Exercise & Nutrition: The Week in Review

With all the excitemet of the CN Tower climb, I realized I did not let you guys know how I did in terms of exercise and nutrition this week. Overall, I did really well. You will notice on Friday, I went out to lunch with a colleague. We went to a little Italian restaurant close to work where I had a salad with a small piece of lasagna - It was delicious!!! I also had an 8oz glass of iced tea...

WEDNESDAY

Exercise
I completed my strength training session today and since deciding to climb the CN Tower, I concentrated on making all my "leg" workouts REALLY count. I really tried to push hard on those squats. It felt great.
Unfortunately, I missed my lunchtime Kickboxing session. I was home with my son that day
Total Hours of Exercise: 1 hour, 35 mins

Nutrition
Breakfast: 4-egg white omlet with spinach, 800ml of water. Snack: small apple with almond butter, 500ml water. Lunch: cucumber & tomato salad with sardines, 500ml water. Snack: a small piece of grilled chicken, 500ml. Dinner: chicken & lentil soup with veggies, 800ml water. Snack: 10 almonds, cup of peppermint tea (unsweetened).
Total Water: 3100ml plus 500ml during workout = 3600ml(3.6 litres)

THURSDAY

Exercise
Jiu-jitsu class was really intense today! The moves were intense, so much so that my pant bottoms ripped with one of the moves LOL!! I only "lol" because I ALWAYS wear shorts under and I am soooooooooo thankful that I do!! There are a few females taking Jiu-jitsu and I noticed that not all of them wear shorts under...don't get me wrong, they wear undergarments, just not shorts. And in my case, I wouldn't want anything but shorts on display in the event that my pant bottoms ripped - WHICH IT DID!!

I also had a 30 minute session on the treadmill...it was a combination of walking and jogging. This time a little more jogging than walking.
Total Hours of Exercise: 1 hours, 30 mins

Nutrition
Breakfast: Bowl of steel cut oatmeal(cooked), 800ml of water. Snack: vanilla protein drink (made with 500ml of water). Lunch: grilled chicken breast with steamed broccoli, 500ml water. Snack: 1 boiled egg, 500ml. Dinner: grilled 3 oz eye of round steak, 1 small baked sweet potato, steamed asparagus, 800ml water. Snack: 10 almonds, 500ml.
Total Water: 3.6 litres + 1litre during workouts

FRIDAY

Exercise
I completed my strength training session today and found that my legs were burning!! I know I pushed hard on Mon & Wed and this is the reason - it's a good burn!
I did not make the 430 KB class today either because I had to relieve my husband as he was home with the baby today - we take shifts whenever our son's daycare worker is not available (unfortunately, she had a death in the family).
I did 30 minutes on the treadmill to make up for it.
Total Hours of Exercise: 2 hours, 5 mins

Nutrition
Breakfast: 2 boiled eggs, 1 turkey sausage, 800ml of water. Snack: small apple with almond butter, 500ml water. Lunch: small chef salad, a piece of lasagna, 8oz glass of iced tea (went out to lunch today). Snack: apple, 500ml. Dinner: Turkey chilli (ground turkey, red & green peppers, mushrooms, onions, 800ml water. Snack: cup of peppermint tea (unsweetened).
Total Water: 3100ml plus 500ml during workout = 3600ml(3.6 litres)

Tomorrow is Weigh-in Sunday.
Until then,

Joania

Day 19 of My 30 Day Countdown - TGIF!!

I am tired y'all! Tough week!

Had an awesome day of exercise today. Weight training session was really tough especially when working my arms as my shoulders were so sore from the day before (Jiu-jitsu class). However, I pushed through. My arms are still a bit sore right now. Sensei Derek taught my kickboxing class this evening and wow - excellent workout. We did quite a few "Derek Pushups" (slow and painful, each pushup lasts for a 10 count). I work so hard in that class and although I am cursing Sensei Derek's name for most of the class, it's so much fun and I get such an amazing sweat/workout!! Love it!

I forgot to mention in yesterday's post that I earned my second stripe on my white belt at the end of yesterday's jiu-jitsu class. I am just so proud and still can't believe that I am doing this. It's just amazing. My break falls are also getting much better! Practice, practice, practice. I'm really enjoying it now. :)

Food

B- bowl of oatmeal, 2 egg whites, boiled,
Sn - protein drink
L - steamed broccoli and grilled chicken brochette, 1 litre water
Sn - handful of almonds, 1/2 litre water
D - small grilled steak, steamed asparagus, 1 litre water
Sn - small green salad with 1/2 can tuna, 1/2 litre water

Drank approx 2 additional litres during workouts

So tomorrow is another weigh in...hoping for at least a 2-3 pound loss this week. Will post tomorrow! That's it for now

Day 15 of My 30 Day Countdown

Halfway there!! Today is Day 15!

Very quick post today

EXERCISE:

1.5 hour weight training session which was awesome...my legs were on fire this morning

45 minute kickboxing class - high cardio today. It was awesome.

FOOD:

B - 3 boiled eggs (egg whites only), grilled tomato slices (medium tomato), 1L water
Sn - protein drink (vanilla whey powder, water)
L - grilled chicken breast, steam mixed veggies (spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms), 1L water
Sn - handful of almonds, water (1/2 L)
D - roast beef, green salad (lettuce, cucumbers, green peppers), 1L water
Sn - 1 small baked sweet potato, 1/2 L water

All in all a very good day today both on food and exercising! I'm still pushing through but I'm a bit tired today so I'm turning in shortly. Tomorrow is a new day.

Also something I'm thinking about is to have to a big celebratory party at the end of this. I was thinking sometime in December but since it's so close to the holidays, it might not be a good time. My birthday is the end of February - I could hold off until then and just have a HUGE BIRTHDAY-END-OF-JOURNEY-BASH!!!! And that will give me a little extra time to REALLY tone up!! I would love to hear what do you guys think...any suggestions would be welcomed. Thanks :))

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

Oh My Gosh, I Thought You'd Be Smaller!!!

