I would be honoured for YOU to read my book....

HOW TO ORDER & OBTAIN YOUR COPY OF WALKING MY WAY BACK TO ME.

LOCAL: There are several evening locations throughout the work week where I teach Zumba, Music or Dance. They will be available at all locations OR Delivery & Pick-Up can be arranged at a mutually agreeable location or at my home. Message me for details.

ONLINE: The paperback and the E-book Version are available through ordering directly from my website. Please follow the directions and click the link here: http://www.joanminnery.com/walking-my-way-back-to-me—book-info.html

What is your book about?  Is it just a how to book about weight loss? 

My answer:  Why do we give up on our dreams?  Why do we give up on ourselves?  This is what I DID know. I was unhappy — I was hurting. On the outside I was smiling, happy go lucky.  Yet reality was that I was unhealthy at every cellular level and I was on an incredibly successful path to destroying myself. I had lost myself and I had forgotten I could dare to dream and reach those same dreams. At rock bottom — I woke up…period! I opened my eyes and knew that if I didn’t get out of my own damn way I was going to kill myself and leave my Son without his Mother. I was my own worst enemy but finally knew that I was ALSO my own best ALLY, FRIEND, MENTOR and MOTIVATOR. The only way I was going to REALLY change ME was to redirect my own keel and keister on a new path and journey.
The person you see in front of you is the end result. :)
My book is about things that are REAL and HONEST– there is no sugar coating on any of my words and perhaps that is what makes my story somewhat unique and different than others. Living large and hurting has one keeping all reality and truth buried deep. My life today is the complete opposite and I WANT others to read about that truth.
I didn’t set out to redirect anyone other than myself those many months ago; but it became evident that my journey was one that so many others were on a path to as well. Stories from others not only inspired me but kept my fire going to take my own message out to the universe and share my struggles and my ultimate successes. I have always been alive, but now I can honestly say I am TRULY LIVING! THAT is one of the messages I hope comes through to the reader when they pick up my Book.

Choosing To Live

If you are serious about taking charge of your heath, you have to make a choice and Get a LIFE CHANGE because it IS a choice. You have the control; your health is in YOUR hands. You MUST decide to commit yourself to YOU. And YOU have to want to lose weight with all of your heart. You need to be honest with yourself and make an absolute commitment and accept that this IS a lifestyle change for the rest of your life. Why live half alive when you can choose to live 100% fully alive?

Let’s face it, if losing weight was easy, everyone would successfully do it and it wouldn’t be so hard to keep it off. It takes a LOT of effort to lose weight and it takes even more effort to keep it off. And if we’re not really committed to take the steps to achieve our goals, those goals won’t happen for us. We could equate losing weight with hitting it rich; we would like to lose weight the same way that we’d like to get rich, by winning the lottery. We would all do it if it didn’t take too much effort. However, the reality is that it takes too much willpower for many of us to sustain a healthy lifestyle with diet and exercise. Yet we know the only proven long term effective method IS diet and exercise.

The fact is most people who successfully lose weight and keep that weight off, make healthy permanent lifestyle changes that include getting regular exercise, maintaining portion control and managing alternatives to prevent emotional eating. When you choose to live, you choose to make a lifestyle change FOREVER.

It has to be permanent because if you look at your weight-loss efforts as a temporary fix and something that you’re only doing for now, your healthy changes won’t be permanent. However, on contrary of that, if you try to do too much too soon, the changes will only last for a short period of time. The key component is that small gradual changes are what will work and you have to keep things in perspective that little slip-ups don’t matter but long-term changes do.

There are more than six million Canadians who are overweight or obese. It is a well known statistic that over the last 2 decades rates of overweight and obesity have more than doubled for Canadian adults, and nearly tripled among Canadian children. Weight puts SO much stress and strain on our bodies. It wears out our bodies faster and is adds to extra wear and tear on our joints, which leads to arthritis and diabetes. Extra weight and unhealthy eating can bring on the onslaught of heart disease, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, osteoarthritis, some cancers and gallbladder disease. All of which in turn can lead to people not being able to sustain their health and ending up on medication for life. Taking all of that into account there is also the obvious psychosocial problems, functional limitations and disabilities which are associated with excess weight.

For me, personally; having a health set-back can be a life-altering experience which can lead to some very positive consequences. It can often be the catalyst to wake up anddecide whether you are going to die fat or change your life, make a choice to live and commit to a healthier lifestyle. And with that come the obvious; choosing to live involves actively engaging in some form of fitness and making healthier choices. You can have all the fancy plans and diets you want but the fact is simple that eating less and movingmore will do it every time. You MUST Put Down the Damn Fork & Get Moving!!!!

People are always interested in prevention rather than cure. The cure is in YOU and your choices. Choosing to eat that bucket of KFC today can lead to a lifetime of grief and upset later if life. You have to make a choice to set aside the bad habits of your lifetime and commit to positive change.
It’s about YOU; you have to adapt an empowerment stance about CHOOSING to live and making a lifestyle change rather than having a negative approach about food. It needs to be about healthy choices that YOU make every day. The thought process needs to be about what you SHOULD eat rather than being about what you shouldn’t eat. A whole different mind set comes into play here…

The myth that most diets fail is in essence…backward. What actually happens is that most people fail diets. Just about any sensible diet or weight loss program will help a person lose weight. We often blame the diet for failing, but blaming the diet is similar to blaming an unused bicycle that sits idle in the garage or a treadmill that becomes a clothing wrack. The real solution isn’t in fad diets, fancy pills, gimmicks, gym memberships or diet books; the solution is in the mirror.

Today…Choose To Live!!!

