Day 24 of My 30 Day Countdown

Hi everyone...

quick post today as I have to get off to bed!

Jiu-jitsu (JJ) class was absolutely PHENOMENAL today! I learned so many cool self defense techniques and JJ moves. It was amazing. Sensei Derek actually used me to demonstrate some of the techniques and let me just tell you, he had me screaming!! LOL!

Food was great today...although I was a bit late eating my lunch (about 2 hours) boy did I ever feel it!! My body was screaming at me to eat. It's really funny, because just a short year ago, I could eat a meal and not eat anything for HOURS after and not even feel it.

I had my interview with Alison Korn (the writer from the Ottawa Citizen) today and it went really well. I can't wait to read the article. Tomorrow, the photographer will be coming to the dojo (the gym where I do Kickboxing and JJ) to take some pix. They want me in the pix but I'd really like to get a shot with my trainer Rob and Sensei Derek! Unfortunately, I don't get a say in which picture (s) is used nor does the writer - it's all up to the editor. I will invite Rob and Derek to join me at the dojo and hopefully the editor might slip the shot in!!

The article should be published early next week, possibly Monday. I will certainly keep you all posted and post the link on the blog!!

In other fabulous news, I've decided on a date, time and place for my 1 Year Journey Celebration dinner!! December 12, 2009 at Big Easy's Seafood and Steak House (http://www.bigeasys.ca) here in Ottawa at 7 pm (until midnight)!! For those of you on FaceBook (FB), I've created an Event in the "Joania's Weight Loss Journey" group. Look me up on FB or send me an email for details or leave me a comment confirming your attendance. Looks like it will be about 30 or so people (so far!!) Should be a good time!

I FEEL GOOD!! Looking for a little hot black dress to wear to the dinner!!! Whoo hoo! :)

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

A Letter of Gratitude to My Trainer & Friend, Rob Lagana

Dear Rob,

Wow!!! Here we are, less than a month away from Dec 10, 2009!!! This year has truly flown by. I have so much to say. I did not want to wait until the end of the journey (or what I am calling "the beginning of my new and permanent lifestyle), to write you this letter. Expressing gratitude has always been significantly important to me and I really want to do this one right. Rob, I know you would be perfectly happy with me just saying, "thanks a lot Rob, we did it!" but I wouldn't be. So here goes...

Even at my heaviest weight, I was never one to be low on confidence or self-esteem, but where I lacked strength was in believing in my ability to lose this weight. I just lived with it and for the most part, wasn't overly bothered by it until I reached my breaking point. That's when I contacted you. From the moment I met you and we discussed the plan, I felt an immediate energy - it was strong and it felt right. I knew then and there (I really did), that you were the person that would help me achieve this goal; you were the one that would provide me with the tools that would not only work for me, but FIT with the person that I am. Your confident approach, awareness of self and confidence in your knowledge and abilities was evident from day one. I knew that if I really wanted this, it could be mine and you would be right there supporting and pushing me along.

I stepped on the scale yesterday and dropped another 3 pounds and that took me over the 80 pound mark! 81 pounds GONE!! That is a HUGE, personal victory for me. I feel like a WINNER!! I did it!! I know that my initial goal was to lose 101 pounds and even though I don't lose that amount come December 10th, I FEEL LIKE I'VE WON!! WE WON!! WE DID IT!! The journey continues, I WILL continue with my lifestyle as well as achieve and maintain my ideal weight in the near future - whatever that weight might be!!

I am on a new and exciting path. I am healthy and strong and day by day, my body represents those feelings!! It's incredible all of the wonderful things that have happened to me since embarking on this journey. Most importantly, I am healthier and stronger AND my quality of life has and is continuing to improve.

So, with all that said, I wanted to THANK YOU!!! Thank you for your time, your support, your knowledge, your encouragement, YOUR PATIENCE, your sincere and genuine caring nature! Thank you for helping me to save my own life!!! Thank you for believing in me from day one and NEVER ONCE judging me for how fat or unfit I was. When I first saw you and how physically fit you were, I wondered if in your mind you thought to yourself, "how could she have let herself get so out of shape!" But never once did you ever make me feel that way and I appreciate it! You were one of my loudest cheerleaders and I truly thank you for that.

Thank you for all of the kick-ass routines and meal plans. I have cursed your name many, many times in the wee hours of the morning as I pushed through the training but it was all worth it! LOL!! Thank you for answering ALL of my NUMEROUS questions, regardless of how silly they were! THANK YOU!!

You are so good at what you do. Your obvious passion for fitness is contagious! This is what you were born to do! Really!!

I know that the best way that I can repay you for all you've done for me is by continuing to live this healthy lifestyle and taking care of my body, respecting my body. I promise you Rob, I WILL!! You've shown me the way and I will always appreciate you for it! I just took my measurements and when I post the results, YOU will be blown away and I know that will make you happy!

