New Month, New Program, New Energy

Happy November everyone!!! Approximately six weeks left until December 10th!! I think I'm going to put a countdown timer on the blog!!! 30 pounds left to shred and by the latest routine my trainer put together, he wants it to happen and SO DO I!!!!!

This new program is awesome!! Intense and just awesome!! It's brought a renewed sense of energy to me!! My thigh muscles are quite sore today...I've got quite a few squat variations, deadlifts and lunges in this routine - MY LEGS WILL BE SMALLER and STRONGER following this routine for sure. My thighs and booty have always been my problem areas! Even now, after having dropped a lot of weight, my thighs are still significantly bigger than the average woman, but they're strong!! As for my booty, well, I like to think that I am and always will be bootilicious - J.LO has nothing on me y'all!! Well, I'm certain I will be trimming these legs over the next few weeks with this crazy, intense routine that Rob put together and not to mention the kickboxing classes for cardio!! Yeah baby!!

My arms are also started to take shape, definition you know? - I can't wait to show them (in pix). Soon - I really want the pix to have impact!! :) I'm doing a series of tricep and bicep circuits and push-ups right now and wow does it ever burn!! But it's a good burn!! I am shaping my arms. All the "boxing" moves in the kickboxing classes are also helping!

I feel good y'all...looking forward to really pushing myself to the max each day for the next 6 weeks! I want to make each session count!!

On another note, I'm super swamped on the home and work front, so I apologize for my infrequent posts. I will really try to not let more than a couple days go by without an update!

That's it for now...
Until next time...

Joania (2KMINE!!!)

Goal Setting: Believe to Achieve

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

9:ooam - Start work

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

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

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

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

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

5:45pm Make dinner

7:00 -8:00 Playtime

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

9:00 - 10:00pm Weight Training

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

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

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

Anyway, that's it for now...

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

My New Challenge.....PULL-UPS!!!

PULL-UPS!!! arrgggh, and I'm not talking about the potty training diaper!! I'm talking about the most dreaded excercise I've ever come across!!!!!!!!! This is the push-up's BIGGER and MEANER BROTHER!!!!!!! I never thought there was an exercise worse than push-ups! Well there is...

What is a pull-up (other than hell on earth)?

A pull-up is an upper body compound pulling exercise where the body is suspended by extended arms, gripping a fixed bar, then pulled up until the elbows are bent and the head is higher than the hands, utilizing an overhand grip (see pic below).

There are quite a few variations of this exercise; I'm just working on doing the standard pull-up. This thing is a frigging killer!! I have it listed as one of the things I want to be able to do after this journey (my health goals) but Holy Mother of Pearl, is it ever difficult!!

As part of my new training program, I'm required to do 3 sets of 8 of these suckers!! "ROB (my trainer), what the crap were you smoking when you built this program?? Are you nuts?" I could see you smiling right now, but could also hear you cheering me on!

So far, I've managed to do the required 3 sets of 8 reps.....hahahahahaha, NOT!!!! I can barely do one pull-up!!!! My arms (upper, lower), shoulders, abs, chest, back, nostrils...EVERYTHING shakes and burns when I try to do this...WOW!!! I'm able to bend my knees at a 90 degree angle and hang on the bar. I can "pull" myself up for only one repitition, and that's using everything I got!! So what I've been doing is hanging and pulling myself up as far as I can go, then hold for a second or two. I figure I will get stronger and should be able to eventually do at least 5 of these babies!!

I'm not going to give up on these...I WILL BE DOING 3 sets of 8 reps in 6-8 weeks time!!! I know I have it in me...I just got to find it..LOL!!! When I am finally able to do this, I will have it video taped and post it!!! LOL!! I'm serious, I will!! It may be next year, but I'll get it done! :)

Anyway, wish me luck with this one...

Overall, the new program rocks!! I feel like I just started working out again, except I'm stronger. It's HARD, don't get me wrong, but I can almost feel each exercise sculpting that respective muscle - it's pretty cool. It's super challenging and totally kick-ass, thanks Rob!!

I will once again be on business travel the next couple of weeks. I'll be out west and hoping that the hotel gyms are equipped to handle some of the exercises of the new program. I'll keep you posted.

Until next time...

Joania (2KMINE!!!)

My NEW Strength Training Program.....Holy Crap!!!!

Hi guys,

A couple of days ago, I got an email from my trainer with my new, more difficult, kick-ass training plan for the next few weeks. OMG!!!

