Support and Encouragement for a Fellow Blogger

Hi everyone,

I've just learned that one of our fellow bloggers suffered the incredibly tragic loss of her mother in a vehicle accident this past weekend. If you have a moment, please visit Jen'sBlog and offer some support and encouragement at this difficult time. Jen, my heart aches for you. I will continue to pray for strength and comfort to you and your family at this difficult time.

Thanks
Joania (2KMINE!!!)

Saturday Weigh-in ~ Week 33...BACK ON TRACK!!!

Starting Weight: 258 lbs (Dec 10/08)
Last Weigh In: 201 lbs (July 25/09)
Current Weight: 198 lbs
This Week's Loss: 3 POUNDS!!! YES!!!!

Total pounds lossed to date: 60!!!

I'm a very, very happy camper today...out of TWO-TERVILLE, back in ONDERLAND!!! Yessss!! A 3lb loss this week..that's just awesome!! I really worked hard for it this week and I realize I have to maintain that effort from now on. I had a few business lunches this week with colleagues and it was difficult. I was surrounded by chicken wings, french fries, burgers BUT I am so thankful that I stuck to my plan and now I'm being rewarded with this awesome loss!! YEAH!! I'm pumped!

I haven't received my info package for the magazine article (Ottawa Life Magazine Top 50 in the Capital Issue) as yet...more details will follow.

Anyway, happy to be back on track with new motivation...I'm feeling really good right now.

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

Had a Great Week

Hi all,

Just a quick post tonight...had a great week food wise, I ate very well (healthy). Tomorrow is weigh-in...looking forward to the results...keeping my fingers tightly crossed for some serious scale love tomorrow!

On another note, I had a tough day today...had to deal with some things that were causing me concern....anyhow, in the past, I would just go on letting it bug me, just internalize it and not really bother to ever deal with it... but more and more, I find myself dealing with things head on. I want to live as stress-free as possible. I am a very simple person...I really don't like having to deal with a lot of drama and nonsense.

I realize in life that we all have unpleasant situations that we have to deal with, however one of my major goals in life is to keep those situations as minimal as possible...life is too short, and most of those things/situations are really not worth the time and energy. Plus, I don't want anything to jeopardize my progress on this journey...I have the power to control that and slowly and surely, on a daily level, I AM learning more and more how to better deal with these things. I am a work in progress but in the meantime I will continue to Live, Love and Laugh (laugh lots!!!)
Anyway, until tomorrow....
Joania (2KMINE!!!)

Progress Report.

Hi guys,

I had a great day today!!! I ate very well!! Eggs for breakfast....lunch was steamed mushrooms and brussel sprouts with roasted chicken breast and for dinner, I had blackened salmon fillet(cajun style) with steamed veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, red peppers and onions). I drank about 2.5 liters of water and I am currently drinking about 500 mls..so that should be about 3 litres for the day.

I didn't workout this morning, but I am about to right after entering this post!! I'm feeling great....I think part of this new motivation has to do with the great news I received yesterday..it's awesome! :) Thank you to all for your wonderful comments. Kimmy, you're so right..it's funny how this news came right when I needed the boost!! Way to go universe!! :)

Anyway, just a quick post to let you know that it likes like I'm back on track...off to pump some iron :DDD

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

WOW!!WOW!!WOW!!! HUGE NEWS!!!!

I AM STILL IN DELIRIOUSLY HAPPY DISBELIEF ABOUT THIS ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BUT IT'S TRUE!!!! IT IS FOR REAL!!! I AM SO EXCITED!!

Today, I had the most fascinating telephone conversation with a woman who just made this one of the best Monday's I've ever had!!! She works with a magazine, unfortunately, with all the excitement, I didn't even get her title, whether she's an editor, writer, owner!! I don't know!! She was really friendly and gave me really, really great news!!! Anyway, she works with OttawaLifeMagazine. This magazine features an annual list of its TOP 50 PEOPLE IN OTTAWA (my hometown, the nation's capital)!! In the past this list has included politicians (Prime Ministers, Governor Generals, Premiers etc.), business and media moguls, police chiefs, entertainers and educators to name a few. Max Keeping made the list one year (for those not from Ottawa or Canada...Max Keeping is a very well known and well loved and respected television news anchor)!! It's just a list of awesome people who make our capital city of Ottawa wonderful!!! :) Alanis Morisette (Ottawa born singer/songwriter who sold more than 40 million albums worldwide) was also featured in this magazine as one of Ottawa's TOP 50!!!!

Anyway, what does this have to do with me??

