Ya, you heard me…I’ll take a little bit extra.

Most of you may be thinking food right?
Nope, I’m talking about some extra responsibility.

I landed a job interview on Monday with a company that I am extremely excited to work for. I was hired a whole 6 minutes into the conversation. It is by far the best interview I have ever had.
I felt confident going in, I wasn’t nervous or flustered. I attribute this confidence to my weight loss. In the past I always DREADED job interviews. Sure my resume is great, but I never really felt that way about myself. Companies choose their staff based on what type of person they want to represent their business as well as their qualifications. I was always of the mindset that no one wants some fat girl working at the front with all of their customers. Having this in my mind made it almost impossible for me to succeed, and I really believe it has held me back from some wonderful opportunities.

Well no more of that shit. I’m different. I feel different because I look different. It really is amazing what losing a few pounds can do for your self esteem.

What will this mean for my weight loss journey?
I mean COME ON…I have two jobs now, add in 4 kids, a husband, a new fish, volunteer work at the school and a household commitment…I DEFINITELY don’t have time for the gym anymore right?

HAHHAHAHAHA FUCK THAT NOISE!!!

I have time for anything that I am committed to, and I am committed to MYSELF!!!
My new job will not affect my weight loss at all. If anything it will just make it better.
Why? Because I refuse to make excuses.
I will be working weekends, which is my gym free zone already. Even if it was during the week (which my 1st job already is) it STILL wouldn’t make a difference because I am working out before the sun warms the streets.
The only thing that will have to change is my eating schedule…k well not really…I’ll just be eating away from home.

FAST FOOD HERE WE COME!!! OHHHH YEAH BABY!!!
ummmmm…yeah…no…

On the weekends I will be required to pack ALL of my daily meals and carry them with me. That’s not hard at all. I have already taken the steps necessary to ensure that I have everything needed to ensure my continued success. I have purchased a small cooler, plastic containers, plastic forks and knives, ice packs, etc etc. I will just have to make my meals the night before, which is no skin off my teeth, just one less thing for me to do in the morning.

I have left NO room for “buts”…you know what I mean by that right?
“but I don’t have containers” “but I don’t have a lunch box” “but my job has no fridge”

“BUT YOU’RE JUST BEING RETARDED”…come on, seriously, give your head a shake. It’s not that difficult, and nothing is unattainable. All it takes is a bit of planning ahead and the right “tools”.
I always find it funny, and giggle quietly to myself, when people say that they can’t find the time to work out, or eating healthy is inconvenient for them. If anyone is pressed for time, IT’S ME, and I am doin it all baby.
It just comes down to how badly you want it.

So how badly DO you want it? hmmmm?

~J

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My morning walks to the gym have become something that I look forward to. I use this time to reflect, to contemplate, to plan.

There are no voices. The silence tolls its minutes mute as a mime artist gazing through infinate shadows. A nuisance of shroud lined streets…one after another.

I get lost in the chemical slip of lights and traffic knuckled down to marauder strides of panic. I lock inside sublimation and beating 4 am lasts forever. This is a place with no windows, only space. This cold, quiet mantra of my mind, where beneath midnight lurks shallow clocks and silent warnings as I catch dreams like moths in my mouth.

And its beautiful this way.

My eyes placate, tasting the cool fire of my imagination, climbing inside my soul in an onslaught of sliding sensations. Pulling a pheonix canopy over questioning eyes, inducing rays of skyfire and orange tinged horizon fantasies.
Something in the air whispers contagious and I devour impossibilities while I take one step closer to my goals…

I felt a rush as I stepped through the mall doors and continued down the hall towards the gym.
Something great is going to happen today…I can feel it.

I changed quickly, remaining overly excited for my date with the scale.

Did I push it enough? Will I able to pull it out last minute? What if I didn’t lose? What if I gained? I wonder how much Israel lost?

Panic sets in and all of a sudden getting on that scale is the last thing I want to do.

“Get a grip lady, you are running yourself into a frenzy here….just breathe. You know you’re amazing.”

Ahhhhhhh the voice of reason.
She forever remains a prisioner inside my head, but holds me close when I need her the most.

*deep breath and step up*

I began this competition weighing 246.5lbs
(a far cry from the 270lbs I weighed at the beginning of my little adventure)
Two weeks passed and I did not see the scale move, however, these last two weeks were a completely different story….

Lets take a look shall we?

September 7, 2007

Weight: 246.5lbs

Total body fat: 44%

October 8, 2007

Weight: 239.5lbs
( I lost 4lbs last week and 3lbs this week)

Total body fat: 41.4%

Total weight released: 7 pounds
Total inches released: 8.75 inches
Total body fat released: 2.6%

I am now officially under 240lbs!!!!!!!!…you have no fucking idea how happy that makes me.
The exciting thing for me is that I am actually beginning to see a difference in my body when I am looking in the mirror. I can see the curve that is developing between my hips and my chest. I have gone down an entire cup size in bras. My thighs and arms look noticeably smaller and the shelf that sat on top of my ass is almost non existant. I feel sexy, and beautiful.

You will notice that I am lacking the 4 week before and after pictures. The only reason I did not include them is because there really is no visable difference between the two.

I do want to show you what my total weight loss to date looks like though.
These were my favourite jeans…well really the only jeans that fit me when I began. They are a size 24. I put them on today and had to hold them up.

These past four weeks have felt like only one. It really is amazing how quickly time passes.
A lot of things have happened in this short period of time.
I have said goodbye to my trainer and embarked on a new fitness program. I have become more involved with my children and my extended family. I have committed to bettering myself mentally because I know I’m losing grip, and the edge shouldn’t look better from the bottom.

I feel spectacular…I truely feel absolutely wonderful. I can not think back to a time where I have been in this place before. I am beginning to see things with clearer vision, I have goals that I am achieving every single day and I am proud of myself for the things that I have done…the things that I continue to do.
I’m changing who I was into who I am.

I can’t wait to see how Israel did with his 4 weeks. I think he is an amazing guy and I truely believe that he can do anything that he sets his mind to.
We’re both winners today, no matter what. We have both found our inner warriors and allowed them to unpack their bags for an extended stay.
Thanks Israel, you gave me that extra push I needed…and for that I am grateful.

You know…if I had the choice of having an easy way out of this weight loss or working for it, I would choose working for it hands down.

Why?

Because the payoff is beyond words. I am re-acquainting myself with someone that I haven’t seen for a really, really long time….
I’ve missed you J…..

~J

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It sounds so familiar…
I know I’ve heard it somewhere before…but I can’t quite place it….

OH WAIT…that’s just me dropping weight!!!!! But I am not going to tell you how much…you’ll have to wait until October 5.
Muahaha

I gotta tell ya, I was seriously freaking out there for a bit. Two whole weeks of my adventure went by and I saw no visable results. I was doing everything correctly…
I was at the gym 5 days a week, going strong with my program and I was eating better than I had before…or so I thought!!

One of the main reasons that I like Burn the Fat Feed the Muscle so much, is that it gives you a formula to calculate the amount of calories your body needs, based on a variety of factors.
When I began, I had calculated my needs based on my “beginner” activity level…well, I’m not really a beginner anymore. I am extremely active.
I workout almost all week, I am out and about more often than I used to be and I am constantly looking for new things to keep me mobile.
I did not take all of that into consideration as I was going along.
I was still eating the same way I was in the beginning and as a result, my metabolism began slowing down again.
I’m pretty sure it went back into the “lets crawl along, cause I’m fuckin hungry” mode.
Without even being fully aware of what I was doing, I had actually DECREASED the amount of daily calories by excluding the last meal of my day. So really what I did was deny my already under nourished body its absolute caloric minimum.
I’m actually pretty surprised I didn’t gain any weight.
This week I added my sixth meal back in, as well as an extra 200 calories derived from lean proteins(mainly chicken).

I got results…hmmmm someone told me that before…

The funny thing is…I KNEW I would have to change up the formula sooner or later, I just didn’t know when. I wasn’t paying attention to the signs my body was giving me to switch it up.
It is difficult to track your progress by scale numbers alone, not only can it be discouraging but it can be an extremely inaccurate way to measure your true results.

Here 10 ways to measure your progress
(Found in the pages of Burn the Fat Feed the Muscle. )
1. body fat percentage
2. skinfold thickness
3. total body weight
4. fat weight
5. lean body mass
6. how you look in the mirror
7. photographs
8. measurements
9 clothing size and the way clothes fit
10 other peoples opinions

I will be using a few of these fom now on..
Lesson learned, now I can move along…

The Tastey Part
I know it TOTALLY looks like I am just copy pasting here….

OK SO I AM!!! STOP BUGGING ME!!!
hahahahhaahaha

I am having some difficulty being creative with my food. This week I used a previous menu, only I tweaked the calories..
I will be working on this as well because it’s getting pretty bland. I am also craving red meat like you would not believe!!