I will be weight training 4 times a week. I have 2 new programs - one day upper body, the other lower body with core and balance training incorporated in both programs. I have a choice of doing the program 2 days on,one day off (so Mon, Tues - workout, off Wednesday, Thurs, Fri -workout and have the weekend off) or do it on alternating days. So far, I've done 2 days on 1 day off! It is killer hard.

Lots of supesetting (when two exercises are performed in a row without stopping/resting). It's quite vigorous but really shows me how much my strength has increased. It's awesome. I think after this 6 week period with this new program, the definition in my muscles will really be noticeable - I can't wait!

I've never seen some of these exercises before; like one where I'm working my triceps as I'm balancing on an exercise ball!! Insane!! There's another one that I'm calling the "Lagana Lunge-a-palooza"!! I'm doing all sorts of lunges (side, back, front) and balance moves all in ONE exercise!! It's crazy and really gets your heart going!! Mother of pearl!!

MrLagana (my trainer) wasn't playing around when he put this program together! I'm really going to give it my all and will be really excited to see the results. Thanks Rob!

Until next time...

Joania (2KMINE!!!)

Trainer, 5K's, Belts and Things

Hey guys,

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

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

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

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

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

Anyway, that's it for now...

Until next time

Joania (2KMINE!!!)

Questions and Answers

Hi everyone,

I've been getting a lot of questions and comments of late asking for tips and tricks to weightloss. I don't want to sound like those really fit people I used to watch on TV who would always say, "there ARE NO QUICK TIPS AND TRICKS", but I have to be honest. There truly are no quick tips or tricks!! Really! It's about committment, dedication, hard work and discipline. I am working my butt off (literally) everyday and it is a constant mental battle to stay on track. It hasn't been easy thusfar and I believe it's only going to get harder!! I 'm always reminding myself of my reasons for doing this.

There are tools to ensure success (providing those tools are properly used). Two of the most important tools you will need are proper nutrition and proper exercise. For me, by far the most important part of this journey (other than myself, and all the support of my family, friends and blogging community, of course) is my trainer. He's provided me with the proper tools that I am currently using to succeed AND IT'S WORKING!!!

Over the past 5-6 months, I've been receiving a monthly newsletter filled with valuable information and it has helped me on this journey. If you are interested, Rob (my trainer) is the author of this monthly newsletter which is full of valuable information regarding nutrition, exercises, fitness etc. Simply go to his website and submit your name and email address and you will receive his monthly newsletter - FREE of charge. It's loaded with useful and valuable info that can help you on your way to achieving your goals. Visit his site at http://www.laganafitness.com , read the "AboutRob" section to find out about his credentials and sign up for the newsletter. One of my favourite newsletter topics was titled, "Boost Your Metabolic Rate - 7 Fundamentals" - this article outlined (in detail), the 7 things to do to increase that old metabolism and in turn help with weight loss. That's only one of them, i would really recommend signing up for it....it's free info that WILL help you.

I will put up a post detailing what I am personally doing at this phase of my program. I hope this helps! Let me know. Thanks!

Until next time...

Joania (2KMINE!!!)

Week 17 Weigh-In......3 POUNDS DOWN!!!!!!!

Starting Weight: 258 lbs (Dec 10/08)
Last Weigh In: 219 lbs (Apr 1/09)
Current Weight: 216 lbs
This Week's Loss: 3 lbs!!!!!!!!

I can't believe I've lost another 3 POUNDS!!! That's 7 pounds in only two weeks....I lost 8 pounds total last month....this is awesome. This new program is really burning the calories!! Thanks ROB!!! I also can't get over the fact that I only (well not only, but only) have 59 pounds left to reach my what-once-seemed-impossible goal of 101 pounds!!

WHOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOO!! I've lost 42 POUNDS!!!! I'm so thrilled!! I feel fabulous and most of my clothes are loose. I will be taking some pics of me in my loose clothes - will post shortly.

Also, Friday is PICTURE DAY for month 4...already!! I'm hoping the results will be visible, I do find my legs are getting smaller!! It's awesome!!!

Anyway, that's it for now...very happy with my loss!!

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!!!)

New Training Program

Hi everyone,
Well, I'm approaching a turning point in my journey. Tomorrow morning, I'll be meeting with my trainer to get my new training program (Phase 2). This program should incorporate more exercises using free weights. I'm a bit nervous (as I usually am when starting something new), but excited nonetheless. I will be meeting him at 9:00 and I'll be sure to fill you in when I return.
On another note, I may have some big news to share in the next day or so...stay tuned!

Wish me luck tomorrow..I'm sure I'll be feeling some pain and breaking a sweat!

Joania (2000 MINE!!!)