Showing posts with label running. Show all posts
Showing posts with label running. Show all posts

Monday, January 4, 2010

Blueprint 2010 Basics

This will outline the plan I've laid out in order to achieve my goals for 2010. My Blueprint 2010!!! It consists of EXERCISE (strength training & cardio) and NUTRITION!

Blueprint 2010: Basics

EXERCISE
I will exercise 6 days a week (Monday to Saturday); Sunday will be my day of REST! My exercise program will consist of Strength Training, Martial Arts (Kickboxing & Jiu-jitsu), Jogging/Running (outdoors when the weather permits & the old treadmill on those crisp Canadian Winter days),Yoga and Swimming.

Weight Training
I will continue using the services of my incredible trainer, Rob Lagana (http://www.laganafitness.com). My strength training programs are personalized and customized by Rob to whip me into the best shape of my life. He's my Jillian & Bob all rolled up in one! These are total body weight training programs - sometimes there's an emphasis on specific muscle groups (legs, arms, etc.) but for the most part it is a total body workout.

Martial Arts
I will continue my Kickboxing and Jiu-jitsu sessions at Therien Martial Arts with Sensei Derek and Ingrid (http://www.therienmartialarts.com). These sessions range from 45 mins to an hour. One day a week (Monday), I will be taking 2 kickboxing classes for a total of 1 hour and 45 mins of exercise.

Jogging/Running
After running my first 5K last October, I was surprised to learn that I liked running or at least I liked the feeling of completing that 5K race!!! I wanted to continue running. I did for a bit but I have not ran in a few weeks and really want to get back into it. I used the Couch to 5K (C25K) program to get myself ready last year and I am planning on doing that program again. I have a link on the right side of this blog for additional information on the C25K program.

In short, it's a popular running program designed to get you off the couch and running a 5K in 9 weeks time!! It works - I did it!!! Each session takes between 20 to 30 minutes, three times a week. This will also keep me in running shape for when I decide to run the "Try-a-Tri"(mini triathlon)!!

Yoga/Swimming
Once a week, I'd like to get back into taking a yoga class. It's nothing crazy, more to stretch and relax than anything else. I'm thinking of doing this every Saturday. I'd also like to get back into swimming, it's something I actually really enjoy and don't even look at it as exercise. I'm thinking for now, I could alternate between the Yoga class and Swimming session, one day a week.

BLUEPRINT 2010: WORKOUT SCHEDULE
Monday
  • Weight Training (1 hour, 30 mins)
  • Kickboxing (45 mins)
  • Kickboxing (1 hour)
Tuesday
  • Jiu-jitsu (1 hour)
  • C25K (30 mins)
Wednesday
  • Weight Training (1 hour, 30 mins)
  • Kickboxing (45 mins)
Thursday
  • Jiu-jitsu (1 hour)
  • C25K (30 mins)
Friday
  • Weight Training (1 hour, 30 mins)
  • Kickboxing (1 hour)
Saturday
  • C25K (30 mins)
  • Yoga or Swimming (1 hour)
Sunday
  • REST!! :)
NUTRITION
My nutritional plan will remain the same, that is consuming foods that come solely from the Whole Foods group. I know this won't ALWAYS be the case, however my goal is to aim for eating whole foods 90-95 percent of the time.
I will also continue eating 5-6 small meals throughout the day. I will also drink 3-4 litres of water everyday (this is easier than it sounds especially when you're working out - I can usually down about a litre of water during/after my workout sessions).

My Food List
This list is certainly not inclusive of EVERY thing I will be eating, but it should give you a better idea of the types of foods I will eat. It's really just eating clean! This is the toughest part for me. I can work out until I puke, but where I really have to give 150% effort is with staying on track with my eating. Once I get going, it gets easier.

Avoid, Avoid, Avoid!!

