Goal Setting: Believe to Achieve

I'm on a serious mission to succeed! I'm not only talking about by Dec 10, 2009; I'm referring to the rest of my life. I'm trying to lay out the blueprint for building my life the way I want it. As this year is quickly coming to an end, I want to be ready and as prepared as I can to continue strong as of Dec 11, 2009. I want to aim high, try things I've never tried before; commit myself to completing certain things as I did with the 5K run. Just getting out of my comfort zone. As LesBrown says, "shoot for the moon, even if you miss, you'll land amongst the stars". So I'm currently in the research and planning stages....researching things that I am interested in or want to try (for example rock climbing, a mini-triathalon -"Try a Tri", joining a recreational sports team - soccer or baseball, taking tennis lessons) AND SO MUCH MORE and just planning out what I need to do to get there!!

I feel like I am so close to really breaking through and continuing on with my life - living the best life I can live! I feel there's just so much more to come and I want to live and enjoy all of it! I know it won't always be all good but right now it just feels like it will and I don't want to lose that. There's so much I want to do! I'm rambling...sorry...

Anyway, I had a good workout this morning but had to stay home with my son as he's under the weather and I think I may be coming down with it as well...cold symptoms. Hoping I can fight it off! I still have to make some time to meet with my trainer so that I could get my new program to propel me to that finish line! A lot of challenges have surfaced throuhgout this journey; from my travelling, exteme cravings and just overall busy life working fulltime and family. One of my biggest challenges have been and still remains, TIME!!! Making the time to workout, to prepare meals, to meet my trainer, to get to the gym, time for myself!!

I just started a new job a couple of weeks ago and just starting to get into it right now; I have a few deadlines this week that I MUST meet and quite a bit of work to do - so that's filling up the schedule right now. My husband is really busy with work so less available to pick up my slack with our son and at home. I said it so many times before, I could not have gone through this journey without my husband and his never ending support (in so many ways). All this to say that the next few weeks will be crazy busy for me. I'm hoping that I could meet up with Rob on the weekend, even if it's for 1/2 an hour to get the new program and instructions and be on my way..time is of the essence and I don't want to waste a minute.

So I'm going to check on my son (who should be sleeping - but probably isn't) and get myself off to bed. I've received a few requests to write my daily schedules down every now and then so I will try to that. Here are my plans for tomorrow ( which is the same on Thursday) I will do Monday and Wednesday's tomorrow)...

5:45am Wake up (have a cup of water)
Start my cardio (a 45 minute walk/run on treadmill - too cold outside in the am now)

6:30am Make breakfast (4 egg white/spinach omlette) and either eggs and toast or cereal
(for my son and hubby)

7:00am Wake up the boys, shower get ready as they eat

7:30 - 7:45am Get my son ready as hubby cleans up downstairs andgets ready (a joint effort - we make a good team)

8:00 - 8:15am Leave the house, drop son to daycare, head to work (both hubby and I)

9:ooam - Start work

10:30am Have morning snack (apple and 5-8 almonds, water)

11:45 -12:45 Jiu-jitsu class (drink water)

1:15pm Back to work....eat lunch at my desk while working (steamed broccoli and chicken breast, water)

3:00-3:30pm Afternoon Snack (boiled egg, cucumber slices, water)

5:00pm Leave work for home (hubby would have picked up son from daycare)

5:45pm Make dinner

7:00 -8:00 Playtime

8:00-8:30 Get my son ready for bed

9:00 - 10:00pm Weight Training

10:00-11:oopm Shower, Blog and BED!!!!

I only do cardio on Jiu-jitsu days.....on kickboxing days (Monday, Wednesday) - no cardio!! :)

As you can see the days are quite long and full; not much time to spare, hence the reason why my weekends are my time for family. We try to pack a lot of things in for the weekend - just making sure to spend some quality time making memories. Crazy life but fun, nonetheless.

Anyway, that's it for now...

Until next time...
Joania (2KMINE!!!)

On The Road Again.....