Day One
Meal 1: Egg whites and Cream of Wheat
Meal 2: Chicken Breast and Sweet Potato with Udo’S Oil
Meal 3: Chicken Breast and Broccoli
Meal 4: Egg white omlette with Asparagus
Meal 5: Chicken Breast with Spinach Salad with Udo’S Oil
Meal 6: Hard boiled egg and Spinach Salad

Day Two
Meal 1: Egg white omlette and Cream of Wheat
Meal 2: Chicken Breast and Brown Rice
Meal 3: Basa fillet and steamed Green Beans with Udo’S Oil
Meal 4: Protein Shake
Meal 5: Chicken Breast with steamed Veggies and Udo’S Oil
Meal 6: Egg White Omlette and a piece of Fruit

Day Three
Meal 1: Egg Whites and Red River Cereal
Meal 2: Chicken Breast and Brussel Sprouts
Meal 3: Protein Shake
Meal 4: Lean Steak and Cauliflower with Udo’S Oil
Meal 5: Chicken Breast with Garden Salad(no dressing) with Udo’S Oil
Meal 6: Yogurt and Blueberries

Day Four
Meal 1: Egg Whites with Red Pepper and Oatmeal
Meal 2: Chicken Breast and Sweet Potato
Meal 3: Egg White Omlette and Cauliflower with Udo’S Oil
Meal 4: Rye Bread and Almond Butter
Meal 5: Chicken Breast with steamed Veggies and Udo’S Oil
Meal 6: Bunch of Almonds and Yogurt

Day Five
Meal 1: Egg whites and Oatmeal
Meal 2: Chicken Breast and Red River Cereal with Udo’S Oil
Meal 3: Lean Steak and Broccoli
Meal 4: Egg White Omlette with Broccoli
Meal 5: Chicken Breast with Spinach Salad with Udo’S Oil
Meal 6: Yogurt and Blueberries

The Sweaty Part

I succesfully completed week 2 of “The Fat Burning Stage”, part of the FitChic workout plan, designed by Scott Tousignant. I think I will be adding weight to my squats and lunges next time. I was pleasantly surprised to see a few “only cardio” days this week.

Day One: Chest and Back (Super Sets)
*45 minutes of Cardio*

Push ups: 1 set of 10
Dumbell Chest Press: 15lbs- 1 set of 10
Dumbell Fly’s: 15lbs- 1 set of 10
Rest 90 seconds-Stretch
Push ups: 2 sets of 10
Dumbell Chest Press: 15lbs- 2 sets of 10
Dumbell Fly’s: 15lbs- 2 sets of 10

Rest 90 seconds-Stretch

Wide Grip Pulldown:65lbs- 1 set of 10
Seated Row:60lbs- 1 set of 10
Reverse Back Extension:65lbs- 1 set of 10
Rest 90 seconds-Stretch
Wide Grip Pulldown:65lbs- 2 sets of 10
Seated Row:60lbs- 2 sets of 10
Reverse Back Extension:65lbs- 2 sets of 10

*35 minutes of Cardio*

Day Two: Cardio Only
*20 minutes of HIIT

Day Three: Legs and Calves (Super Sets)
*40 minutes of cardio*

Squats: 1 set of 10
Forward Lunge: 1 set of 10
Leg Curl: 60lbs- 1 set of 10
Rest 90 seconds-Stretch
Squats: 2 sets of 10
Forward Lunge: 2 sets of 10
Leg Curl:60lbs- 2 sets of 10

Rest 90 seconds-Stretch

Standing Calf Raises: 25lbs- 1 set of 10
Seated Calf Raises: 30lbs- 1 set of 10
Rest 90 seconds-Stretch
Standing Calf Raises: 25lbs- 2 sets of 10
Seated Calf Raises: 30lbs- 2 sets of 10

*35 minutes of Cardio

Day Four : Cardio Only
*20 minutes of HIIT

Day Five: Shoulders, Biceps and Triceps (Super Sets)
*45 minutes of Cardio

Dumbell Shoulder press: 15lbs- 1 set of 10
Upright Row:30lbs- 1 set of 10
Rest 90 seconds-Stretch
Dumbell Shoulder press: 15lbs- 2 sets of 10
Upright Row:30lbs- 2 sets of 10

Rest 90 seconds-Stretch

Barbell Bicep Curl: 15lbs- 1 set of 10
Hammer Curl:20lbs- 1 sets of 10
Rest 90 seconds-Stretch
Barbell Bicep Curl: 15lbs- 2 sets of 10
Hammer Curl:20lbs- 2 sets of 10

Rest 90 seconds-Stretch

Lying Triceps Extension: 30lbs- 1 set of 10
Triceps Press Down:45lbs- 1 set of 10
Rest 90 seconds- Stretch
Lying Triceps Extension: 30lbs- 2 sets of 10
Triceps Press Down:45lbs- 2 sets of 10

So this week I learned to listen to my body and keep a close eye on what it’s doing…or not doing!!!
Everything is starting to fall back in place.
Next week is compitition finals so come back and see how I did

~J

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I think I’m in a rut….a SERIOUS RUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I’ve been working my fucking ass off in the gym for two weeks. Five days a week, each session lasting just over 2 hours. I have upped my cardio intensity AND length of time.
I have nothing to show for it…AGAIN!!!!

I started the week at 246.5lbs and ended the week at exactly the same number. I have yet to have my body fat tested though, so maybe the numbers will have dropped significantly there or something…
What the fuck is going on here?
It’s pissing me off…

I would really like to blame my lack of success on my diet, but alas I can not. I have been 100% clean with it. When I say 100% clean, I actually mean 100% clean. There were no cheat meals, no extras, no slip ups!!!
Perhaps I am not allowing enough variation with my diet? Maybe my body is telling me to switch up my food for a bit?
I got lazy and just ate exactly what I did last week…

Hey wait a sec….that was the week I didn’t lose either..
hmmmm

MAYBE IT IS MY DIET!!!!!!!!

I don’t get it…I truely don’t. I was on a roll there for a while, dropping 21 pounds in 5 weeks and then an extra 2.5lbs the week after…the week I ate like shit and barely made it to the gym…
*shakes head*

I’m starting to think this little competition I have going has completely jinxed me. Looks like Israel might have it in the bag.

UGH!!!

The Tastey Part

Day One
Meal 1: Egg Whites and Red River Cereal
Meal 2: Chicken Breast and Brown Rice
Meal 3: Chick Peas and a large Green Salad with Udo’S Oil
Meal 4: Hard boiled Egg Whites and Cucumbers
Meal 5: Chicken Breast and Asparagus with Udo’S Oil

Day Two
Meal 1: Protein Shake
Meal 2: Tuna (no mayo) and Whole Grain Bread with Udo’S Oil
Meal 3: Egg Whites and Red River Cereal
Meal 4: Egg Whites and Red River Cereal
Meal 5: Chicken Breast, Salsa and Whole Wheat Pasta with Udo’S Oil

Day Three
Meal 1: Egg White Omlette with Asparagus
Meal 2: Protein Shake
Meal 3: Lean Steak and Potato with Udo’S Oil
Meal 4: Chick Peas and Large Green Salad
Meal 5: Chicken Breast with Garden Salad(no dressing) with Udo’S Oil

Day Four
Meal 1: Egg Whites with Red Pepper and Red River Cereal
Meal 2: Almonds and Yogurt
Meal 3:Chicken Breast, Salsa and Brown Rice withUdo’S Oil
Meal 4: Rye Bread and Almond Butter
Meal 5: Chicken Breast and Broccoli with Udo’S Oil

Day Five
Meal 1: Egg whites and Red River Cereal
Meal 2: Turkey Breast and Sweet Potato with Udo’S Oil
Meal 3: Turkey Breast and Broccoli
Meal 4: Egg White Omlette with a bunch of Grapes
Meal 5: Chicken Breast and large Green Salad with Udo’S Oil

The Sweaty Part
I have begun Phase one of “The Fat Burning Stage”, part of the FitChic workout plan, designed by Scott Tousignant.

Day One: Chest and Back (Super Sets)
*45 minutes of Eliptical(A pre designed interval program)

Dumbell Bench Press: 15lbs- 1 set of 10
Assisted Chin Ups: 45lbs- 1 set of 10
Rest 90 seconds-Stretch
Dumbell Bench Press: 20lbs- 2 set of 8
Assisted Chin Ups: 45lbs- 2 set of 8
Rest 90 seconds-Stretch
Decline Dumbell Chest Press:20lbs- 1 set of 10
Seated Row:65lbs- 1 set of 10
Rest 90 seconds-Stretch
Decline Dumbell Chest Press:20lbs- 2 sets of 8
Seated Row:65lbs- 2 sets of 8
Rest 90 seconds-Stretch
Dumbell Fly’s:15lbs- 1 set of 10
Dumbell Row: 20lbs- 1 set of 10
Rest 90 seconds- Stretch
Dumbell Fly’s:15lbs- 2 sets of 8
Dumbell Row:20lbs- 2 sets of 8

*35 minutes of Eliptical (A pre designed interval program)

Day Two: Legs and Calves (Super Sets)
*45 minutes of Cybex Arc Trainer(A pre designed interval program, Level 4)

Squats: 15lbs- 1 set of 10
Standing Calf Raises:20lbs- 1 set of 10
Rest 90 seconds-Stretch
Squats:15lbs- 2 sets of 8
Standing Calf Raises:20lbs- 2 sets of 8
Rest 90 seconds-Stretch
Forward Lunge: 15lbs- 1 set of 10
Seated Calf Raises: 25lbs- 1 set of 10
Rest 90 seconds-Stretch
Forward Lunge:15lbs- 2 sets of 8
Seated Calf Raises: 25lbs- 2 sets of 8
Rest 90 seconds-Stretch
Leg Extension: 45lbs- 1 set of 10
Leg Curl: 70lbs- 1 set of 10
Rest 90 seconds-Stretch
Leg Extension:45lbs- 2 sets of 8
Leg Curl: 70lbs- 2 sets of 8

*35 minutes of Cybex Arc Trainer(A pre designed interval program, Level 4)

