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Well, here I am in tropical paradise! I made it safely home to Hawaii and it's been great catching up with my folks. I've missed them tremendously. Here's mom and dad's new home on the exclusive Hawaii Loa Ridge in Honolulu (island of Oahu):
What a breath-taking view of the famed Diamondhead Crater from my bedroom:
This beautiful home across the street was just sold for $1.47 million!:
I'll be updating my blog on a daily basis while I'm here so keep on checking in!
Monday June 28, 2004 - Heading home... I'm heading home to Hawaii tomorrow morning to visit the folks. Will continue to update the website while I'm there! Lots of great stuff happening...stay tuned!
Tuesday June 10, 2004 - So many updates... Wow! Has a month already passed by since my last entry??! Unbelievable how fast time is cruising on by...well, here's the latest and greatest news with yours truly: Our website is launching very, VERY soon! Promise, yeah, really! Honestly, I took a good look at the most recent design that Mark's been working on - and I've got to tell you - it's AWESOME! Keep on comin' back to see if we've launched now y'hear?! On other very exciting fronts! My involvement with the income opportunity that I mentioned in previous posts is going extremely well! We've built a solid distributor force here in the northeast and I see some amazing things happening this summer and into the fall. Most specifically, we're on track to that elusive 7-figure income baby! Yes, you heard that (er, read that!) right...there are ultra-successful folks who have built this business to $100,000 per month within three years! My goal is to hit that mark in less than that! And yes, our team is on track! You know, I really love helping people reach their dreams and goals. Physically and financially. It's a beautiful thing! Stay strong folks!
Saturday May 15 to Sunday May 16, 2004 - Richard Bustillo Seminar Today and tomorrow, we have one of Bruce Lee's original students giving a martial arts seminar at the American Martial Arts Center. It's gonna be a blast!
Friday May 14, 2004 - Website news n' updates Well, we had to push back our Version 3.0 launch until later this month - but we're still ultra-excited about what's a-comin' atcha! Man, I've been uber busy with lots of stuff:
And my newest online project - CyberWize! This is a part-time online business opportunity that I've been working on the past couple of months and our team of independent distributors has grown to nearly 30 strong and have moved over $15,000 worth of products and services in only a few weeks! Awesome! Check out my marketing website for more information (click on the "Listen" link at the bottom of the page)
Week of April 5th to April 11th - Blast off the week! We have an official launch date! Looks like it'll be the week of April 19th! In the meantime, you will see a gradual unfolding of interactive features with this website - most notably our Changing Bodies, Transforming Lives Message Board/Forum! For a limited time, you can sign up for FREE and contribute your thoughts, questions, and comments pertaining to your health and fitness program and your life goals/direction! Keep on checkin' this week and JOIN THE TEAM!
Thursday April 1, 2004 - Amazing stuff! There are certain times in one's life when you experience unbelievably rapid growth in terms of personal growth, financial growth, spiritual growth, and mental growth. I must say that the past three weeks have embodied all of that for me and then some! My life has absolutely been positively transformed by several things that have occurred and I hope to unveil these amazing occurrences to you in our subsequent launch. As a reminder, we will be launching a Members Only section that will give you unlimited, immediate access to our Changing Bodies, Transforming Lives Forum and Message Board. Here you will be able to connect with many others like yourself who are committed to achieving the best in health and in life success. You'll be able to record your nutrition plan for others (and me!) to look at, learn from, and stay accountable to your goals. You'll be able to keep track of your training journal and show how you are progressing week-in/week-out with your diligent efforts. And finally, you will pull the motivation and inspiration from like-minded folks who have made the decision to get into the best shape that they possibly can and stay that way for a lifetime! Stay tuned for the amazing news, updates, and other stuff to come!
