Day 17 of My 30 Day Countdown - Kick Ass Kickboxing

Hi guys,

Well I am totally over the peanut butter and I'm actually quite grateful for the full day of rest yesterday. I woke up this morning feeling awesome and immediately got my weight training done. I mentioned before that it was a bit heavy on the leg workout (lower body) - lots of squats and lunges. I really pushed through this morning and felt great after.

I walked into the dojo (gym) at around noon today for my regular Wednesday Kickboxing session! Our teacher Ingrid, AKA "INTENSE" was ready and waiting!! Little did I know, she had something extra planned for the class today!! The focus was LOWER BODY today !!! OMG!! MY LEGS!! She had us complete numerous leg drills with various kicks repeatedly and in between sets, we were required to do FULL SQUATS!! My thighs were burning!! It was crazy INTENSE (hence her nickname)!! She pushed us really hard!! We were spent after wards and DRENCHED!! Awesome class!!

FOOD:
I ate very well today. I found that for whatever reason, I didn't drink enough water today. I had about 2 litres (I regular aim for 3 to 4). It just didn't happen today but I'm drinking some as I sit here typing so that should bring me up to 3litres for the day!

B - 3 boiled eggs (whites), warm cabbage salad (blanched cabbage and onions, garlic, pepper)
Sn - protein drink
L - 1 can tuna, green salad
Sn - small baked sweet potato
D - roasted chicken breast, steamed broccoli
Sn - a small yellow bell pepper

Today I was having a discussion with a few of my colleagues about what I plan to do after the journey!! There is no "after the journey", the journey continues. But I understood what they meant. I have been thinking, even planning on taking the week after the 10th of Dec to eat whatever I want, just no restrictions - only for that week, HOWEVER, today, my boss (who I also consider a friend) actually said to me, "Joania, can an alcoholic take one drink, can an addict do just one line of cocaine??" Shit! It really got me thinking. I don't believe I'm as bad as an alcoholic or drug addict, and he wasn't insinuating that, however, there was a lot of value to what he was saying. There I was just planning to eat (more like pig out) everyday for that week, not even thinking of how that may affect me or what that would mean for my new lifestyle!! That is no way to start my new lifestyle, right??

So I have now decided that I will have a few cheat MEALS during that week and not a cheat day, each and everyday!! I may have a pizza lunch one day, and even then not go overboard - moderation!! I've got to cut myself some slack because I've really pushed myself to the limit, especially in this home stretch but I do want to maintain this way of living!

In my heart, I truly believe that the maintenance of this new lifestyle will be equally or maybe even more difficult than the weight loss journey itself!! I need to give myself a fighting chance and find that balance. I am not going to deprive myself HOWEVER, I am also not going to go back to the way I used to be. No more sabotaging! So thanks for that lesson Bossman!! :)

Anyway, that's it for now. I'm still trying to figure out how I am going to celebrate this achievement! I'm leaning towards the birthday-journey combo celebration in February (my birthday)! I'll keep you posted.

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

Day 16 of My 30 Day Countdown - Oh, Peanut Butter!!!

Hey guys,

Day 16 wasn't a great day for yours truly. Today was supposed to be rest day which is no weight training, just Jiu-Jitsu (JJ) class. Well, unfortunately I had a meeting today and missed JJ class. I was pretty busy today and a bit bummed out for missing the class - but sh*t happens. I figured when I got home, I would get a quick cardio session in but I DIDN'T!! I just wasn't up to it today. I guess we all have those days! I'm not going to beat myself up about it, I'll get right back into it tomorrow morning. This was a full day of rest for me and I guess my body will thank me for it later :)

On the eating side, everything was perfect, all day!! Breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinner....EXCEPT, I HAD A TEASPOON OF PEANUT BUTTER!!! My son kept asking for a PB sandwich and of course I made it for him. The bread (ww) was really fresh and that just made the PB smell AMAZING!! I knew I was in trouble once that aroma lingered in my head!! LOL!! I made his sandwich and put the PB away. I continued about my business but could not get that PB out of my head! I went to the kitchen, opened the drawer, pulled out a teaspoon, grabbed the PB and took a spoonful!! IT was DELICIOUS!! I then put it away. I don't feel guilty just a little sneaky today! LOL

Back on track tomorrow :)

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

Day 15 of My 30 Day Countdown

Halfway there!! Today is Day 15!