I will avoid the following:
  • Sugar
  • refined, processed foods
  • soft drinks/soda/pop
  • alcohol :(
List
Choose from any of these:
  • ALL vegetables, especially the dark green ones (spinach, broccoli, green peppers, brussel sprouts, romaine lettuce, kale, etc.)
  • Fruits (melons, apples, strawberries, etc.)
  • Eggs - I have eggs everyday
  • Poultry (chicken, turkey, Cornish hen)
  • Turkey Sausages
  • Extra Lean Beef (sirloins, top round steaks)
  • FISH (I love fish- TUNA, sardines, sole, haddock, salmon, snapper, tilapia, king etc) and seafood (shrimp & lobster, clams)
  • Sweet Potatoes - these have been a God send this past year..it tastes like dessert on some days. It hits the sweet spot!
  • Brown rice
  • Whole grain pasta, multi-grain pasta (not everyday)
  • Whole wheat pita (for wraps and/or baking to mimic a crispy chip, dipped in humus)
  • Almonds (un-roasted, unsalted, "un-chocolated" :), Brazil nuts
  • Oatmeal (I like the steel cut) - avoid the pre-packaged flavored oatmeal
  • Cheese, yogurt (low fat - flavor with real fruit instead)
  • Ice cream, chocolate bars, birthday cake - NOT!!!!!! Just checking if you're paying attention! :)
Overall, I am eating a lot of salads and mixed veggie dishes (stirfrys, steamed veggies, frittatas etc.) with some sort of lean protein. Omlets are great as well - you get your veggies and protein and you could have it for breakfast or for dinner! Occasionally, I had rice and pasta but no more than twice a week. I had sweet potatoes practically everyday (but I really like it)!

Towards the last few months of the year, I increased my protein intake based on how much I was exercising. I replaced one of my snacks with a protein drink (protein powder & water). I usually drank it after one of my workout sessions.

I'm sure there are other healthy stuff that I've left off this list, I just jotted these down based on what and how I ate last year. If there's anything that you think should be on the list, please write it in the comments section. Thanks

So that's the Blueprint for this year. Sorry for the lengthy post. This is exactly what I'll be following this year and I am confident that my goals are within reach.

Until next time...
Joania

Sunday, October 4, 2009

I DID IT!!!!!!!!!! MY FIRST 5K in 43:48!!!!!!!!!


ME!!! After running my first 5K!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!43:48!!!!!!!!! Click on the pix to enlargen!! My hair was messy but who cares, I JUST RAN A 5K!! :D


Wow!!! What a moment!! Crossing that finish line today was simply one of the best and most amazing moments of my life!! Tears ran down my cheeks as I saw that finish line and it was within my reach and I felt amazing, full of energy, no aches!! My legs felt strong and I felt like I could run forever! It was amazing!!! I was thinking of my mom and my son, my husband, and my friends and family and my trainer whipping me into shape and the blog and readers/supporters!! I just wanted to run!! There were so many people running for the cure!! All these people (strangers) cheering me on as I got closer and closer to that finish line!

"I'm running!! I'm running and about to cross the finish line of a 5K race", I thought to myself!! I was in disbelief and juiced up on adrenaline!! It was incredible. I looked up at the clock and it said 43:48 as I crossed. WHAT!!!!??? How the heck did I do that??In all the weeks of training, the fastest I ran the 5K was 59minutes. I did not run the entire thing either...there were moments when I walked..but the walks were brisk and short, I REALLY JUST WANTED TO RUN!!! I felt such happiness and pride finishing that race...truly awesome moment!

Okay, so you can tell that I am still on an incredible high here!! Let me back up a bit!! I woke up this morning feeling nervous and anxious about the run but determined non-the-less!! I put on my "runfit" (run + outfit + runfit) and headed to the run site. I took my iPod with me, seeing that I was running by myself, I figured it would help me to stay focussed. I was listening to Robert Ullrey's podcast (the C25K program). I was accustomed to the music so it was great! It really did help as I found that I zoned everything else out and focussed on the run, my form and my breathing!