Wow!! People just never cease to amaze me...good and bad! One of my "friends" bumped into me today and said, and I quote, "wow, you did lose a lot of weight, I've heard all about your journey from so many people, but I really thought you'd be smaller!!!"

"Uh, thank you,I think?!! What was I supposed to say to that? What I wanted to say was, "Oh my goodness, F U very much!" But I didn't, I just nodded and listened and waved goodbye and got out of there as soon as I could. Whatever. Yes, I lost a lot of weight but I do still weigh 191 pounds on this five-foot-five frame, so I'm still a big girl, but significantly healthier and happier plus I could probably kick her a** two ways from Sunday with some of my martial arts moves and strength training!!!LOL!! Kidding! Ah, it takes all kinds to make this world turn!!!

On another note, today, I pulled up those size 16 jeans without undo-ing the button or zipper...cool!! The journey continues and I'm smiling all the way to the finish line :D

Anyway, today was a good exercise and food day!!I'm excited because I'll be seeing my girlfriend Janet this weekend and really looking forward to it! Haven't seen her in a few months as she lives out of town.

Time seems to be flying by...I need to meet up with Rob(the best trainer in the world - I'm not just saying that so he'll go easy on my with this final workout and meal plan) LOL!! Seriously, he has been so kind to me with his knowledge, support and time!! He genuinely cares about me and my health and goals. He's awesome. If you haven't yet checked him out, this is his website here.

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

Weigh-in Saturday ~ Week 43

Starting Weight: 258 lbs (Dec 10/08)
Last Weigh In: 192 lbs (Oct 3/09)
Current Weight: 191 lbs (Oct 10/09)
This Week's Loss: 1 lb

Another pound gone and out of my way!! YES!!! I am happy with the loss this week for a couple of reasons. First, a loss is a loss and is ALWAYS better than a gain!!! :) Secondly, it was one of my girlfriend's birthday so we celebrated by going to dinner at Moxie's and had a great time. To be honest, I was a bit worried that I would have had a gain this week so I am truly pleased!!

I've lost 67 pounds in total so far!!! 67 pounds!!!! I am 1 pound away from another reward (weekend getaway) and I "only" have 34 pounds left to go in order to achieve my 101 pound weight loss goal!! I can't believe how far I've come, I am so proud of myself!! As I was updating my blog, I also noticed that there are 9 weigh-ins left until the big one year weigh-in on December 10th!! Incredible!! Only 9 weeks left! :) This is just great! I think that birthday dinner celebration/planned cheat meal will be my last one for awhile. I may not have another one until my big final celebration in 9 weeks!!!!! I'll think about it and decide!! I'm pretty sure I'll do it!

This week, exercising was awesome - as always my weight training is challenging and effective and I'm really starting to get into the kickboxing and Jiu-jitsu classes for my cardio. I stuck to my eating hardcore...very healthy breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks and ensured I kept properly hydrated by consuming enough water. The only exception with my eating was the birthday dinner I mentioned above. I decided that I was going to have whatever I wanted and I did!!! It was amazing! I didn't feel any guilt because it was planned and it was only one meal and also, I got right back to business the following morning with an intense workout and right back on the nutrition plan. So here's what I had for my cheat meal session:

I started off with a couple of nibbles from a nacho plate...yum..yum...crunch..crunch!!More appetizers came out (dried ribs, sweet potato fries, sauteed mushrooms)....these were all shared but I know I consumed a lot of it....everything was delicious!! OH I almost forgot, I had a huge bellini (slushy type drink with alcohol - holy sugar!!) but it was yummy!!

My meal... I decided to go for the "fall off the bone" succulent slow roasted ribs with a loaded baked potato and a side of steamed broccoli (had to have some semblance of health on the plate)!! I then finished off the night with a sticky toffee pudding cake served with one scoop of vanilla ice cream and drizzled in caramel. Everything was D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S!!!!!!! I also had 3 shooters!! These things were amazing and I wanted more!! The ingredients: red bull, red sour and something else - I forgot what's in it but it's called a "FLORIDA TRACKSUIT"!! I don't know why, but it is GOOOD!!! My new favorite shooter!!

I had a fabulous time and what I'm starting to realize is that every now and then, this is exactly what I need. That whole "moderation" thing. After all it was only one meal! Not like in the past when I would eat like this every couple of days and not to mention all the other unhealthy stuff in between!! So it was a great time with great friends and great food! :)

Now, time for the food porn...at first site of the appetizers, I just started eating, then it later came to me to take some pics...lol. I took the pix with my cell phone so the quality is not the best, but here they are:
My Bellini: Slushy sweet alcohol drink! Yum! By the time I took the pic, the slush had melted (and half of it was gone, lol). I told you it was big.









Dinner: slow roasted ribs, loaded potato and broccoli. It was delicious!














Dessert: Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce - TO DIE FOR!!

Let's Check Out My Food...

Hi guys,

I have been really trying these past few days to take pictures of my meals - I find that it truly does help me to say on track and let me tell you, I can use all the help I can get. So here we go...

Dinner: this is baked chicken breast (with onions, garlic, mushrooms and red peppers) with mixed veggies (broccoli, spinach, red pepper, mushrooms, onions, skim milk, seasonned with pepper, curry, garlic & onion powder) with a very small amount of whole wheat spaghettini. It was delicious. I don't usually have pasta but I splurged. It really wasn't a lot (maybe 1/4 cup); more veggies than pasta!

Close-up... The following was for lunch one day. A simple garden salad (spring mix & cherry tomatoes) with left over roasted chicken breast shredded on top. About 1 Tbsp of home-made dressing (EVOO, pepper, vinegar). It was great, quick, tasty and more importantly - filling! :)

Close-up... (you can see...very, very light on the dressing).

