Ottawa Life Magazine Top 50 People in the Capital Issue

I received a wonderful email from my friend Katherine at ParticipACTION yesterday!! She sent me a quick message with a link to Ottawa Life Magazine's Top 50 People in the Capital issue. Check it out here. My picture is on the cover of the mag, with a write-up/bio on the inside!! This is awesome. I'm in pretty good company!! Check out the pictures (and biographies) of the other 49 people - I'm certain you'll recognize quite a few of them, including "ALFIE" (Daniel Alfredsson - captain of the Ottawa Senators - GO SENS GO!!!); Adrienne Clarkson, former Governor General of Canada; Canadian Olympian Kristina Groves and so many more.

The magazine should be on stands soon (if not already) but in the meantime, you can check it out online. This link takes you to the cover page with pictures of all the top 50. My pic is in the third row from the bottom, third pic in from the left. Click on the link above the page titled, "OLM's Top 50 People" to see the articles on each person. I'm on Page5.

So that's my big news...
Weigh-in results will be posted later this evening!

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

CHANGES: Before and After Shots

Hi guys,


My friends from ParticipACTION sent me a few pix today taken from the ParticipACTION SunLife Inspire the Nation Tour. (Thanks Katherine!)


As I looked at one of the pics, I thought it looked really nice. It's one of my son and I. I decided to pull up an older (before) pic of my son and I taken in December 2008. WOW!! I can really see a difference. I will be going through some old pics as I think it would be cool to see the changes.


Anyway, here they are...let me know what you think. The photo on the top was taken Dec 2008. The photo on the bottom was taken July 2009. My son is still as sweet as ever but I really notice the difference in my face, cheeks, chin, neck, shoulders etc....
















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

My Friends at ParticipACTION

Hi guys,

I had a "not-so-hot" day today at work and was quite pleased to get home!! Anyway, I picked up my mail and started opening the letters/bills/etc....Well, buried within all the bills and junkmail was a little card from one of the people from ParticipACTION. I must say, I was so pleasantly surprised when I opened it. It was a simple note congratulating me on being selected by OttawaLifeMagazine as one of their Top 50 in the Capital!! Wow!! I just thought that was so very sweet. These are busy, important people and yet they take the time to remember little old me....I am just so appreciative and it was signed "Your friends at ParticpACTION"!! Amazing! I would have never thought that all this would be going on as a result of my weightloss journey!! Wow!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!! Special thanks to Katherine J!! :)

This isn't the first time either, the President and CEO of ParticipACTION, Kelly Murumets also sent me a personal "Thank You" card for participating in the ParticipACTION SunLife Inspire the Nation Tour (Check it out here). Here are a few pics from that event. It was so much fun!!

(Click on the picture to get a better look)

That's me on stage with ParticipACTION President & CEO Kelly Murumets, SunLife Financial Regional VP Josée Dixon and Olympian Sue Holloway!!!

Me, telling my story to the crowd (and media) :0)

A little jump-rope action ( Go Josée!!) and lastly, the four of us making our Inspire video which you can check out here along with a lot of others!!

Anyway, I know that a lot (actually most) of this media attention coming my way has to do with my affiliation with ParticipACTION and I am so thankful and honoured!!

Anyway, that's it...just wanted to express a little gratitude!! THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU AT PARTICIPACTION!! Keep on keeping on!! You guys rock!! Thanks again for all the support, it really does mean a lot to me!!

Until next time...

Joania (2KMINE!!!)

Newspaper Article

Hi again,

A friend of mine brought this to my attention. I had no idea that this article was published. Last week, I participated in the SunLife ParticipACTION Inspire the Nation Tour (I wrote a post about it here)which launched in Ottawa on June 29. It was a lot of fun and I was actually given the opportunity to speak to the assembled crowd and media. I was on TV that evening.

It was a wonderful opportunity. I got to meet Kelly Murumets, president and CEO of ParticipACTION, Josée Dixon, a regional vice president with Sun Life Financial and former Olympian Sue Holloway of Active Ottawa. We each addressed the group (gave speeches)...it was awesome!! I can't believe all the wonderful things I've been able to partake in because of this journey. It's just fabulous.

