Sorry this post is a bit long...I have a little mini rant today...sorry guys! :)
Wheew! TGIF!! What a busy week! I'm tired. Tomorrow, my plan is to sleep in (hopefully my 3-year old will oblige) until about 830 or even 900 if I'm lucky. All week, I've been up at 500/530 so this would just be heaven - I will even take 730!! :) As far as exercising - I'm going to go for a 45 minute run (about 5K) and that will be it for the day...my body needs to rest.
TODAY'S EXERCISE
Today was awesome (again)! I started off with my 1.5 hour weight training session...which, after 3 weeks of doing it, is still incredibly challenging and gets my heart pumping like crazy! It's fabulous - a total body workout and I get both strength and cardio conditionning from each session!! I'm loving it!! It really is the perfect way to start my day and it keeps me going throughout the day! I work on the 4th floor of my building and went up to the 6th floor on 2 occasions today - both times I hopped up the stairs! I know it's only 2 flights but I always took the elevator before. The best part is that there was barely a change in my breathing when I got upstairs - just fantastic!
Later in the day (430), I attended an hour long Kickboxing class at Therien Martial Arts! WOW!! Sensei Derek killed it today! I still can't get over how much fun I'm having as this man punishes me regularly with crazy exercise moves!! I always feel like I gave 100+% at every class because Sensei Derek really pushes me to my limits - and I get the same sense from the other people in the class. It's a really friendly atmosphere where everyone is working hard! Do you know how hard you have to push yourself to actually want to puke? IT'S FRIGGIN' AWESOME!!!! I am really loving it - more so at the end of class than during!!LOL! This is such an incredible workout, you really get a high from it. It gets you in shape and we get to do some really cool stuff, totally different (and more effective, in my humble opinion) than the regular aerobic classes or treadmill.
Today's class was awesome...my friend Coco actually came tonight and boy were we ever breathing hard! Sensei Derek had us do a special drill today. He called on one of his pro-kickers (Nathalie) to help him demonstrate the exercise. We were paired up in two's. One person would straddle over a kicking pad and throw a non-stop barrage of punches until he said stop (about 1 minute, which seemed like forever). In the mean time the other person held a rope (actually one of the martial arts belts) around the other's waist - almost like a harness. When Sensei Derek said, "GO!", the person punching would jump up and sprint to the other end of the dojo (gym) and back ALL WHILE the partner is holding on to the rope/belt applying resistance (their body weight)!! Picture the sprinter trying to pull the other person along as they sprint to the other end of the gym!!! OMG!! It was super tough, but awesome. I was so winded and yes, the feeling of puking appeared once more... BTW there were a couple other people in there tonight who felt the same way!! :)
Sensei Derek is tough (and crazy) and fun and I mentioned before about him taking pleasure in inflicting pain, well tonight he proved that once more! While demonstrating this exercise with Nathalie, she was running, pulling him along...and he's yelling, "let's go!! move!! move!!!" and she's pushing it and then, you know what he did???? Well, let's just say he had some very interesting motivational techniques and if you want to know what those are, you need to come to the class ;) What happens in the dojo, stays in the dojo! (Some things lol).
Oh you guys!! I'm just really having a good time right now with this new lifestyle. I look forward to getting the workouts in and feel so good when it's done (and proud)!!! I'm in a really good place and I don't ever want to leave!
TODAY'S FOOD
Before I go over what I ate today, I have a few things to address (it's not a rant - well maybe a mini-rant). I just want to clear this up because at this point in my life and this journey, I want to maintain all the positivity that I can and just keep moving through to get to my goals!!
In yesterday's post, I addressed a comment that I received from my friend Nia (who's been following and supporting me from the beginning) about the food I'm eating and whether or not I felt hungry. Well, that seemed to open the door for a lot more comments on this issue...some not so nice comments. What amazes me is that these people always choose to send me an anonymous email. I don't have a problem answering questions or comments (to the best of my ability and based on my personal experiences).
Anyway, I received one email where the individual went on and on and said, "I don't think you're eating enough and from what you list, it seems like you're starving yourself to lose weight!" This one bugged me a bit!But I was determined not to let this bother me and thought I should address it. I know that obviously this person had not been reading my blog all along to understand the PROCESS that I went through to get where I am right now!!
I just want to say for anyone reading my blog who is wondering
I AM NOT STARVING MYSELF!!!! THAT IS THE MOST RIDICULOUS THING AND IF YOU KNEW ME OR FOLLOWED MY JOURNEY, YOU WOULD ALSO REALIZE JUST HOW RIDICULOUS THIS IS!!
My diet plan over the past 11 months has been developped specifically for me by a certified nutritionist after a very thorough analysis of my eating habits, body composition, health, blood type etc. etc. It is adjusted on a regular basis as I go through the various stages of progression on this journey. My diet consists of nothing but foods from the WHOLE FOODS group. I do not consume ANY processed foods. Only natural foods!!