Very quick post today

EXERCISE:

1.5 hour weight training session which was awesome...my legs were on fire this morning

45 minute kickboxing class - high cardio today. It was awesome.

FOOD:

B - 3 boiled eggs (egg whites only), grilled tomato slices (medium tomato), 1L water
Sn - protein drink (vanilla whey powder, water)
L - grilled chicken breast, steam mixed veggies (spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms), 1L water
Sn - handful of almonds, water (1/2 L)
D - roast beef, green salad (lettuce, cucumbers, green peppers), 1L water
Sn - 1 small baked sweet potato, 1/2 L water

All in all a very good day today both on food and exercising! I'm still pushing through but I'm a bit tired today so I'm turning in shortly. Tomorrow is a new day.

Also something I'm thinking about is to have to a big celebratory party at the end of this. I was thinking sometime in December but since it's so close to the holidays, it might not be a good time. My birthday is the end of February - I could hold off until then and just have a HUGE BIRTHDAY-END-OF-JOURNEY-BASH!!!! And that will give me a little extra time to REALLY tone up!! I would love to hear what do you guys think...any suggestions would be welcomed. Thanks :))

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 :)

Weigh-in Saturday ~ Week 49

Starting Weight: 258 lbs (Dec 10/08)
Last Weigh In: 180 lbs (Nov 14/09)
Current Weight: 177 lbs (Nov 21/09)
This Week: 3 FABULOUS POUNDS GONE!!!!
Total Loss: 81 pounds!!

Day 13 of the last 30 days brought another awesome loss this week!! 3 POUNDS!! I have lost 81 pounds since starting this journey! Incredible. ONLY 3 WEIGH-INS LEFT!!! 20 pounds to go!! I don't think I will lose 20 pounds in the next 3 weeks but I will do my best to lose as much as I can and honestly at this point, the number really no longer matters! I am feeling and looking amazing and strong and healthy! I'm just in a great place. Plus, the journey doesn't end in the the next 3 weeks.....THE JOURNEY CONTINUES!! :)

I got a chance to sleep in a bit today (until 730), then was awaken by my 3-yr old. I put him in the stroller and went out for a nice jog this morning. I had planned for 45 mins but made it 30 minutes instead. Today, we're hanging out and doing some fun stuff just me and him (husband is working today)! We may even take in a movie today! :)

That's it for now...hope you all have a fantastic weekend!

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

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!!!)

Day 10 of My 30 Day Countdown

Quick post today..

Still on an awesome roll!!

FOOD!!!

Breakfast was 3 eggs sunny side up (only used one yolk, 3 egg whites) and 1L water

Morning Snack - protein drink (vanilla whey protein powder, water)

Lunch - Shredded grilled chicken breast with about 2 cups of spinach, 1L water

Afternoon snack - small handful (10-12) almonds, 1/2L water

Egg and Chicken frittata with veggies ( like a crustless quiche - beat 6 egg whites, 1 whole egg, 2 cooked chicken breasts cut in cubes, chopped zucchini, onions, broccoli, red and green peppers, seasonned with black pepper, thyme, garlic. I mixed it all in a casserole dish and baked in the oven - pretty yummy!! 1L Water

I'm having a cup of tea right now (green tea - unsweetened)

EXERCISE!!!!

1.5 hours of weight training (full body)

45 minutes kickboxing

I wasn't able to do a second KB class today. My husband had to work. That's okay, I gave it 110% today!!

Tomorrow will be Jiu-jitsu for an hour but I think I may add an evening run to that, I'll let you know!! :)

I'm feeling great y'all and hoping I can pull off another nice loss at this weeks weigh in!! Only 3 1/2 weeks to go!! 3 1/2 weeks!! That' s INSANE!!!

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

Day 9 of My 30 Day Countdown - Oh oh, Out to Dinner with Friends!!

Today was a good day! Not nearly as tough as yesterday (2 kickboxing classes and 1.5 hours of weight training)!!!Today was my rest day - now just because it was my rest day, doesn't mean that I would not be moving!!! :) I had an hour long Jiu-Jitsu class today at noon. It was great. Some cardio, a few body-weight strength moves and lots of self-defense techniques including 8 variations of breakfalls!! It's a very good workout! I burn between 450 and 600 calories with that workout! It felt good! I got a good sweat!!

