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!!!)

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!!!)

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!!!)

The 7 Essential Habits Of A Successful Fitness Routine

Hi everyone,

This is very helpful information written by my trainer Rob. I thought I would share with my blog friends. Hope it helps.

To get the most out of fitness routine, you need to develop habits that will focus your efforts in the gym and move you forward toward your goals. These are my 7 essential habits that I have developed and use on a daily basis which bring me success in the gym.

1. Have your body parts, exercises, sets and reps planned out in your head before you start your workout.

2. Perform the movement warm-up, usually a couple of sets, before you start your actual workout. Perform static stretching (hold each stretch for 30 sec.) after your workout for 5-10 minutes on the body parts you have trained.

3. Tune out all distractions when starting your first exercise. You've already had your warm-up and stretches to get ready to tune them out, so you got no excuses. Leave your cell phone in the locker. Listen to your iPod if you can't tune out other people talking or the crappy music playing in the gym.

4. While performing each repetition, feel the goal of what each body part is trying to achieve, meaning feel the movement and your kinetic chain working together. Do this for every exercise. If you don't know what to look for, study the mechanics of the exercise or hire a personal trainer. Add the technique of visualization before starting your set. Visualize the intensity before you start, then DO IT.

5. Pay attention to your core, while performing your exercises. Your core is made up of 29 muscles that attach to the lumbo‐pelvic‐hip complex. This is increase your neuromuscular efficiency and provide stabilization during the movements.

6. Keep your resistance training to an hour or less. Your whole workout including warm-up, core, balance, SAQ etc.. obviously makes your workout much longer, but keeping your resistance part to less than 1 hour is crucial to making gains, including hypertrophy and strength.

7. Use full range of motion on each exercise, unless your performing 21s or intending to performing partial reps. Full range of motion is critical to developing the entire muscle belly and can have an effect similar to the benefits of PNF. You also develop balanced muscles and strength through the movement, which make you look better, stronger and help prevent injuries.

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!!!)

Focus and Determination - No Excuses!!

See the man in the picture above?? Look at this man's face!!! Look in his eyes?? What do you see? When I first saw this picture, I thought, "holy crap, he means business, no excuses!" I want to ALWAYS have that kind of focus and determination while doing my workouts. His eyes are on the prize!! Making it count!!

This man is my trainer Rob, y'all!!! He is hardcore and he certainly practices what he preaches. Apart from the obvious good looks (yes ladies, eye candy at it's best - he's gonna make me pay for writing that), he is obviously and honestly passionate about what he does and he does it very well.

I feel like I am at a very pivotal point in my journey. It is essential that I maintain the type of focus and determination displayed above by Rob, not only during my workouts but throughout all aspects of this journey. This is my new challenge: staying focused, motivated and determined for the duration of this journey.

Keeping my focus is crucial to my success on this journey. I have to stay on top of this..we all do in order to meet our set goals. We can't expect a plant to grow if we don't nourish, water and take care of it. Same thing here. I've got to make sure I stick with my workouts, stay on top of eating healthy foods and remember to take care of ME as well.

Taking care of me, means doing all I can to reduce and/or eliminate any and all stresses or situations which cause stress! Making and taking the time for myself, even if it's just an hour, just to sit and reflect and/or relax. I haven't been going to my Sunday yoga sessions in quite a while and I think it's time to start that up again.

Anyway, here we are, about to start yet another week (time is just flying by) and I want to do all I can to make each week a great one! So that's it for now, enjoy your Sunday and all the best with the journey this week!

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