After cleansing my body from all the unprocessed foods I used to consume (and trust me it was bad), I found that as I ate healthy foods, everything changed including the quantity of food necessary for me to feel FULL or SATISFIED!! I am eating 6-7 small meals on a daily basis and keeping properly hydrated by consuming between 3-4 litres of water, EVERY DAY!!! I don't count calories so I have no idea how many calories I'm eating.
I wake up in the morning and have 3-4 eggs (mostly eggwhites) with some sort of vegetable and water or a bowl of oatmeal or grapefruit.....THAT FILLS ME UP
Three hours later, I have a snack. Sometimes it's a heavier snack, sometimes lighter - all depends on how I'm feeling!! When I'm hungry I eat....what makes a difference is WHAT I choose to eat. Sometimes, half a cucumber sliced up does the trick, other times it's a can of tuna and some broccoli, a small baked sweet potato or a piece of chicken breast, some almonds an apple or just a protein shake!! It all depends!! Plus water!!
Two to three hours later I'm having lunch. Again, healthy. Usually a chicken/shrimp/beef stirfry, a salad with some form of protein (tuna, eggs, poultry), sometimes soup plus water!!
Three hours later I'm having another snack - see above, plus water
Three hours later, it's time for Dinner - this is where I'll have ww pasta, brown rice, quinnoa, sweet potato with some form of protein and vegetables, PLUS WATER
Two hours later, i have another snack, plus water!
That's it!! Trust me I am satisfied!! I eat when I am hungry! I do not starve myself! I am getting all that I need nutritionally to sustain and fuel me as needed.
Oh, another thing, when I increased my exercising, I did notice that I felt a bit hungry, I simply added another meal!!
Anyway, that's it for today. I hope I don't get any more "you're starving yourself" crap!!!
I ate really well today....I'll just jot it down quickly:
B - 3 boiled eggs (whites) with a warm tomato and spinach salad, 1L water
Sn - protein drink (vanilla whey protein, water)
L - Grilled chicken breast, romaine lettuce, bacon (one strip,crumbled), small pita, water
Sn - tuna and broccoli
D - baked salmon, steamed mixed veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, green peas), baked sweet potato and water
Sn -10 almonds and cup of green tea.
After Kickboxing class, I had another protein drink!
That was it today! Sorry for the lengthy post. Day 12 is done...almost to the end, until then I will be PUSHING THROUGH!!!
Until next time...
Joania (2KMINE!!!)
Showing posts with label eating. Show all posts
Showing posts with label eating. Show all posts
Friday, November 20, 2009
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
NO PLAN, NO SPECIAL DIET...Just Trying To Live & Enjoy Life..
Hi everyone,
Well, I never anticipated the number of responses (especially via email) my last post would illicit. So many questions about what I am eating and how the food is prepared, which diet plan I'm following, etc., etc. So I decided that I would use this post to address all those questions and some of the comments.
As some or most of you may know, I LOVE TO EAT!! Let's face it, I wouldn't be in this predicament of needing to lose this amount of weight if I didn't truly ENJOY my food!! When I first starting talking to my trainer/nutritionist (Rob), prior to embarking on this journey, one of the things that I stressed to him was just how much I loved eating and enjoyed my food. I did not want to do yet another fad diet, where I had to deprive myself of certain things and would leave me feeling guilty if I ate certain foods. I didn't want any crazy restrictions and/or rules. I just knew I wouldn't be able to stick with it! I'm really glad my trainer listened to my requests and provided me with guidelines that would work for my situation and gave me proper tools to address the real issues I have with food, like portion control and just overall irresponsible eating!!
Being overweight all my adult life, I had tried pretty well every diet under the sun and quickly (as well as after a lot of disappointment) came to the realization that all these quickie diets DON'T WORK. The only thing that will work is eating sensibly and responsibly while incorporating proper exercise and taking care of yourself mentally and spiritually. With regards to food, it would be more about control and balance than anything else. I wanted to feel free to eat whatever I'd like. Of course I realized that I wouldn't be successful on this journey if I ate burgers and fries with pop, seven days a week; yet at the same time, if I felt like having a burger, I wanted the freedom to plan and incorporate that meal into my lifestyle.
I want to be successful on this journey and for me, success doesn't only mean achieving my goal of losing 101 pounds in 1 year following a set plan and then when I get there - "start eating real foods again!!". That's garbage. Success for me is changing the way I view foods, my habits and overall, my lifestyle. I want to be able to control my food portions and intake for THE REST OF MY LIFE!! Not just during this one year timeframe!!