Anyway, here's the link to the recent newspaper article written from that event. Check it out here: http://www.emcottawaeast.ca/


Here are a few pics from the event. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get pics of me speaking or of Kelly Murumets (president/CEO ParticipACTION)... I guess in all my excitement, I forgot to ask someone to take a few shots using my camera.







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

BIG NEWS...PARTICIPACTION!!!

I was quite excited when I learned about this but couldn't say anything until now. Read this:

ParticipACTION Sun LIfe - Inspire the nation launches!

Canadians received a clear message today to "get active" as the ParticipACTION Sun Life - Inpire the nation tour launched in downtown Toronto. A crew of branded joggers ran through the city's downtown core to energize Torontonians to get active and join the physical activity movement. Donovan Bailey rallied bystanders to get moving by sharing his own story about what physical activity and sport mean to him. The event kicks off a nine-week, cross-country tour created by Sun Life Financial and ParticipACTION to energize all Canadians to join the physical activity movement.

Check out this link for more details about the Inspire the Nation Tour

So guess what??????

They will be launching in Ottawa (my hometown) on Monday June 29th and have invited me to be a special guest!!!!!!!!!!

I received an email from the public relations and communications manager, Katherine (super nice!!), at ParticipACTION a little while back telling me they would be launching this new program (The ParticipACTION SunLife Inspire the Nation Tour), and more importantly, "I WAS INVITED TO BE PART OF IT!!!!" I was so surprised and thrilled!!

The president and CEO of ParticipACTION, Kelly Murumets has asked me to join her on stage, along with Olympian Sue Hollaway (who became the first woman and first Canadian to compete in both Summer and Winter Games in the same year, in the 1976 Winter Olymics in cross-country skiing and 1976 Summer Olympics in canoe sprint ) and Canadian Television Celebrity, Farley Flex (Judge from CTV hit Reality Show, Canadian Idol)!

This is the media advisory they sent out..I think this is too cool:

ParticipACTION Sun Life – Inspire the nation tour comes to Ottawa with Farley Flex
City will come alive with active living messages
OTTAWA (ONTARIO) – The ParticipACTION Sun Life – Inspire the nation tour will come to Ottawa on Monday, June 29, 2009 to deliver a clear and simple message to the city – it’s time to get active and move more. The city will come alive with thought-provoking and inspiring “get active” messages on windows, parking spots, ground decals and banner wraps. And a branded jogging pack will run through the city, igniting excitement for physical activity. Before the tour moves on to continue its nine-week, cross-country tour, the public will be invited to visit the “Inspiration Booth” to get a free pedometer and record a video about how they’ve added more movement into their lives. Each video will be made into a ParticipACTION Sun Life commercial that can be e-mailed to family, friends and colleagues. The stories will be uploaded to ParticipACTION’s online Wall of Inspiration and some stories could be selected to be featured in nationally aired ParticipACTION television commercials in the fall of 2009.
Media are welcome to come down and record their own ‘get active’ video.
WHO:
Speakers

Kelly Murumets, President and CEO, ParticipACTION
Josée Dixon, Regional Vice-President, Business Development, Eastern Region, Group Benefits, Sun Life Financial
Farley Flex
Sue Holloway, Chairperson of Communications Action Team, Active Ottawa Actif

Special guests: Joania Burnett, featured in ParticipACTION’s ‘Get Inspired. Get Moving.’ television campaign
PHOTO OPPS:

Game of skip rope
Speakers making “get active” videos at Inspiration Booth
Public interacting with Inspiration Booth
Crew of branded joggers interacting with public
WHEN:
Monday, June 29th
11:30 a.m.
Media registration opens
12 noon
Speaking remarks from presenters
12:20 p.m.
12:30 p.m.
Photo opportunities with speakers
One-on-one interviews with speakers
Photo opportunities with public and of on-site activities
WHERE:
Capital Infocentre (90 Wellington Street – at the corner of Metcalfe and Wellington)
The event will be held outside. Please check in at the media registration desk.

If anyone of you in the Ottawa Area would like to come down and check it out, please do!!! I would love to see/meet you!

That's my big news....