Changing FAT into FIT...Choosing To Live

I don’t claim to be ANY sort of expert on fitness or dieting, but I am a card carrying lifelong member and 100% complete aficionado on being fat. If there is one thing I DO know, it’s about fat and how to be fat and how to get fat and how to stay fat. I’ve lived most of my life as a fat person. From being a pudgy child, to a chubby teen, then morphing into a large sized young gal and ultimately a morbidly obese woman; there is no doubt…I’m the fat expert!
However, my new mission in life is to change that. I’m changing FAT into FIT.

My expertise comes from 3 decades of my own personal struggles with obesity & chronic dieting along with a myriad of dangerous weight consequences that have resulted in severe health issues, negative body image and low self-esteem. As a recovering food addict; I have been there, I am still there, but I am winning. My in-the-trenches life experiences with the battle against weight; make me a true expert in guiding others to increased levels of self-care and self-love.

I’ve gone through this journey, so I am better equipped to understand the predicament of others and I can inspire people through our mutual struggles and progress. It is because I have been there that I can use my life as a testament and a huge source of inspiration for those who are where I have been. My role is very important, as I am able to perceive the wellness of others and translate that wellness to them by sharing my story, so that they are able to see and understand that reaching the desired destination is nowattainable.

I have worked very hard to resolve my own weight issues and now I want to share my compelling, compassionate and constructive approach to inspire others to start their own journeys to take charge of their lives and to…WAKE UP & Stop Being A Victim Of Your Own Self.!!!

How many times have you woke up on a Monday morning and said, “Today is the day I’m going to lose weight”. And then by Noon, you are in the drive-thru ordering a milk-shake, fries and a greasy hamburger. How many Tuesdays turn into the day that you wished you had listened to yourself the day before, but you end up defeated and beating yourself up and well, you messed up already and then you convince yourself, “I’ll Start Next Week”. And the same pattern happens over and over again, week after week, month after month, year after year. Pound after pound after pound…What if you changed your thinking and instead of saying, “Today is the day I’m going to lose weight”, that you woke up and said, “Today I choose to live”.

If I can do it, anyone can do it. All you have to do is have the motivation and be told that you can. My journey is not over and I am on a mission to help others start theirs. Imagine where YOU will be a year from now.

Less than one year ago, in August 2010, I was tipping the scales at almost 300 pounds. My health was dangerously catapulting out of control and my self esteem was at an all time low. Both factors were filtering into my professional life. I am an entertainer/event director and also teach music & dramatic arts. I lead a very busy and strenuous lifestyle. Many of my productions involve strenuous activity and long periods of stamina. I was a morbidly obese woman leading the life of a thin person, and it had caught up with me. I had one staggering health issue after another. It was becoming obvious to all of my fellow cast-mates and colleagues that I had given up on my appearance, which was having a direct impact on my performances and a noticeable decline in student attendance. After years of my body expanding and continued bad health; my journey took me to yet ANOTHER doctor’s office in at the beginning of August 2010. I underwent a 2 hour medical test for an inner ear imbalance, due to the fact that on top of pancreas issues, severe acid reflux and vision ailments; I was now experiencing horrific attacks of acute vertigo and continual nausea. During the examination, I had a violent physical reaction that ended up with me being covered in bodily fluids, vomit and fecal excretement. I sat up from the table, in a freaked out state of embarrassment and disorientation and cried, “Joan you didn’t sign up for this”.

Faced with the humiliation of having to leave that medical clinic with remnants of vomit, urine and feces still in and on my clothes and having to call my son to clear the driveway because I needed to quickly run into the bathroom; I looked down at my soiled pants and the stench of puke in my hair and I broke down. I did this to myself, ME; and it was up to me and ONLY me to undo the damage. I decided right then and there that I am no longer going to be a victim of my own self. As my son BJ was screaming at me in desperation, I made a promise to myself, to my son, my family and my friends, that I was going to stop watching them in fear of my health and take control of the most important commodity that God has given me…MY LIFE.

I made a commitment to myself and to everyone that is important to me, that it was time to get really serious about my future. I was sick of being sick. I was fed up living a lonely life and I was ready to get healthy. I am winning in my quest to change my lifestyle, one pound at a time.
This is NOT rocket science; it’s all about re-educating yourself, and it’s all complete common sense. The road to weight loss must be paved with a lifestyle change resulting in a commitment to healthy eating, an activity plan for some form of fitness and ultimately to yourself. Put Down The Fork & Get Moving.

No gimmicks, no fancy pills, no stupid fad diets, no $2000.00 year memberships to weigh in…..YOU have the power to be your own doctor and to change and undo the damage you have done. The ONLY gimmick out there that works FOREVER is YOU!!!

Want a wake up call? Take out the white stuff in the Oreo smear it on as cold cream and tape the black cookies to the sides of your head. OR Next time you reach for that bucket of KFC, empty it out and stick the bucket on your head and flap your arms like a chicken. Sounds stupid? What is more stupid, doing this or eating them?

The 6 best doctors ANYwhere are; Sunshine, Rest, Air, Water, Diet & Exercise. YOU are the best doctor…it’s about YOU YOU YOU.

This journey MUST be about a lifelong commitment to your health. It doesn’t end when you reach your goal. That is just the beginning. The target weight is just a milestone. The goal is to remain eating healthy for the restof our lives. A lot of us carry around emotional baggage and wear it like a mantel – or a spare tire. Once we deal with that emotional baggage and let it go, then it releases us to shed that mantel and get on with our healthier,happier lives.

Imagine where YOU will be a year from now. Look to where I was a year go…when I said, “Today Is the Day I Choose To LIVE!!!”