A year ago Rose had a heart attack and quite a scare. She decided to get off the couch and get fit and lose the weight she’d been wearing for years. Rose hits her GOAL on Halloween.

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Many of you have read about Holly, well her sister Rose has also struggled for years to get her health and weight under control.

Last year Rose had a mild heart attack. 

That was her wake up call to make her health a priority.

I am happy to share with you all that Saturday morning Rose made her goal weight.

CONGRATULATIONS!

Never Give Up! Rose lost 30 pounds to reach her goal weight.

Halloween brings a special treat to Rose

Perseverance eventually ~ wins

Today, Rose is 30 pounds lighter and works out. 

She feels great.

She looks wonderful and is living an active healthy life.

Way to Go Rose!

Want to lose weight and get healthy? I am here to help.

Joyce Blonskij, Independent Certified Optavia Coach 

joyce@healthcoachjb.com

Average weight loss on the Optimal Weight 5 & 1 Plan® is 12 pounds. Clients are in weight loss, on average, for 12 weeks.

Take Shape For Life (TSFL) company name was changed to Optavia

RELENTLESS PURSUIT! Ladies Brace Yourselves… Meet A PRO, Grigori Atoyan – NPC USA Champion and MY TRAINER!

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November 2009 Musclar Development article and photos of Grigori Atoyan

Grigori Atoyan 2009 NPC USA Champion

I met Grigori Atoyan (he goes by Greg) over 10 years ago when he worked as a fitness trainer at 24 Hr. Fitness in Folsom.  Greg was my trainer back then and although I was still over weight, I was fit and strong. Now that I’ve lost over 100 pounds I went looking for Greg  to ask him to help me tone, firm-up, and gain muscle definition.  I found Greg at his Max Muscle in Gold River… I wanted to surprise Greg but with caller ID I was busted. He was all smiles when he saw me drive up to his store and get out of my car. He came out to meet me saying “I knew it was you”! 

We’re both older.

I’m smaller.

Greg is BIGGER…

He looks awesome!

Check out the November 2009 Muscular Development Magazine. Page 202 – 213 Greg’s amazing 20 year-long journey of body building, which started in his home country Armenia. I’ve just completed my first week of  training with Greg. I trained two days and did cardio five. I am very excited to be working with Greg again. For those still in the weight loss phase I would suggest that you take it easy.  30 minutes of moderate cardio, 3 to 5 days a week is very good. If you start burning lots of calories working out… you may slow or stop your weight loss. After losing 100 pounds and only 11 more to go to my optimal weight, I don’t mind slowing down my weight loss  in order to tone and get muscle definition.
Greg Atoyan and Joyce Blonskij Workout Arms.

1st Work Out

Want to lose weight and get healthy? I am here to help. Joyce Blonskij, Independent Certified Optavia Coach  joyce@healthcoachjb.com Average weight loss on the Optimal Weight 5 & 1 Plan® is 12 pounds. Clients are in weight loss, on average, for 12 weeks. Take Shape For Life (TSFL) company name was changed to Optavia

Celebrations! …as more and more of my family and friends lose weight and hit new goals! John, Katie, Sarah, Janet, Holly, & “Cindi “New Health Coach”!

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My husband, John loves CostCo and this week picked up a pair of jeans size 36… They didn’t fit!  THEY WERE TOO BIG! He skipped 36’s and the next day, traded them in for 34’s.

He’s down 13 pounds in 3 weeks and gone from a 38 to a 34 waist.

New Size 34 Jeans!

New Size 34 Jeans!

Katie hit her 10%  She is looking great… AND getting asked out on dates!

Way to go Katie…

Katie Hits 10% Weight Loss! She's a TSFL Girl...

Katie Hits 10% Weight Loss! She’s a TSFL Girl…

Sarah was down big today! Last week she had a bake/garage sale and we missed her. But she made up for being gone… Down over 5 Pounds this morning for a total of 31 POUNDS  Slimmer in 2 1/2 months on Take Shape For Life/Medifast… She also got busted by Betty… LOL  – The secret is out on her.
~
My Cousin Janet is down 29 Pounds! She is wearing new smaller clothes and trying new colors to spice up her new slimmer body!
She is feeling so much better… and looks great too!
My Cousin Janet 29 Lbs Slimmer!