Until next time

Joania (2KMINE!!!)

Big News - ON THE RADIO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hey guys,

First off, thanks for all the well wishes, hopefully, I'll get over this sore throat/cold/flu thing sooner than later. Thanks for all the home remedy suggestions (Kimberley)! :)

So what's my news....well as of yesterday it was one thing but today it's another!!!:) I'll tell you what the original news was later (maybe this post, maybe another).

Okay, so hubby and baby pick me up from work today, I get home, run around with my son for a bit (of late we've been going outside because it's been so nice). I cut it short today because I'm still not feeling that well. Anyway, we came in. I gave my son a snack and came on line to check my emails.

Well, to my pleasant surprise, there was an email titled, "Interview Request"!!! I open it up and it's from Lauren Stone of The LiVE 88.5 Start-Up, a local radio station here in Ottawa. Check them out here. I must be honest, I've probably listened to them once or twice, not a regular listener - but I WILL BE NOW!! :)

They want to do a radio interview with me!! Isn't that nuts? I truly can't believe that people would want to really hear my little story...I think it's cool! So they want to do an interview with me about "my inspiring weight loss story" and how it led to the Particpaction commercial. It would be a 5-10 minute interview, either over the phone or in the studio!! I'm so excited!! Of course I wrote back saying YES!! I think it's awesome.


Anyway, that's it for this news...I will keep you all posted as soon as I get more details.

Until next time...

Joania (2KMINE!!!)

My ParticpACTION Commercial - HERE IT IS!!!!

For all of you who wanted to see the commercial, here it is guys!! The first video is the one asking Canadians to submit their stories of what they're doing to stay fit!! The second on is my story. Check it out and let me know what you think!! Enjoy!!

Until next time...

Joania (2KMINE!!!)

More Big NEWS - Metro News Ottawa!!!

Hi everyone,

I've got news again!!!! A couple of weeks back, I was contacted by a representative from Hill and Knowlton -the public relations firm supporting ParticipACTION's Inspiration campaign.

Since my story was chosen to be featured in the upcoming ParticipACTION commercial, they (the PR firm) wanted to share my story with the local media and some of Canada’s marketing media. They wanted to know if I would be okay if they went to the media with my story. I told them, "Sure!" ;)

Anyway, I received a telephone call from Metro News Ottawa and gave a telephone interview to a writer named Tracey Tong. She was super nice. Anyway, the article will run in Tuesday's (May 12th, 2009) newspaper!!! The day after the participACTION commercial goes to air!! It will discuss how I feel about being chosen for the commercial, my blog, fitness routines, trainer etc. I'm so excited!! I'm out of town so of course I've tasked my husband with picking up a few copies!! :) My scrapbook will be awesome! Too bad I don't scrapbook!! I am not very artistic when it comes to things like this. Maybe I'll take a scrapbooking course!! It's a thought! :)

Anyway, can't wait to read it and I hope all of you will check it out and like it!! For those not in the Ottawa area, as soon as the link becomes available, I will post it!!

All this is truly helping me stay on track!! It's awesome!!! When I started on this journey, I knew that being accountable and putting myself out there would help me to succeed!! Never in a million years did I anticipate this level of "accountability". This is one of the reasons I kick my own ass working out regularly!!LOL!! Seriously, it really does keep me motivated.

Anyway, 5 month pix next week!!!

Until next time...

Joania (2KMINE!!)

ParticipACTION Commercial - REMINDER!!

REMINDER!!! ParticipACTION commercial airs tomorrow!!!!

Hi everyone,

This is just a reminder that the ParticipACTION commercial will air nationally (Canada) tomorrow - May 11, 2009...Look out for it!!!

I'VE SEEN IT AND I LOVE IT!! IT'S PRETTY COOL!!

ParticipACTION sent me a copy of the commercial last week. I love the concept and how it was done...pretty cool. I can't wait for you guys to see it!!

For those of you not in Canada, as soon as I am able to post a copy I will for your viewing pleasure.

Until next time...

Joania (2KMINE!!!)

UPDATE: ParticipACTION TV Commercial!!!