Dinner: My husband cooked this one. He was the grillmaster on the BBQ...Salmon skewers with grilled zucchini. There was also corn on the cob which he prepared on the grill but I didn't have any.

The following was another quick lunch. Sliced cucumbers with canned sardines (in water). I literally sliced up about 1/2 of an English cucumber, opened the can of sardines and poured it in the same bowl, added pepper, mixed it all up and ate it!!! No dressing required as the water from the sardines did the job. It was yummy - I've always liked sardines.

Close up...

Dinner: Roasted chicken leg with steamed broccoli and sweet potato mash! I baked a whole chicken (seasonned with pepper, garlic & onion powder, cayenne pepper). I baked the sweet potato in the oven, once it was done, scooped out the potato from skin and mashed it up in a bowl. It was quite moist. That's it!! This was a very filling meal and I had a lot of chicken left over to use in salads and for another dinner. Below is a close-up. So that's it so far. I have also been drinking between 3-4 litres of water each day. Hoping I can continue taking these pics. Just knowing that I have to take a picture helps me to plan what exactly I will be eating! Anyway, that's it for now, just a "food pic" post.

Until next time...

Joania (2KMINE!!!)

Had A Good Week

Hi guys,

Just wanted to pop on quickly to tell you all that yesterday (Thursday) was a great day!! I ate very well for the ENTIRE day (including dinner at a restaurant with colleagues).

THURSDAY

For breakfast I had:
2 boiled eggs (egg whites only)
about 1/2 cup of fresh fruit (oranges, apples and cantaloupe)
yogurt
3 cups of water

Morning Snack
Small banana

Lunch
green salad
2 thinly sliced pieces of roast beef
a few pieces of raw broccoli
750ml bottle of water

Dinner
1/4 chicken (BBQ'd, sauce on the side)
Steamed veggies (mix of broccoli, red onions, zuccini, red peppers and carrots)
1 glass of iced tea (unsweetened-and not a very big glass I might add - it was one of those slim, sleek ones)
several glasses of water

FRIDAY

This morning I had a pretty good breakfast...
2 eggs with a sprinkle of grated cheddar and about 2 teaspoons of salsa
1/2 cup of fruit
2 cups of water

Lunch
grilled chicken, onions, red & green pepper wrap (ww tortilla) with a salad
591ml bottle of water

Dinner
Roasted curried chicken breast
2cups broccoli
3 cups water

It was difficult sticking to those choices, temptation was so strong but in the end I am so happy that I stuck with it!! I did not have one drop of alcohol of any kind!! Usually, when I travel, especially if I go out to dinner with colleagues, I tend to have a beer or a glass of wine. I think it's the whole social aspect connected to it however, this time around I made a point of not having a drink...it was tough but obviously it's do-able!

On the exercise front, I hit the treadmill hard and for the first time since starting to train for my upcoming 5k (October 4 - CIBC Run For The Cure - check out my training blog for details here.) I was able to run continuously for 10 minutes (at level 5.6 on the treadmill) and did the walk/run combination for the remaining 25 minutes. I felt awesome!! Tomorrow, I will try to go for 11 minutes! I did my weight training routine on Wednesday evening and it was awesome (still working on those pull-ups!!). Tonight, I will do my weight training routine and continue on.

Weigh in tomorrow...very interested to see the results especially because I really tried hard to stick to the program.

So overall, it wasn't a bad week with a few exceptions which I mentionned in my last post.

Until tomorrow...
Joania (2KMINE!!!)

How To Get Fat Without Even Trying

Hi everyone....

Hope you all had a nice weekend.

A few weeks back, someone left an anonymous comment on one of my posts with a link to the following mini documentary. I didn't want to post it until I got a chance to view it. Well, I watched it and I must say that, this is a very facinating documentary that runs about 45mins with a few interruptions of sponsor messages (commercials). Thank you "anonymous" for this link. It's worth watching if you have some time; quite interesting. Please click on the title below to view.

How to Get Fat Without Really Trying (Peter Jennings Reporting, 2003)

Obesity is fast on its way to becoming the nation’s largest and most costly public health problem. While much of the public debate about obesity has focused on personal responsibility, PETER JENNINGS REPORTING: HOW TO GET FAT WITHOUT EVEN TRYING reveals how federal government agricultural policies and food industry practices are contributing to America’s growing obesity epidemic.

I do agree with a lot of the points brought forth in this documentary as it relates to contributing to our current situation with obesity (both in the U.S and here in Canada). However, I do also believe that we each have to take personal responsibility for ourselves and children, by making healthier choices when it comes to foods and including physical activity. Anyway, looking forward to your comments on this documentary.


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

On the Road Again...

I knew going into this that this journey would be long and as I'm learning each day, it will be filled with ups and downs. How I deal with those ups and downs is one of the things that will impact whether or not I succeed on this journey. I just need to stay on the road and I WILL succeed on this journey. I am so appreciative of the amount of support that I have from my family, friends, trainer and blogging friends/family!! Thank you so much for the kind words and always rooting me on!!

Now, I'm coming off a 2 pound gain last week which put me back in the land of Twoterville. A place where I am unfortunately quite familiar. As I sit in this "land", I am comfortable and I'm nervous at the same time. I am nervous that the feeling of comfort comes so naturally. I can see how easy it would be to fall back into my old ways. I think the nerves are here because I know for a fact that this is no longer for me. My time has come!! I am also CERTAIN!! I am certain that I no longer want to live here and although I left this place before (during this journey and on a few other "unhealthy" occassions), this is the first time that I'm giving it this much thought. I now have a better understanding of why I've lived here for such a long time even knowing that I needed to move out and everyday, I'm finding out a little bit more.