A little past the halfway point, I felt myself getting tired and quickly gave myself a little pep talk (in my head!!) which went something like this, "you're running a 5K, you registered and actually showed up, you didn't chicken out!! you're doing it, YOU CAN DO THIS, you told everybody you're going to do this so DO IT, NO PAIN, NO TIRED, NO EXCUSES!!!" It was amazing, I felt the energy racing through me. I just can't find the right words to explain the feeling!!

Throughout my 5K training, I truly felt that running was not for me. I didn't find it enjoyable and usually was spent after each training session so I was really worried about how I would perform today!! After today's race, the way I felt - and I don't know if it was a combination of nerves, excitement, adrenaline and determination, but I liked it!! I LIKED IT!! I felt strong and fit!! It was just great!! That "running switch" finally went on!!So will I continue running?? YEAH!! I WILL!! I will definitely continue running because I LOVED the way I felt today!! So to all my runner friends/bloggers who kept encouraging me to keep at it...YOU WERE RIGHT!! If this is the feeling you were referring to , I can definitely get used to it!!Incredible!!

Anyway, today was an awesome day!! I've just completed one of the items on my bucket list!! This gives me great hope that I can achieve so much more. 9 months ago prior to setting out on this incredible journey, I could barely walk to my car, muchless dream of ever running a 5K race. The possibilities are endless! I'm so excited for the future!! AMAZING

Oh, the only bad thing (not really bad, bad), but because of the amount of people participating in CIBC Run for the Cure race, it was difficult to get pix and impossible to get one of me crossing the finish line... WHO CARES??? I JUST RAN A 5K RACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YEAH BABY!!!!!!!!!!


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

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Wow....

Hey guys...

First off, thanks for all the nice comments on my last post. I'm amazed at the differences in the pix.


Anyway, I had a very interested day today!! It started off with one of my friends at work. She came to visit me in my office and presented me with a little silver star that had the word "Bravo" written on it (See pic below). She recently joined weight watchers and had lost a total of 7 pounds thus far!! "Awesome!!" I exclaimed, "Keep it up!!" She'd been given this star as a result of her hard work and weight loss and decided to give it TO ME, because she thought I was a good support to her....We always talk about my journey, she follows my blog and always compliments me on how I'm doing!! IF anyone is supportive, IT'S HER!!! Anyway, she wanted to show her appreciation for supporting her!! I was so touched...I mean, I know it's a little silver sticker but the thought and sentiment behind it just means so much. So I wanted to say THANKS DEBBIE!! Keep up the great work and you know I'm rooting for ya!! :)
Okay, so the sticker is a cute little thing - I really tried hard to get a clear shot of it, but my photography skills aren't the best. It does say "BRAVO" on it (in red). :)


Later on that day, I had a very interesting conversation with another friend. This conversation had more to do with me and life and trying to figure out what exactly I want out of life. It was quite fascinating and shed some light on a lot of things I've been pondering of late, specifically as it relates to my career and life in general. You see, I'm going through a lot of very important changes in my life right now, number one being this journey. For the first time, I've decided to invest the time and effort required to assist me in being the best I can be. I'm investing in my health and well-being which will also greatly benefit my family!! So with that, of course, I find myself re-evaluating various other aspects of my life...just an interesting time for me right now and the conversation just captured that.

Anyway, I came home and check my emails (as usual). I received and email titled, "You Can Cross This Off Your Bucket List". I was intrigued. If you notice at the bottom right side of my blog, I have a section titled, "Top Items From My Bucket List" and I've listed certain things I'd like to try at least once before leaving this wonderful earth!! I don't know if I'll ever get to do all of them but I plan to try and I'm certain I will be adding more items to this list as I go along in life - I hope to cross off quite a few as well! :) Anyway, back to the email.