Just to let you know, the ParticipACTION TV commercial will begin airing on Monday May 11 and should run for around 8-12 weeks so look out for it. I received a call last week advising me of this...I can't wait to see it. I think it will run on all Canadian TV channels at various times!

Until next time...

Joania (2KMINE!!!)

ParticipACTION Commercial...Update!!

Just a quick post before I go to bed!!

I just have to tell you all. I recorded my voice over for the ParticipACTION television commercial today!! It was so much fun!!! The producer/voice coach/angel sent to help me out, named Kerri or Terry (goodness I was so excited, I can't even remember his name)!!! He was so nice, full of energy and made me laugh!!

I was sent a script for a 30 second voice over. It was literally 6 sentences! I did take after take until they got the perfect one...it was so interesting and just a really fun experience! It was really fun being coached to "sound surprised" or put a "smile in my voice", "energy"!! It was awesome!! It took a little while for me to get the hang of it and get through it all, but overall it was a great experience.

Anyway, the commercial is scheduled to run sometime in mid May..I will keep you all posted with more details as it comes!!

Until then...

Joania (2KMINE!!!)

ParticipACTION....MORE GREAT NEWS!!!!

YOU GUYS ARE NOT GOING TO BELIEVE THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Okay, where do I start?

Do you guys know what "ParticipACTION" is all about?? Remember Hal and Joanne? Body Break commercials? (I'm singing the 'Body Break" song as I type..." Body Break!! Bo--ody Break!!)...remember??? No???? Well, here's the logo?? Remember now??? No??? I used to have a t-shirt with that logo when I was a kid and just thought I was soooo cool!! Here's some quick info and a link to their website for more:ParticipACTION is the national voice of physical activity and sport participation in Canada. Their vision is to work with their partners to ensure a Canadian society where people are the most physically active on Earth. It is a national not-for-profit organization solely dedicated to inspiring and supporting active living and sport participation for Canadians. Originally established in 1971, ParticipACTION was a pioneer in social marketing and has become internationally recognized for its compelling communications to promote physical activity. In the late 1990s, core funding from the government began to wane, and without financial support to continue its campaign, ParticipACTION closed its doors in 2001. With generous support from Sport Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada, ParticipACTION was revitalized in 2007 as the national voice of physical activity and sport participation in Canada.

ParticipACTIONwebsite

Anyway, a few months back (maybe January or so), my husband told me about this new ad running on TV by "Participaction" asking for regular people like you and I to submit our stories to their website telling how we stay fit, what we're doing etc...He told me I should sign up. You may have seen the commercial, if not check it out here. Anyway, life went on. I had submitted links to my blog via "blog to lose" sites etc....

ANYWAY, I came home from work yesterday and received an email from an individual working with the advertising agency for Participaction, telling me that they came across my story/blog/journey and it was selected as a candidate/contender. They wanted to to speak with me to get more details on my story and also confirm my interest for this project so that it can evolve into a TV commercial!!!!!!!!!!

I needed to get in touch with them asap. They even left a comment on my last post of this blog asking me to get in touch with them. CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT???? My story was chosen out of thousands!!! I'M GOING TO BE IN A NATIONAL TV COMMERCIAL!!!!

Never in my wildest dreams did I expect ALL OF THIS when I started this journey. I just wanted to get healthy and trim a bit of the "licious" off my booty!!! :0) That was it!! This is incredible.

I am totally excited to do this. The commercial should air sometime in May. I will keep you posted with the details.

So, I called the individual from the ad agency (super nice lady) today, and she gave me the details! I will need to submit some pix of me in ACTION (working out, sweating it up, etc.) and I'll also be required to do some voice over work.....the commercial should be airing sometime in MAY!!!! Isn't that nuts?!??!? I'm so excited about it. Remember these guys????????

Hal and Joanne!!!

I love these guys...we all know them from the ParticipACTION and Body Break commercials.

Well, look how far they went after doing those Participaction commercials!!!! :))

Anyway, just thought I'd share my good news!!

I'm meeting with my trainer tomorrow morning (730am)..for my new "KILLER" program. He's already told me that I will feel "a new level of hurt" !! Can't wait.

Until next time....

Joania (2KMINE!!!)