It is very easy to live here in Twoterville...it requires very little to no effort on my part, but it also means that I don't make myself a priority and that I take myself and my health for granted. Making that conscious move to Onderland will be difficult at first, but I will get use to it and will start reaping the benefits. I'm ready. I may be somewhat dramatic here, but I really feel like this is turning the page to start writing a new chapter of my story, always remembering (but not dwelling on) the events of my past. I've got to remember where I came from in order to get to where I'm going but I need to make the necessary adjustments to make it successful. In this case, I must always make the effort to remember how long I stayed in Twoterville, including how close I came to moving to a place where the name starts with "Three...."!! Most importantly I need to understand the reasons why I stayed there and FOCUS or should I say, RE-FOCUS on the reasons I have for getting out!!

So all this is part of working out those "mental muscles" as well as the physical ones!! I'm back on the road and the journey continues. I will give it my best and I know the results will follow.

Cheat meal over and back on track. I had a bowl of creamy fettuccini pasta with a nice piece of chocolate mousse cake for dessert and 2 glasses of white zinfandel. It was yummy. This morning, I had a 3-egg white and spinach omlette for breakfast, a grilled chicken breast with salad for lunch, a boiled egg for snack...lots and lots of water (about 3 litres so far) and I haven't yet decided on dinner...probably fish..salmon on the grill with grilled veggies!! I'm back on track and feeling great.

Anyway, that's all my ramblings for now.

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

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!!!)

A Fun Day ...Lessons Learned

Hi guys!! I had a GREAT time on Parliament Hill yesterday celebrating Canada Day with my family!! It was wonderful.

So yesterday, I decided that I was going to eat whatever I wanted. It would be my "free" day where food was concerned. I don't believe in "cheat" days, I never want to feel guilty for eating something. I realize that all things must be consumed in moderation but it's also important (very important, actually) for me to be able to live and enjoy certain foods from time to time without any burdening guilt attached. And I did just that!

My family and I usually have a jumbo grilled italian sausage with a poutine (a combination of fries, gravy and cheese curds) on Canada Day..it's become tradition and this year would be no different. Here's what I had to eat:

1. A medium poutine (I so wanted to get a large one but thought better of it). It was delicious (see picture below)
   
2. A jumbo grilled italian sausage - I thought I would load it up with all sorts of toppings (saukrout, hot peppers, onions, pickles - but I ended up just adding ketchup). It was so yummy.
   
3. I also washed it all down with a can of Coke and my goodness was that ever sweet!! I don't remember coke tasting so sweet..it was "almost" disgusting...almost! LOL!!
4. On our way home that evening, we stopped off and picked up Chinese food - chicken fried rice, chicken balls, garlic spare ribs...YUMMY!! I had a pretty decent-sized plate and OMG....yum-a-licious!!!
5. We put the kids to bed and my girlfriend and I capped off the night with a few (3 or 4) cocktails - chopped pineapples, chopped strawberries, VODKA and tropical flavor five alive juice with ice....YUMMMMMMMY!!!

So it's fair to say that I had a great time yesterday and surprisingly, my stomach held up...for now....

So here's my annual "Canada Day Face-stuffing" shot. I put up last year's pic to compare. I can really notice the weight loss, especially in my face. Check it out...





Canada Day 2008

Canada Day 2009

Now that I've posted these pix side by side, I notice a huge change in my arms and face. Wow!! What a difference 57 pounds make!!

We do a lot of walking on Canada Day. My husband always thinks we're nuts for walking so much..he's always so tired after! :) We spend the whole time (about 5-6 hours) walking around from place to place, checking things out (vendors, shows etc)...so I think I got a good amount of cardio in for the day! :)

Back to my stomach holding up.....So how did I feel after eating all that greasy, yummy, fatty, sweet, wonderfully tasting food??? I FELT GREAT and SOOOOOOOOOOOO satisfied......until about....4 in the morning when I was awakened by serious stomach cramps....oh my goodness, I FELT HORRIBLE!!! Let's just say, I spent a whole lot of time on that "porcelain throne". It was not good!!! I made a number of "frequent visits" to that throne right through the morning. I started feeling better around 11am!! MY BODY LET ME DOWN, Y'ALL!! I felt awful!! I did go a bit overboard yesterday (lessons learned) but that's in the past and I'm back in the groove....back to business!! I have no guilty feelings about it!!

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

Saturday Weigh-In ~ Week 26

Starting Weight: 258 lbs (Dec 10/08)

Last Weigh In: 205 lbs (June 3/09)

Current Weight: 204 lbs

This Week's Loss: 1lb!!!

Considering the week I've had....I WILL HAPPILY TAKE THIS ONE POUND LOSS!!!


This week was so very busy for me work wise. Staying in a hotel and eating out for every meal as well as long demanding days, makes it very difficult to stay on track! For the most part I stayed on track with some of my eating, but I did let myself go when it came to dinner. I had perfectly healthy breakfasts and lunches but dinners were a problem for me. One evening I had one slice of pizza, another night I had chicken quesadillas and another, I had lasagna. The one good thing was that I found that I could not eat a lot. In the past, I could polish off a medium pizza all to myself. However after eating about 3 quarters of the slice, I was full. The lasagna was a small order which I shared with colleagues - so not so bad and same thing for the quesadillas...I only ate half. So all in all it wasn't that bad.


SO What Was Bad???

1. In 4 days, I only managed to get one workout in...which is really sad. As I metionned, my days were very long and tiring, I got to bed late pretty well every night. I didn't get much sleep. Anyway, I don't want to sound like I'm providing excuses. I sucked when it came to working out.


2. I enjoyed the "liquid" diet a little more than I should. I did not resist on the alcohol. When it came to the pizza, it was accompanied by beer, I had some wine with my lasagna and more beer with my quesadillas and when it came to the last night (closing ceremonies), lets just say I enjoyed a nice variety from the liquid menu selection! :) I had a great time!!

