FOOD
This is so important, I really should have put it first but anyway, here's what I eat/don't eat. The following are on my "FOODS TO AVOID" list:
Fast Food (McDonalds, Burger King, Dairy Queen, Harveys, Manchu Wok, KFC, Pizza, Beaver Tails etc.), alcohol, fruit juices, sugar, flour, white rice, bread (whole grains will be introduced later), refined and processed foods, refined oils, soft drinks, cakes, cookies, chocolates, chips.
What's Left??
I eat LOTS of fruits (berries, apples, oranges etc) and bright coloured and dark green veggies (spinach, broccoli, kale, sweet potato, green and red peppers, lettuce, celery, cucumbers and zucchini etc.), Lean Meats (chicken, turkey, beef, fish/seafood, tofu), eggs, almonds. I've also started buying a lot more organic foods.
I try to do groceries once to twice a week, just to ensure that I always have food on hand.

I eat 5-6 times a day....3 meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) and 2-3 snacks (healthy). I also try to never miss a meal. You've got to eat to lose weight. I always make sure to prepare my food ahead of time, especially my lunches and snacks. This is so that if I'm hungry, i could just grab something and eat, instead of having to try to figure out what to make. I usually cook a couple batches of food on Sundays and pack them in tupperware - grab and go or zap and eat!! :D

WATER
I cannot stress enough the importance of staying hydrated throughout the day. I love water - even before I started this journey and as badly as I ate, I still drank a lot of water - so this was not a difficult thing for me to include in my program. I drink between 3 to 4 litres of water everyday and some days more! I have reusable water bottles (the stainless steel ones) everywhere. Two at home, two at my desk at work, one in my car and one in my purse. I just fill up all bottles and drink throughout the day. Lots of trips to the bathroom, but it's a good thing.

BLOGGING
I'm so serious about this. Diarizing my daily ups and downs; opening myself up to everyone regarding this weight loss journey is really helping me to succeed. I feel accountable to all of you reading my blog and following my journey, not just to myself. I really feel that not only do I have to this for me and my family, but I can't let you guys down either. There have been so many of you who have shared your stories with me and I've come to realize that I am not alone in this at all. The kind words, support and encouragement that I receive on A DAILY BASIS, is simply amazing and I can't say enough, just how much I appreciate it. I am so motivated to do this, just to show that it can be done and that it can be done by regular people like you and I!! :)

AN AWESOME SUPPORT SYSTEM
My family (especially my husband) has been there for me and with me throughout this journey and just knowing that they will be there to the end is enough to keep me going. My friends and blog friends, who check in regularly and leave comments - it's just wonderful. Last, but certainly not least, my trainer Rob, for always responding to my emails/questions; addressing my concerns and always providing me with helpful tips and tricks and even recipes to help me get through. I think it's essential to have a good support system in place cause this type of journey really puts you to the test and you will need support.

HARD WORK & DETERMINATION
I will not tell you that this is easy. This is one of the hardest things I've ever attempted to do in my life. However, I am so determined to get this done and I truly believe that determination and hard work are two of the things necessary to succeeding on a journey of this sort.

ENJOYING LIFE
I don't want this journey to consume me. I mean, it takes a lot of time and effort on my part to maintain this blog and facebook group in addition to working out, eating right and everything else that comes with this, but I don't want my life to be only about this weight loss process. So it's important for me to take time to do other things, enjoy life, spend time with family and friends, get out and do things and not let it be ONLY about this! I believe that's contributing to my success thusfar.

So that's it, it doesn't seem like much, but it is. This takes such dedication and commitment. There really is no quick fix, it's about taking it one day at a time, one difficult step after another, but that's what makes the success so rewarding. I can't wait to get to that finish line.

I hope that helps and addresses the questions, if not, feel free to email me...I will help however I can.

As always, thanks for all the support.

Joania (2KMINE!!)