I don't know what else to say, except, thank you!

Thank you for changing my life. Thank you for the wisdom and confidence you have shown while training me to be the best I can be. Your influence on my life is immeasurable. The knowledge and skills you have taught me will stay with me for my lifetime. Your presence and guidance in my life eternally holds a place in my heart as trainer and a friend.

Thank you!

In health and friendship, always

Joania :)

Day 12 of My 30 Day Countdown

Sorry this post is a bit long...I have a little mini rant today...sorry guys! :)

Wheew! TGIF!! What a busy week! I'm tired. Tomorrow, my plan is to sleep in (hopefully my 3-year old will oblige) until about 830 or even 900 if I'm lucky. All week, I've been up at 500/530 so this would just be heaven - I will even take 730!! :) As far as exercising - I'm going to go for a 45 minute run (about 5K) and that will be it for the day...my body needs to rest.

TODAY'S EXERCISE

Today was awesome (again)! I started off with my 1.5 hour weight training session...which, after 3 weeks of doing it, is still incredibly challenging and gets my heart pumping like crazy! It's fabulous - a total body workout and I get both strength and cardio conditionning from each session!! I'm loving it!! It really is the perfect way to start my day and it keeps me going throughout the day! I work on the 4th floor of my building and went up to the 6th floor on 2 occasions today - both times I hopped up the stairs! I know it's only 2 flights but I always took the elevator before. The best part is that there was barely a change in my breathing when I got upstairs - just fantastic!

Later in the day (430), I attended an hour long Kickboxing class at Therien Martial Arts! WOW!! Sensei Derek killed it today! I still can't get over how much fun I'm having as this man punishes me regularly with crazy exercise moves!! I always feel like I gave 100+% at every class because Sensei Derek really pushes me to my limits - and I get the same sense from the other people in the class. It's a really friendly atmosphere where everyone is working hard! Do you know how hard you have to push yourself to actually want to puke? IT'S FRIGGIN' AWESOME!!!! I am really loving it - more so at the end of class than during!!LOL! This is such an incredible workout, you really get a high from it. It gets you in shape and we get to do some really cool stuff, totally different (and more effective, in my humble opinion) than the regular aerobic classes or treadmill.

Today's class was awesome...my friend Coco actually came tonight and boy were we ever breathing hard! Sensei Derek had us do a special drill today. He called on one of his pro-kickers (Nathalie) to help him demonstrate the exercise. We were paired up in two's. One person would straddle over a kicking pad and throw a non-stop barrage of punches until he said stop (about 1 minute, which seemed like forever). In the mean time the other person held a rope (actually one of the martial arts belts) around the other's waist - almost like a harness. When Sensei Derek said, "GO!", the person punching would jump up and sprint to the other end of the dojo (gym) and back ALL WHILE the partner is holding on to the rope/belt applying resistance (their body weight)!! Picture the sprinter trying to pull the other person along as they sprint to the other end of the gym!!! OMG!! It was super tough, but awesome. I was so winded and yes, the feeling of puking appeared once more... BTW there were a couple other people in there tonight who felt the same way!! :)

Sensei Derek is tough (and crazy) and fun and I mentioned before about him taking pleasure in inflicting pain, well tonight he proved that once more! While demonstrating this exercise with Nathalie, she was running, pulling him along...and he's yelling, "let's go!! move!! move!!!" and she's pushing it and then, you know what he did???? Well, let's just say he had some very interesting motivational techniques and if you want to know what those are, you need to come to the class ;) What happens in the dojo, stays in the dojo! (Some things lol).

Oh you guys!! I'm just really having a good time right now with this new lifestyle. I look forward to getting the workouts in and feel so good when it's done (and proud)!!! I'm in a really good place and I don't ever want to leave!

TODAY'S FOOD

Before I go over what I ate today, I have a few things to address (it's not a rant - well maybe a mini-rant). I just want to clear this up because at this point in my life and this journey, I want to maintain all the positivity that I can and just keep moving through to get to my goals!!

In yesterday's post, I addressed a comment that I received from my friend Nia (who's been following and supporting me from the beginning) about the food I'm eating and whether or not I felt hungry. Well, that seemed to open the door for a lot more comments on this issue...some not so nice comments. What amazes me is that these people always choose to send me an anonymous email. I don't have a problem answering questions or comments (to the best of my ability and based on my personal experiences).

Anyway, I received one email where the individual went on and on and said, "I don't think you're eating enough and from what you list, it seems like you're starving yourself to lose weight!" This one bugged me a bit!But I was determined not to let this bother me and thought I should address it. I know that obviously this person had not been reading my blog all along to understand the PROCESS that I went through to get where I am right now!!