Anyway, it's over. I will need to get in touch with my trainer to get my new program. Then get moving. When my photographer (husband) gets home, I will take my monthly pix and post them for your perusal.

Until next time...

Joania (2KMINE!!!)

The Ottawa Citizen Interview

I had the follow-up interview with Alison Korn of the Ottawa Citizen today. It was really good talking with her. She asks such great questions and I really liked the last article she wrote. So I am looking forward to this one as well. I will provide them with a current picture as well!

The article should run in either the June 11 (Thursday) or June 13 (Saturday) edition of the paper. As soon as it's confirmed, I will let you know. I will post the link to the on-line version as well!

I've had a great day today! A good workout; good, healthy food and two great telephone interviews!! Awesome!!!

Until next time...

Joania (2KMINE!!!)

Last Week's Weigh-In...oh oh!!

Starting Weight: 258 lbs (Dec 10/08)
Last Weigh In: 208 lbs (May 16/09)
Current Weight: 210 lbs

This Week's Loss: NO LOSS...+2 lb GAIN!!!!!!!!


Okay first off, I am not upset with this 2 pound gain. I just need to figure out why, not why I gained the weight - just why I always seem to "put it in cruise control" when I'm doing well!!

This is the first time during this journey that I've gained weight and I truly hope it will be the last. I would like to say that these two pounds is from all the muscle I'm building BUT I know that may not be it. Seeing my little "weight loss progress badge" on the right side of the blog, go from '50lbs lost' back to '48lbs lost', really hit me and hopefully was enough to get me back on track!! This gain is from me not being 90% or better (my own goal for myself) with regards to my food and exercise!! And really, that's the secret to success, at least where weight loss is concerned. Eating the right foods and getting the right amount of exercise!! I KNOW THIS!!! Doing it, is what's difficult!!

The Last 3 Days...

While I was in Edmonton, I worked out EVERYDAY and stuck hardcore to my exercise training plan. I was also very good with my eating plan with the exception of having some alcohol and 1 and a 1/2 slices of pizza (small slice). I don't want to make excuses...just want to be straight!!I don't know what's going on with me, but I did not work out on Friday (I travelled that day - but that's no excuse) Saturday (got lazy), or Today (even lazier)!!! Why am I doing this?? Saturday night, I had a peanut butter sandwich on white bread!!!! It was sooo good. I literally said F' it and proceeded to eat it!! Why do I do this??


I can think of nothing that happened to trigger this. Home life is fine, work life is fine (busy, but fine)! I really need to understand why this happens. This journey is not only about me getting healthy and losing the weight, it's also, and most importantly, about me breaking that vicious cycle that has me sabbotaging my progress and regaining whatever weight I had lost!! I am committed to this journey but it seems that I have to kick this up a notch, I feel like I'm slipping and I know that I shouldn't be, because I've been doing so well. Arrrghghhgh...frustrating!!


Being Fat is Sometimes Comforting...

This may seem strange to some, but bieng overweight/obese/fat (whatever you call it) is somewhat comforting. For me, it's easier and I'm willing to bet that quite a few people out there would agree with me on this one! Before embarking on this journey, I would wake up, eat whatever I wanted for breakfast (if I ate at all) and go about my day, stopping periodically to "snack" on whatever I wanted. At work, I could go to the cafeteria downstairs and ordered whatever I wanted for lunch, most of the times not even thinking about what I ordered (usually way too much food - poutine, coca cola, something cheesy and rich with that insta mix gravy).

I would walk through the mall, go straight to the food court and had my fill of unhealthy choices. I wrote before of my love of Cinnabuns! I could order out whenever I wanted to and whatever I wanted to at pretty much anytime of day or night. That was the worst of them all, because after ordering my food from the telephone or internet, I would plop down on the couch, in front of the television as I ate.

As for clothes, I would make an effort for work, but at home it was usually some oversized T's and a comfy (there's that word again) pair of track or jogging pants, that just stretched with me - so the more weight I gained, the more my pants stretched. This is one of the reasons I felt so amazing when I fit into those size 16 non-stretch jeans!!

I hated walking (still not my fav, but I do it more often now)! I rarely moved but to get to and from places like the kitchen, bedroom, bathroom etc. I barely said the word "exercise" much less DID any!!

My lifestyle now is wonderful, I love how great I feel after dong 30 pushups or after strength training for an hour. When I first jogged for 1 full minute on the treadmill without stopping, I felt like I just ran and finished a marathon - I was so proud. When I run up my flight of stairs at home and it doesn't phase me one bit, I feel awesome!! I'm running around with my son and HE'S getting tired before me...this is why I'm doing this. I love these feelings of pride, confidence (not that I wasn't confident before - just more so now) and energy!

When I travel on business and eat out at amazing restaurants for EVERY MEAL and stay on track, effortlessy making healthy choices, I feel such pride.

So why the hell am I not staying on track?? Why am I doing this??

Well, I'll tell you right now, as of 5am tomorrow morning, I WILL BE BACK ON TRACK!!!! I don't think I've done any kind of damage that can't be repaired!!! This is just a minor bump in the road and I WILL get through it! I love how strong and proud I feel when I'm on track! The positive energy that surrounds me is just amazing!!

So, that's it for now. I slipped up, messed up a bit, BUT WILL BE BACK ON TRACK and moving forward as of this moment.

Until next time...

Joania (2KMINE)

OH, What a Night!!!

Well y'all, I've got a lot to say today, the good, the good, the alcohol!!! :)

The Good

Last night was my mini high school reunion; I believe I mentionned it briefly in a previous post. Now it wasn't a full blown reunion, just a group of friends (about 25) from the same graduating year, getting together after not seeing each other since high school (in this case, since 1992), at a nice restaurant to share food, drinks, memories, fabulous conversation and to have a great time!! It was wonderful, I had such an amazing time. Seeing everyone brought back memories, great stories and lots and lots of laughs!! It was such great fun. We hope to do it again next year!!