Day Three: Cardio Only
*15 minutes of Eliptical
This was actually an intense 15 minutes…30 seconds seems like forever when you are pushing it to your max

Day Four : Shoulders and Abs (Super Sets)
*45 minutes of Cybex Arc Trainer (A pre designed interval program, Level 5)

Dumbell Shoulder Press: 45lbs- 1 set of 10
Stability Ball Sit Ups: No Weight- 1 set of 10
Rest 90 seconds-Stretch
Dumbell Shoulder Press: 45lbs- 2 sets of 8
Stability Ball Sit Ups: No Weight- 2 sets of 8
Rest 90 seconds-Stretch
Lateral Raises: 15lbs- 1 set of 10
Hanging Knee Raises: No Weight- 1 set of 10
Rest 90 seconds-Stretch
Lateral Raises: 15lbs- 2 sets of 8
Hanging Knee Raises: No Weight- 2 sets of 8
Rest 90 seconds-Stretch
Shrugs: 20lbs- 1 set of 10
Cable Crunches: 45lbs- 1 set of 10
Rest 90 seconds-Stretch
Shrugs: 20lbs- 2 sets of 8
Cable Crunches:45lbs- 2 sets of 8

*35 minutes of Cybex Arc Trainer (A pre designed interval program, Level 5)

Day Five:Biceps and Triceps (Super Sets)
*45 minutes of Cybex Arc Trainer (A pre designed interval program, Level 5)
Rested for 10 minutes

Barbell Biceps Curl: 25lbs- 1 set of 10
Lying Triceps Extension:20lbs- 1 sets of 10
Rest 90 seconds-Stretch
Barbell Biceps Curl: 25lbs- 2 sets of 8
Lying Triceps Extension:20lbs- 2 sets of 8
Rest 90 seconds-Stretch
Preacher Curl: 25lbs- 1 set of 10
Assisted Dips:45lbs- 1 sets of 10
Rest 90 seconds-Stretch
Preacher Curl: 25lbs- 2 sets of 8
Assisted Dips:45lbs- 2 sets of 8
Rest 90 seconds-Stretch
Hammer Curl: 30lbs- 1 set of 10
Rope Triceps Press Down:40lbs- 1 set of 10
Rest 90 seconds- Stretch
Hammer Curl: 30lbs- 2 sets of 8
Rope Triceps Press Down:40lbs- 2 sets of 8

I noticed that this program focuses mainly on free weights. Excellent for those that are looking to work out at home. I also noticed that I am not able to lift as heavy using the free weights opposed to the machines. Not quite sure why that is.

Lets ALL cross our fingers for next weeks weigh in!!!

~J

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I have seriously watched this video about a hundred times, and every single time it gets to me. I watch it with a huge smile on my face and I always get a bit teary eyed. I’m such a girl!!!
hahaha

[There is a video that cannot be displayed in this feed. Visit the blog entry to see the video.]

I LOVE HUGS!!!!!
I love receiving them, and I love giving them out. There is something so heart warming about this simple gesture that many take for granted.

I desperately want to do a free hug campaign day here in Edmonton. I think it would be an absolute blast!!!!
Who knows…we could change someone’s entire day, week, or even month around…

Who wants to do it with me??

~J

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I was a shy kid, but I had such self-confidence.
While riding a carousel horse I was told to hold on but I bypassed the reins and the pole. Instead, I gripped my jacket as tight as I could and just held on…just like I was told.

I mislaid bits and pieces of that confidence in later years and clutched at so many unstable poles and broken reins…yet I had never fallen from that carousel horse.

“Grip your jacket J…hold on tight”

Thursday was my last day with Diana, my personal trainer. I must admit that it was a bit emotional for me to end our sessions together. She has become more of a friend than a trainer to me. I know that I will see her often during my many trips to the gym, but I was left to wonder…
“Who will hold my hand?”

…repeat…repeat…repeat…
“Grip your jacket J…hold on tight”

It’s all up to me now, I am responsible for my own results, and I have to push my own limits. That in itself will be a challenge, but one that I am walking into with eyes open wide.
I have been exposed to a wealth of information in the past few weeks and I intend to put it all to good use. I can do this, I know I can…

I was slightly dissapointed with my weekly weigh in this time. I did not see the scale move an inch.
I am still sitting at 246.5lbs.
Surprising, especially since I worked my ass of this week. Even more surprising to me is that the pants I JUST bought feel a bit loose already.
That shows me that I did indeed lose something from my body. I’m guessing FAT!!!
Just because the numbers on the scale didn’t move, doesn’t mean I was unsuccessful. I am looking forward to the results of my body fat% test next week.

The Tastey Part
I have been such a good girl this week!!! I totally deserve a sticker!!!

Day One
Meal 1: Egg Whites and Red River Cereal
Meal 2: Chicken Breast and Sweet Potato
Meal 3: Chick Peas and a large Green Salad with Udo’S Oil
Meal 4: Hard boiled Egg Whites and Cucumbers
Meal 5: Chicken Breast and Asparagus with Udo’S Oil

Day Two
Meal 1: Protein Shake
Meal 2: Tuna with low fat Mayo and Whole Grain Bread with Udo’S Oil
Meal 3: Egg Whites and Red River Cereal
Meal 4: Egg Whites and Red River Cereal
Meal 5: Chicken Breast, Salsa and Whole Wheat Pasta with Udo’S Oil

Day Three
Meal 1: Egg White Omlette with Asparagus
Meal 2: Protein Shake
Meal 3: Lean Steak and Potato with Udo’S Oil
Meal 4: Chick Peas and Large Green Salad
Meal 5: Chicken Breast with Garden Salad(no dressing) with Udo’S Oil

Day Four
Meal 1: Egg Whites with Red Pepper and Red River Cereal
Meal 2: Almonds and Yogurt
Meal 3:Chicken Breast, Salsa and Brown Rice withUdo’S Oil
Meal 4: Rye Bread and Almond Butter
Meal 5: Chicken Breast and Broccoli with Udo’S Oil

Day Five
Meal 1: Egg whites and Red River Cereal
Meal 2: Turkey Breast and Sweet Potato with Udo’S Oil
Meal 3: Turkey Breast and Broccoli
Meal 4: Egg White Omlette with a bunch of Grapes
Meal 5: Chicken Breast and large Green Salad with Udo’S Oil

What you may notice is that I have taken one meal out of my day. Where there was once six, there is now only five per day. The reason for this is that I am going to bed much earlier than I was before and I found that last meal un necessary.
You will also notice the lack of red meat in my diet. I have recently discovered that I am a Fat Burner.

I am to be eating “white meats” (Chicken Breast, Turkey Breast, The “white” fishies, more often and red meat once a week or less)

The Sweaty Part

Day One: Upper Body (On my own)
*45 minutes of Cybex Arc Trainer (A pre designed interval program, Level 4)
Lat Pull down: 65lbs- 3 sets of 25.
Shoulder Press: 45lbs- 3 sets of 20
Bicep Curl (machine): 42.5lbs- 3 sets of 20
Tricep Extention (machine): 45lbs- 3 sets of 20.
*35 minutes of Cybex Arc Trainer (A pre designed interval program, Level 4)

Day Two: Lower Body (Personal Trainer)
*45 minutes of Cybex Arc Trainer(A pre designed interval program, Level 4)
Walking Lunges: No weight- 3 sets of 20
Wall Squats: No weight – 3 sets of 20
Bike 5min:R4 for 5min@140rpm
Leg Curl (seated):70lbs- 3 sets of 20. 80lbs- 15 reps
Ball CrunchesNo Weight- 2 sets of 25. 3rd set pushed it to 37
Leg Extension: 45lbs- 3 sets of 20.
Bike 5min:R4 for 5min@140rpm
Leg Press(seated): 270lbs- 2 sets of 20. 3rd set I pushed it to 27 (ouch)

Day Three: Cardio Only (on my own)
*45 minutes of Eliptical(A pre designed interval program)
Rested for about 10 minutes
*35 minutes of Eliptical(A pre designed interval program)

Day Four : Upper Body (Personal Trainer)
*45 minutes of Cybex Arc Trainer (A pre designed interval program, Level 4)
Lat Pull down: 65lbs- 3 sets of 25.
Incline Chest Press: 45lbs- 2 sets of 25. 3rd set I pushed it to 29 =)
Girlie Push Ups: 2 sets of 20. Last set I pushed it to 26 =)
Hammer Strength Shoulder Press: 30lbs- 3 sets of 20
Barbell Bench Press: No Weight (Bar= 40lbs)- 20 reps. 10lbs- 2 sets of 20
Dumbell Lateral Raises: 10lbs- 3 sets of 25
Dumbell Bicep Curl: 15lbs- 2 sets of 25. 3rd set I made it to 17 (I went to failure)

Day Five: Cardio Only (On my own)
*45 minutes of Cybex Arc Trainer (A pre designed interval program, Level 3)
Rested for 10 minutes
*35 minutes of Cybex Arc Trainer (A pre designed interval program, Level 3)

Usually I would have done a lower body workout on my own on day 5, however, my legs were still extremely sore from the last lower body workout. I was worried about stressing them out so I just did some cardio.

Next week I will be beginning the Fit Chic workout schedules. Keep an eye out for those!!

~J

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The week is about to come into full swing. Are you excited? I know I am.