I just want to say for anyone reading my blog who is wondering

I AM NOT STARVING MYSELF!!!! THAT IS THE MOST RIDICULOUS THING AND IF YOU KNEW ME OR FOLLOWED MY JOURNEY, YOU WOULD ALSO REALIZE JUST HOW RIDICULOUS THIS IS!!

My diet plan over the past 11 months has been developped specifically for me by a certified nutritionist after a very thorough analysis of my eating habits, body composition, health, blood type etc. etc. It is adjusted on a regular basis as I go through the various stages of progression on this journey. My diet consists of nothing but foods from the WHOLE FOODS group. I do not consume ANY processed foods. Only natural foods!!

After cleansing my body from all the unprocessed foods I used to consume (and trust me it was bad), I found that as I ate healthy foods, everything changed including the quantity of food necessary for me to feel FULL or SATISFIED!! I am eating 6-7 small meals on a daily basis and keeping properly hydrated by consuming between 3-4 litres of water, EVERY DAY!!! I don't count calories so I have no idea how many calories I'm eating.

I wake up in the morning and have 3-4 eggs (mostly eggwhites) with some sort of vegetable and water or a bowl of oatmeal or grapefruit.....THAT FILLS ME UP

Three hours later, I have a snack. Sometimes it's a heavier snack, sometimes lighter - all depends on how I'm feeling!! When I'm hungry I eat....what makes a difference is WHAT I choose to eat. Sometimes, half a cucumber sliced up does the trick, other times it's a can of tuna and some broccoli, a small baked sweet potato or a piece of chicken breast, some almonds an apple or just a protein shake!! It all depends!! Plus water!!

Two to three hours later I'm having lunch. Again, healthy. Usually a chicken/shrimp/beef stirfry, a salad with some form of protein (tuna, eggs, poultry), sometimes soup plus water!!

Three hours later I'm having another snack - see above, plus water

Three hours later, it's time for Dinner - this is where I'll have ww pasta, brown rice, quinnoa, sweet potato with some form of protein and vegetables, PLUS WATER

Two hours later, i have another snack, plus water!

That's it!! Trust me I am satisfied!! I eat when I am hungry! I do not starve myself! I am getting all that I need nutritionally to sustain and fuel me as needed.

Oh, another thing, when I increased my exercising, I did notice that I felt a bit hungry, I simply added another meal!!

Anyway, that's it for today. I hope I don't get any more "you're starving yourself" crap!!!

I ate really well today....I'll just jot it down quickly:

B - 3 boiled eggs (whites) with a warm tomato and spinach salad, 1L water
Sn - protein drink (vanilla whey protein, water)
L - Grilled chicken breast, romaine lettuce, bacon (one strip,crumbled), small pita, water
Sn - tuna and broccoli
D - baked salmon, steamed mixed veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, green peas), baked sweet potato and water
Sn -10 almonds and cup of green tea.
After Kickboxing class, I had another protein drink!

That was it today! Sorry for the lengthy post. Day 12 is done...almost to the end, until then I will be PUSHING THROUGH!!!

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

Day 11 of My 30 Day Countdown - AWESOME!!

Hey everyone!! Today was one of those days that I will remember for the rest of my existence!! You know, this journey has opened my eyes to so many new, wonderful things! I've been able to try so many new things!! Things that I never dreamed that I would be able to do! It's been incredible. Today was such a fantastic day for me.

Started off this morning, feeling great. This was after all my "rest" day! When I say rest day - I mean a rest from weight training....not from exercising. Tuesdays and Thursday are the days when the only form of exercise I do is my Jiu-Jitsu (JJ)class. It's a one hour class of the martial arts technique! DON'T GET ME WRONG, it's not like this class is easy, it's tough and at the end, I'm usually drenched in sweat! Some days we have a very vigourous workout with a stronger focus on cardio, however, most days it's a light warm up and straight into learning the techniques. It's awesome. This is one of the things I would have never imagined that I would even attempt in the past!! Anyway. This class is always taught by Sensei Derek (I've mentionned him in previous posts - he teaches some of the kickboxing(KB) classes as well and he takes pleasure in inflicting pain! :)

Anyway, Sensei Derek has been reading my blog including all of the things I wrote about him, specifically, the "he worked us so hard, I almost puked" part! So today, he started the class by mentioning that he was doing some "reading" on the computer last night and read all I had written about my experiences with KB and JJ classes!! Then this huge grin appeared on his face. I knew at that moment, that this class was going to kick my ass....real hard!!

He set up 8 different stations around the dojo (gym). Each station represented a different exercise that we would have to perform for 30 seconds each, then rotate to the next station and repeat! "How long will we be doing this for?" someone asked. His response, "As long as it takes for Joania to puke!!!!" OMG!!! I was so scared y'all but I had my game face on!! Not even, I think he saw the fear in my face!! LOL!!!!