The Good

My trainer actually gave me carte blanche, well "carte grey" actually , to enjoy myself. I emailed him prior to tell him that I would be attending and I had all intentions of enjoying myself that evening with little to no restrictions. He responded, "Have a great time at your reunion, BUT, if you're going to drink, stay away from fatty foods!" So I took that as one or the other, but not both. Initially, I thought to myself , "Oh man, I'm going to this fabulous Italian restaurant and I could either have a nice pasta dish but no alcohol or vice versa!" I didn't know if I was going to listen to my trainer last night! Do I delete his email and pretend it got lost in cyber space so that I could eat whatever I wanted to? Do I eat and drink what I want and just apologize later?? Oh what to do?? Well I decided to listen to my trainer and just have one or the other!! I worked out that morning and ate all healthy meals throughout the day with the exception of dinner, which I had prior to going to the restaurant...I had 2 small beef fajita's with onions, mushrooms and broccoli and a little shredded cheddar cheese....should've had whole wheat tortilla shells but I didn't...

The Alcohol

I decided to drink y'all AND BOY DID I EVER!! I had a nice buzz going from very early on in the evening. I had a strawberry daquiri with my dinner and drank vodka spiked grape KoolAid prior to leaving my house. My girlfriend was with me so it made it way more fun!! When we finally got to the restaurant for the reunion (around 830pm), I started with a glass of red wine and asked the waiter what his name was, as I knew I'd be calling on him often!!! Once that red wine hit my tongue, it was almost magical and I just couldn't wait to have another - GUILT FREE!! It was awesome!! My best friend from high school was my drinking buddy last night and we fell right back into our old highschool ways ...it felt great....free....fun and no inhibitions..okay, okay, I was toasted all night. There was a smile as big and bright as the moon across my face and I just remember giggling the entire night. See pic below with my BF on the left and a friend from high school who btw, has not aged one second since then!!!! We had such fun last night.

It was amazing!! We had such a blast. I had wine, white russians, and shooters of all kinds (i don't even remember the cute names that went along with each different one I tried that night - I'm referring to the shooters here!!). I felt like a crazy teenager again....Such a fun night and I really did not miss the fatty foods at all....maybe it's because there's was never a moment that I didn't have a drink in my hand!! LOL!!!

I have lots more to write but unfortunately, I have to sign off...will be back later. I am leaving again for another business trip and I need to get packed and prepped, but my laptop will be with me, so I will continue posting later.

BTW, please note that I am wearing a new top that actually shows my arms (I would have never worn that before) there is some definition (probably not visible), the top is an XL...no more 3x, 2x or 1x!!!! I'm also wearing another pair of size 16 jeans!!!

Until next time...

Joania (2KMINE!!!!)

I'm BACK and I WAS BAD!!!

Hi everyone,


Another successful business trip done and over with (until the next one). I'm so glad to be home, very tired and thankfully the weather here is just beautiful (25 degrees celcius)!! I plan to sit in my back yard and veg today!! May go for a walk later this evening!

I tried so very hard to stay on track...didn't miss a workout...it's not too difficult when the hotels afford you top of the line fitness facilities, so that part was no problem....HOWEVER, those hotels and nearby RESTAURANTS also afford you top of the line FOODS!!! That's the problem!!!! My first two days, I did very well, stayed on track for MOST of the time, but I STRAYED a bit.

I don't know what it was, but this time I just found it so difficult to stay totally true to the diet....as I mentionned, I killed the workouts, but the diet got me!! As I said at the very beginning of this blog, I WILL BE HONEST and not only with successes but "slip-ups" as well. I do not consider this a failure and I've already put it behind me and after I finish this post, I will take it out of my mind altogether. So here comes the honesty - with pictures!!

Anyway, my flight was at 2:00pm that day. I woke up, did my exercises, had breakfast (3 scrambled egg whites with green peppers & onions), dropped my son off to daycare with and extra long hug and kiss, and went off to work. Left work for airport. I had a chicken wrap for lunch (which I grabbed at a restaurant at the airport)....wasn't good with my snacks. By the time I got checked into hotel, I was starving!! Here's a pic of my dinner on night 1.

This is steamed veggies (spinach, green and yellow beans, red peppers, olive oil, garlic) served with a fish called, "cobia". Never heard of this fish before but it was delicious - white, meaty and quite flavourful. I also had a glass of H2O with this meal. It was great ..restaurant was Canyon Creek! Sorry picture quality not so great...I didn't use flash - pretty good for my phone's camera, though.

The next morning we (my colleagues and I) had breakfast at the hotel restaurant and then checked out as we were off to a different city for more meetings. The breakfast was buffet style and offered lots of healthy options. I had just worked out and was very hungry!

A hard-boiled egg and a slice of cheese -which I wrapped up and put in my purse to eat as my morning snack a few hours later.

Breakfast: Scrambled eggs, two small turkey sausages, small bowl of fruit (did not eat grapes - extra sour) and a glass of water. Then went off to my conference meeting.

Lunch was provided so choice was limited however, I believe I made the best of it by having the following:

This is a garden salad, sprinkled with feta cheese (just a little, as you can see) with 1/2 of a whole wheat tortilla wrap (thinly sliced oven-roasted turkey breast, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese) and about a litre of water.

