This Jo isn’t the one what most of you think to be. I am talking about one Mrs. Joania, a mid-thirties mom and a full-time employee, who is on a terrific journey that is leading to better and more better places with every passing week. The name of the journey is ‘weight-loss’. When she started it last December, she was 258 pounds (117 kgs) and she weighs now (as of Mid-April) 214 pounds (97 kgs) – a difference of 20 kgs in 4 months. The best part of her journey is that she decided to blog about it, with pictures. So, there are a lot of ‘before’ and ‘after’ pictures to compare the weight loss, which is similar to what one can see in ads for weight loss supplements. Only that this time we know for sure this person is doing it by the best possible way – a judicial combination of hard exercise and proper diet. No magic pills, no crash diet, no surgery and no slogging.She blogs her weight every Wednesday and posts her pictures every weekend. So there are at least a couple of reasons to visit her blog every week, to check the gradual decrement of weight and shrinking of the girth. I strongly recommend everyone who wants to lose weight to visit her blog. One common de-motivating factor that most people face is a plateau often encountered over a considerable time. She has faced it too (look at mid-Feb), but that hasn’t deterred her journey at all. She works out 6 days a week mostly with the help of a trainer. She has set several small rewards along her journey to motivate herself, which is a suggestion most fitness Gurus give.
Some tips to Women for losing weight:
* Weight loss journey begins at home. Eat healthy and resist your temptation for that extra piece of sweet or the fried item.
* Do NOT compare ur pattern of weight loss with that of other men around you. It is usually easier for men to lose weight than for women.
* Mix various workout regimes such as cardio, aerobics, and weight lifting. And, about the last one, dont worry that you will start looking muscular like men. You dont secrete several hormones that men do, esp. Testosterone, the muscle-building hormone.
* Weight lifting will certainly help grow your muscles, and it has several advantages: a) Any weight lifting activity help burn calories upto 36 hours after the workout; b) Mere presence of muscles will help burn calories; c) Muscles strengthen your body, by supporting ur bones, and ligaments better; d) Muscles help you get a toned-look for the entire body. Suppose you do only cardio and aerobics, your body will lose fat and muscles, which isnt the best way of weight loss. You will see your body look 'loose' due to that, rather than 'firm' which will happen only with muscle build-up.
Joania is already getting famous, with mentions of her in some magazines, and a recent TV ad as well. I expect her to appear on Oprah’s show after she attains her target – 157 pounds, which is a good 46 kgs lighter than her weight in December. With the kind of progress that she is making, I guess she will be there by the year-end. Keep going, Jo! Your success story will surely inspire thousands, if not millions of people to take up the same journey as yours.
P.S.: This reward system surely will work wonders. Our brain has the reward zones which get activated when some tasks are achieved. I blogged about a reward system that some of my desperate friends used almost 3 years ago. Whatever works!! Rewards apart, exercising is recommended by physicians to everyone. In the last few months, I have come across a few blogger buddies who have witnessed critical health issues even before the age of 45 and gone on to weight loss regimes after the warnings. So, like my car mechanic says, "you pay less now, or you pay more later".
Joania is already getting famous, with mentions of her in some magazines, and a recent TV ad as well. I expect her to appear on Oprah’s show after she attains her target – 157 pounds, which is a good 46 kgs lighter than her weight in December. With the kind of progress that she is making, I guess she will be there by the year-end. Keep going, Jo! Your success story will surely inspire thousands, if not millions of people to take up the same journey as yours.
P.S.: This reward system surely will work wonders. Our brain has the reward zones which get activated when some tasks are achieved. I blogged about a reward system that some of my desperate friends used almost 3 years ago. Whatever works!! Rewards apart, exercising is recommended by physicians to everyone. In the last few months, I have come across a few blogger buddies who have witnessed critical health issues even before the age of 45 and gone on to weight loss regimes after the warnings. So, like my car mechanic says, "you pay less now, or you pay more later".
9 comments:
She's definitely the epitome of hard-work.
Love the new look :)
Wow!! I am so flattered. Thank you so much for following my little journey and for the support. I really appreciate it. One of my goals was to help out (inspire) as many people as possible and you've just helped me to do that! Thanks again!! Very much appreciated!! :)
Hi Raju, your blog's new look is great. About this post, yeah, she s surely inspiring for people who desperately want to reduce their weight. But it really takes a lot to habituate such vigorous exercise. Good Job Jo.
pudhu layout is nice.
Go Jo!
Anon, thanks.. for letting Joania know about this post.
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Joania, u r very welcome. Thanks for your kind words. Though my gym goals are different, your perseverence is something I remember whenever my motivation comes down. :)
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Ramya, thanks.. :) Since exercise is a must for people of all ages, it is better if everyone gets used to the habit, no matter they are thin or fat.
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Sriram, thanks!
Hey Raju, your new template is cool!
ah anything about exercise and weight loss, I am there :-) I started my weight loss journey in Dec 2007 and I lost 20 lbs in May 2008..I still have some more pounds to lose..ippa iruka exercise;ku body adapt aayiduchu, so not losing weight at all..I do feel bad but I keep motivating myself. It is indeed an experience. thanks for that blog link. will check it out!
I lost 20 pounds in 4 months. I go to gym daily and burn at least 800+ cal. In between, I got very desperate and tried a fat burner, ‘Hydroxycut’ which left me nauseated. I continue to lose pounds as usual, but it was in small scales, not like what ‘Hydroxycut’ promoted. Also, it could have been the workouts that helped me to shed off the fats and not the fat burner. I stopped taking it, and learnt that there is no short cut to lose weight. The only thing that worries me about exercise is I don’t wan’t to fall off the wagon once I reach my ideal weight.
Going to the gym isn’t that bad after all especially with so many hunky personal trainers loitering around ;-). In addition to Nike’s caption “Just do it “and Joanie, these heartthrobs are definitely motivating me indirectly.
J, thanks.. :)
Good job, losing 20 lbs in 5 months.. About the body's adaptability, it is amazing indeed. One has to always fight against their own body and outsmart it, in order to win the battle of weight loss. I recommend you change your exercise regimen; the best change would be weight training.
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San, good job by you too losing 20 lbs in 4 months! Your burning 800 cal/day almost perfectly syncs with the above weight loss. It suggests that your daily calorie consumption is almost the same as (or lil higher than) your expenditure for your normal activities. You can further improve your weight loss by cutting 10-20% of calorie intake.
About your 'Hydroxycut' experience, I agree with you that there is indeed no shortcut to weight loss.
LOL on your 'motivations' to go to gym. Whatever works!!
Thats a very interesting post and I love the picture you have on the post!
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