Well, yours truly will be featured in the next TOP 50 IN THE CAPITAL ISSUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!! LOL!!! :) :)

I was so stunned when she told me...at first, I thought it was my girlfriend Janet punking me...but it wasn't!! This is for real. I provided my address and a package will be sent to me with details this week...I was even invited to a reception for the event this September!! I can't wait!! This is awesome motivation...you can bet my next 10 pounds, I'll be working my butt off in that gym!!! Yeaaaahhhhhhhhh!!!:)))))

I'll keep you guys posted as I get more information!!!! In the meantime, feel free to check out their website http://www.ottawalife.com/index.php for more details on the annual list. On the left sidebar (about 3/4 of the way down....under "OLM FEATURES", select "OLM Cover Gallery" and there you will see a few past covers of the TOP 50 PEOPLE IN THE CAPITAL issues..see if you recognize any of them)..

That's my huge news...more to come!

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

On the Road Again...

I knew going into this that this journey would be long and as I'm learning each day, it will be filled with ups and downs. How I deal with those ups and downs is one of the things that will impact whether or not I succeed on this journey. I just need to stay on the road and I WILL succeed on this journey. I am so appreciative of the amount of support that I have from my family, friends, trainer and blogging friends/family!! Thank you so much for the kind words and always rooting me on!!

Now, I'm coming off a 2 pound gain last week which put me back in the land of Twoterville. A place where I am unfortunately quite familiar. As I sit in this "land", I am comfortable and I'm nervous at the same time. I am nervous that the feeling of comfort comes so naturally. I can see how easy it would be to fall back into my old ways. I think the nerves are here because I know for a fact that this is no longer for me. My time has come!! I am also CERTAIN!! I am certain that I no longer want to live here and although I left this place before (during this journey and on a few other "unhealthy" occassions), this is the first time that I'm giving it this much thought. I now have a better understanding of why I've lived here for such a long time even knowing that I needed to move out and everyday, I'm finding out a little bit more.

It is very easy to live here in Twoterville...it requires very little to no effort on my part, but it also means that I don't make myself a priority and that I take myself and my health for granted. Making that conscious move to Onderland will be difficult at first, but I will get use to it and will start reaping the benefits. I'm ready. I may be somewhat dramatic here, but I really feel like this is turning the page to start writing a new chapter of my story, always remembering (but not dwelling on) the events of my past. I've got to remember where I came from in order to get to where I'm going but I need to make the necessary adjustments to make it successful. In this case, I must always make the effort to remember how long I stayed in Twoterville, including how close I came to moving to a place where the name starts with "Three...."!! Most importantly I need to understand the reasons why I stayed there and FOCUS or should I say, RE-FOCUS on the reasons I have for getting out!!

So all this is part of working out those "mental muscles" as well as the physical ones!! I'm back on the road and the journey continues. I will give it my best and I know the results will follow.

Cheat meal over and back on track. I had a bowl of creamy fettuccini pasta with a nice piece of chocolate mousse cake for dessert and 2 glasses of white zinfandel. It was yummy. This morning, I had a 3-egg white and spinach omlette for breakfast, a grilled chicken breast with salad for lunch, a boiled egg for snack...lots and lots of water (about 3 litres so far) and I haven't yet decided on dinner...probably fish..salmon on the grill with grilled veggies!! I'm back on track and feeling great.

Anyway, that's all my ramblings for now.

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

Saturday Weigh-in ~ Week 32...Time to Re-FOCUS

Starting Weight: 258 lbs (Dec 10/08)
Last Weigh In: 199 lbs (July 5/09)
Current Weight: 201 lbs
This Week's Loss: IS NOT A LOSS AT ALL......2lb GAIN
Total pounds lossed to date: 57!!!

Okay, so I'm back in Twoterville!! CRAP!! However, I can assure you, I'm just back here to pick up the last of my things....this WILL be a very short visit. My new and permanent home will be in Onderland and I am heading there very soon.

I'm not at all surprised with this 2 pound gain with the way that I've been eating, however it has been a couple of weeks since my last weigh in, so it's really not as bad as I thought it would be. I remember when I first met with my trainer, he mentioned to me that success on this journey will be pretty much 80% healthy eating and 20 % proper exercise (don't quote me on the percentages)....the point is that I need to ensure that I'm eating well even if I am on point with the workouts. There has to be a balance and you cannot succeed with just one!

This was a huge lesson learned!! No dwelling on the past, time to re-FOCUS and start living in the NOW!!! It's time to enjoy my cheat meal and kick it up a notch from that point on. Had a great workout this am and a nice healthy breakfast. I'll keep you posted...

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!!!)

I'm Struggling and a bit Frustrated, Y'ALL....

First off, let me just say that I have been on point (100%) with my exercising/workouts. I love it. So that part of the journey is not a problem.

HOWEVER, when it comes to EATING and FOOD.....I'm struggling!!!!!!! I knew this journey would be a challenge and I think I've been handling this challenge very well since I've started. Here I sit, in what should be the home stretch, having lost more that half of my goal and I'm struggling with stinking food!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I knew I would have a tough time with the food aspect of this journey, but I was really starting to believe that I had a good handle on it and that I was well on my way to permanently incorporating this new and healthy nutritional lifestyle into my everday routine. Maybe I'm being too hard on myself....I dunno, I just feel like I'm slipping and I want to nip it in the bud before it gets out of hand.