These stations were no joke y'all. I'm talking dips (triceps), medecine ball squats, kettlebell swings, crunches, step ups, knee on belly punches and my least favorite of all - running and jumping over a high stack of blocking sheilds, landing on a mat!!! I was DONE, y'all!!!! After one round of this torture, the sweat was just running down my body, my heart was in over drive, my lungs were screaming, "WHAT THE F*%K ARE YOU TRYING TO DO TO ME?" It was nuts plus we had to this 2 more times!!!!!!!!! Sensei Derek walked around pushing us to get it done!! It was intense!! When we were done that part, I went for a couple of sips of water...it did not go down right and feared that this would be the day that I puked!!! This would be it!! I could feel it! I was really pushing myself and the crazy thing is that after all that, we weren't even a quarter of the way through the class!!

We were called back to the mat where the torture continued, kicks, squats, lunges, lunge-kick combo's, knee-ups, OMG he threw everything at us today...EVERYTHING!! At this point, and I'm sorry to be so graphic here, but the vomit was sitting on my chest and moving upwards..I grabbed some water and just chugged it!! It was awful, but great at the same time (I'm I nuts??)LOL!!! We were now half way through the class!! :)) We learned a lot of cool JJ moves and techniques today and even grappled (wrestled) a bit - which I really enjoyed! My partner pinned me with a head lock type submission move...IT WAS AWESOME!!! (Therien Martial Arts offers grappling classes as well, I think I might just take it! :)) I had an awesome partner as well, which I think helped - she was giving me tips as we practiced, it was great.

NOW, HERE'S THE BEST PART OF MY DAY....

We finished up and knelt to the mat as normal as we listened to Sensei Derek ( this is normally where we cool down, perform a quick breathing/meditation exercise as well as where he makes any announcements etc..) before he officially ends the class. He then started talking and called me up to the front for a presentation of my very first stripe on my belt!!! I was so thrilled and proud. I walked up, bowed and he proceeded to affix my stripe on my belt as the class applauded - it was awesome!! I wanted to just hug him and do a happy dance - this, the same guy who just made me swallow my own puke!!! Anyway, this is something I never thought I could ever do especially when I weighed almost 300 pounds!! And here I am doing it!! Crazy!! So I now have my first stripe....I need to get 3 more stripes before moving up to a Yellow Belt!! It just felt awesome (I will take a pic and post it soon)!!

So this totally made my day today! That class was insanely nuts!!! It was such an awesome workout - just thinking about the amount of things we did in that hour is crazy!!

Food was on point today ( I ate very well - pretty well the same as yesterday but instead had some of the frittata for lunch!) I consumed about 3.5 litres of water today!!

Oh, I almost forgot...I had a comment on yesterday's post that asked, " how do you keep your energy up eating so little?"

I'm actually eating quite a bit of food throughout the day, just smaller meals and frequently. I'm eating every 3 hours. I don't usually feel hungry after I eat however if I do get hungry, I have another snack - but it has to be healthy (like a boiled egg, some cucumber slices, sometimes I grab a chicken breast, cut half and eat it - that's why it's good to have it pre-cooked and just ready to eat)!

Anyway, that's it for today. Signing off a very happy girl today. Tomorrow back to the weights for some Rob Lagana-style pain!!! :)

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

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!!!)

Create A Morning Routine That Helps You Lose Fat!

A Post from my TRAINER, Rob Lagana

If you eat a decent breakfast and lunch, with perhaps a nutritious snack in between, you should be taking in enough calories to function properly throughout the day and feel alert until dinnertime. After dinner, many of us stop eating and do not eat anything at all until morning, while some of us snack once or continuously. However, throughout the evening and night, the body continues to function and burn calories, even when sleeping. After six to eight hours of sleep, we awake with a need to consume more calories to get through the day.

Morning is the time of day when the body is most depleted of calories. This is a great opportunity to burn fat from the body. Instead of the exercising at night to burn excess calories left over from your last meal, experts suggest a morning workout of the same intensity and length will burn three times as many calories as the afternoon or evening workout. This is simply due to the fact the body will expend the existing calories in the body then will dig down to use excess, stored fat to produce energy.

To get the most out of your morning workout, health experts recommend working out for at least thirty to sixty minutes for optimal fat burning results. Prior to working out, avoid consuming calories of any kind, as the body will use these before they begin to burn the body fat available for energy. Do not worry, however, as a good breakfast is part of a fat burning morning routine when consumed after the morning workout. Exercising in the morning kicks the body’s metabolism into high gear, burning many more calories throughout the day than if you wait to exercise until nighttime.

Of course, part of a fat burning ‘morning routine’ is...well... the routine. By consistently working out each morning, your workout for the day is complete, you’ll be better equipped to cope with the day’s stresses, and you’ll enjoy better impulse control over your food choices throughout the day. Choosing healthy breakfast foods, rather than skipping breakfast, and eating after your workout will significantly curb food cravings throughout the morning until lunch time. When that morning donut cart rolls through your office, you’ll be able to smile confidently and say “No thanks.”