I really don't believe I can achieve that following any fad "diet" or "plan". Don't get me wrong, I know that a lot of people have had success with some of those prescibed plans and I am happy for them but I just know that those won't work for me. If it works for you, then great. I just didn't want anything too restrictive with crazy rules like no eating after 7pm, for example. I don't think there's a be all and end all plan. I think it's more about living your life, enjoying your food BUT making smart, responsible choices and not beating yourself up when you "slip up". I wanted to eat normal foods; I didn't want to always be cooking seperate meals for myself than I would for the rest of my family!
My trainer provided very clear guidlines of what to eat, but everything I eat is what I'd normally eat anyway. So what's the difference? How am I losing weight now and not before eating pretty much the same foods? A few answers:
Well, I never anticipated the number of responses (especially via email) my last post would illicit. So many questions about what I am eating and how the food is prepared, which diet plan I'm following, etc., etc. So I decided that I would use this post to address all those questions and some of the comments.
As some or most of you may know, I LOVE TO EAT!! Let's face it, I wouldn't be in this predicament of needing to lose this amount of weight if I didn't truly ENJOY my food!! When I first starting talking to my trainer/nutritionist (Rob), prior to embarking on this journey, one of the things that I stressed to him was just how much I loved eating and enjoyed my food. I did not want to do yet another fad diet, where I had to deprive myself of certain things and would leave me feeling guilty if I ate certain foods. I didn't want any crazy restrictions and/or rules. I just knew I wouldn't be able to stick with it! I'm really glad my trainer listened to my requests and provided me with guidelines that would work for my situation and gave me proper tools to address the real issues I have with food, like portion control and just overall irresponsible eating!!
Being overweight all my adult life, I had tried pretty well every diet under the sun and quickly (as well as after a lot of disappointment) came to the realization that all these quickie diets DON'T WORK. The only thing that will work is eating sensibly and responsibly while incorporating proper exercise and taking care of yourself mentally and spiritually. With regards to food, it would be more about control and balance than anything else. I wanted to feel free to eat whatever I'd like. Of course I realized that I wouldn't be successful on this journey if I ate burgers and fries with pop, seven days a week; yet at the same time, if I felt like having a burger, I wanted the freedom to plan and incorporate that meal into my lifestyle.
I want to be successful on this journey and for me, success doesn't only mean achieving my goal of losing 101 pounds in 1 year following a set plan and then when I get there - "start eating real foods again!!". That's garbage. Success for me is changing the way I view foods, my habits and overall, my lifestyle. I want to be able to control my food portions and intake for THE REST OF MY LIFE!! Not just during this one year timeframe!!
I really don't believe I can achieve that following any fad "diet" or "plan". Don't get me wrong, I know that a lot of people have had success with some of those prescibed plans and I am happy for them but I just know that those won't work for me. If it works for you, then great. I just didn't want anything too restrictive with crazy rules like no eating after 7pm, for example. I don't think there's a be all and end all plan. I think it's more about living your life, enjoying your food BUT making smart, responsible choices and not beating yourself up when you "slip up". I wanted to eat normal foods; I didn't want to always be cooking seperate meals for myself than I would for the rest of my family!
My trainer provided very clear guidlines of what to eat, but everything I eat is what I'd normally eat anyway. So what's the difference? How am I losing weight now and not before eating pretty much the same foods? A few answers:
- PORTION CONTROL & FREQUENCY -I eat much smaller portions than I used to. One of my meals pre-journey could have been split up to make 3 of my current meals!! No kidding or exageration!! I am also eating more often (I eat about 5 small meals a day!). In the past, for example, I would bake a whole chicken (the same way I do today), the difference is that back then I would it most of that chicken in one serving whereas now, I have the breast or the leg with my meal. It makes a huge difference.
- WATER CONSUMPTION - I am drinking about 3-4 litres of water everyday. That helps a lot and has also improved my skin!! (bonus).
- EXERCISE - I am following a progressive exercise plan which is helping to keep my body strong and healthy.
- SMART CHOICES - sticking to whole foods, very little to no process food.
- PREPARATION - everything I eat doesn't have to me super creamy, or buttered or sugared!!!
To me, there is a huge difference between deprivation and moderation. I don't believe you have to deprive yourself of something to learn that moderation is the key. Maybe we wouldn't feel the need to eat something in excess if it wasn't "restricted" from our "plans" in the first place. Just my thoughts on this!!
I know that I have "scale" issues. YES, i like to see the number decrease on a weekly basis and when that doesn't happen, it angers me a bit. I just need to accept that it will take a bit longer to fall off than if I followed a more "super clean" or even a more "restrictive" diet. My overall goal is to have long lasting success and I think that can only be achieved if I work on training my mindset as well.