Don't get me wrong, I have not totally fallen off the wagon (not even half off the wagon) but I do realize that I am not nearly as diligent as I have been in the past 6-7 months. I've been slipping a "little something sweet" in with my meals every other day. Today for example, I had a piece of carrot cake...loaded with icing!! It was delicious - I didn't and DO NOT feel guilty about eating it, but maybe I should have just had half of what I ate. It was a pretty big slice. I had a glass of red wine the night before and just little nibbles and tastes here and there of things I KNOW that I SHOULD NOT BE EATING! Thankfully I haven't had a major pig-out session...YET!!!

This is what the whole sabbotaging of the progress is all about. I mentioned before that this journey will be as much mental as it is physical, if not more and I'm really started to see that. So this just reminds me that I need to make that extra effort to work out and strengthen those "mental muscles" and not just the physical ones. I have to figure out the reason why I feel the need to eat these foods, especially now. You know, I've heard and read a lot of different theories as it relates to this issue and I've never been able to find anything that "fits" my personal situation. I've just always believed that I JUST LOVE food. I know some people overeat when they're happy, some when they're sad, others when they're angry or frustrated or stressed or even depressed!! To me, I eat when I'm hungry and the problem is that I always seem to be hungry...my issue is just conditionning my brain to eat the right foods.

The nutritional plan that I am currently following (created by my trainer Rob ) allows me to eat a lot of food throughout the day. In fact, he stresses to me repeatedly, the importance of eating and not skipping meals, or starving myself with crazy dieting, if I want to be successful on this journey. It's just ensuring that I eat the right things -- whole foods--healthy foods. I feel that I've made that connection and I understand what I need to eat to be successful, however I am struggling with sticking with it and I just need to understand why!! This is so frustrating!! I'm in a weird, strange place right now when it comes to my eating. I find myself wanting to rationalize to myself why it would be okay to have that Big Mac Combo with a Supersized Chocolate Shake....I find myself saying things like, "I deserve this, I've been working so hard!!" I have been working hard and that's more reason why I shouldn't go there...I dunno....just a bit frustrated and just really need to figure things out!!

I knew this journey was not going to be filled with ONLY nice smoothly paved roads along the way, I was fully aware that I'd eventually get to the roads that are still under construction or just full of pot holes. I just need to ensure that my vehicle is strong enough and doesn't fall apart going over those bumps and potholes!!! I have had a baby, after 16 hours of natural labour - that was tough!!! I am starting to believe that this journey may indeed be a more difficult task!!

Anyway, I had to get all that off my chest. Thanks for listening. I'm fighting hard to handle this. As always, thanks for your support! Weigh-in on Saturday morning.

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

Scale Neglect...and Loving IT!!

Hey guys,

First I just need to say how much I've missed blogging and reading other blogs this past week or so....I feel like part of my routine is missing and I can't wait to get back to it. I plan to spend all of Saturday (or as much as I need) reading blogs and catching up on what I've been missing. I will also be back to posting regularly...I've really missed it! :)

Anyhoo, it's been 2 weeks since my last weigh in. Right now, I have no idea if I've gained or lossed weight. All I know is that I feel great and really that should be all that matters!!:) I haven't seen the scale and I don't miss it one bit. For the purposes of this journey, I will continue to weigh my self regularly to be able to chart my progress but once I reach my set goals and I get to the point of just maintaining a healthy lifestyle, one of the first things I'm going to do is host a SCALE-SMASHING party!! YEAH!!! I'll invite people over with their respective scales and at some pivotal point in the evening, we'll gather in my backyard and smash away!! We may even do it to music - maybe somethng by ACDC (Thunderstruck, maybe) Sounds like fun eh?? :D

Seriously, I'm pretty certain that I haven't gained any weight because I've been working out regularly, including regular "pullup" attempts - still the most difficult exercise EVER and so far I still can only complete ONE full pull-up!!! My eating hasn't been perfect but it hasn't been terrible either. I would say, overall it's about 80-85%! So that's not so bad...

I will weigh myself on Saturday morning (July 25th --omg, that's my husband's birthday - must plan something fun- he's been so amazing through all this) and post the results and get back to business 100%.

On another note, I saw one of my colleagues today, who I haven't seen in about 3 weeks and I must say that he looked fabulous. He has been extremely supportive of my journey, and we often speak of my struggles, triumphs, etc. He was inspired to start losing weight and he has. I believe he's down about 30 pounds since April - just by making some healthy changes (including exercising and nutritious foods). He is also training for a 5K run. I'm so happy for him and could see the difference in him (both physically and mentally). It's awesome....he inspires me to keep going. I just wanted to say, "GO Rob Go!!!"

It's funny, just a short few months ago, I could barely climb my stairs in my home and now I'm training for a 5K run...it's amazing to me how quickly your body adapts to healthy changes and how strong one can get...

Anyway, that's all the ramblings for today.

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