Starting the day with a healthy workout and a nutritious breakfast is your best opportunity to commit to burning fat and getting into serious shape. Fitness expert Rob Lagana is available to help you, and will customize a nutritious, fat burning meal plan to help you reach your goals.

Thanks for this one Rob, very useful information! For more info and useful tips, visit Rob's website http://www.laganafitness.com and sign up for his newsletter!

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

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!!!)

Weigh-in Saturday ~ Week 46

Starting Weight: 258 lbs (Dec 10/08)
Last Weigh In: 189 lbs (Oct 24/09)
Current Weight: 187 lbs (Oct 31/09)
This Week: 2 pounds Down!!!

Total Loss: 71 pounds!!

Okay!! Back on track!! I had a very busy week with work, family and journey!! I'm happy with this loss - I was shooting for 3 pounds, but quite pleased with 2!! My friend Coco was predicting a 3lb drop as well. The scale read 2.4 this morning! I'll shoot for 3 again this week Coco! :) My schedule this week was all over the place, I had to make a few extra sacrifices to get my workouts in. Glad this week is over!! So 71 pounds GONE baby with about 6 and a half weeks left on the journey - whooooooooohoooooooooo!!

I just got my new workout from my trainer Rob today!! HOLY MOTHER OF ALL CRAP, I think this time, he's lost his mind!! I think this routine was built for two reasons!! ONE - to kick the you-know-what out of all the fat left in my body and TWO - to inflict pain!! LOL!! Seriously, this workout is intense - a series of total body weight lifting exercises. For example, he rolled 3 exercises in one (dumbbell squat with curls and press); super sets, it's nuts!! I can't wait to get in the groove with this one, combined with the martial arts stuff; I'm excited!!!:)

Kickboxing and Jiu-jitsu was tough as well this week. Sensei Derek is on a mission to "make one of us puke"!!! Throwing 100 jabs (each hand) will knock the wind out of anyone,100+ crunches, kicks......omg...he pushes us to crazy limits where your lungs and heart are just burning and pumping. My arms felt like jello after last nights class.

On another note, it's Halloween - Happy Halloween!! I'm off to buy some candy for the kids this evening. I purposely did not buy the candies in advance because I just could not have those little yummy devils in the house!! MY PLAN IS TO RESIST ALL SWEET TEMPTATIONS TONIGHT!!! I WILL NOT HAVE ANY CANDY!!! I'm scurrrrrrred - it's chocolate afterall, but I've got to stay focussed. I'll tell you one thing, the kids coming to my house tonight will be smiling, because I will be unloading those chocolates in large quantities to get all sweets out of this house!! LOL!

Anyway, that's it for now! My son is on a high with excitement, he'll be even crazier once he starts getting some sugar in him!! He's dressed up as Spider Man today (sweetest spidey I ever seen!!) :)

Have a nice Halloween!!

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!!!)

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!!!)

31 Ways To Motivate Yourselves to Exercise!!

Hi guys,

I'm BAAAAAAAAAACCCCK!! Gosh, did I ever miss blogging (reading and posting)! So much to write about. However, this first post is from my trainer..... it's full of great tips and will definitely be helpful. Enjoy!! I will post again shortly!!


31 Ways to Motivate yourselves to Exercise by Rob Lagana(http://laganafitness.com)

The hardest part for most people is to stay motivated with diet and exercise. Here are 31 ways I suggest that you keep your motivation.

1. Find a training partner and commit to a schedule.

2. Buy a dog and take it for a long walk everyday. The fresh air and sunshine can give you more energy. You also have a chance to clear negative thoughts and focus on your goals.

3. Don't think about exercising or diet, just do it.

4. Get out of bed early, have a glass of water and use a cardio machine in your home.

5. Buy a cardio machine for your home, if you don't have one, then see 4.

6. Eat to live life with the right amount of energy and transform your body. Don't live to eat, especially when you eat junk. Garbage in = Garbage out.

7. Never miss 2 workouts in a row.

8. Give away 1 or 2 articles of your fat clothing each week.

9. Buy 1 or 2 articles of clothing which are tight fighting and show off your body each week, If you still look fat in them, keep them around and focus on diet and exercise to start looking better in them.

10. Once 9 is fine, then start socializing more. At night on the town, does wonders to keep your motivation high. You'll realize fast where you stand and where you need to go with your image.

11. Choose friends that will take you higher and higher. Friends that have similar interests. Just because you've been friends with someone for 20 years and they don't share your view or don't want you to succeed for some reason, doesn't mean you have to hang around them all the time and influence you to make poor decisions. Find new friends.

12. Reward yourself. Reward yourself. Reward Yourself. Every time you noticeably start looking better and feeling better, give yourself positive verbal pep talk, then go shopping for something nice !