My Cousin Janet 29 Lbs Slimmer!

Holly… She has been on Take Shape For Life the program for Diabetics now for 25 days. In 25 days Holly has lost 19.2 Pounds. Now for the GOOD NEWS! Holly had been taking insulin shots morning and before bed every day for 19 Years!   Oral Meds 3-times a day and still not controlling her diabetes. Her sugars were in the 200’s! After two weeks on the program for Diabetics:

HOLLY IS NOT USING INSULIN TO CONTROL HER BLOOD SUGARS

No shots!

And… She has eliminated one of her afternoon meds.

Holly  celebrated her 10% and feels amazing!

Holly's Hits 10%. She too is a TSFL Girl!

Holly’s Hits 10%. She too is a TSFL Girl!

 
CONGRATULATIONS …. CINDI CHILELLI… She has gone from a TSFL Client to a Health Coach!
Mike, Nici and Cindi - A Take Shape for Life Family. BEFORE Photo!

Mike, Nici and Cindi – A Take Shape for Life Family. BEFORE Photo!

Getting ourselves healthy is the first step. 
Then showing our family and friends how to get health in theirs lives is next.
 
Want to lose weight and get healthy? I am here to help. Joyce Blonskij, Independent Certified Optavia Coach  joyce@healthcoachjb.com Average weight loss on the Optimal Weight 5 & 1 Plan® is 12 pounds. Clients are in weight loss, on average, for 12 weeks. Take Shape For Life (TSFL) company name was changed to Optavia
The best gift you can give some one you love is HEALTH.
 
 

The Ups and Downs of Losing Weight…

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For me it’s been more than a three-year long journey… I have been dieting all my life! This time around which began just over 3 yrs ago at first, I was on fire and life was good. I was losing weight and feeling better. Then like most dieters I hit the “wall” just after my first year. Hitting the wall from a weight loss perspective is typically when and were most folks toss in the little white towel and give up. To me that was not an answer. There was no way I could do that. If I did quit that most likely meant, I would gain back the 56 pounds I’d lost and gain some on top of that!   So I did what I had to do… I suffered and hung in there, all the while hoping I’d get back in sync. I did get back in sync but not doing the new program Weight Watchers was offering. For the life of me – I just could not stick to their old Core Plan either… I stepped back. In May on this year (2009) I started on my new path of eating small meals all through out the day. Healthy food from Medifast.  It’s so easy, I like the food,  and this has helped me to control my portion sizes. The chart below shows my week-by-week weight. There is an 18 month period in the middle where I was STUCK! Then I got introduced to Take Shape For Life and Medifast.  You can see how well it works.
Three Years - Weekly Weight Loss Chart - Joyce Blonskij

Three Years – Weekly Weight Loss Chart – Joyce Blonskij

In 22 weeks I’ve seen amazing results in how I feel, the smaller clothing sizes I’m wearing ,and of course the scale is looking better too! My outlook has changed. My way to eating has changed for the better. And I am able to reach out to my family and friends and show them the way.

Life if good!

Want to lose weight and get healthy? I am here to help. Joyce Blonskij, Independent Certified Optavia Coach  joyce@healthcoachjb.com Average weight loss on the Optimal Weight 5 & 1 Plan® is 12 pounds. Clients are in weight loss, on average, for 12 weeks. Take Shape For Life (TSFL) company name was changed to Optavia

A LOOK BACK… My first week – I lost 7.8 pounds.

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For those just getting started here is a look at my day-by-day progress I made in the first three weeks on program.  I am one of those that steps on the scale morning and night… For some of you this may drive you crazy so once a week is perfectly fine.