Mon March 29 - Wed March 31 - Countdown to Version 3.0! And so it begins! Today marks the official coundown (in days mind you) for the next launch of our website! I'm simply stoked and thrilled about the way the new website will look and "feel" as we strive to bring you our best in the areas of nutrition, training, supplementation, success-principled living and ultimately physique and mental transformation! Indeed, the coundown commences now! Stay tuned my friends!
Thursday March 25, 2004 - Sunday March 28, 2004 We are currently updating our new website and should have a preliminary Version 3.0 launch by next week! Thanks for your patience and continued support!
Wednesday March 24, 2004 - If not now...when? Today's another day and have you made the decision to finally get into the best shape of your life? If not, why not? Lots of times it's the fear of the unknown...fear of failure...fear of whatever is holding you back. Well, when there's fear there's often paralysis of sorts - so you just have to get moving, take massive actions towards your goals, talk to someone who's already getting the results you want, do what they do, and keep doing it until you reach your destination...then reach farther! Time's a passing - get goin'!
Tuesday March 23, 2004 - Lest I forget from whence I came... Lots of folks have come up to me after seeing a set of my "before" and "after" pictures and mention how impressed they were at the transformation I achieved.
Of course, I feel great and uplifted about that accomplishment. However, I feel even more fulfilled when I can help someone else make a significant change in his or her own life through better nutrition, training, and supplementation. Over the years, I've found that most people already know WHAT to do to get into great shape and better health. Some even know HOW to go about doing it. But the folks who achieve the body of their dreams are the ones who are ultimately connected with the WHYof what they're doing. In other words, I decided to change my fat, out-of-shape, always-tired body BECAUSE I had had ENOUGH! I made the decision to create an "elite physique" BECAUSE I knew that I'd feel more confident, more energetic, and flat-out feel great about myself. My "why" or "purpose" was strong enough to get me to take the necessary actions (planning my meals, preparing my nutrition plan, going to the gym to train HARD, taking my supplements consistently, keeping track relentlessly, etc.) and follow through - even when it got really hard and discouraging at times - to my ultimate goal of being in the best shape of my life and staying that way for life! So, get your WHY in order...GET MOVING on your action plan...and your dreams will become manifest!
Monday March 22, 2004 - Shame on me! I forgot to mention this yesterday... Happy 4-year, 2-month Anniversary to my Love, Jennifer! Yes, I did wish her that special day yesterday - I never forget! Actually, yesterday was quite a long and arduous day. I had the second of five "Virtual Reality" MCAT exams. About 200 of us were squished into an auditorium to take an exam between 8:00 AM and 4:00 PM. The desks were atrocious...very bad for the neck! Ah well, ya' gotta do whatcha gotta do! Today, I had Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu class in Needham, plus a semi-private lesson with Steve. Great stuff! Building momentum now with my MCAT studies and business building through CyberWize...it's all good!
Saturday March 20-Sunday March 21, 2004 - Special weekend... Good morning and Happy First Day of Frozen Spring! Today I'm coaching a bodybuilder who's entering several national-level competitions this year. I've put together his posing routine with the help of my own posing mentor, Todd Ganci. We're using a portion of the routine that we put together for Jay Cutler for the 2004 Arnold Classic a couple of weekends ago. Should be fun!
Friday March 19, 2004 - Another end of the weekdays... Hope you all had a great 5-days this week! Now begins another jam-packed exciting weekend! Lots of stuff a-happenin' on fronts out here in Mel Ona's world. Got a full-length "Virtual Reality" MCAT at BU on Sunday. But before then, I am meeting with several clients and introducing this awesome CyberWize opportunity with more friends! You can find out more by listening to a couple of webcasts here! Enjoy the first day of spring tomorrow!