Eating was perfect today!! 2 turkey sausages and one soft boiled egg for breakfast with 1L of water, morning snack was my protein drink (vanilla whey protein, water) and lunch was mixed veggie and chicken breast (cut in strips) stir fry, 1L water! My afternoon snack was 1/2 a baked sweet potato 1/2L water!

Then a few colleagues invited me to join them for dinner. One of the colleagues was from out of town and I really wanted to visit with her as well. I could have said no, but I wanted to go for the whole social aspect of the evening! I was a bit nervous about the eating and temptations - let's just say this would be another test for me.

So we decided that we were going to The Big Easy!! It's a cajun style seafood and steak restaurant. I took a peek at the menu on-line and saw that I could make healthy selections. I sent an email to my colleagues telling them that I would be coming HOWEVER "I WILL NOT BE DRINKING ANY ALCOHOL OR EATING ANY UNHEALTHY FOODS!!" No sharing of deep fried, battered hors d'oeuvres or dessert!! Those were my rules and I had all intentions of sticking to it!! It can be done and I was going to prove it to myself today!!

We got to the restaurant, the waitress came over, with the standard small glasses of water, placed them down on the table and said, "can I get you some cocktails?" with a very pleasant smile and friendly personality (she was really good, actually)! I asked for water and quickly advised her that I will be drinking nothing but water for the entire evening!! I thought this would prevent me from having to say "no, thank you - just more water please" each time she returned! And it worked....she returned with a nice tall glass of water, even decorated it with a lemon wedge. It was perfect! She came by frequently and refilled my glass without me even having to ask as my colleagues enjoyed their yummy looking drinks! :)

Then came the food!! Everything on the menu looked amazing!! My mind started straying a bit and I started getting excited reading all the yummy things on the menu. I grabbed my cell phone out of my purse and stared at the screen for a few minutes. Before I left, I had typed a message to myself which I had planned to read if I got weak. It said, "Joania, don't even think about it!!! Stick to the plan, you've got 3 and a half weeks to go!! YOU CAN DO THIS!!" I read it three times, returned my phone back to my purse and proceeded to order. I had a grilled salmon fillet with a double order of vegetables!! This is what it looked like:
It was delicious and very light, non-greasy. I was quite impressed with the flavor and it was quite filling as well! I was so proud of myself for sticking to the plan! Then came dessert!! I was dying inside as the waitress described all the desserts they offered and made fresh daily at the restaurant!! The one that stuck in my mind was the "sweet potato, chocolate pie" Oh MY GOD, can you imagine...everyone at the table reacted very well to it. One of my colleagues ordered one to share. Oh goodness...I so desperately wanted to have a bite! Would one little small nibble really hurt??? YES IT WOULD!! SO I REFUSED!! That was the toughest part of my night! My colleagues got through most of the dessert and there was still some left!! I kept staring at it thinking, just take a small taste!! I pulled out my phone and read my message once more!!

Then i was good!! I paid my bill and went home!! When I walked out of that restaurant, I FELT AMAZING!!! SO PROUD of myself for getting through it!! It CAN be done, you don't have to sacrifice your social life...this is my new lifestyle!! THIS IS MY NEW LIFESTYLE!!

That's it for tonight! Have a good one

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

Day 8 of My 30 Day Countdown

Hi guys...hope everyone is well today! Here's a little update/recap on the weekend (Day 6 & 7 on the 30-day countdown to the end)!!!

Day 6 (SATURDAY) was one of the best day's I've had on the journey. I woke up early anticipating my loss on the scale. I stepped on and to my surprise, I had dropped 5 pounds for that week!! That was awesome!! I'm still on a high and trying to keep that momentum going!!!

Day 7 (Sunday) was pretty much a day of rest! I wanted to do a Yoga session but just didn't have it in me. I've been fighting off a cold/flu for a few days now and Sunday was the worst! I couldn't stop coughing, had chills...it was awful! I stayed home under covers trying to sweat it out, took some Cold FX and one small shot of cognac and did nothing but watch NFL football ALLL DAY!! It was just what my body needed! The rest did me some good! Still not 100%, but I ABSOLUTELY REFUSE to let this stinking cold get the best of me, or even slow me down for that matter! I can't be sick now!! NOT HAPPENING!!