Some background: I had been doing Weight Watchers (CORE) prior to starting Take Shape For Life (TSLF) for 2 ½ years. The first year I dropped 56 pounds. The next year and a half I lost 9 more pounds. Let me just say that those 18 months were not easy and very difficult to keep myself motivated. I was in limbo and it wasn’t fun. Three weeks on TSFL, and I was hooked.  I’d lost 11.1 Pounds in 21 days!

TSFL 1st 3 Weeks on Program Chart

Week # 1 started for me on a Thursday – May 28th.  That morning I weighted in at 190 Lbs. The first 3 days are critical. Most people will transition into the “fat burning” phase of the program somewhere from the 3rd to 5th day. My first couple of days,  I lost mostly water weight. Still weight, but not the fat that was yet to start melting off.. As you can see from the chart below my first 2 days I lost 4.2 pounds.  Which Kicked in my motivation. Days’ 3 – 5 were slow.  I finished my 6th day with a bang, down another -2.1 pounds.

My first week I lost -7.8 pounds!

Week #2 I had a net loss of -2.0 even with a couple of days where my weight went up slightly. Week # 3 I broke the 10 pound barrier.

I’d lost MORE  in 16 DAYS on TSFL than I had in 18 MONTHS doing Weight Watchers.

My 3 week weight loss total was: -11.1 pounds.

I became a believer…

TSFL daily weight graph for 1st 3 weeks

Now Fast Forward to today: In the past 18 weeks I have lost a total of 37 pounds

Want to lose weight and get healthy? I am here to help. Joyce Blonskij, Independent Certified Optavia Coach  joyce@healthcoachjb.com Average weight loss on the Optimal Weight 5 & 1 Plan® is 12 pounds. Clients are in weight loss, on average, for 12 weeks. Take Shape For Life (TSFL) company name was changed to Optavia  

I Found Myself by Losing…One Hundred Pounds! I didn’t do it alone. I had and still have lots of support. “THANK YOU” for helping me.

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 101.4 Lbs I don’t have to lug around any longer. Thank God… and a few others along the way.

To Dudley & Sherry, my  Coaches and dear friends…

THANK YOU BOTH,  AND…You were right!

I do love this program and the amazing results.

Sherry & Dudley Adair, my friends and TSFL Health Coaches

Sherry & Dudley, my friends and TSFL Health Coaches

I’d need to thank Betty Forsman, the most wonderful Weight Watchers Leader you could ever be blessed to have.   
Betty Forsmen My Weight Watcher Leader

Betty My Weight Watcher Leader 

All the great Folsom Staff at Weight Watchers & My WW friends/family. 
 
You ROCK! 
 
 
To Lynn Thomson who got the ball rolling some 3 years ago…
“Lynn – Who’d of thought I be size 10 now! – WOW “
 
Thank You for saving my life and my health. 
 
I didn’t realize how bad it was going  – until I got healthy.  
 
  
2007 Lynn Thomson & Me at her Kiwanis Installation Dinner

2007 Lynn & Me at her Kiwanis Installation Dinner

To my wonderful husband, John Blonskij, he deserves an award or medal or something for enduring all my diets!
He has allowed me to experiment new recipes using him as my human guinea pig. More than once we had to scrap meals and start over.
God Bless My Dear Husband, he needs it living with me…
 
Hilda and Nataliya, my staff,  who are best cheer leaders every day of the week! Thank you for being here for me!
 (I’m sorry for the Shake explosion. I won’t do that again).
 
My crazy and wonderful cousins who cheer me on from the East & West Coasts, and all the way down South to TENN!  Wait until our next reunion… I’m getting a blond wig, sun glasses and a new “red” cowgirl hat from Nashville. I’ll  pull-up in a Chevy pickup truck… and you all will think it’s a movie crew coming to town! (If only Rosalie were alive… I can hear her now… “OMG she’s a movie star from Hollywood!!!”:) I love you all so very mcuh. I’m so happy we’re related. I mean that!
 
Hey Donna Conway ~ I’m going to need a new video next time we are in Nashville, now that I’m a skinny chick. Maybe we can get Carl Jr up on stage WITH US this time? Just kidding Carl.
 