So to answer those initial questions, I am following the guidelines of my trainer/nutritionist in the gym and the kitchen BUT, I am also trying to exercise common sense by making more sensible and responsible choices about my food as well as exercising that ever-important portion control. Most of my foods come from the whole food group. Rob told me to avoid processed foods altogether because they have little to no nutritonal value!! Once in a while, I will have something from the processed food group, but not too often at all!
Anyway, hope that answers the questions. Remember that these are just my personal views on the matter and I know some or maybe all of you would disagree but so far it's working for me. It's not perfect, but what is???
Looking forward to your comments!!!
Until next time...
Joania (2KMINE!!)
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
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!!!)
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!!!)
Friday, July 24, 2009
Wow....Incredible Support..Thanks
I had a FABULOUS workout earlier!! Today, I did very well with my meals...all day!! I had eggs for breakfast, with two turkey sausages...yummy...for lunch I had an almond and feta cheese-stuffed chicken breast with steamed carrots, cauliflower and turnips and a side of tomato and cucumber salad. It was delicious!! Dinner tonight was roasted chicken, spinach and a baked sweet potato...tasted wonderful. I also had lots of water throughout the day!!!
Now, gratitude.....You guys are absolutely awesome!! Thank you so much for all the supportive comments and encouragement and understanding regarding my previous post!! I TRULY APPRECIATE IT FROM EACH AND EVERYONE ONE OF YOU!!!! THANKS!!! IT REALLY DOES HELP!!! Also, thank you to all of you who sent me personal emails and messages on the facebook group as well...
Okay, so the message I got from all the comments is that I need to dust myself off, RE-FOCUS and move on. Don't let all my hard work go to waste by sabotaging the progress thusfar. There were many of you who've been down this exact road before and understand exactly what I'm feeling and going through (especially Kimmy and Kimberley)...thanks for your wise and encouraging words and for those going through the same thing and/or on journeys of their own (like my "twin" NIA, Crys, Lisa), we will get there!!! Steve and Joy, thanks so much for the great advice and encouragement.
ROB - you are amazing...you always know what to say to get me thinking and wanting and just to get that whole "eye of the tiger" back!! I am so pleased about having a cheat meal every two weeks...I know to some it might not seem like much but for me I think it will help greatly. You are right....my body is a CASTLE and I AM THE QUEEN!!! :) I love that :))) I will CREATE in the NOW!!! Thank you Rob....I don't say this enough, but I know that I couldn't get through this without your support....THANK YOU!!!
So here's my plan. Tomorrow morning, I will wake up, weigh-in, then get my workout done first thing in the morning. I will then have a nice healthy egg white and spinach omlette and be on my way.
Today is my 5th wedding anniversary and tomorrow is my husband's birthday so we will be going out to celebrate over dinner and a couple of drinks!! This will be my very first cheat meal and then back on track!! I will post details of my first "official" cheat meal and how the day went!!
It is time to RE-FOCUS!!!
Until next time...
Joania (2KMINE!!!)
Now, gratitude.....You guys are absolutely awesome!! Thank you so much for all the supportive comments and encouragement and understanding regarding my previous post!! I TRULY APPRECIATE IT FROM EACH AND EVERYONE ONE OF YOU!!!! THANKS!!! IT REALLY DOES HELP!!! Also, thank you to all of you who sent me personal emails and messages on the facebook group as well...
Okay, so the message I got from all the comments is that I need to dust myself off, RE-FOCUS and move on. Don't let all my hard work go to waste by sabotaging the progress thusfar. There were many of you who've been down this exact road before and understand exactly what I'm feeling and going through (especially Kimmy and Kimberley)...thanks for your wise and encouraging words and for those going through the same thing and/or on journeys of their own (like my "twin" NIA, Crys, Lisa), we will get there!!! Steve and Joy, thanks so much for the great advice and encouragement.
ROB - you are amazing...you always know what to say to get me thinking and wanting and just to get that whole "eye of the tiger" back!! I am so pleased about having a cheat meal every two weeks...I know to some it might not seem like much but for me I think it will help greatly. You are right....my body is a CASTLE and I AM THE QUEEN!!! :) I love that :))) I will CREATE in the NOW!!! Thank you Rob....I don't say this enough, but I know that I couldn't get through this without your support....THANK YOU!!!
So here's my plan. Tomorrow morning, I will wake up, weigh-in, then get my workout done first thing in the morning. I will then have a nice healthy egg white and spinach omlette and be on my way.
Today is my 5th wedding anniversary and tomorrow is my husband's birthday so we will be going out to celebrate over dinner and a couple of drinks!! This will be my very first cheat meal and then back on track!! I will post details of my first "official" cheat meal and how the day went!!
It is time to RE-FOCUS!!!
Until next time...
Joania (2KMINE!!!)
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
I'm Struggling and a bit Frustrated, Y'ALL....
First off, let me just say that I have been on point (100%) with my exercising/workouts. I love it. So that part of the journey is not a problem.