I have decided to put Burn the Fat Feed the Muscle. away for a little while. Not because it isn’t working for me, but because I am a girl that likes VARIETY!! I like to have a bit of everything on my plate at the buffet.
MMMMMM buffet!! KK calm down J

I have chosen instead to use the Unstoppable Fat Loss program designed by Scott Tousignant . More specifically, the Fit Chic nutrition plan, along with the complimenting workout program.
After all, I have a competition to win here!!
I will of course be keeping you all in the loop with my progress.
I am also anxiously awaiting my “Bronze Plus” Test results from :Kristine:Earl The Inner Biochemist. So stay tuned to see if I am a Sugar Burner or a Fat Burner.

On Friday I talked about how my week didn’t quite go according to plan. Something that I failed to mention though was how my body reacted to my deviations.

To be quite honest I felt like shit the entire time. Not because I felt guilty, but because the foods that I was putting into my body were having an adverse reaction.
I have been on a healthy eating kick for 5 weeks and all of a sudden I start putting all the crap back into my system. My body gave me a big dose of “WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON HERE?”…
I felt tired…
My stomach started giving me problems…
I was irratable…
My face broke out into a lovely mess of pimples…
I couldn’t sleep properly…
I got headaches….

And what did Jessie learn from all this?
STOP EATING CRAP!! YOUR BODY DOESN’T LIKE IT ANYMORE!!!!

See ya guys later
*kiss*

~J

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Everyone likes a bit of friendly competition every once and a while right?
Well, I just happen to feed off of it.

Last night I received a challenge from Israel. He is the author of “Fat Man Unleashed”
Now, any one that knows me, knows that I am not one to pass up a challenge of ANY kind…I’d really rather stick a fork in my eye.

After a bit of friendly “talkin shit”on his blog, the challenge was laid out. We are to make a significant change to how our bodies look and perform.
We have both agreed on a time frame of four weeks for this game.
Before and after pictures, weight lost, measurements, body fat percentage…the whole 9 yards baby. These are due on October 5 2007.

GAME ON!!!!!!

Oh, you better believe that I am gonna KICK HIS ASSSSSS…
Ya, that’s right Israel, I went there. I’m about to unleash MY inner warrior !!!
*kiss*

Stay tuned for the shenanigans!!!!!!!
I’m pretty fuckin excited about this, actually.

And now back to our scheduled program….

It was cold out but not the kind of cold that leaves you feeling dead, but more the nostalgic kind of cold.
He held my hand different than usual…as if I was going to slip…not on frozen puddles…but through myself…
I knew deep inside he was wishing that I’d fall, just to get it over with.

He kissed me gently and never said a word…
He never says anything…
He just watches me prick myself with words. He just watches me with those eyes. Those fierce punctuations scattered in his lashes, because I think he’s the only one who ever understood the twisted workings of my mind…
the way I deeply analyze situations…
the way I linger inside every detail of things…of images.
The children playing hopscotch…the man beating his wife across the street, why snowflakes meander instead of beating to the ground…the way I don’t live in the present.

Sometimes I’m still stuck in last week, still glossing over the fine print. Reenacting certain incidents, trying to play them out differently to see how things could have been if I just held back.

Things can always be different, and silence is necessary.

UGH…This week left much to be desired!! I let my emotions get the better of me, and completely walked away from my program…BUT only for a moment.
I managed to pull out these last few days clean!!

I could beat myself up about it, but I won’t. I’ll just pull up my panties and get right back into it.

I released an extra 2.5lbs from my body though =)

Here we go…

The Tastey Part

The long weekend was full of treats and waaay too greasy food. I CHOSE to put that in my body. .

Day One
I have nothing written down for this day, so I can not tell you exactly what I ate. But I can tell you that I had grilled cheese for lunch and pizza for dinner. Preeeeeettty sure I skipped out on breakfast as well. Wicked hey? haha

Day Two
Meal 1: Lucky Charms
Meal 2: nadda
Meal 3: Kraft Dinner and Ketchup, with a big fat glass of juice
Meal 4: Yep….nothin
Meal 5: Still nothing
(By this time my stomach was ready to eat a hole through my back)
Meal 6: Hamburger helper (lasagna)

Day Three
Meal 1: Mini Wheats of the vanilla variety
Meal 2: Nothing
Meal 3: Nothing (oh ya, sorry tummy)
Meal 4: Lean Steak and Cauliflower with Udo’S Oil
Meal 5: Chicken Breast with Garden Salad(no dressing) with Udo’S Oil
Meal 6: Yogurt and Blueberries

Day Four
Meal 1: Egg Whites with Red Pepper and Oatmeal
Meal 2: Lean Steak and Sweet Potato
Meal 3: Egg White Omlette and Cauliflower with Udo’S Oil
Meal 4: Rye Bread and Almond Butter
Meal 5: Lean Steak with steamed Veggies and Udo’S Oil
Meal 6: Bunch of Almonds and Yogurt

Day Five
Meal 1: Egg whites and Oatmeal
Meal 2: Chicken Breast and Red River Cereal with Udo’S Oil
Meal 3: Lean Steak and Broccoli
Meal 4: Egg White Omlette with Broccoli
Meal 5: Chicken Breast with Spinach Salad with Udo’S Oil
Meal 6: Yogurt and Blueberries

The Sweaty Part

Day One
Nothing…Nadda…ZIP…Zilch

Day Two: Lower Body (Personal Trainer)
*30 minutes of Cybex Arc Trainer(A pre designed interval program, Level 3)
Lunges: No weight- 3 sets of 20 (each leg)
Ball Squats: No weight – 3 sets of 20
Leg Curl (seated):60lbs- 2 sets of 20. 3rd set I made it to 17 (I went to failure)
Seated Calf Raises:25lbs- 2 sets of 20. 3rd set I pushed that bitch to 28 =)
Leg Extension: 45lbs- 3 sets of 20.
Ball Ab Crunches: No weight- 3 sets of 25
Side Bends(obliques): 25lbs (bar)- 3 sets of 25

Day Three
Oh hey….There is nothing here either!!!!!

Day Four : Upper Body (Personal Trainer)
*30 minutes of Eliptical (Custom HIIT)
Lat Pull down: 65lbs- 2 sets of 25. 3rd set I pushed it to 29 =)
Incline Chest Press: 42.5lbs- 2 sets of 25. 3rd set I made it to 20 (I went to failure)
Girlie Push Ups: 2 sets of 20. Last set I pushed it to 23 =)
Hammer Strength Shoulder Press: 20lbs- 10 reps(too easy) 25lbs- 10 reps(too easy) 30lbs- 2 sets of 25
Free weight Bicep Curls: 25lbs- 11 reps(too heavy) 20lbs- 2 sets of 20. 3rd set I made it to 16 ( I went to failure)
Tricep Bench Dips: Body Weight- 3 sets of 15
Free Weight Lateral Raises: 10lbs- 3 sets of 25

Day Five: Lower Body (On my own)
*45 minutes of Cybex Arc Trainer (A pre designed interval program, Level 3)
Lunges: No weight- 2 sets of 25 (each leg)
Ball Crunchs: No Weight- 3 sets of 25
Leg Sled (seated): 270lbs- 2 sets of 20. 3rd set I made it to 16 ( I went to failure)
Leg Extension: 45lbs- 2 sets of 25. 3rd set I pushed it to 29 =)
Leg Curl (seated): 60lbs- 3 sets of 20
*30 minutes of Cybex Arc Trainer (A pre designed interval program, Level 3)

Even though I started out weak, I finished strong. I made an honest effort to turn things around and focused. I owe my self at LEAST that much.

Sometimes when things get you down it is easier to just give up, forget about it, and walk away.
I think you’re better than that though….don’t you?
*hug*

~J

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OH HI GUYS!!!!!!

A few days ago I offered up a two week trial pass to Gold’s Gym, Edmonton, to someone who is ready to take action on their health and is ready to take action NOW!!

This is the gym that I play in all week and I can not express to you enough how much I LOVE IT!!!
The staff is amazing, the equipment is top of the line, and the atmosphere is incredible.
They now have two locations open in the city. Westmount and West Edmonton Mall. Both locations are 24 hour facilities and offer extras such as childcare, tanning, juice bar, and of course group classes.

Now, I have been wondering how to generate more interest with my original offer, but could not seem to close the deal.
The answer to this was delivered right to my door this morning…yep, handed right to me in a pretty envelope. There is no such thing as coincidence, something I am coming to terms with quickly…

Let’s sweeten up the deal, shall we….

I am now in possession of a gift certificate valued at $250.
This gift certificate can be redeemed towards any new regular one year, two year, or three year gym membership, tanning salon and kids club services.

The recipient must be a new member.
There was also a gift certificate for a full month of free childcare!!!!

Ya, I almost fell of my chair.

Gold’s Gym, West Edmonton Mall is also having an open house on September 28, 2007 to celebrate their one year anniversary. The open house will be from 4:00pm till 8:00pm.

There will be pizza, snacks and door prizes throughout the open house. A program is available at the front desk and online at www.goldsgymedmonton.com

The gym will be closed after 8pm that day for a party at Cowboys Night Club, but will reopen at 8am.
Something else to consider if you have been wanting to check out the facilities!!!!!!

I am giving this stuff away to someone who is ready to make a commitment to better themselves, and is ready RIGHT NOW!!!

How would this change your life? How would this affect your every day? What steps are you willing to take to get to your goals?

Interested? Lemme know!!
*kiss*

~J

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For the past few days I’ve been obsessed with the feeling of scolding hot water over my back. I need the shower head to become emotional as she bursts over my shoulders.
It’s when steam fucks the mirrors against the tiled walls like a breath exhaled by an unknown lover, that I can angrily scratch those sentences that have been clogging up my arteries across my reflection, like regretful handprints on foggy car windows on days when the bed wasn’t warm enough.