This person started off by saying, "YOU SAVED MY LIFE - Well improved the quality!!"...those words immediately brought chills to my body. I was a bit nervous to read on because I didn't really know what to expect. I continued reading and to sum up what was said, this individual recently found my blog and decided to read every post from the start. Well she read my post I wrote on FIBROIDS and my experiences with it. She's been having some lower abdominal pain and for the past couple of years have just disregarded the pain thinking it had to do with her obesity. Anyway, after reading my post, she recognized a lot of the symptoms that I described and decided to go to the doctor. She was diagnosed with numerous, large fibroid and eventually received treatment. Her pain is now gone and she too has embarked on a weightloss journey of her own!!

I am so very flattered. I don't believe I saved her life -I'm awaiting her response for more details - however, I'm very happy the information from my experiences could help her to resolve her own. This is great and I'm thrilled that I am able to positively affect people and help them out. So thank you for that email and I look forword to your response.

Anyway, today was a good day regarding my food but I DID NOT workout today...I was running late this morning and did not get a chance this evening. I will be up first thing in the morning sweating it up...no worries...

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

Friday, August 21, 2009

So You Think You Can RUN???

When I started this journey, I set a few goals...certain things I wanted to do...milestones, if you will. One of those milestones was to eventually run a 5K race. That's right, A 5K or 3.1 miles!! Yikes!! What the crap was I thinking???

Anyway a couple of months ago, I made the decision that I would start officially training for this run. I even started a seperate blog to keep track of my "5K run" training etc. I decided I would take part in The CIBC Run For The Cure on Sunday October 4, 2009!!

Well, October 4th is right around the corner and I AM SO NERVOUS!! I don't feel like I'm ready. I have been following the C25K or "Couch to 5 K" training plan. I found it tough as nails but effective. Even after 4 weeks of training, I am still a "struggling runner". Truth be told, I haven't been as disciplined as I should have been with the training. I really dislike running - maybe I haven't yet found my groove where running is concerned. It is tough, but I've committed, so I'm sticking with it!!

One of my girlfriends volunteered to help me get set up and registered for the run. I was very excited to get started. now I'm full of nerves. Gotta get it together! With the upcoming race only about 5/6 weeks away, the doubts are "TRYING" to creep in - but I won't let them.


So why this post?


I put this out there before and a few of you had expressed interest in running as a team and/or running the 5K with me. If any of you are interested or still interested, please send me an email to journey2kmine@live.com or leave a comment on this post with your contact (email address) info. I just want to get as much info as possible before setting things up (registration etc.) with my girlfriend. PLEASE LET ME KNOW BY FRIDAY AUGUST 28, 2009!! Thanks!!


That's it for now...thanks.

Until next time....

Joania (2KMINE!!!)

Friday, August 14, 2009

Had A Good Week

Hi guys,

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

THURSDAY

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

Morning Snack
Small banana

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

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

FRIDAY

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

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

Dinner
Roasted curried chicken breast
2cups broccoli
3 cups water

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

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

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

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

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

Monday, June 15, 2009

Updates and Things...

Hey guys,

I just wanted to come on quickly to thank all of you for all the nice comments regarding the citizen article and just the support in general. Thanks!

On another note, I just finished my very first run today (as part of the C25K -Couch to 5K Training program) in quest of my first 5K race later this Fall. Check out my training blog for details here. It was quite intense.

Tomorrow I will be heading out of town once again on business. It won't be a long trip, I should be back home Thursday evening (Friday- the latest). I will take my lap top with me so that we can stay connected.

It's a really busy time for me at work right now, however it should hopefully quiet down next month.

Until next time...

Joania (2KMINE!!!)

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

My "Other" Big News

Hi all,

So I guess I've teased for long enough!! Really, I wasn't teasing!! :)

Anyway, my news is that I have decided to embark on a new adventure ....(and some of you may think I'm nuts)......

I've decided that I want to to start training for a 5K RUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Can you believe it??? Am I nuts??? I HATE running!!!

I've been giving it a lot of thought lately, so I checked with my trainer and once he gets back to me, the process will begin!!!

I started a new blog that will be dedicated solely to My 5K Training. It will serve more like a training log than anything, outlining exactly what training I will be doing, including pix etc.