Hi all,

Well I'm on yet another business trip. These are getting tough.. I'm just finding it very difficult to stay on track when it comes to my eating and exercising...MORE SO MY EATING!!

Most of these hotels are equipped with top of the line fitness machines/facilities so it's not really difficult to stay on track..it is however, a different experience as you go from hotel to hotel. There are different machines at each hotel, different set-up and different equipment!! It throws me off a bit, I must admit. It just makes it that much more difficult because it breaks my routine...however it does keep it interesting (so I should look at it as a positive).

Also, since I've been training for the 5K Run, all this travelling makes that difficult as well. I have a mapped out route that I use regularly when I'm at home. Being in a different city makes it difficult so I find myself training on the treadmill as opposed to running outside. Hopefully that won't hurt me when it comes to race day which is an outdoor event. I guess it's just about making the necessary adjustments at the time. Working with what I got!

Eating-wise, I messed up a bit today...nothing too damaging. I was in such a rush today, I ran out of the house without eating breakfast! I haven't done that in about 6 months - prior to this journey, skipping breakfast was a regular part of my day. I was so busy at work today, by the time I realized I was hungry, it was a little after 11 am. I bought a mini quiche. I ate only the middle which was eggs and veggies and I threw out the mini crust...I had that with a bottle of water. A few hours later, I was rushing to the airport, I grabbed a toasted bagel from Tim Hortins (it was multi-grain) with another bottle of water!! On the flight, I ate that little puffy-pretzel-snacky-thing they hand out with more water. Unfortunately, I did not properly plan or prepare meals for today and that caused me to slip up by grabbing crap.

Anyway, once I checked into the hotel, it was dinner time. I had a nice green salad with a light vinigarette and a couple of pieces of chicken breast (grilled) with more water. It was great. I'm back on track, tomorrow is a new day. My plan is to wake up at 530am get my workout in and have a nice healthy breakfast. A good start to what I hope will be a great and productive day!! Good night.

Until next time...
Joania (2KMINE!!!)

Most Recent Pic

Hi guys,

Sorry I haven't posted a pic in a little while. Here's a picture of me on my way to a wedding (just a couple of weeks ago). I'm actually wearing a dress (size 16)....a dress (size 16). I was pretty impressed with size 16 pants but when a dress fits and it's size 16, it makes me happy!!

Anyway, I've been really busy lately and that pace will continue for the next little while. I will be gone again on another business trip on Wednesday, should be back home on Saturday, and will be visiting with family the 3rd week of August. I will continue to update posts on the blog and should post a more detailed blog soon (hopefully tomorrow).

Until then, here's the pic...tell me what you think. I can't get over how flat my tummy looks (No spanxx, ladies..)!!! My "girls" have also gotten a lot smaller, which I don't mind at all (my husband does - but hey, whatever)!!

Until next time...

Joania (2KMINE!!!)

Trainer, 5K's, Belts and Things

Hey guys,

I have just been swamped of late with work and travel. I do have quite a bit more travel coming up over the next few weeks - by August, things should hopefully settle down. I have been so busy with work conferences and business trips that I haven't even had the time to see my trainer. We've been in touch regularly via email but I ABSOLUTELY need to see him. He has a new program for me which I haven't yet seen. He will email it to me and hopefully I can follow up with him after. In the meantime, I will try the new program and just email him with any questions or concerns I may have. So it will be on-line training...my e-trainer....should be interesting. I just don't want to fall behind and it is time for a new program (it's actually past the time - my fault).

Anyway, I've started my 5K training and holy crap it's tough. I'm blogging about it specifically at http://www.my5k.blogspot.com/ , so please check it out. Jogging is excrutiatingly tough for me but it really is one of those things I want to tackle in my lifetime and I've started. My goal is to run a 5k race in October and I will!!! One of my girlfriends has actually started the training as well. She's in a different city but following the same program. Right now, I think she hates my guts for asking her to do this with me..lol!! She told me how sore she was after Day 1!! Hang in there BEH and keep it up!!