I can turn her off…stop her from screaming, from purging. I can be her saviour and shut off the tubes that bring forth that boiling liquid that tears away at her lungs when she decides to break down with me. But when I turn the knob and watch the room clear, the words against my mirror slowly disappear.
I wish she’d come to life and cry on my shoulders again, so that I’m not the only one.

I’ve been frantic the past four days, and every morning she calls for me, drip by drip. A soft patter that turns to sobs. She calls for me to remind me…but you’d have to cry glitter for sadness to be beautiful.

In the corner of my jewellry box huddle beads that tore away from a neckline, to find a hand that can confine gloss like a wet kiss upon bare shoulders.
I found her… inching past the outlines towards the center…knowing that there is more substance at the core. It’s where the ageless plastic dancer prances in circles…her legs pointed towards the ceiling. Sometimes instead of wearing those vintage earrings, I drape them across her arms and watch them spin into dots of deep yellow, like a light flickering over a still street at a dangerous time of night.

Most times I feel just like her…surrounded by jewels but locked up and stranded with the same tune playing day after day…..

I tore her legs off yesterday, so she’d stop twirling…
The more I watched her, the more I choked on my own air…

I like to pretend that I’m invincible, but it’s all a front…

It’s days such as these that leave me wanting to pull the covers up tight while ignoring my alarm. Days when I am questioning my decisions…my goals…my purpose…my strength…
Sometimes I just don’t know what the fuck I want, yet other days I am crystal clear. I have been lazy this week. My workouts are half assed, if at all, and my eating leaves MUCH to be desired…
I’m exhausted, and I can’t shake these thoughts long enough to welcome a temporary coma.

“I knew you wouldn’t be able to keep it up…I told you not to get your hopes up” he says with a snide tone…

Is this it? Are we done?

Nah, we’re not done…
I’m just sitting down to collect my thoughts. I know for a fact that wallowing will not bring me any closer to my goals. I will pout for a moment and then get right back to it, because I will not allow negativity to break me down. I’m better than that. When someone tells me that I can’t do something, it becomes almost an obsession to prove them wrong…perhaps it’s the bull in me…
So, tell me that I can’t do it…I’ll SHOW you that I can…

The gym continues to be my place of solitude. I can breathe there. No one wants anything from me there. It’s a place I can go to get away from the everyday confusion and just focus on myself. There are no kids pulling me in a thousand different directions…there are no phones that scream to be answered every 10 minutes, it’s just me….
…it’s just me…

Why would I want to take that luxury away from myself?….yeah, I don’t know either. But if yesterday hadn’t been a pre paid training session, I probably wouldn’t have shown up….

Oh fuck…it’s leg day…
*rolls eyes*
…here we go…

.“How many sessions do we have again?”

“12 sweets”

“Really? That’s it?…What are we at?….exhale“

“Hahaha…this is our 7th anniversary…ya, that’s right…I didn’t buy you anything”

“SELFISH!! We don’t have many left…don’t hold your breath like that”

“Awwwww, you gonna miss me?” *smirk*

“Actually…you know what I will miss?
It is surprisingly rare to have a client that has your kind of determination. I know that even if we don’t have anymore sessions together that you will get to where you are going and you are pretty confident about it. A lot of the people I work with don’t even come in on their own!!”

“You’re sneaky…have you been checking up on me?”

“HAHAHA, like I wouldn’t!!! Even without looking at your time stamps I can tell that you have been working because you have consistently improved each week. I love working with you…you are willing to do whatever it takes, and it seems like a game for you. I will miss THAT!!”

“It’s not like I’ll never see you again!!. We can sneak glances at each other from across the gym. HAHAHAHA”

“Yeah, yeah smart ass…I wanna see at LEAST 12 more reps”

“of course you do….”

That was JUST what I needed to hear. A simple acknowledgement of my efforts made me regain my focus. It made me push it yesterday…it gave me new energy. Someone that I hardly know sees strength in me and believesin me. It’s a powerful thing to have someone believe in you.

“Keep it up J…prove her right about you…you know you got it”

I know I will be on my own soon, and that honestly scares the shit out of me. She has pushed my limits over the past few weeks and I am left wondering how I will keep the silent intensity that is her inside of me.

I am grateful to have found Diana

When our time is over I will have nothing to offer her in return for the guidance she has offered me…or will I?
I believe that reaching my goals…the goals that I have shared with her…will be her reward as well.
She has built me a base and soon it will be my time to construct. I want to show her a masterpiece.

When I got home last night, I pulled out my carefully written goals that appear in the most beautiful colors and read them over and over again…
.
“For fuck sakes Jessica…stop feeling sorry for yourself…if you don’t like how things are going, CHANGE IT!!Give your head a shake”

I took a picture of myself a few weeks ago and altered it in photoshop, to show what I would look like carrying less weight. This has been a great source of motivation for me. When I am in a mindset where I think that I don’t want to do this anymore, I look at it. I see myself…I can see that my efforts will be worth it. This is important for me.

I have also made a habit of daily goal sheets. After the kids go to bed I write out everything that I want to acheive for the next day. I sticker them off as they are completed and I now have a small workbook full of goals that I have reached. I do this because I need something to look back on….a record that shows I can, in fact, do what I put my mind to. They aren’t necessarily life altering goals but these small ones are pumping me up for the big ones. This is also very important to me.
By doing this I am making it almost impossible for myself to fail.

So let’s pick it up shall we? Weigh in is just a few days away…but I HAVE those days to improve my week. I am refusing to settle, because I don’t have to .

I have said, time and time again, that I have a disdain for people who constantly complain about their lives and do nothing about it. I don’t want to be one of “those people”.

Maybe that is a bit harsh, because I used to shake my fists and whine about how it wasn’t fair that I didn’t have what I wanted. I thought, for a long time, that the world owed me something better. That’s nothing more than crap slithering out of my mouth.
We should be more humbled as a people. We should respect what the Universe, or God, or whatever you believe, gives us and learn to adapt and deal with those things we do have.

As the saying goes, there is always someone who has it worse. And it’s true. I’d hate to be the one on the very bottom, who really is the one to have it so bad no one else has it worse. Money, health and love are major things people complain about. These things have to be worked at. There are no silver platters being handed out here. Not only that but to get anything, you have to give.
There really is nothing you can’t do, if you try. It’s all about mindset.
When you go into a situation thinking you’re going to lose, usually you do. Believe that you DESERVE to win, and you probably will.

See, here’s the thing. Sometimes you get hamburger before you get steak, or cubic zirconia before you get diamonds. If you can’t have what you want, want what you have. Learn to appreciate the hand you are dealt, and if you really want something, make an honest and humble attempt to get it.

Stop whining and take action.

Take a look around tomorrow, do some “people watching”. If you see someone making an honest effort with what they are doing, acknowledge them…acknowledge their efforts. It can make all the difference to them. This can be something as simple as filing properly at work….
Take a bit of time and appreciate what you do have and remember, you could be the one on the bottom of the barrel, who has nothing.

~J

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I’m losing a bunch of fuckin weight….that’s what!!!

In 5 short weeks I have said goodbye to 21 pounds. TWENTY ONE POUNDS!!!!!!!!
That is the average weight of an eight month old baby!! I have gone from a size 24 to a “just a smidge too tight” 20.
I’m a little excited….can you tell?
I feel fantastic and my energy level is through the roof. I am more confident with myself, my clothes are falling off and people are actually starting to notice my weight loss. I have been on the receiving end of some interesting comments over the past few days..
“Did you do something different with your hair cause your face looks skinnier”
“Holy crap those pants are baggy”
“Are you wearing contacts, because your eyes look huge”
“Have you been working out?”
“Whats going on with your boobs? I thought they were bigger”
“Are you taking diet pills or something?”

HAHAHAHAHAHA I love my friends.

Twenty one pounds is A LOT, so I should probably stop here, hey?

PFFFFFFFFT YEAH RIGHT!! Not this girl…
I’m not even a quarter of the way to my goal weight. Watching that scale go lower and lower each week gives me motivation to keep going. And I can assure you that I will continue to see those numbers decline. I’m a woman on a mother fuckin mission, and nothing short of a sherman tank is going to stop me on this one. I know this because I know myself.

I am not going to sugar coat it for you and say that these past few weeks have been all rainbows and butterflies. It has been some seriously hard work, and it has been emotionally draining at times. I have obstacles and set backs just like everyone else but I continue to push forward, because I know the payoff will be massive.

The gym that I play in has a motto, “Change your Body, Change your Life, Change your World.” I am loving the changes, I am loving the effect they are having on my life, my body, my family, and even my relationships. I really have no idea why I didn’t start all of this sooner.

So what exactly is “all of this” ?
Oh man, I’m soooooo glad you asked….