To my cousin, Janet Wheeler who is on this journey with me… keep up the good work!
 
Alice Blonskij, my sister-in-law, who said it best;
“You did it the right way”
 
No Shots ~ No Pill ~  No Surgery
Thank -you Alice for being there for me.
 
To all my friends and family
 
THANK YOU!
 
 
 
I’VE LOST OVER ONE HUNDRED POUNDS
 
and…
 
I’ve kept it off for 8 days!
 
Please feel free to leave a comment or send me an email at: Joyce@healthcoachjb.com
 
Want to lose weight and get healthy? I am here to help. Joyce Blonskij, Independent Certified Optavia Coach  joyce@healthcoachjb.com Average weight loss on the Optimal Weight 5 & 1 Plan® is 12 pounds. Clients are in weight loss, on average, for 12 weeks. Take Shape For Life (TSFL) company name was changed to Optavia

Diabetes Must Be Taken Seriously – Diet is a big factor in blood sugar levels.

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101 for Diabetics – – Getting your Blood Sugars in a “Normal” range, is crucial to getting this disease under control. Joe is about 30 pounds over weight. Mid 50’s. Yard work and home projects are his exercise, other than that he works behind a desk all week long.  He’s married and has been pre-diabetic for about four years now.  Joe is taking oral medications only. He has not had to go the route of insulin shots, thank God for him. Have a look at Joe’s BEFORE chart going back to 2007  – Blood Sugar Levels:
A Blood Sugar "Normal Range" is 90 to 110 give or take...

A Blood Sugar “Normal Range” is 90 to 110 give or take…

About May of 2009 in addition to his Metformin, Glipizide was added (1 twice a day) to try and bring down his levels. It worked – but it caused his levels to drop too low, so he had to back off the dosage.
Glipizide 1 tablet twice a day was added to the Metformin to bring his levels down.

Glipizide 1 tablet twice a day was added to the Metformin to bring his levels down.

Then Joe decided to go on program.  He started Sunday September 20th, 2009. About a week after he started losing weight he checked his blood sugar levels.

They had dropped into a “Normal” range.

Now,  just finishing his 3rd week his blood sugars are in the 90’s.  Joe shared with me that he had not taken either of his medications this past Sunday and his sugars tested 97 in the morning and 90 in the evening. Joe is doing great and his doctor is happy too.
His Blood Sugars are testing Normal!

His Blood Sugars are testing Normal!

Diabetes & Obesity Are Taking Over Our Country! 

Time to get both under control. 

Please check with your Doctor before starting a weight loss program. Want to lose weight and get healthy? I am here to help. Joyce Blonskij, Independent Certified Optavia Coach  joyce@healthcoachjb.com Average weight loss on the Optimal Weight 5 & 1 Plan® is 12 pounds. Clients are in weight loss, on average, for 12 weeks. Take Shape For Life (TSFL) company name was changed to Optavia

Photos from Saturday Morning Weight Watchers Celebration… I’m One Hundred and One Pounds Slimmer!

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Betty hands me a 25lb sack of Beans - I lost 4 of these!

Betty hands me a 25lb sack of Beans – I lost 4 of these!

Lime Green Size 24... What was I thinking?

Lime Green Size 24… What was I thinking?

These were skin tight 3 years ago and now...

These were skin tight 3 years ago and now…

WOW - I feel Great!

WOW – I feel Great!

Rear View. Then and Now

Rear View. Then and Now

My Name is Joyce Blonskij. I've lost 101.4 Pounds!

My Name is Joyce Blonskij. I’ve lost 101.4 Pounds!

Want to lose weight and get healthy? I am here to help. Joyce Blonskij, Independent Certified Optavia Coach  joyce@healthcoachjb.com Average weight loss on the Optimal Weight 5 & 1 Plan® is 12 pounds. Clients are in weight loss, on average, for 12 weeks. Take Shape For Life (TSFL) company name was changed to Optavia

CELEBRATION! I’m Over the 100 POUND Mark

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Saturday morning at Weight Watchers every one was ready to celebrate and that is just what we did!