Check out the blog, I put my first post up yesterday. Here's the link:

http://www.My5K.blogspot.com

Until next time....

Joania (2KMINE!!)

Thursday, April 2, 2009

Living in the Present

My life is a journey, not a destination. This weight loss journey that I am on is just one of the MANY things I'm doing with my life. I've said it so many times before in prior posts, "although, this weight loss journey is very important to me, I don't want it to consume me, there's so much more to me than just this - as encompassing as it is!!" From the very beginning it has been important to me that I do not miss out on life as I attempt to get healthy. I'm at a good place (very good place) in my life and now is the right time for me to be on this journey but at the same time, I am also enjoying life as I go along! I certainly will not let life just pass me by!!! I don't want to put anything on hold so that I achieve these goals. Because if I was to do that, what would I do when I achieved those goals? Where would I start? I'd be lost!!!

Don't get me wrong, I realize that I will have to make some major changes to my lifestyle, particularly with regards to my nutrition and physical activity and committment to this (and I HAVE) and I will continue to make those sacrifices BUT I won't sacrifice living.....I am enjoying my life, my family and my friends and my work, even as I go through this journey!! It's great! No regrets. I certainly don't want to look back in 7-8 months time, having reached my goals and be miserable due to the things I've missed out on!! What brought these thoughts on, you may ask? Well I'll tell you.

I bumped into one of my old friends today; haven't seen her in about 2 years! She was so pleasantly surprised when she saw the change in my physical appearance...she complimented me over and over and wanted to know what I was doing. We grabbed a seat and I proceeded to fill her in about the whole journey/blog experience. It was really nice. We were having such a good time. Anyway, we started talking about old times. I asked how her sister was and it's then that the mood of our conversation changed. "Oh crap", I thought to myself...."something's wrong, I hope her sister is okay!"

She then started filling me in that her sister (who was always a bigger girl, like me) had lost all of the weight!! She did it using the South Beach Diet and running (she ran 5K's, 10K's and was even training for a half marathon). "WOW", I exclaimed, "that's amazing". "So why so glum", I asked. Well she continued to fill me in.

In her words, her sister had become so obsessed with losing the weight that it was all she did, spoke of and lived. She cut off ties with many of her friends and even some family members. She stopped attending functions etc. This was all that she was about, losing the weight. Anyway, in a nut shell, this went on for about 9 months or so. It has been a little over year since her sister lost the weight and has now been battling depression. She even attempted suicide ...she said that she felt that after she lost the weight, it's almost like there was nothing else and at first it wasn't so bad but she just slipped further and further into depression. she's currently on medication and showing signs of things getting better.

I was truly stunned to hear all of this. I realize that this may be an extreme case (or maybe not, I don't know) but I just found it so sad. This is exactly what I don't want to happen to me and I don't think it would with me because I love life and people (especially my family and friends) and although I want to lose this weight, I really want to lose this weight, I DO NOT want to cut off my friends and family to do it. This does take a lot of time, effort, dedication, sacrifices and resources and I can see how it can get the best of you but I do not intend to let it!! I'm trying to get fit so that I can ENJOY LIVING even more than I currently do.

I always think back to a comment one of my new Facebook friends sent me, "Joania, if your head is right, your ass will follow!" It really is all about finding that balance and if you don't, you might get lost in the end, as was the case with my friend's sister.

Sorry for such a downer post but I really think it's important that I shared this with all of you, especially those of you on this journey with me or on journeys of your own and even those thinking of starting a journey. Stay true to who you are and live in the moment, enjoy the small accomplishments no matter what. I don't know, I'm no expert but it just makes sense to me that this weight loss thing (and everything else for that matter) should be about balance. I mean we all make mistakes but it's that big picture that matters in the end. Your overall accomplishment, right???

I would really love to hear your thoughts on this one, please feel free to post comments!

Thanks.

Until next time...

Joania (2KMINE!!!)