As you already know, I have been following a program called Burn the Fat Feed the Muscle. It is an “e-book” that is downloaded directly onto your computer.
Now, I have attempted MANY weight loss programs in the past, but this one…..this one is quite different. It is incredibly easy to follow, and it has given me a wealth of information in regards to proper nutrition, the “fuel” that is turning my body into a fat burning machine!!
I have the attention span of a peanut, and I love this book because it tells me exactly what to eat, how much, and when. It’s actually fairly fool-proof. There is no weird food involved here, there is no starvation. In fact, I have not heard my tummy grumble for a good two weeks.
One sec, I’ll show you some of the Tastey Part…

Day One
Meal 1: Egg whites and Cream of Wheat
Meal 2: Chicken Breast and Sweet Potato with Udo’S Oil
Meal 3: Lean Steak and Broccoli
Meal 4: Egg white omlette with Asparagus
Meal 5: Chicken Breast with Spinach Salad with Udo’S Oil
Meal 6: Hard boiled egg and Spinach Salad

Day Two
Meal 1: Egg white omlette and Oatmeal
Meal 2: Chicken Breast and Brown Rice
Meal 3: Basa fillet and steamed Green Beans with Udo’S Oil
Meal 4: Protein Shake
Meal 5: Lean Steak with steamed Veggies and Udo’S Oil
Meal 6: Egg White Omlette and a piece of Fruit

Yeah man…I TOTALLY know what you are gonna say…”That doesnt sound very tastey AT ALL!!”
Dude..it’s what you do with it…
I use seasonings and stuff, it’s not like I am forcing naked chicken down my throat. Fresh herbs and my new favourite Mrs. Dash seasonings make a WORLD of difference. I LOVE food, and I am not feeling left out at all here. I will admit that I have not been 100% clean with my diet…if I want a treat, I have a treat. I just dont eat the whole fuckin box. HAHHAHAHHAHA

I spoke a bit about my Gym days last week. I want to show you what this past week has consisted of. Let’s call this the Sweaty Part

Day One: Upper Body (On my own)
*35 minutes of Cybex Arc Trainer (A pre designed interval program, Level 3)
Lat Pull down: 60lbs- 2 sets of 25. Last set I made it to 20 (I went to failure)
Shoulder Press: 40lbs- 2 sets of 20
Bicep Curl (machine): 30lbs- 2 sets of 25
Tricep Extention (machine): 40lbs- 2 sets of 20. Last set I made it to 18. (I went to failure)
*25 minutes of Cybex Arc Trainer (A pre designed interval program, Level 4)

Day Two: Lower Body (Personal Trainer)
*30 minutes of Cybex Arc Trainer(A pre designed interval program, Level 3)
Lunges: No weight- 2 sets of 20 (each leg)
Ball Squats: No weight – 3 sets of 20
Leg Curl (seated):50lbs- 25 reps(too easy) 60lbs- 2 sets of 20
Leg Sled (seated):200lbs- 10 reps(too easy) 240lbs- 20 reps + 5(too easy) 265lbs- 20 reps +7 =)
Leg Extension: 40lbs- 2 sets of 20. Last set pushed it to 30 reps =)
Seated Calf Raises: 25lbs- 3 sets of 20

Day Three: Cardio (On my own)
*Straight Cardio for One Hour- Eliptical (HIIT)

Day Four : Upper Body (Personal Trainer)
*30 minutes of Eliptical (Custom HIIT)
Lat Pull down: 65lbs- 3 sets of 25
Girlie Push Ups: 2 sets of 20. Last set I pushed it to 24 (I went to failure)
Incline Chest Press: 30lbs- 2 sets of 25 40lbs- 21 reps (I went to failure)
Isolateral Front Pull: 35lbs- 20 reps(too easy) 45lbs- 2 sets of 20
Free Weight Shoulder Press: 20lbs- 3 sets of 20
Tricep Extension: 45lbs- 2 sets of 20. Last set I made it to 27 =)
Bicep Curl (machine): 35lbs- 3 sets of 20

Day Five: Lower Body (On my own)
*35 minutes of Cybex Arc Trainer (A pre designed interval program, Level 3)
Lunges: No weight- 2 sets of 25 (each leg)
Ball Squats: No Weight- 3 sets of 20
Leg Curl: 62.5lbs- 3 sets of 20.
Leg Extension: 42.5lbs- 3 sets of 25.
*25 minutes of Cybex Arc Trainer (A pre designed interval program, Level 4)

I should mention that on the days I see my personal trainer I do the cardio on my own, before our appointment. I have a full hour of weights when I see her.

I freakin love the gym…I truely do. I want you to love it as well…
So I’ll tell you what..

If you live in Edmonton and you are ready to make a significant change in your life, and you are sick and tired of sitting there being miserable with yourself, I have a proposition for you….
I have two weeks of gym time (at my gym of course) that you can have….for free!!! You can even come with me if you want. I don’t bite. *wink*

Careful though, there’s a catch…(shhhhh, you knew there would be one)

You have to be willing to put in a solid effort, NO PUSSY FOOTIN AROUND, for 5 days a week. That is ten days of gym time….NO EXCUSES!!!
I’m not expecting you to go all Arnold Schwarzenegger in there, but I want you to get full use out of it. Find a temporary niche and then push yourself past your comfort level a bit.
If I can do it, YOU can do it. All you have to do is commit.
Two weeks is nothing…dinner parties take longer to prepare. It is just enough time for you to get a taste of the changes you will experience, physically AND mentally.
I want you to tell me how badly you want this….I want you to dig deep and tell me why you deserve to be happy, and what steps you are willing to take to get there…
I will be accepting responses in the comment section until September 15, and on that day I will choose a partner in crime!

If you don’t think that the gym is the right place for you right now, but still want to get off your ass, join me Sunday mornings in the River Valley. Psssssst…I’m a beginner too, don’t be shy. I’ll even bring snacks!!!!!

I will see you succeed, I will see your confidence level soar, I will share your experiences, I will watch you transform yourself into something amazing. I will follow YOUR weight loss journey, just as you are following mine. Actually caring is so much better than pretending to care. I care because I am figuratively in your shoes right now.

I wanna see you drip sweat and make some fuckin noise!!!

Challenge me….I dare you.

~J

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One of the best feelings in the world, in my opinion, is when we realize that something that we thought was a huge stressful deal at one point, really isn’t at all. You have a moment where whatever fog was looming goes away and suddenly you’re made aware that all previous notions of the situation were just wrong, overdone, or completely irrelevant.
What was once such an important thing…feeling or idea to hold onto really doesn’t matter in the least, and probably never really did.

Most of the time, a feeling like this is like a heavy weight being lifted off your life, freeing your mind to worry about the things that are actually important and hold real weight. Also, many times this ‘huge’ thing probably started out as something pretty small, if you take the time to trace it back in your mind.
We have huge worries in life all the time. I don’t believe there isn’t a person alive who can say they don’t have a single worry. So, why hold onto ‘issues’ that, when placed out in the open for us to analyze, are very tiny and unimportant in the grand scheme of things?
We go day in, day out and allow small things to get on our last nerves, or send us to our boiling points, when really, why do we bother holding onto them so tightly?

I think the best thing to do is either dismiss tiny annoyances immediately, or deal with them right away (if they are issues between people). The worst thing to do is hold onto these small things. When we do, the result is that they either fester and annoy us endlessly, or even worse, stack up with other small things and grow to almost impossible sizes.
I know there is no way to instantly stop allowing ourselves to hold onto these things that really don’t matter much, or won’t matter in a week, a day, or even an hour from now. But, I think that we would all be better off if we stopped to think of things in relation to the big picture every now and then, and not let small things get between us and our happiness.

I have fallen in love with the world all over again, probably because I have learned that each person is responsible for the creation of their own atmosphere.
I live in my own little world lately, but I am careful when deciding who I should allow to enter. I surround myself with the beauty of other humans who have hearts so big and minds so overwhelmingly creative. Sorry, I’ve left the toxic behind, come find me when you find yourself.
I am learning how to appreciate everything…there once was a time when Pina-Colada slurpee’s and a freshly rolled cigarette made my entire day. Each vibe you give-out is just as important as the ones that are taken-in from others.
Have you ever noticed how a simple smile, a random compliment, or friendly “hello” from a complete stranger can take a day from being pretty shitty to one of the best days ever? I’ve noticed because I have chosen to open my eyes.
I want to run-away as often as possible, I want to read every book that exists, I want to take a small piece of everyones heart, I want to hold on to every moment I spend loving another human, I want to continuously feel every emotion that exists, so that I don’t accidentally forget just how wonderful it feels each time I get to experience happiness.
Take nothing for granted, and be grateful for the breath in your lungs…

Mouths open to speak sentences that will never be heard…a line is drawn between a phrase in the center of a thought that can’t quite remain in place.
In one ear, through the mind, and out the other…replaced by another that twists and contorts your face.
On the edge of a cliff, with your beliefs on the line, at the height of imagination, inclined to resign yourself to a failed and flawed design. Neverminding the hindsight with all of its clarity, while the ability to anticipate emotion is a rariety. Where sincerity is sacred, most are scared to share those thoughts for fear they’ll appear weak or vulnerable…unable to cope with not being “strong enough”
But that’s all bullshit…

Speak your mind and nevermind the neverminds…from time to time we just need to remind ourselves to just not give a fuck…
We are who we are and these thoughts are our own, to love and to own…to hate or condone…to be shared or left alone.

Create a fuckin scene…things are more interesting in color.

~J

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I hope you have been setting goals for yourself.
I hope that you have been WRITING THEM DOWN and reading them often. I hope that if you haven’t started, you will right now!!! hahhahaha
I can not stress the importance of goal setting enough. I always thought that I was goal orientated in the past, I knew what I wanted to accomplish, and left it at that. They really became passing thoughts that I would beat myself up for later. It is important to SEE your goals!!!! It’s important to see YOURSELF at your goals…
I know I wouldn’t play the lottery if the undetermined jackpot was worth less than the ticket.

To get myself to where I know I belong I am willing to put in the effort….I am willing to , learn, to try, to fuckin sweat!!! And that is really the key factor to achieving any goal you set out for yourself….you gotta taste it.