13. Get a tan. You'll notice so much more changes in your physique as the tan will accentuate your cuts.

14. Walk into an old age home and take a look around. You'll find that some are in their 60s. Prevention is key. When I'm 60, I'll be in my own Rambo movie, doing my own stunts.

15. Whoever says "Working out is not everything in life." is right. It's not everything, but that 1 hour that you dedicate makes you move ahead 100 times more than the person that complains about it. They complain because you look better than they do. Keep a balance, but never neglect your right to a better life.

16. Make it your goal to get a professional photo shoot done.

17. Write down your intentions for the month which lead to your goals. The more details the better.

18. Plan to go on vacation, so you have a reason other than health and fitness to motivate yourself to exercise.

19. Plan to go to a concert and meet the band !

20. Watch an inspiring movie, like "The Secret" or "Never Back Down" or "No Retreat, No Surrender"

21. Make an example of what you will accomplish, so that others can follow and be inspired by you.

22. Blog your complete body transformation experience.

23. Take body part circumference measurements every 2 weeks. Keep as a measurement of your transformation.

24. Take a front, back and side photo of yourself every 2 weeks. Keep as a measurement of your transformation.

25. Make a Pros and Cons list about exercise and eating healthy. Make Pros and Cons list about not exercising and not eating healthy. Why would you not want to feel and look better on a consistent basis?

26. Write down 1 thing each day that is going to move your life forward. Would you not want to increase your longevity and enjoy a better life ? What you write down is completely realistic.

27. Create in your mind what you want. Believe you deserve what you create. Accept the things that will help you move forward toward your creation.

28. Avoid distractions. A distraction could be a person or event, that pulls you temporarily away from your goals or creations. The best way to avoid them is to ignore or move away from them.

29. Meditate which clears and refreshes your mind and allows you to continue to focus on your goals.

30. Plan to get naked more often. Seeing yourself naked can surely motivate yourself to get in shape faster and stay in shape. Don't be afraid of your skin !

31. Don't think of the problem for too long. Thinking of the problem wastes time. You should be thinking of the solution and benefits that it will bring into your life. Make a decision to act on your solution.

Thanks Rob!! These are great!!

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

Saturday Weigh-In ~ Week 34

Starting Weight: 258 lbs (Dec 10/08)
Last Weigh In: 198 lbs (Aug 1/09)
Current Weight: 197 lbs
This Week's Loss: 1 POUND

Total pounds lossed to date: 61!!!

I actually weighed myself on Friday morning...don't think the results would change in one day (at least, I hope not) LOL!

Another loss...a pound is a pound!!! I'm happy with it!! This was a good week. Ate well and exercised well!

I made a few adjustments to my training after speaking with my trainer Rob, regarding the pull-ups! I HATE PULL-UPS!!! I can do 2-3, then it's a shaky struggle to get through the rest of the reps. I'm not giving up..I'm going to do as many as I can. In my case, my plan calls for 3 sets of 8 repititions. I can do 3 reps per set, which btw I think is a huge accomplishment. So, I will do 3 pull-ups and 5 close-grip push-ups until I get strong enough to do more reps of the pull-ups.

That's it...quick post today, got a busy day ahead, will post again today if I get a chance...if not, then tomorrow.

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

Wow....Incredible Support..Thanks

I had a FABULOUS workout earlier!! Today, I did very well with my meals...all day!! I had eggs for breakfast, with two turkey sausages...yummy...for lunch I had an almond and feta cheese-stuffed chicken breast with steamed carrots, cauliflower and turnips and a side of tomato and cucumber salad. It was delicious!! Dinner tonight was roasted chicken, spinach and a baked sweet potato...tasted wonderful. I also had lots of water throughout the day!!!

Now, gratitude.....You guys are absolutely awesome!! Thank you so much for all the supportive comments and encouragement and understanding regarding my previous post!! I TRULY APPRECIATE IT FROM EACH AND EVERYONE ONE OF YOU!!!! THANKS!!! IT REALLY DOES HELP!!! Also, thank you to all of you who sent me personal emails and messages on the facebook group as well...

Okay, so the message I got from all the comments is that I need to dust myself off, RE-FOCUS and move on. Don't let all my hard work go to waste by sabotaging the progress thusfar. There were many of you who've been down this exact road before and understand exactly what I'm feeling and going through (especially Kimmy and Kimberley)...thanks for your wise and encouraging words and for those going through the same thing and/or on journeys of their own (like my "twin" NIA, Crys, Lisa), we will get there!!! Steve and Joy, thanks so much for the great advice and encouragement.

ROB - you are amazing...you always know what to say to get me thinking and wanting and just to get that whole "eye of the tiger" back!! I am so pleased about having a cheat meal every two weeks...I know to some it might not seem like much but for me I think it will help greatly. You are right....my body is a CASTLE and I AM THE QUEEN!!! :) I love that :))) I will CREATE in the NOW!!! Thank you Rob....I don't say this enough, but I know that I couldn't get through this without your support....THANK YOU!!!

