Reach Your Goal Fast and Avoid Pitfalls

Hi guys,

A post from my trainer, Rob Lagana.

The importance of periodization training: Training too often and trying to adapt in too many different ways all at once (power, strength, hypertrophy, endurance) will result in overtraining.

A smart approach is to use periodization training. Periodization training is simply a planned training program.

You can have weekly, monthly and yearly exercise training plans.

It has been shown to be an effective form of program design.

The primary benefit is to allow for maximum levels of adaption and minimize overtraining.

You can train different forms of strength and control your volume of training. With periodization training you can write down your progress and then reassess your training either on a weekly or monthly basis.

This can help you avoid stagnation, training plateaus, overtraining and assist you with reaching your goal faster.

Overtraining is like an overload to your system. The body can't keep up with the adaptations your trying to meet in your fitness, bodybuilding or sports training.

If your using periodization training for sports, you will greatly benefit by progressively adapting to increased levels of volume training and avoid overtraining.

Some symptoms of exercise overtraining are:

Loss of appetite
Headaches
Depression
Decreased Immunity
Sudden drop in performance
General Irritability
Insomnia
Gradual Increase in Muscle Soreness

By using the a planned program such as periodization training, Overtraining syndrome is easily preventable. Unfortunately, most athletes avoid periodaztion training because they rely too much on their instincts. By design your instincts tell you to remain comfortable or ignore the above symptoms because when you start reaching an over trained state, your instincts which are your internal feedback mechanism will not give you an absolute accurate decision to treat and avoid overtraining.

Robert Lagana
http://www.laganafitness.com

Robert Lagana has been weight training and helping people for over 16 years. He has competed in numerous bodybuilding competitions and is a multi-title winner. He currently holds the 2006 Mr. Canada Natural Bodybuilding title in the NFSO & IFSB. Along with experience, He teaches natural muscular development as a therapeutic approach.

Great info...thanks Rob!!
Joania (2KMINE!!!)

The 7 Essential Habits Of A Successful Fitness Routine

Hi everyone,

This is very helpful information written by my trainer Rob. I thought I would share with my blog friends. Hope it helps.

To get the most out of fitness routine, you need to develop habits that will focus your efforts in the gym and move you forward toward your goals. These are my 7 essential habits that I have developed and use on a daily basis which bring me success in the gym.

1. Have your body parts, exercises, sets and reps planned out in your head before you start your workout.

2. Perform the movement warm-up, usually a couple of sets, before you start your actual workout. Perform static stretching (hold each stretch for 30 sec.) after your workout for 5-10 minutes on the body parts you have trained.

3. Tune out all distractions when starting your first exercise. You've already had your warm-up and stretches to get ready to tune them out, so you got no excuses. Leave your cell phone in the locker. Listen to your iPod if you can't tune out other people talking or the crappy music playing in the gym.

4. While performing each repetition, feel the goal of what each body part is trying to achieve, meaning feel the movement and your kinetic chain working together. Do this for every exercise. If you don't know what to look for, study the mechanics of the exercise or hire a personal trainer. Add the technique of visualization before starting your set. Visualize the intensity before you start, then DO IT.

5. Pay attention to your core, while performing your exercises. Your core is made up of 29 muscles that attach to the lumbo‐pelvic‐hip complex. This is increase your neuromuscular efficiency and provide stabilization during the movements.

6. Keep your resistance training to an hour or less. Your whole workout including warm-up, core, balance, SAQ etc.. obviously makes your workout much longer, but keeping your resistance part to less than 1 hour is crucial to making gains, including hypertrophy and strength.

7. Use full range of motion on each exercise, unless your performing 21s or intending to performing partial reps. Full range of motion is critical to developing the entire muscle belly and can have an effect similar to the benefits of PNF. You also develop balanced muscles and strength through the movement, which make you look better, stronger and help prevent injuries.

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!!!)

Reward # 1 ~ Isn't She Beautiful???

REWARD # 1 - 28 Pounds Gone ~ A Beautiful Handbag!

Okay, I'm a bit late (very late) picking up this reward but, BETTER LATE THAN NEVER!! I've already written about my "Reward # 2- An Hour Long Massage". I never realized how picky I was when it came to choosing a bag....anyway.....