Something else I wanted to mention which I just found amazing, is that I can no longer leave my house without wearing a belt!!! I remember days when I left the top button of my pants un-done (so that I could breathe)....and my pants could stay up for days!! LOL!! Belt??? There was never a need. Now, most of my pants require one! It's amazing to me. As I was walking from a meeting today, I could feel my slacks slipping down, I kept tugging at them to pull them up...this stuff just freaks my freak!! So my plan is to go and purchase a couple of belts (pairs of belts?? I don't even know what it's called - 2 or more belts) lol!! It's something I never thought I'd have to purchase.

Anyway, I will weigh myself and take some pics in the morning and post tomorrow. This month the weight has been coming off literally 1 pound at a time...hey, at least it's not a gain. This is my big flashing sign that I need the new program, one that is just that much more challenging than the current!! I think I'll see a jump in the loss once I start that!!

All in all, I'm still feeling great...I've noticed that extra effort is required on my part to stay with it, but I try to re-focus daily and remind myself of the reasons why I set out on this journey in the first place.

Anyway, that's it for now...

Until next time

Joania (2KMINE!!!)

Updates and Things...

Hey guys,

I just wanted to come on quickly to thank all of you for all the nice comments regarding the citizen article and just the support in general. Thanks!

On another note, I just finished my very first run today (as part of the C25K -Couch to 5K Training program) in quest of my first 5K race later this Fall. Check out my training blog for details here. It was quite intense.

Tomorrow I will be heading out of town once again on business. It won't be a long trip, I should be back home Thursday evening (Friday- the latest). I will take my lap top with me so that we can stay connected.

It's a really busy time for me at work right now, however it should hopefully quiet down next month.

Until next time...

Joania (2KMINE!!!)

I'M BAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!!!!

Hi guys,

So sorry that I haven't been able to post anything this week. I was away on my conference with work and I was also having some computer problems.

I have lots to post and I will later this evening. I will also weigh myself in the morning and post that information tomorrow.

I hope some of you gotg the chance to hear me on the radio show (hopefully, I will be able to get a copy and post it to my site) if not, no biggie!!

Also, my article ran in Wednesday's citizen. I will post the link.

Until next time (very soon)

Joania (2KMINE!!!)

I'm Out of the Slump.....

Hey guys,

It's Saturday morning and I had a great workout this a.m. I rocked it!! I didn't work out on Thursday or Friday and I was starting to worry. But I must say, I received a few emails and comments after my previous post and they were so encouraging!! It really helped me to get back on track. Thank you so much guys!!

My trainer, Rob is awesome!! He not only provides me with the right tools to become physically fit, but every now and then he will send me some "words of inspiration"!! He just seems to always know the right things to say to get me pumped and ready to go. He just sent me the following, which I plan to recite on a daily basis:

"You were born with potential.You were born with goodness and trust.You were born with ideals and dreams.You were born with greatness.You were born with wings.You are not meant for crawling, so don’t.You have wings.Learn to use them and fly." Rumi

Anyway, I'm feeling better. Next week should be my last "crazy-busy" week at work and things should get back to normal after that. So for now, it's one day at a time!!!

Until next time...

Joania (2KMINE!!)

Didn't Work Out Today...Re-focus

Hi all,

I did NOT work out today and I really have to make sure I get it in tomorrow. I have been working very long hours of late - it's a busy time at work. I'm prepping for a 3-day conference next week in addition to my regular duties, not to mention everything else (including this journey of mine).

This is one of those times when it gets really hard and I need to just kick it into overdrive to make sure I don't fall off track. Things are going so well with the weight loss and I really want to keep it that way. I am so close to getting under 200 pounds...just amazing...I can't wait to get there. I just may cry when I step on the scale and no longer see the number "2" at the start.