So here's my plan. Tomorrow morning, I will wake up, weigh-in, then get my workout done first thing in the morning. I will then have a nice healthy egg white and spinach omlette and be on my way.

Today is my 5th wedding anniversary and tomorrow is my husband's birthday so we will be going out to celebrate over dinner and a couple of drinks!! This will be my very first cheat meal and then back on track!! I will post details of my first "official" cheat meal and how the day went!!

It is time to RE-FOCUS!!!

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

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!!!)

PICTURES!!! Finally!!!!

Hi guys...so my husband and I finally got a chance to take some pix...it was a gorgeous day today so we went out and had some family fun with our 2-year old! We just got home about an hour ago and took the following pics.

A few things...

You will notice that I've changed my outfit...I wanted something different and new and SMALLER :))...I will use the original outfit in my final pics which I will take in December. But for now, I've changed it and who knows, I may get a new outfit with each new pic...we'll see. Anyway, this outfit is SIZE L for Large y'All!!! Not, 3x or 2x or even XL...it's L - LARGE. I love it...I kept it similar to the colours of the other outfit. Here's a couple of pictures showing the size I am now wearing.

Top - L/G...Large/Grand (en framçais) YEAH!!

Pants - L/G...Large/Grand

A pair of size 'L' pants fit over my butt!! Incredible!

I noticed a few things with these pics and with me overall. First of all, those "Lagana Lunges & Squats" have really started to shape my butt. Now I know that we black women have been "blessed" with having a little extra junk in the trunk, but for some reason, it skipped me - if you look at my 'before' pic from December (Back Shot), you'll notice the bootie wasn't as "shapely" as it now is. I'm not sure that I want everyone staring at my bootie but take a look at the pic below of me from the back....LOOK AT MY BUTT!!! LOOK AT IT!! All I have to say is "Lagana Lunges and Squats!!!"

Now for the pics....

Front: Me NOW...201lbs..June 28/09

In my new outfit, I might add

Me THEN: 258lbs, Dec 2008

Back: Me NOW - 201lbs June 28/09

LAGANA LUNGES & SQUATS!! LOL!!!

Me THEN: 258lbs Dec, 2009

SIDE: NOW 201lbs June 28/09

THEN - 258lbs Dec, 2008

This is my "Just for Fun - I think I'm Kinda Hot Shot" lol!!













THAT's IT!! Let me know what you think!

Joania (2KMINE!!!)

Have You Tried to Cut Your Own Wood??

Cut Your Own Wood And It Will Warm You Twice!! Henry Ford

That is one of my favourite quotes by Henry Ford. What he meant was that the person who chops their own firewood, not only enjoys the heat from the logs burning in the fireplace, but also gets physically warmed from the exercise involved in their labor.

If you really want to enjoy your workout/exercises and benefits thereof, you should “cut your own wood” by doing things for yourself. For years I looked for the quick fix, the miracle drug, the easy solution. If I could just take a pill and have all the weight just fall off!! Let the "science" of that wonder drug do the work for me and I reap the rewards. Well, I know better. I've realized that I will be "chopping wood" for a long time but the "warmth" I will receive will do me wonders!! It already has.

Two weigh-ins back, when I had my first gain, it really got me thinking. I really need to give this my all and continue "cutting that wood". I can't miss workouts and "hope" that the weight will continue to fall off. I can't sneak in unhealthy foods and drinks here and there, and expect those same results!! I must remember to drink enough water throughout this process. I need to consistently and continuously put in the work to see results. I need to chop my own wood!!

Anyway, I'm just trying to regain focus and keep myself on that right path!! I've been really battling it out in my head lately. I mentioned briefly before of my past history of "self-sabbotaging" when it comes to getting fit, "enjoying" the comforts of being fat. I've lost 50 pounds and somewhere in my head, a little voice is saying, "You've lost 50 lbs!! That's awesome!! One BIG MAC won't hurt!!" But I know that 1 big mac will turn into a meal with supersized fries and a large coke (plus 2 apple pies and possibly 6-pc chicken mcnuggets)!! I can't let myself fall back in that cycle. So right now, it truly is a mental battle for me. A head game, you know?

I think back to what my FB friend, Mark once told me, "If your head is right, your ass will follow!". It is so true. Your head really has to be in the right place. I'm starting to think that the mental journey will be more difficult than the physical one.