HOWEVER, when it comes to EATING and FOOD.....I'm struggling!!!!!!! I knew this journey would be a challenge and I think I've been handling this challenge very well since I've started. Here I sit, in what should be the home stretch, having lost more that half of my goal and I'm struggling with stinking food!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I knew I would have a tough time with the food aspect of this journey, but I was really starting to believe that I had a good handle on it and that I was well on my way to permanently incorporating this new and healthy nutritional lifestyle into my everday routine. Maybe I'm being too hard on myself....I dunno, I just feel like I'm slipping and I want to nip it in the bud before it gets out of hand.
Don't get me wrong, I have not totally fallen off the wagon (not even half off the wagon) but I do realize that I am not nearly as diligent as I have been in the past 6-7 months. I've been slipping a "little something sweet" in with my meals every other day. Today for example, I had a piece of carrot cake...loaded with icing!! It was delicious - I didn't and DO NOT feel guilty about eating it, but maybe I should have just had half of what I ate. It was a pretty big slice. I had a glass of red wine the night before and just little nibbles and tastes here and there of things I KNOW that I SHOULD NOT BE EATING! Thankfully I haven't had a major pig-out session...YET!!!
This is what the whole sabbotaging of the progress is all about. I mentioned before that this journey will be as much mental as it is physical, if not more and I'm really started to see that. So this just reminds me that I need to make that extra effort to work out and strengthen those "mental muscles" and not just the physical ones. I have to figure out the reason why I feel the need to eat these foods, especially now. You know, I've heard and read a lot of different theories as it relates to this issue and I've never been able to find anything that "fits" my personal situation. I've just always believed that I JUST LOVE food. I know some people overeat when they're happy, some when they're sad, others when they're angry or frustrated or stressed or even depressed!! To me, I eat when I'm hungry and the problem is that I always seem to be hungry...my issue is just conditionning my brain to eat the right foods.
The nutritional plan that I am currently following (created by my trainer Rob ) allows me to eat a lot of food throughout the day. In fact, he stresses to me repeatedly, the importance of eating and not skipping meals, or starving myself with crazy dieting, if I want to be successful on this journey. It's just ensuring that I eat the right things -- whole foods--healthy foods. I feel that I've made that connection and I understand what I need to eat to be successful, however I am struggling with sticking with it and I just need to understand why!! This is so frustrating!! I'm in a weird, strange place right now when it comes to my eating. I find myself wanting to rationalize to myself why it would be okay to have that Big Mac Combo with a Supersized Chocolate Shake....I find myself saying things like, "I deserve this, I've been working so hard!!" I have been working hard and that's more reason why I shouldn't go there...I dunno....just a bit frustrated and just really need to figure things out!!
I knew this journey was not going to be filled with ONLY nice smoothly paved roads along the way, I was fully aware that I'd eventually get to the roads that are still under construction or just full of pot holes. I just need to ensure that my vehicle is strong enough and doesn't fall apart going over those bumps and potholes!!! I have had a baby, after 16 hours of natural labour - that was tough!!! I am starting to believe that this journey may indeed be a more difficult task!!
Anyway, I had to get all that off my chest. Thanks for listening. I'm fighting hard to handle this. As always, thanks for your support! Weigh-in on Saturday morning.
Until next time...
Joania (2KMINE!!!)
HOWEVER, when it comes to EATING and FOOD.....I'm struggling!!!!!!! I knew this journey would be a challenge and I think I've been handling this challenge very well since I've started. Here I sit, in what should be the home stretch, having lost more that half of my goal and I'm struggling with stinking food!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I knew I would have a tough time with the food aspect of this journey, but I was really starting to believe that I had a good handle on it and that I was well on my way to permanently incorporating this new and healthy nutritional lifestyle into my everday routine. Maybe I'm being too hard on myself....I dunno, I just feel like I'm slipping and I want to nip it in the bud before it gets out of hand.
Don't get me wrong, I have not totally fallen off the wagon (not even half off the wagon) but I do realize that I am not nearly as diligent as I have been in the past 6-7 months. I've been slipping a "little something sweet" in with my meals every other day. Today for example, I had a piece of carrot cake...loaded with icing!! It was delicious - I didn't and DO NOT feel guilty about eating it, but maybe I should have just had half of what I ate. It was a pretty big slice. I had a glass of red wine the night before and just little nibbles and tastes here and there of things I KNOW that I SHOULD NOT BE EATING! Thankfully I haven't had a major pig-out session...YET!!!