I've just been looking back at a few of my posts and for the most part, they've been extremely positive with a few slip ups/hurdles here and there. I find it helps to check back every now and then - it helps me to re-focus!! Anyway I'm quite pleased about the fact that most of my posts are positive ones, yet at the same time, I don't want to give the impression that I'm just cruising through this!! My goodness, it takes constant effort. Especially on days like these...I'm working longer days and just feeling tired. While I'm at work, no problem - pretty well full of energy, but when the day is finally over, I'm exhausted and the last thing I feel like doing is working out. Some days, depending on how early I leave for work, I work out at nights. Some nights, I'm just too tired.

These are the times however when I really have to push through it. My plan is to wake up just a bit earlier in the morning and squeeze in my workout. Once it's done, it's out of the way and I don't have to worry about it until the next day. Things should ease up a bit at work over the next two weeks so it should go back to normal. I haven't even enjoyed my last reward yet!! I still have a full spa day to take advantage of and I can't wait!! Looking forward to taking a break from work - just a couple of weeks off to rejuvenate! :)

Anyway, that's it for tonight...

Until next time...

Joania (2KMINE!!!)

Weigh-In Thursday...Back ON TRACK!!! :)

Starting Weight: 258 lbs (Dec 10/08)

Last Weigh In: 210 lbs (May 16/09)

Current Weight: 208 lbs

This week's Loss: 2 lbs!!!!!!!!!!

VERY HAPPY TO BE BACK ON TRACK!! :))

Yesterday, I woke up at 3am, left my house at 4:00am to catch a 6am flight to Toronto for another business trip. It was a same day trip. Anyway, I returned home this morning at 12:36am. I'm exhausted. I did not work out yesterday but did quite well with my eating (I brought a mini ziplock bag of almonds in my purse for snacking, bought water at the airport - WHAT a rip!! $3.75 for a 750ml bottle!!! Anyway, I also did not get a chance to weigh myself yesterday because I was just swamped and really had no time.

Anyway, I weighed myself this morning and I'm happy to report that it's all good. I've lost the 2 pounds that I gained last week so I'm back at 50 pounds down and back on track!! I feel so relieved!!

Anyway...gotta go, but will post later...

Until next time...

Joania (2KMINE!!!)

Off to Edmonton AND Vancouver Next Week!

Hi guys,

I am sooooooooo glad it's Friday. TGIF!!!!!!!! This has been such a busy week for me. I was on course for work. It was 3 days at a different building downtown (downtown traffic stinks!) but anyway, it's over. I've also been busy prepping for another business trip. I'm off to Edmonton on Monday morning, then Vancouver on Wednesday and back home on Friday. It will be a very quick stop in both cities. Another busy week, but I plan to stay on track.

This time, I am not even phased at the thought of going away and worrying about my new lifestyle. Not the slightest regarding what I will eat or if I will exercise. Last month, prior to my trip to Halifax, I was losing sleep worrying if I would sabbotage my journey. But not now!!! I have my game plan. Both hotels are equipped with top of the line fitness facilities (and swimming pools) so I have no excuse when it comes to working out and I KNOW I will make healthy choices when it comes to eating. Don't get me wrong, I'm not over confident...I mean, temptation is temptation and I will have to be on my toes, but I am not worried like I was last time.

Anyway, looking forward to getting the trips out of the way. My only concern -and it's not even really a concern because he will be with his Daddy - but I always feel so sad when I leave my little munchkin...I must admit it is a nice break....even though I'm working, I'm not cooking, cleaning or picking up etc....it's a nice chance for me to get away from the routine and just re-boot... but I couldn't do it too often...I miss my sweet little hugs and kisses and all the crazy and wonderful moments!! My husband is really a great support which allows me the opportunity to this every now and then. Anyway, so I'll be gone for a week.

Just wanted to fill you in. Also, i will take picks of what I eat (it really helps to keep me on track). This time I will have my colleagues take the pics as PROOF THAT I ACTUALLY ATE THOSE MEALS (I received that as a suggestion after posting the food pix from my last trip)!! I may even take pix of me working up a sweat!!

Until next time...

Joania (2KMINE!!!)