Thursday March 18, 2004 - Trademarks are approved and official! Awesome news! The four trademarks that I applied for were just approved by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)! (You can do a search for ONA and check out the marks below!). It was quite the lengthy and somewhat costly process but in the end it's worth the investment and time I'd say. Here are the four marks that now belong to my company: A.C.H.I.E.V.E. - You can find more about this in my new book. In fact, you can learn how to apply it to transform your life! (I did!). 4-C's - My nutrition concept of Cutting Calories by Controlling Carbs; Controlling Carbs through Carbohydrate Cycling (go low-carbs on low active days and high-carbs on more active days...and medium-carbs on anything in between!) FAD-FREE - I LOVE this phrase! Changing your body and life for the better ought to be a FAD-FREE process. It's a lifestyle change! "You'll see it when you believe it!"; - Get it? You gotta believe in something so passionately and with absolute certainty for your dreams to come true. And remember that when you truly believe it, you can A.C.H.I.E.V.E. it!
Wednesday March 17, 2004 - Snowed in! Wow. Middle of March. Spring is three days away. And we have about a half a foot of snow. Here's a picture of my car...looks like mid-December to me!
New England weather gets its claws into us and refuses to let go! Well, that just gives me time to get lots of stuff done at the ol' home office. We have been working on the new Version 3.0 website and I tell ya' it's looking SHARP! Stay warm and be safe!
Tuesday March 16, 2004 - What can one do? I just read a recent report that stated (I paraphrase), "Americans are becoming more overweight and obese each year...obesity is on track to becoming the most significant contributor to deaths every year..." - or something to that effect. What can one do to stem this tide? Well, I'll tell you this - the same solution exists year after year - EAT PROPERLY and EXERCISE CONSISTENTLY! I've used this mantra over and over again, and I'm glad that those two statements are still THE BEST and most effective actions that you can take to get back on the fitness track. It boils down to the person's commitment in following through with those actions. And following through on a daily basis for the rest of his or her lifetime! But the journey starts with that first step: Cleaning up the diet! Hitting the weights at the gym! Getting more active with cardio! Taking your healthful supplements! Hmm, that was four steps now wasn't it? But you get the point here...once you get started with your massive action plan, the momentum starts flowing and before you know it you're well on your way to transforming your body and life for good!
Monday March 15, 2004 - Carbohydrate Control Tonight I'm giving another half-hour Nutrition Seminar at the BodyEvolver Fitness Training Center in downtown Boston. I'll be talking about my formula for fat-loss success: Controlling Carbs! Of course you can read all about it in my book, Changing Bodies, Transforming Lives:
Bottom line: I do NOT recommend that you restrict carbs from your diet plan...rather, I tell my clients to consume portion-controlled meals that contain high-quality, lean protein, lots of veggies (these are carbs!), and low-sugar, whole-grain, high-fiber, unprocessed, unrefined "complex" carbohydrates throughout the day Some examples of these so-called "complex" carbs:
The above list is only a small example of the types of carbs that the top, elite athletes would consume to stay in lean shape. Success leaves clues!
Saturday March 13-Sunday March 14, 2004 - Supplementation It's the weekend folks! But are you still focused on fitness or those fast-food fries? Well, if today is your designated "treat" day then don't mind me! I'd like to make a few brief points about supplementation. Like the word says, "supplements" are exactly what they should be...to "add on," "support" your diet. If you are not getting the nutrients you need from your foods (most of us aren't), then it may be prudent for you to consider taking supplements. Which ones? I've always (and still do) recommend AST Sports Science for your muscle-building, fat losing supplement needs. This company is unparalleled when it comes to scientifically advancing athletic performance through products like VP2 whey isolate, Creatine HSC, Glutamine, and Ny-Tro PRO-40 meal replacement shakes. For health, I have become a distributor for CyberWize.com and recommend their HealthyWize products. Specifically, I take Vital B-12, Vital Antioxidants, calcium, Vital Joints & Muscles, and Vital Greens. So, bottom line is you must supplement smart by sticking to the basics. Protein for strength and muscle building. Vitamin and minerals for health and vitality. Stay strong!