This is what the whole sabbotaging of the progress is all about. I mentioned before that this journey will be as much mental as it is physical, if not more and I'm really started to see that. So this just reminds me that I need to make that extra effort to work out and strengthen those "mental muscles" and not just the physical ones. I have to figure out the reason why I feel the need to eat these foods, especially now. You know, I've heard and read a lot of different theories as it relates to this issue and I've never been able to find anything that "fits" my personal situation. I've just always believed that I JUST LOVE food. I know some people overeat when they're happy, some when they're sad, others when they're angry or frustrated or stressed or even depressed!! To me, I eat when I'm hungry and the problem is that I always seem to be hungry...my issue is just conditionning my brain to eat the right foods.
The nutritional plan that I am currently following (created by my trainer Rob ) allows me to eat a lot of food throughout the day. In fact, he stresses to me repeatedly, the importance of eating and not skipping meals, or starving myself with crazy dieting, if I want to be successful on this journey. It's just ensuring that I eat the right things -- whole foods--healthy foods. I feel that I've made that connection and I understand what I need to eat to be successful, however I am struggling with sticking with it and I just need to understand why!! This is so frustrating!! I'm in a weird, strange place right now when it comes to my eating. I find myself wanting to rationalize to myself why it would be okay to have that Big Mac Combo with a Supersized Chocolate Shake....I find myself saying things like, "I deserve this, I've been working so hard!!" I have been working hard and that's more reason why I shouldn't go there...I dunno....just a bit frustrated and just really need to figure things out!!
I knew this journey was not going to be filled with ONLY nice smoothly paved roads along the way, I was fully aware that I'd eventually get to the roads that are still under construction or just full of pot holes. I just need to ensure that my vehicle is strong enough and doesn't fall apart going over those bumps and potholes!!! I have had a baby, after 16 hours of natural labour - that was tough!!! I am starting to believe that this journey may indeed be a more difficult task!!
Anyway, I had to get all that off my chest. Thanks for listening. I'm fighting hard to handle this. As always, thanks for your support! Weigh-in on Saturday morning.
Until next time...
Joania (2KMINE!!!)
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Week 13 Weigh-In....2 More GONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Starting Weight: 258 lbs (Dec 10/08)
Last Weigh In: 227 lbs (Mar 4/09)
Current Weight: 225 lbs
This Week's Loss: 2 lbs
Hi guys,
Sorry for the late and what will be short post!! I'm so happy!! As busy as I've been this week, I kept up with my eating AND exercising and managed to lose yet another 2 pounds!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That brings my total to 33 pounds!! Isn't that awesome!! I'm so happy!!!
Anyway, it's 730 and I literally JUST walked through the door....I need to give my son supper (which is in oven as I type), make myself supper, then give him a bath and put him to bed and off to bed myself. I will try to post those pix soon....promise!! Thanks guys!!
Untill next time...
Joania (2KMINE!!!)
Sunday, March 8, 2009
New Motivation, Challenges, Ideas!!!
Hi guys,
So, I've got some new motivation, y'all!! Nothing gets your butt moving like finding out that you'll be attending a high school reunion at the END OF APRIL!!!! That's in a little more than a month!! I WILL be kicking it hardcore during my WORKOUTS and more importantly making sure I STAY ON TRACK with my EATING!!!! It's not a full blown high school reunion, just a group of friends from the same grade/same age group getting together after not seeing each other for in 15+ years!!! Exciting!! I'm really looking forward to seeing the old faces and friends and just having a good time, which I will have regardless but being a little more fit and healthy , would just be that much more fun!! I'm actually really looking forward to it! Should do be good fun.
There are so many things I want to do...
I've been wanting to make some changes to my cardio training and incorporate some new things just to avoid getting bored with what I'm currently doing and also, I think it's a good opportunity to explore new things in the fitness world, since I plan to have a relationship with fitness for the rest of my life!!!. As always, I do have to check with my trainer to make sure I'm making *good* changes. He should get back to me shortly. I'm thinking of taking a spinning class 3 times a week instead of just the regular treadmill/elliptical cardio sessions that I'm currently doing. I hear that you can burn 450+ calories in one 45 minute session!! That's awesome and also spinning isn't as hard on the knees as jogging on the treadmill. So I really want to try it out. I checked out Cycle Fit's website and found that they offer a 545am class - will work for me!!! I also want to return to my Bootcamp classes in May or so..as soon as they go back outdoors (they run the bootcamp indoors during winter).
I want to increase my flexibility, so I've decided to take a YOGA class one day a week (it's all the time I can spare) I've NEVER DONE YOGA before, so I'm sure I will SUCK for the first while, but I'll stick with it and see. I've checked out OYS (Orleans Yoga Shala) on the web and they offer and ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS CLASS, two nights a week. Plus, one my friends has already agreed to accompany me (no changing your mind MR!!!). Looks like we'll go on Tuesday nights but I will confirm soon. That should be entertaining!!