My trainer, RobLagana once wrote, "the weakest link to the body is the mind!" I can totally see where he's coming from with that statement, and I believe it's true, HOWEVER, I also believe (and I think he does as well) that the mind CAN BE the strongest link. One just has to train the mind to be strong and efficient and that's what I am currently working on, where this journey is concerned. Right now, I do feel like my mind is not as strong as it needs to be, but I'm doing some "mental strength training" right now to get it where it needs to be for me to succeed and achieve my goals AND I WILL!! I AM WOMAN, afterall and everybody knows we can do anything!! ;)

I am not at all bored with my exercise program, it is extremely challenging even at this point and it frequently and progressively changes. I still can't get through all my reps of certain exercises. So, I can't possibly see myself ever getting bored with my training program. Eating is posing a bit of a challenge and I just can't figure out why. I make different meals all the time, and they're tasty!! Always trying new recipes. So I really just think it's my mind right now!!

To be completely honest, I just sometimes feel like I should take a break. Maybe a week or two of eating whatever I want - BUT I KNOW that's not a good idea. That would just set me so far back (maybe not physically), but mentally!! I've worked so hard the past months to adopt this new lifestyle, I really DO NOT want to throw that away, not even temporarily! I'd feel like I was going backwards - and who wants that feeling?? NOT ME!!

So as it stands, I'm still on track but the view is just a little blurry right now. I just need to regain that focus!! I've been really thinking of training for a 5K this fall (Sep/Oct). It would be to benefit Cancer research - so that would be a different type of reward for me. I would have to start training next month, if I decide to go that way. I think just having a different goal (apart from just losing a certain amount of weight - not that anything is wrong with that) may help me to re-focus!

What do you guys think?? Gosh this journey is hard. It is filled with SO MANY ups and downs and bumps and hurdles. I am determined though!! I will keep chopping that wood!!:)

Anyway, that's it for now...

Until next time...

Joania(2KMINE!!!)

Slimming Thighs

The following article was written by my trainer, Rob Lagana!! It's awesome and helpful information!! This is just a sample of the information you receive when you sign up for his monthly newsletter. Check out his website and sign up!!! Thanks for this, Rob - YOU ROCK!!!

Slimming the thighs, takes a combination of healthy eating and training.
There are different ways to slim the thighs. There are different conceptions of healthy eating and training. This article is not geared toward the elite in search of building the perfect physique. This article is geared toward women that want a healthier body and smaller thighs. Here we go!

When trying to be fit and healthy, Fat generally comes off at a similar rate and ratio throughout the entire body. The first place fat comes off is actually from your internal organs. There's small amounts fat inside muscle, and if your obese, there can be fat surrounding your organs, and there is visceral fat as well that can be found around your muscle.

Slimming the thighs is something that you cannot directly achieve without the body going through it's own cleanup of fat in other areas.

To speed this process, the best way of accelerating fat loss is to start eating clean and training the metabolism and muscles. By clean eating, you are essentially doing a natural healthy detox. By training the metabolism and muscles, your increasing the demand of calories that your body needs, creating a burning furnace that consumes these calories on a consistent level and your increasing your good hormone production that assists with fat loss and recovery.

As you know certain muscles are larger than others. The legs muscles are large and by training them with resistance, you place a huge demand on your body. Training legs combined with upper body and you got something that will boost your fat loss into the next level.

The foods you want to eat are Chicken, turkey, fish, eggs, red meats, fish oil, olive oil, grapeseed oil, flax oils and lots of vegetables and 1 form of low glycemic complex carb. I won't get into talking about calories, ratios or how to combine these foods. Each person is different and some people may even have sensitives to certain foods.

I will show you a non-traditional weight training workout that will involve your lower body every workout. These are simple workouts, which target total body training.

If you are NOT familiar with these exercises, do not attempt to perform them without first learning proper mechanics of the movement. Hire a personal trainer to show you or find someone with experience. Once you have the form down, increase your tempo but always use good form. Don't compensate tempo with poor form.

These movements are performed in a circuit style fashion.
No rest between sets. 1 minute rest between circuits.

Day 1:

3-5 circuits of the following:

Single Leg Quarter Squats against the wall using a Stability Ball 12-15 reps
Dumbell Squats 12-15 reps
Staggered Stance Dumbell Overhead Presses 12-15 reps
Sumo Squats to Overhead Throw using Medicine Ball 12-15 reps

Day 2:

3-5 circuits of the following:

Deadlifts 12-15 reps
Dumbell Squats to Bicep Curls 12-15 reps
Pushups 12-15 reps
Recline Pull-Ups 12-15 reps

Day 3

3-5 circuits

Frontal Step-Ups using a minimum of 4 planks 5-6 is better (work up to it) 45 sec.
Sagital Step-Ups using a minimum of 4 planks 5-6 is better (work up to it) 45 sec.
Leg Raises using machine or on ground 45 sec.
Machine or ground crunches 45 sec.
Dumbell Lunges (medium stride) 12-16 reps or 60 sec.

Day 4 - OFF

Day 5 - Your choice of Cardio or Yoga

Day 6 - Your Choice of Cardio or Yoga

Day 7 - OFF

REPEAT !