So here we are today...DAY 8 - Monday!!

Today was PHENOMENAL!!!! I woke up at 5am, and got right into my weight training session. It's 1 hour and 35 minutes of pain!! But good pain....those squats were killing me this morning, and the lunges - even worst- but I pushed through! I'm telling you, I don't know what it is, but I am feeling invincible!! LOL!! I picture this fit body (in my mind - I'm thinking like body builder, fitness model type of body) just pumping those weights and pushing through the routine. Yes, I know I'm nuts but for whatever reason, it works, especially at 5 in the morning! This new routine is tough....Rob really took his Lagana-Kick-Ass pills when he put this one together!! If you want one like it, check him out. He'll send it to you electronically:) (http://www.laganafitness.com)

So when I was done, I had a protein drink (whey protein, water) for breakfast (more to hold me over until I got to work). I got my son ready and all the usual routine and went out the door. I got to work and about an hour later, I had a 3egg white omlet with spinach..I made it in the microwave at work! It turned out pretty well! I'll be doing that again - it saves time!

Before I knew it, it was noon and I had a Kickboxing class at 1215...rushed out to make it (the dojo(gym) is just across the street from the building where I work so it' like a 3-5 min walk! That class was tough. The teacher (Ingrid) really gave our legs a workout and the heart was just pumping! 45 minutes goes by so quickly in kickboxing class, it's amazing! I was drenched and winded ..it really is a great feeling because you know you've pushed yourself to the max! The drills were great!

I took a shower, went back to work and had my lunch (a grilled chicken breast, steamed broccoli). It was delicious, really hit the spot. By lunch time, I had consumed about 3.5 litres of water (including what I drank during workouts). Pretty good day so far, RIGHT?? NOT FOR ME!!! My crazy ass decided that I would go to the 430 kickboxing class!!!! It worked out that my husband could pick up our son today, so that gave me the option and I took advantage of it!!!

I walked in to the Dojo (gym) and of course the first person I see....SENSEI DEREK!!! He looked pleasantly surprised to see me AGAIN!! He smirked and said, "Oh, good luck today, I have something special planned!!" OH Great!! What have I done - it's not like I could turn back. For a quick second, I thought about pretending I forgot something earlier and I just came to pick it up - but I didn't. I went to the changing room and put on my gear - thankfully, I had extra workout clothes in that bag because the ones from earlier were soaked!!

This class was LIVE y'all!! Sensei Derek is a maniac!! After his warm-up, I wanted to just pass out!! Today, he pulled out the quotes! "EXCELLENCE IS A HABIT, NOT AN ACT", "THE ONLY FAILURE IS QUITTING" and one of my fav's, "THE BEST WAY OUT, IS THROUGH!!!!" Who's gonna want to quit after hearing those read out loud with the amount of passion he had!! NOT ME, man! I took my place on the mat and thought to myself, "BRING IT!!!" and GOD did he ever!! I think this man is on a neverending quest to make me puke!! There were drills and circuits and reps and squats and kicks and punches!! It was INSANELY INTENSE!! Just Awesome!! So glad I went.

I gotta tell you, I have taken cardiokickboxing classes at regular gyms in the past and THIS IS NIGHT AND DAY DIFFERENT, in terms of EVERYTHING!! I know I said it before, but if any of you are looking for a GREAT WORKOUT, intense and just different than the regular stuff, look into kickboxing at a martial arts studio...and not just any old place, check out Therien, especially if you're in the Ottawa area! They have a few locations. Check out their website for more information, if you're interested (http://www.TherienMartialArts.com).

Dinner was Chicken and spinach caserole ( I just cut chicken breast in big cubes/chunks, add spinach, mushrooms, onions, garlic, black peper and stuck it in the oven to bake! It was just okay - nothing special! Hey, I gotta be honest! ;)

Anyway, so I am wiped right now. Plan on turning in early tonight! I sent Rob(my trainer) and email asking him if it was okay to workout as much as I did today! If he gives me the okay, I will be doing this every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday for the next few weeks (AT LEAST!)

Until next time...signing off happy, tired and pumped!!!
Joania (2KMINE!!!)