The weather is showing some signs of 'wanting to get nice'; Spring SHOULD be right around the corner (hopefully). I've really been thinking of my workouts and finding different things that I like to do and stay with this new lifestlye of mine. I know that I will be swimming alot in the summer ...I've always enjoyed swimming and it's a really good work out.
I also want to run a 5 K!!! I've had a few friends offer to do one with me. I don't know if I will "sign up" for one of those official races (maybe in the fall), but I want to be able to *RUN* a 5K and time myself. My mind has been just spinning with new ideas and new challenges I want to take on - that's a good thing, right??
I need to figure things out, make some solid plans and set some more goals to work towards!! AND THEN, COAX some of you guys into doing some f these new and exciting and possibly crazy things with me!! :)) I WILL keep you all posted......
Until next time...
Joania (2KMINE!!!)
So, I've got some new motivation, y'all!! Nothing gets your butt moving like finding out that you'll be attending a high school reunion at the END OF APRIL!!!! That's in a little more than a month!! I WILL be kicking it hardcore during my WORKOUTS and more importantly making sure I STAY ON TRACK with my EATING!!!! It's not a full blown high school reunion, just a group of friends from the same grade/same age group getting together after not seeing each other for in 15+ years!!! Exciting!! I'm really looking forward to seeing the old faces and friends and just having a good time, which I will have regardless but being a little more fit and healthy , would just be that much more fun!! I'm actually really looking forward to it! Should do be good fun.
There are so many things I want to do...
I've been wanting to make some changes to my cardio training and incorporate some new things just to avoid getting bored with what I'm currently doing and also, I think it's a good opportunity to explore new things in the fitness world, since I plan to have a relationship with fitness for the rest of my life!!!. As always, I do have to check with my trainer to make sure I'm making *good* changes. He should get back to me shortly. I'm thinking of taking a spinning class 3 times a week instead of just the regular treadmill/elliptical cardio sessions that I'm currently doing. I hear that you can burn 450+ calories in one 45 minute session!! That's awesome and also spinning isn't as hard on the knees as jogging on the treadmill. So I really want to try it out. I checked out Cycle Fit's website and found that they offer a 545am class - will work for me!!! I also want to return to my Bootcamp classes in May or so..as soon as they go back outdoors (they run the bootcamp indoors during winter).
I want to increase my flexibility, so I've decided to take a YOGA class one day a week (it's all the time I can spare) I've NEVER DONE YOGA before, so I'm sure I will SUCK for the first while, but I'll stick with it and see. I've checked out OYS (Orleans Yoga Shala) on the web and they offer and ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS CLASS, two nights a week. Plus, one my friends has already agreed to accompany me (no changing your mind MR!!!). Looks like we'll go on Tuesday nights but I will confirm soon. That should be entertaining!!
The weather is showing some signs of 'wanting to get nice'; Spring SHOULD be right around the corner (hopefully). I've really been thinking of my workouts and finding different things that I like to do and stay with this new lifestlye of mine. I know that I will be swimming alot in the summer ...I've always enjoyed swimming and it's a really good work out.
I also want to run a 5 K!!! I've had a few friends offer to do one with me. I don't know if I will "sign up" for one of those official races (maybe in the fall), but I want to be able to *RUN* a 5K and time myself. My mind has been just spinning with new ideas and new challenges I want to take on - that's a good thing, right??
I need to figure things out, make some solid plans and set some more goals to work towards!! AND THEN, COAX some of you guys into doing some f these new and exciting and possibly crazy things with me!! :)) I WILL keep you all posted......
Until next time...
Joania (2KMINE!!!)
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Healthy Eating...not so Tough!!!
I wrote this post after returning from my trip to Halifax a couple of weeks ago. I did not post until now as I was waiting to upload the pix - i used my camera phone and lets just say it took a little "doing" to figure it out!! So here it is!
For the duration of my stay, all of my meals (lunches and dinners) included seafood (usually fish) and veggies. It was wonderful. For breakfast, we ate at the restaurant in the hotel. I was so pleased to see that they had a "Healthy Breakfast" (see pic below) option on the menu. This is what I had every morning. It was great. It included 3 scrambled egg whites, a small bowl of oatmeal, a small bowl of fruit and 2 slices of whole wheat toast. I never ate the toast. After having the eggs and oatmeal, I was honestly stuffed. It was just wonderful. 
This a pic of two of my dinners...Top is grilled salmon, shrimp and veggies (zucchini, mushrooms. onions)....this was from a restaurant called Hibachi....just amazingly delicious! YUMMY!! The next pic is just broccoli and salmon...yummy....
Well, I passed my first big test. I went on a business trip and like in the past would be eating out everyday and for every meal!! How could I possibly stay on track and maintain my new healthy eating habits??? That was my biggest concern with this trip. Well to my surprise, it was relatively easy to stay on track. This healthy eating isn't so tough!!!I couldn't believe it! Did you know that most restaurants offer a healthy alternative to most of the items listed on their menus??? I don't know if this is the case everywhere, but certainly in the city of Halifax, Nova Scotia!!