After conference, we drove to our next destination and checked into our hotel, got settled and went out for dinner. We found this great restaurant where I had a steak with a salad and some baked sweet potato fries (sorry didn't get a pic) but it was goooooood!! Sometimes, I feel a little funny taking pix of my food depending on where I am and how packed the place is. Anyway, this is where the problems started. I shared some fried calamari with my colleagues...they were delicious!! I also had DESSERT!!!! There were three of us and we shared two desserts!! I know I should have been stronger but just reading the options on the menu made me want it so bad!! I just couldn't resist - well, I probably could resist but I didn't!! AND OMG, was it ever yummy!!! They were delicious - I did manage to get a pic of that (the restaurant had emptied at that time)....

This is one of them - no words can do this justice so I'll just let you look at it. All I need to say is CHOCOLATE!!

Here's the other dessert......

Cheesecake with Chocolate

As I mentionned earlier, these beauties were "shared".....I'm certain I had the most of my colleagues.....here's a pic, showing that we did share them - please take note of the THREE forks!

SIN-sharing!!

EVIL!!(but tasty)...

The next morning I woke up, feeling guilty but not as guilty as I thought I would and I don't know if that's good or bad but I decided to forget about it and get my workout done....and I did. Met with my colleagues and we went off to the Market Fresh for breakfast. I had an eggwhite and vegetable omlet with water. I was back on track!! :)

It was quite good (green pepp, mushrooms, onions)

Anyway, I am now back on track with my eating but I know that my "slip-ups" may have affected my weigh-in. I've just weighed in this morning as I wasn't able to on Wednesday. My next post will show the results of my sins! Stay tuned..

Until next time...

Joania (2KMINE!!!)

Food Pix

Here are a few shots of some of the food I ate when I was away. Again, I didn't find it difficult to make healthy choices because it was always available.

This pic - steamed veggies (broccoli, cabbage, onions) and beef on the grill (yum)!!

This was from an all -you-can-eat sushi restaurant in Vancouver. Great atmosphere. I DO NOT LIKE SUSHI so thankfully there were lots of other items on the menu that I could eat. There was a grill in the middle of the table so that we could grill/cook our own meat/fish. Now although this may sound like a cool concept to some - I have a sneaking feeling that the owners are in the back laughing at everyone, thinking to themselves," look at them, they pay us money to come here and cook their own food!" :)

It was great though and the food was quite tasty.

This was one of my breakfast from the hotel. Fluffy scrambled egg whites, some veggies and a side of fruit (strawberries & pineapples).

This was pretty tasty and very filling!

This was a spicy shrimp and veggie strifry.

It came with rice but I just ask the server to substitute with extra veggies. She did one better and substituted with roasted veggies. It was delicious, so flavourful...so good!

Now, I didn't take pictures of ALL my meals - on some days, I just grabbed a quick lunch while working from the cafeteria like a tuna and veggie wrap on whole wheat tortilla) with a bottle of water....or a quick soup. I did have some sweet potato fries one day..just couldn't pass them up - they were shared though!

Anyway just a few shots....

Joania (2KMINE!!)

ST. PATTY'S & MY GIRLFRIEND JB....

This individual has been my friend for 20+ years and together, we've done a lot of fun and crazy things which will bring us to tears as we laugh about it, to this day!! It doesn't take much to get us going! I cannot imagine my life without her...anyway, this is not intended to be a sappy post. I can just see her face as she reads this laughing to herself and probably saying, "I can't believe she's writing about me and our craziness in her blog!!" or something to that effect!

Anyway, JB and I absolutely LOVE St. Patrick's Day!!! Well, maybe it's more the festivities that we like because if any one of us were quizzed on the history or origin of St. Patty's - we'd fail miserably!! I'm certain all of our responses would include either "leprechaun" or "green beer"!! It has been our longstanding tradition of just getting together and "doing it up right" on St. Patty's Day. For us, the festivities usually starts very early in the afternoon and goes strong until the wee hours of the morning!!

In the past, this involved the consumption of "a few" beverages, followed by a few more and so on and so on until very early the following morning where we'd ALWAYS end up asking the taxi driver to take us to the 24-hour drive thru McDonalds, where we ordered a massive amount of greasy, fatty food. I'm talking, double Big Macs, Supersize Fries, Coke and Apple Pies!!! I swear, it's the only thing we wanted to eat after a day on the "liquid diet" and it was just AMAZING! Can anyone relate to this, or are we just nuts?? Anyway, that's how we would normally spend St. Patty's Day, in the past!

This Year...

I will be in Edmonton on business on St. Patty's Day!! This year, on St. Patty's Day, I will have just completed my third straight month on this wonderful journey following a highly effective, customized diet and exercise plan which does not include my traditional "St. Patty's Day Food and Beverage Choices"!!!! THIS YEAR, on St. Patty's Day, although I will be in Edmonton, SO WILL MY GIRLFRIEND JB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I don't know if was fate or if it was planned (I WILL never tell!!) but we will BOTH be in Edmonton on St Patty's Day and I think it was meant to be...

Oh, what to do????

First off, my girlfriend in no way wants to sabbotage my journey and has been extremely supportive from the very beginning and even before!! So "what I do" will be totally my decision...we could have a good time either way..Honestly, there is no pressure from her at all!! I just don't want anyone thinking that she's sabbotaging me in anyway!!!

So here are some facts:

1. I have been just amazing on this diet and exercise plan, and for the most part (except those 4 choc eggs recently), I've stayed true.
   
2. I didn't have cake or alcohol on my 35th birthday!!
   
3. I didn't have any chocolate on Valentine's Day!!
   
4. So far this year I've done very well and 3 months is a very long time.
   
5. I have all intentions of remaining on this journey and reaching my goals by Dec 2009!

I've always said that I don't want this new lifestyle to consume me and I also don't want to miss out on my life and things I enjoy doing because of it even though I realize and accept that I do have to make a lot of sacrifices and give up certain things....so I'm in yet another position where I have to make a huge decision regarding either food, chocolate, alcohol or all of the above!!! I also don't want to always have to be in these types of positions. I want to be able to just live and enjoy my life while respecting the boundaries of my program. It's all about finding that balance and learning how to live within it....I think that's a bigger struggle than losing the weight, itself - for me anyway!