It's Official Down -101.4!

It’s Official Down -101.4!

Feel’n good!
AND — Look’n better all the time…
If I can do it, so can you.
 
Never give up on yourself.
 
Even when it’s slow going … don’t ever forget “you’re worth it”
Take Shape For Life, is a way of life and I love it!

Want to lose weight and get healthy? I am here to help.

Joyce Blonskij, Independent Certified Optavia Coach 

joyce@healthcoachjb.com

Average weight loss on the Optimal Weight 5 & 1 Plan® is 12 pounds. Clients are in weight loss, on average, for 12 weeks.

Take Shape For Life (TSFL) company name was changed to Optavia

There Lived A Young Woman in Fair Oaks Named “Holly”. Who has slowly been losing the war with DIABETES – Until this past week!

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 Holly’s Story…

Holly is and has been a DIABETIC for the past 19 years of her young life.  I did the math last night and taking 4 insulin shots a day, on average for nearly two decades… she has given  herself some where in the neighborhood of:

TWENTY SEVEN THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED SHOTS!

27,700 Injections of Insulin – OUCH!

That is just so hard to process in my head.

GET A FRESH BOX OF KLEENEX because you are going to cry and laugh and cry some more as you follow Holly’s heroic story.

I met Holly and her sister Rose at my Saturday morning Weight Watchers meeting a while back.  These two are a crack up. Their love for each other is transparent and contagious. Here we are at 6:45am every Saturday morning; coffee in hand, stepping up to get weighed… and sharing our ups and down’s with each other. Getting ideas and motivation form everyone there. Well Holly like me – got stuck!  She was not losing weight. Last week, and after a couple of previous emails to me on what I was doing to get such great results… here comes in another email from Holly.  I knew she meant business this time! I sent her a note back and that was late last Sunday night. I asked her to call me Monday and I’d answer all of her questions. What I love about Holly is she is direct and to the point. I answered my phone that next day, and Holly was on the other end. She told me who she was, and didn’t need to, because I recognized her voice instantly and the next words out of her mouth were profound,

 “OK  – WHAT DO I NEED TO DO”?

If you can imagine a voice on the other end of a phone; spoken quickly and to the point saying “OK – What do I have to do to get started“?  I knew she meant business and was ready to take the next step. I was ready for her. I asked her to come to my house after work that night.  I’d give her enough meal replacements out of my own supply so that she could start the next morning and not delay, not even one day.  Holly is such a crack up… here is the jest what she said next.

“OK – Let me think about that “  1/2 second later “OK – I thought about it. How can I refuse such a great offer? I’m IN”! 🙂

That night Holly and she sister Rose came by my house for some one-on-one do’s and how’s. That’s when I got the full impact of Holly’s story. 

Holly has been on insulin for nineteen years….

19 YEARS OF DAILY SHOTS!

In addition to shots Holly also takes oral medications for her diabetes.

Holly’s diabetes was getting to the point her medical doctors had recently advised her to go on a

  • Liquid FAST.
  • Drop 50 pounds right away…
  • So her doctor could go in and CUT OUT part of her stomach!

They were dead serious.

Holly’s blood sugars were out of control. 

Her doctors were warning her that she was at a critical juncture in her disease.

 Her story begins now…

DAY 1 on Take Shap for Life – It’s Tuesday Morning and Game On!

Please come back and follow Holly’s journey.  You’ll be thrilled when you see and read her progress in turning back her disease and losing weight.

Subscribe at the top right corner of this blog to get  Holly Story send directly to your inbox and never miss a post.

Want to lose weight and get healthy? I am here to help. Joyce Blonskij, Independent Certified Optavia Coach  joyce@healthcoachjb.com Average weight loss on the Optimal Weight 5 & 1 Plan® is 12 pounds. Clients are in weight loss, on average, for 12 weeks. Take Shape For Life (TSFL) company name was changed to Optavia