My colleague and I arrived in Halifax in time for lunch and we found this quaint little bistro style restaurant (McElvies) which was just fabulous. I had a grilled salmon salad (see pic below). It was a generous piece of grilled salmon served on top of a bed of fresh salad with a vinegarette dressing. It was delicious.
For the duration of my stay, all of my meals (lunches and dinners) included seafood (usually fish) and veggies. It was wonderful. For breakfast, we ate at the restaurant in the hotel. I was so pleased to see that they had a "Healthy Breakfast" (see pic below) option on the menu. This is what I had every morning. It was great. It included 3 scrambled egg whites, a small bowl of oatmeal, a small bowl of fruit and 2 slices of whole wheat toast. I never ate the toast. After having the eggs and oatmeal, I was honestly stuffed. It was just wonderful.
This a pic of two of my dinners...Top is grilled salmon, shrimp and veggies (zucchini, mushrooms. onions)....this was from a restaurant called Hibachi....just amazingly delicious! YUMMY!! The next pic is just broccoli and salmon...yummy....
I did catch a cold while I was there and one morning I thought maybe I needed to up my vitamin C, so I ordered a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice in additional to my usual glass of water. I took my first sip and found that it was so ridiculously sweet that it wasn't even enjoyable. I did not finish it. My water tasted so much better. I'm noticing so many changes in my taste buds - it's crazy! Sweet, not enjoyable??? I never before thought that was possible.
Anyway, just wanted to share that I found it very easy to make healthy food choices while eating out. I had a wonderful dinner at another place. It was steamed halibut, baked sweet potato slices and steamed veggies (unfortunately, it's one of a couple of pix which I guess I did not save properly). It was sooooo good! I also had a lobster dinner one night ( a 2lb stemed lobster, grilled asparagus and sauteed mushroom and onions!! So fabulous.
I must admit that i had two martinis while I was there...that same night, I emailed my trainer to confess my sins...the guilt was killing me!!! I was so surprised at his response, "consider it a treat, since you were so good with your eating and exercising!!' I felt so much better!! Anyway, I ended up losing 2 pounds, so no harm done!!
So, I did good!!!
Until next time....
Joania (2KMINE!!)
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Joania - 1, Cravings- ZERO!!!!!!!!!!
Hey guys,
Okay, so I've been having a rough few days with the cravings...but it looks like it's over for now (I HOPE)!! This is the worse it's ever been and I know it will happen again, but I won this round!!
I want to say a HUGE THANK YOU to all of you for your suggestions and advice and just overall support!! It really means a lot. Although I agree that some times you need to let yourself have a break and give your body something sweet to change things up, I just don't believe that I AM at the point where I can SAFELY do that! So I didn't!! What I mean is that if I was to allow myself just one cookie or even a chocolate bar, that would just open the flood gates, unleash that eating machine that still resides inside of me!! So in this case, I decided to heed the advice of my trainer. I made a huge cup of cinnamon tea - the real deal - I boiled the cin sticks in a pot of water!! It smelled amazing....like I was doing some Christmas baking. It was suprisingly sweet, even with no sugar added!! Now, the tea was great but I still felt like eating something so I made a huge salad and threw in some roasted chicken breast strips and almonds...it was good. I was stuffed!!
I really see the value of cleaning out all the junk out of your house because I tell you, if I had anything in here, it would have been ugly!! Anyway, I'm back on track...
The journey continues.....
Joania (2KMINE!!)
Okay, so I've been having a rough few days with the cravings...but it looks like it's over for now (I HOPE)!! This is the worse it's ever been and I know it will happen again, but I won this round!!
I want to say a HUGE THANK YOU to all of you for your suggestions and advice and just overall support!! It really means a lot. Although I agree that some times you need to let yourself have a break and give your body something sweet to change things up, I just don't believe that I AM at the point where I can SAFELY do that! So I didn't!! What I mean is that if I was to allow myself just one cookie or even a chocolate bar, that would just open the flood gates, unleash that eating machine that still resides inside of me!! So in this case, I decided to heed the advice of my trainer. I made a huge cup of cinnamon tea - the real deal - I boiled the cin sticks in a pot of water!! It smelled amazing....like I was doing some Christmas baking. It was suprisingly sweet, even with no sugar added!! Now, the tea was great but I still felt like eating something so I made a huge salad and threw in some roasted chicken breast strips and almonds...it was good. I was stuffed!!
I really see the value of cleaning out all the junk out of your house because I tell you, if I had anything in here, it would have been ugly!! Anyway, I'm back on track...
The journey continues.....
Joania (2KMINE!!)
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