So that's it for now....as always, I will be honest in whatever I do; with whatever decision I make regarding St. Patty's Day!! You will be informed...either way!!

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!!!)

Sunday BLOG LOVE - GRATITUDE

Hi guys,

Today's post will be all about gratitude...

When I started on this journey almost 3 months ago, I had a few different sources of inspiration and reasons for embarking on this journey. Number 1, was my 2 year old son - getting healthy to be around for him and be able to play with him was top of my list. My husband and family - just to be around to enjoy life with them! My health - just to do it for me...I did not want to be young and unhealthy or unhealthy, period!!! A few of my friends had lost loads of weight before and they also inspired me beyond belief (Julie and Jude), and lastly, Rosy, a woman who embarked on a body transformation project and successfully achieved her goals; she blogged about it, although she was not the first to lose weight and/or do it publically, she and her blog were inspirational nonetheless. I've always loved keeping journals and diaries and decided I too would journalize my journey, only this time electronically!

I wanted to write today about all the fabulously wonderful and supportive individuals on weight loss journeys, transformation projects or simply attempting to get healthy!! These are individuals who regularly check in with me, comment on my blog; whose own blogs bring me such wonderful inspiration and motivation, support, tips and tricks, and sometimes just simple entertainment.

I've come to find out that there is a very large community of individuals who are "blogging to lose" (myself included)! This has been going on for years and years!! I've been lucky to make contact with quite a few individuals who've gone through the process (successfully and some trying for the second or third time); those who are currently going through the process (like myself) and those maintaining after being extremely successful in the process. Their blogs are so inspiring and entertaining! It's wonderful.

There are also several websites dedicated to blogging for weightloss and/or overall health, even blogger conferences!! It's all been amazing and rather enlightening to me. Anyway, I think it's high time I showed some love to these individuals as they have helped me so much along the way and some may not even realize just how much. Some people feel that they are alone in their journeys and projects but I'm here to say that you're not!! Also, I've been receiving so many comments from individuals complimenting me on my blog and wanting to know how to start one of their own. I figured it was a good time to write this and show them that there is support out there, if they want it!!

Well, I am certainly not the first to create a blog of this nature nor embark on this sort of journey; and from all the blogging friends I've met over the past few months, these types of blogs have been in existence for years and years! I'm not sure that we could even pinpoint the first person who started - if anyone out there knows who was the first body-transfoming-weightloss-journey-blogger, please share!!!!!

There are so many wonderful transformations and weight loss success stories, journeys and projects going on! It's great!! These blogs/bloggers act as wonderful support/inspirational system for me and many others worldwide. They comment on my posts, give me advice - especially when it's something that they themselves have already gone through or dealt with or currently going through. It's amazing. Sometimes it's as simple as just finding strength from one of their posts.

One of my favourite blogs is by FatBridesmaid. She is amazingly honest and candid, whitty and just always seems to have the right things to say. Every Tuesday, she hosts an open, "let's all watch the TV show Biggest Loser together" live blog/chat event. It's just fabulous and I enjoy it so much. Thanks FB.

Another blog which I try to read everyday, as it is such a wonderful source of honesty, inspiration, motivation and pure entertainment is the anti-jared. He is fabulous. This man lost over 200 pounds in a year and has the pictures to prove it, y'all!! He has a very keen sense of humour and I just love the way he writes. He is my daily dose of inspiration and sometimes humour!! His only flaw - he loves cauliflower...yuck!!! Thanks Tony!!

Speaking of sense of humour and whit, Karen from Fitcetera. First off, I just love her - I love that she is "crazy ass happy and hopes that everyone else is too!" She is very honest with her journey and owns up to it!! I look forward to her blog as she exudes strength and inspiration. Keep it going girl!! :)

There's a woman who lives in Japan and I just adore her blog, ADivaOnADiet. I love her outlook on life (especially spiritual) and the manner in which she chronicles her weightloss struggle as a whole. I love her candid approach as well - her blog is quite inspirational to me. Keep on keeping on, girl!

Another one of my fav's is TheVegNextDoor. Her blog is full of wonderful and delicious recipes. I go there frequently for food ideas and suggestions. She's kind enough to put up pics and ingredients on her site - great stuff and delicious. She's helped to make my cooking life a bit easier!! Her "Neat Balls"...YUMMY!!!! Thanks!

Speaking of yummy foods, on this blog, TheIncredibleShrinkingFamily has loads of healthy alternative recipes and mouth watering food pics and just an overall great blog for inspiration showing you how to get it done with your family!!

As you can see, I could go on and on. There are so many from which I draw inspiration that I will from time to time mention more of my fav's, there are sooo many...like NIA (but for whatever reason I can't link to her blog) she regular checks in with me and sends me encouraging notes, and I always look forward to her comments and suggestions -thanks Nia!

I really would like to mention all of you and hopefully I will get the opportunity in future posts. When I make it to that finish line, I hope you will all of be there with me so that we can all celebrate like it's nobody's business!! You guys are awesome.Although I am thankful for all these blogs and blogger support/friends, I can't say enough about all the support I receive from ALL of you (including my non-blogging friends)...SO THANK YOU!!! Anyway, just thankful to all the people who started these "blogs to lose", "journeys", "transformation projects", etc.etc..

I also want to thank my trainer Rob, who has just been amazingly helpful and more importantly available to me. Thanks for your suggestions, knowledge and ALWAYS cheering me on!

So for any of you out there looking to embark on your own weight loss or body transformation journeys, and/or want to start and maintain a blog while you progress - take comfort in the fact that even though you're not the first, you're not alone. There is lots of support out there.

Until next time....


Joania (2KMINE!!!)