Cardio is getting me results. There is no question that the increase in activity has had an incredible impact on my body. I want more than that, I want to see results faster, faster, faster!!! I want to see what those machines over there do!!!
I received three personal training sessions with my gym membership and decided to put them to use.
“I will just get them to show me the machines and that’s it” I told myself.

As soon as I talked with Diana on the phone I knew we had chemistry. It wasn’t awkward, it was a “cool, lets hang out on Tuesday” feel. We hit it off right away, sharing the same sense of humor and sarcastic edge. Diana is absolutely full of life and very energetic.

Oh, she’s mine for sure….BOOKED…
I’m soooo worth it!!!

Because I had been focusing mostly on cardio work, she has shown me a moderately challenging beginner weight training routine.

I am in the gym 5 days a week. 2 of these days belong to my trainer.
She makes me laugh and she works me hard!!! I know ahead of time that I will leave feeling sore. My body burns in the most delicious way on the “day after Diana”
I am left to my own devices for the remaining 3 days of my week. These have, to date, been mostly cardio days for me, but I am now implementing a weight/cardio interval routine for two of these days. All that means is that I “warm up” on the eliptical/treadmill/cybex arc/row for half an hour, I slide into the resistence for another half an hour, (full body super sets) and then I go back to my chosen cardio for another 30 to 45 minutes. These are my early gym days (4am)
Days with Diana are strictly strength training, and are done later in the evening.

“Whoa….whoa…hold on girl…5 days …you serious?” was the reaction I received from a neighbor of mine, when explaining my gym routine. ahhahahaha.
I have time for anything that I am committed to.

To give you a better picture, this is what my week looks like this week.

Monday-Cardio / Weight Interval
Tuesday – Diana@ 3pm (lower)
Wednesday – Cardio
Thursday – Diana @ 8pm (upper)
Friday – Cardio / Weight Interval
Sunday – Rob’s Fitness BootCamp (weather permitting)

Alright, so I have comfortable yet challenging gym routines in place…what about the FOOOOOODDDDDD?

Diana (personal trainer) and I went for an adventure one afternoon. She took me to a few whole food stores and a “natural” market. She went through the different types of foods and explained the pros and cons of eating everything that was shown to me. We shopped, and then came back to my house for a “pantry purge” . This activity was something quite unexpected. She called me on a Saturday to see if I had plans for the day. What blew my mind was the fact that she was taking personal time out of her weekend schedule to educate me on proper food choices…this was not a paid session.
I must have left a wonderful impression on her!!! She is spectacular and YES, we are getting married!!! HAHA

What we “ditched”:

-white rice
-all of my pasta EXCEPT one box of sun dried tomato and spinach wheat pasta
-2 bags of sugar
-bag of flour
-container of yeast
-kool aid
-seasoned croutons
-some soup mixes
-white bread
-crackers
-consume (like beef broth, chicken broth etc etc….HIGH SODIUM)
-itcheban noodles
-tuna packed in oil
-pancake mix
-hamburger helper
-flavoured oatmeal
-cereal (I was only permitted to keep one box for the children (struggle) and my high fiber crisp cereal)
-frozen juice (punches)
-margarine
-mayonnaise
-soya sauce (I had to fight to keep the ketchup)
-ranch salad dressing
-ceasar salad dressing

Because I chose to keep the children’s snacks and lunch time favorites such as kraft dinner and zoodles in the cupboards we made check out sheets.
(My idea) On each box of snacks there is now a sign out sheet…who got the snack…what time…etc etc. It’s hilarious, but keeps me accountable!!!

We did not throw non perishable items in the garbage. They have found a new home at the Edmonton food bank.

What we “stocked”:

-Vegetables of all varieties!!!
-Whole grain cooked oatmeal /Hot & Cold cereal
-Sweet potatoes
-Brown long grain Rice
-Whole grain bread
-Whole wheat pasta
-Chicken
-Lean red meat
-Basa (fish)
-Tuna
-Eggs
-Olive oil
-Salt free seasonings
-Salsa
-Beans (all varieties)

I love how colorful my fridge is after I do my shopping. I love vegetables….and it’s a good things too cause I am eating A LOT of them lately. I am still using Udo’S Oil as my source of essential fatty acids.
If you are going to change your body, you need to change the way you eat. It doesn’t have to be drastic. You just have to realize that the food you are consuming plays a KEY role in how your body performs.
Should be common sense right? You’d think so….

I am experimenting with a “program” called Burn the Fat Feed the Muscle. at the moment. I am getting some exciting results with this book. I have been following it for only a week and it has already resulted in a 6 pound weight loss.
It was my gift….my present for finding the icon that Rob hides, in his blogs, as part of the monthly scavenger hunt.
(which reminds me….better get lookin for this months icon or I get my choice again…and you dont wanna see that happen twice in a row do you? *wink*)

This food purge came at exactly the right time, and all of the new items were ones that were supposed to be here anyways.
I am absolutely loving this book and would reccomend it to anyone who wants to learn about the “fuel” that makes your body optimize potential. I will be writing more about BFFM in the near future. I intend to follow this program for 6 weeks and will, of course, be sharing weekly progress reports.
Rob has also followed Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle. You can check out his experience here..

Don’t cheat yourself, believe that you can be incredible…that you ARE incredible. You only get what you put into it and YOU are 100% responsible for your own results.
I’ll tell you right now that it’s gonna be work, but you don’t want easy do you?…
…easy doesn’t make you learn…
…easy doesn’t make you grow…

Besides, the payoff is so fuckin incredible.

Keep your eye on the prize baby, cause I’ve got mine on lock…
*wink*

~J

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…Law of Attraction…

…Manifestation….

…The Secret….

Words that I have been hearing a lot recently. I would time it at around 2 months.
I had heard the movie mentioned at work, on the subway, my grandmother was talking to my aunt about it. And now forum members are talking about it.

What is all the fuss about here….

I searched the internet for anything “The Secret” related. I downloaded the audio book to my MP3 player. I listened to it for 4 days straight.

Although I do understand the law of attraction, I have been struggling to capture my experiences in words and I am afraid this may all come out in a mosaic…

….
….
….

I had been thinking about a really, really old friend of mine lately…for no particular reason except “I wonder what ever happened to Jackie”

She was probably the best friend I have ever had. She and her family moved away from me when we were in grade 6.
I have been checking facebook to see if she has an account, and using the internet as a search engine.
I remember the innocence of the friendship and the genuine laughter that always accompainied the two of us.
Not too long ago, a different friend of mine and I were talking casually. There was one phrase that fell off her lips, the sound was almost perfect…almost exactly like Jackie’s …..I’m not even kidding you…her voice was almost identical to hers in that one phrase.
It knocked me back for a minute, I did the whole “what did you say?”

…curious…

That same night after I had finished the shower, my cell phone rang….

Jackie lives in vancouver and has 3 kids now. She is divorced but presently dating…That telephone call was hands down the best one I have ever participated in…
We have plans to see one another the second weekend of September.

HAHHAHHAHA seriously, wtf?

Out of nowhere I randomly begin thinking about her one day…like really thinking about her. I remembered the way the gravel kicked at our tires as we sped down alleys on the way to the store, always trying to beat an imaginary clock that neither of us paid any attention to. I felt how I did when we spent physical time together…I remembered the laughter and what it sounded like, when I thought back…
…it’s difficult for me to explain…

A few days later she is on the other end of the telephone…

I attracted her back into my life…I hold no question on this…

…

…

I knew there was a movie, but did not take action to view it right away. Yesterday I asked Rob if he had a copy of “The Secret” that I could borrow for the weekend.
Willing to lend me his copy, he said that he would have it to me by Friday.

Perfect!!! I know I will be watching it right away!!!

“I wonder if it’s like a movie, movie”
“I wonder what Rhonda Byrne looks like”
“I wonder if I can get it tomorrow instead of Friday”
I silently question everything about the movie before even seeing the cover.

I had plans to see a friend last night, he was coming over to look at my husbands wedding portfolios. A few minutes into conversation, he looks over at me and says..

“Oh yeah, I bought this DVD last week, I brought it over for you to watch, it’s interesting. You should take a watch. It’s really something else”

“Wicked, what movie?”

“The Secret”

/dies

Coincidence?
Nah…

I wanted that movie before Friday….I got that movie before Friday.

Every night since the conclusion of that audio book, I take a few minutes to be completely alone…
I listen to relaxing music in my headphones and I imagine.

I let my creativity draw outside the lines with permanent markers. I am the main character in the movies I direct behind my eyelids.
I paint my canvas with dazed strokes. Dipped the brush tip into confused rainbows that mix so perfectly in the most wrong of ways.

.stroke.

I stand while I splash every possible hue off of the brush and onto my existance until…
my eyes open to strange realities consumed by a kiss that fell from my lips…

I am attracting what I want my life to be like with thoughts like this:

“The light creeps in, waking the pillows that whisper good morning. I lay still for a moment, relishing the weight of the blankets around my legs. I’m peeking through clenched lashes, like a child, before I turn to wink at the sun…

My interactions with the curious mix of old and new friends drives me to inspire those I am fortunate enough to meet.”

Visualizing has no right or wrong. You quite literally have anything you could imagine. Be anyone you can imagine. Do anything you imagine….

We can be substantial.

Meaningful enough to draw something so extraordinary that it surpasses the clustered sequence in the pocket of a fairy.