You may or may not know, but, I decided to set up a reward system for myself as another means of keeping me motivated. See, "Rewards - Weigh This, Get That!" on the right side of the home page of my blog. I figure, I should reward myself when I accomplish a certain goal weight. That can only help to keep me on track and also, I get GOODIES!!!:)

My first goal weight on this reward system was to reach 230 pounds (lose 28 pounds). I accomplished this goal at February 25th's weigh in. For my hard work, I will be purchasing a new handbag and not any old handbag, I want a beautiful, fancy one; an investment piece (lol).

My next reward will be when I weigh 220 pounds and would have lost 38 pounds!!! I will then reward myself with a very long massage (minimum 1 hour). It was great!!

So, here's a picture of her (my new bag, that is)....

Isn't she beautiful????

A closer look...

A side view....

A little closer...

Until next time....

Joania (2KMINE!!!)

A New Level of HURT ...and More!!

Hi guys,

Well my trainer tried to warn me. He sent me a message last week telling me that he was working on my new program and that I would be in for a "new level of hurt"!! Boy was he right!! I must admit that when he first told me that, my first thought was, "BRING IT ON, Lagana!!" Well, he brought it and he brought it hard.

I am already SORE and I just worked out this morning. My body was screaming, "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING, IT'S 7:30 on a SATURDAY MORNING??" I met him at 7:30 am and got started right away...he had a special grin on his face and at the time, I did not know why. At the end of my workout I knew why that grin was there! This program is the ultimate "Plateau Buster"and that's the perfect name because I really can't see how I could plateau on this program. Every time I've felt that I've got a hang of the program and that it's "almost" easy (not easy-easy, just almost easy), it's usually time for a new program. Rob (trainer) knows exactly what he's doing.

For example, in my last routine, one of the exercises he gave me was to do 10 push ups on an exercise ball...I thought, "there is no f'ing way I'm going to be able to do that!!" Well just last week I was doing all 10 on that ball and feeling pretty darn pleased with myself. Well today, he made one of his "slight adjustments" to my push-up exercise - literally as small as lifting one leg while I did the exercise - and I was done for!! I could barely get through doing 3 in a row!! But it's all good!! As Rob likes to remind me, this program is progressive and I can totally see the improvements in strength thusfar!! So I have a new goal and I WILL DO IT!! I can't wait.

I've increased the amount of weight I'm lifting and will also be increasing the number of times per week that I do cardio training as well. I will be doing cardio 5 days now instead of 3!! I CANNOT believe how strong I am getting. It's incredible. My body was in shock after this morning....my legs were shaking like you could not believe..IT WAS AWESOME!!!

With each new routine and new exercise, I felt myself challenging my body like never before!! I was hurting but no pain no gain, right?

So thanks Rob for today and this is my official "you were right, you kicked my ass today, I felt more than a new level of hurt" statement!!:) I hope I made you proud today with my progress. I know I left your studio feeling like I WAS THE SHIT TODAY!!! Totally a great way to start one's day!!:)

So that's it for now. I'm looking forward to this week starting my new routine, spinning and more cardio!!!

Until next time...

Joania (2KMINE!!!)

Sorry Again for the Mix Up Today - My bad!! :)

Hi everyone,

Well by the time I got home today, I had in excess of 100 requests regarding the article that was to appear in today's paper!! Let me first say sorry for the mix up with the days - my bad on that one!!

Some of you told me that I owe you 25cents; others said I owe $1!! Which is it and why are some of you trying to scam 75 cents off me??? heh?? heh?? kidding!! Just to let you know, you can go to Starbucks or Timmy's for a coffee and read the paper for free or even the library...BUT I UNDERSTAND, you want to keep it and frame it (**smiles**) ;)

On a serious note, the writer from the Citizen contacted me today to confirm that they WILL BE RUNNING OUR STORY...the editor likes it (YEAH!!) and they want to ensure it gets good exposure!! So it may be in Saturday's paper...In any event she will confirm the day and details with me on Friday....I will keep you all posted!!

Thanks to all of you for the nice comments today regarding the weightloss. I am so happy about those 3 pounds and still can't believe I've lost 22 pounds!! Another 3 more pounds and I will be at another milestone (Lose 25 lbs)!! This is incredible to me. I'll be one quarter of the "weigh" to my ultimate 101 pound goal!! Wow!!

Anyway, that's it..just wanted to clear up the paper thing today ...

Until next time

Joania (2KMINE!!!)