Thoughts become things, make them good ones, be creative…

I don’t know about you, but I miss the soft grass and playing catch with the clouds…

*kiss*

~J

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I have recently set out on a venture towards personal health and well being.
My weight has consistently been an issue for me, as I have always been “a bigger girl”. But, I have never felt as unhealthy as I do right now. It is time for some serious action!!!

A few weeks ago I began looking more closely at the foods I was consuming. I have cut out additional fats and oils, but have replaced them with important “essential fats, more specifically, UDO’S Oil. I have also increased the amount of fruits, vegetables, and whole foods. White rice has been replaced with brown and my pasta is now whole wheat. The nutritional aspect of my new lifestyle is a work in progress.
To go along with my new food choices I plunged into a DVD exercise program that could be completed in the comfort of my own home. I enjoyed the routines because they were fairly easy, quick, and I could do them in my living room, at any time of the day. I felt that I was getting a good workout, it was kicking up my heart rate and making me sweat!!! It’s true…..girls do, in fact, sweat.

Although I loved the program, I knew that I would grow tired of it. There was definatly not enough variation to keep me interested and I believed that I would quickly plateau or just quit all together. ( I know myself WAAAY too well)

I quickly wanted to get into an actual fitness center, with a trainer if possible. I had a few reasons for this:
1. The gym will provide more variety than have here at home, no question. I feel that the areas I wish to work on would be better suited for the gym.
2. Being in the gym would allow me to be surrounded by people that posess the “fitness attitude”. I like to see strength and dedication first hand, it motivates me.
3. Working out at home makes it easier to miss a workout or two…or three. No one but me will know if I skip out and I actually want to be held accountable by someone other than myself!!!
4. I lack motivation and need to be pushed. It won’t be like that forever, but for now I need someone to drive me into the ground.

So why didn’t I just start at the gym, you ask?

Hmmmmmm good question…..

I could ponder for a moment and then spout out things like…”It costs too much money” or “I don’t have the time” or “It’s too far away” or “I wouldn’t feel comforatable”
Feel free to add any classic excuse to my list, I have probably used most of them.

Truth is, I was absolutely terrified of the gym.
I had actually never been inside of one….not even once. The picture in my mind looked like this:
A bunch of extremely fit people jumping around, patting each other on the backs for being gorgeous. Some “fat chick” walks into their little “club” and all of a sudden all you hear is crickets.

I was frightened of the possible dissapproving looks, or the barely audible negative chatter that would accompany my entrance. I felt as if I would be absolutely lost in a gym, surrounded by equipment, all by myself, with NO idea of where to begin.

Although I was scared I KNEW that if I wanted great results I would have to “suck it up” and at least look around at my options in regards to fitness facilities. I began on the internet, searching different facilities, and even personal trainers that had their own studios. At first I thought that having a trainer with a studio would be the right route for me (one day it might) , but it proved to be way out of my budget.
It was going to have to be the gym.

EEEEEEEEEKKK!!!

I went on a “field trip”. That is how I had to look at it to calm myself. If I pictured it to be something fun and exciting I found that I wasn’t as nervous about actually doing it.

I began my trip at “Gym #1″.
Fantastic center, very bright and open. I have never before in my life observed so many pieces of equipment huddled together. A place for everything, and everything in its place. It resembled a director’s cut scene from “The Terminator” and it was a bit overwhelming to take in at first glance. There were quite a few people in attendance, but it did not feel busy or claustrophobic, which is what I had anticipated it to be.
I spoke with a woman at the front. I explained to her why I was there, briefly, and asked if it would be possible for someone to show me around the center for a few minutes while we chatted about membership options, programs, etc. etc. This seemed like quite a big deal to her…you would almost think that she had never been asked the question before.
After some annoyed shuffling of papers she set out to look for “one of the trainers”. When her and the trainer returned I introduced myself to the new face. I received no name in return, just a very quick “so you wanna look around?”.

Hmmm, well yes….of course I did!!

The “tour” consisted of mostly standing around with her pointing to different areas of the gym. “There’s our cardio area…we have elipticals, treadmills etc etc”.
She spoke indirectly about the programs and membership fees, and skirted around some of my questions regarding both. It was all together sort of a bummer for my first experience.
Perhaps her boyfriend had broken up with her the night before and she was contemplating revenge on the curvy red head that he was sleeping with on the side.
I don’t really know, but I am sure that the staff there are wonderful and I was just received at a bad time.
I left this center feeling a little defeated….as if my expectations of the gym were actually true. I almost didn’t want to go to the other one I had planned on looking at,but I figured that they couldn’t possibly be all the same.

All aboard the Shoelace Express!!!!!!
Next stop, “Gym #2″

“Good location…close to home…ugh, hope it’s nice”, I think to myself as I step inside.

I received BIG smiles from an extremely good looking man at the front entrance AND the woman behind the counter.

Eeeeep…better already!!!

Conversation flowed well between all three of us, and I was almost immediately on my way around the gym with Miss Spunky. This facility was a little less busy than the previous, but it didn’t feel barren. All of my requested information was explained in detail as we walked around the different areas of the gym.
They even have a ladies only section.

I loved it, loved it, loved it!!!!!!!

The major selling feature of this gym, at least for me, was the fact that it is open 24 hours a day. I am a 27 year old, married, mother of 4 small children which includes a set of twins!! Staying within the confines of “open hours” could have quickly lead to my downfall or use of common excuses once again. Having the center open 24 hours a day gives me an endless window of opportunity to work on my body modification.

I purchased a year membership from this gym at the conclusion of my visit and I am absolutely ecstatic about it!!!!!!!!!!

Sure it was scary….and of course I didn’t actually want to do it….
But you know, it really came down to how much I wanted results. MY opinion of me was more important than a strangers.

You may be frightened of the possible sneers, but you need to realize that places such as these are there for a reason. Contrary to popular belief they are not full of muscle heads and barbie dolls. There is quite a mix of everybody, and they are all there for their own reasons.
I believe anyone can appreciate someone who is willing to better themselves.

Are you ready to make a change, but the only thing stopping you is fear of the unknown?
I strongly urge you to at least look into your options and find something that feels right for you. Take baby steps if necessary, but hold tight to the necks of your anxieties and shake them from your mind.

You will be a better person for it….that I guarantee you.

~J

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I’m folding laundry before I go do the dishes. The twins are talking to each other in the kitchen as they throw their snacks at one another, falling into hapless fits of giggles at a joke only the two of them share.
A blonde blur whizzes by with one sandal and one shoe…both on the wrong feet. The door slams, only to be reopened by lighthearted laughter and running shoes down basement stairs.

I’m tired. I feel disconnected. I feel lost.
I constantly ask myself how the “everyday” gets to be every day. Going through the motions never seemed so cliche.
My husband arrives home with the usual smile, and brief moment of affection. Is it dinner time already…
He is swept up in the commotion before the screen door fully clicks.

I don’t recognize myself lately. My moods are unpredictable.
My hands seem foreign, especially when I run them through my hair and the strands fall like dust off a shelf…

…falling…

I catch myself at the margains of a blank page and scribble little notes…reminding myself to breathe…
I am overweight, I know without a doubt that it is affecting every aspect of my life. My skin shows the concern I hold for details.

This isn’t who I am…is it?
A portrait of “nothing’s wrong” dressed in creased lines and imitation laughter?

…is it?…look deeper…

I know I have to lose weight…a lot of weight. I can not keep lying to myself.

It is the one thing that I am truely unhappy about. I have been saying that for a long time though. I have been overweight for the majority of my teenage and adult years, yet it has never bothered me as much as it does right now. I actually feel unhealthy. I tire easily…where did the stamina go?

At 27 I want to feel excited about life as I share it with my four children and everyone else that webs my support system. I want a life, and I will not settle just to live anymore. I want to be passionate about something again. I can be incredible when I put all of my efforts into something I am emotionally committed to. I want to be passionate about myself.

People always say “You’ll do it when you’re ready”.
I’m ready to make a change. I’m ready to take action.
I have always told people, “if you don’t like it, change it”, but I have never put it into practice for myself. That is exactly what I will be doing.

Fuck, this is gonna be hard. I know, cause I’ve “tried before”.

When did I allow myself to lose control of the only thing that I hold birthright to…I Want it back.

I am coming to realize that my life is a result of my actions, my thoughts, my fears.

What can I do right now to get to the person I so desperately want to be? What do I have to do to take back control of my life?
I asked myself this question often.

There is an infinite amount of resources at your fingertips…literally. The internet opens access to anything you could possibly imagine. A few words in a search engine will take you to pages upon pages of information. It brought me quite accidentally to a blog outlining the journey of a man who had lost over 300lbs. That alone was enough to make me take a moment to look through the contents. I was not expecting the wealth of information contained in that one area. A mis-click on the internet had brought me to exactly the place I needed to be for questions that needed to be answered.

One of the links was a door to Rob Cooper’s Weight Loss Forum. It caught my interest immediately.
I absolutely love forums. You can find the most interesting characters in places such as this.
I began reading the spectacular stories of people that were just like me, people that are passionate about their health and fitness. People that have real setbacks, fears, anticipations, successes. People that aren’t afraid to let you in.

I wanted to join immediately, my seat had been saved, anticipating my arrival to this group of like minded, real, people.

I am changing my life
I am inspiring my family, my friends, and the people around me.
I am matching the outside to the inside.
I am pushing my limits.

I am doing these things because I deserve it, and because I can!!!
The mind is a powerful thing, so “don’t lose the keys J”.

I am challenging myself and transforming my life into something amazing…

…you should come for the ride…
*wink*

~J

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