Friday March 12, 2004 - Training Tips So you're all set with the nutrition now. Well, what about training? Keep it simple folks. I highly recommend that you learn about and then follow what I believe to be the most effective resistance training program ever developed. It's called Max-OT. Learn it. Live it. Love it! In a nutshell, it's about training with absolute intensity, progressive overload resistance, and maximizing your results in a fraction of the time (we're talking 30 minute workouts TOPS!). Once you have a chance to give it a look, we'll discuss more about why this program is so effective and why I'll never go back to training the way I used to (high volume, long duration).
Thursday March 11, 2004 - Did you do your homework? All righty! How many of you actually recorded the foods/drinks that you consumed yesterday? Chances are you didn't jot 'em down! But you know what? Take five minutes right now, to do this task. Go ahead...I won't finish this blog until you do your homework. Do it now. Are you still reading this?? GET CRACKIN' ON THAT FOOD JOURNAL! OK, if you've writted down something, I guess that'll do. Take a look at what you wrote. If you can count up at least 5 meals or discrete feedings, then you're on the right track. Remember that consuming food/drink every 3 hours or so will help keep your energy levels up and your blood sugar stable (as long as you're not eating JUNK!). Now, look at the food sources. Are you consuming a protein source at each meal/feeding? If not, why not? If so, why? If so, you are doing a good thing! Consuming lean, portioned, protein sources every three hours will keep your body in anabolic mode...fueling your muscles with the raw materials to grow, grow, grow! Now, how about those carbs? Are you consuming whole-grain, unprocessed, high-fiber sources? If so, KUDOS! Keep it up! These types of carbs will give you sustained energy throughout your busy days! And the fats Ma'am? Are they the liquid, healthful kind like olive oil and/or canola oil? Or perhaps fish oil? Keep these types of healthful oils at top of your fat sources list. How about water? Make sure you wrote down how many glasses you're drinking. Ideally, I say you ought to aim for 12 to 15 glasses of water per day. And supplements? I recommend a multivitamin, calcium, fish oil, and B12/folic acid for health. If your list is similar to what I wrote down above, I'd say that you're on the right track. But if you feel like what you're doing is not working, then you must change your approach. For isn't it true that "if you keep doing what you've always done, you'll keep having what you've always had." Make a change today for the better. Check back very soon with us and you'll see a whole new change...
Wednesday March 10, 2004 - One step at a time OK, now be honest with me. How many of you are still as excited and pumped about the fitness program you started at the beginning of the year? Are you still diligently keeping track of your eating, training, and supplementation? No? Well, it's never too late to get back on track. All you need to do is break your program down into doable steps. Then tackle those steps one at a time. Believe me, if you let things go too long without making the decision to get started or re-started, you'll find it incredibly difficult to muster the gumption to go. So, START TODAY! GET MOVING RIGHT NOW! Your first task is to write down everything that passes through your lips over the next 14-16 hours (your awake time). Then we'll go over that tomorrow and give you your second step. Oh, and keep checking back with us...you just might get a pleasant surprise!
Tuesday March 9, 2004 - Remember your roots... You know, when I think back on my life as an out-of-shape, frustrated, fad-dieter, I realize that all of my past dieting failures culminated to that one day when I decided, "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!" That moment, I CHANGED my entire outlook and began the journey that has brought me here today - in much better shape, fitness, health and vitality! Remember your roots folks...your failures and falls. Remember that these are the times when you are building the strength to carry on...finding the courage to create a new direction...as long as you never, ever give up on your dreams! This was me in May 1996:
I weighed 186 lbs. (at 5'4" tall, that's pretty big) and was over 30% body fat (obese). Here I am in September 2002:
You CAN change your body and transform your life forever! Our new website (coming soon!) will SHOW YOU HOW! Stay tuned and stay strong!
Monday March 8, 2004 - Another strong start to the week! Another
week begins and the countdown continues with our 'Version 3.0' website
launch.
Sunday March 7, 2004 - Not exactly a day of "rest" today! Although I do consider today a "re-charge" day of sorts (after all, it IS the proverbial 'day-of-rest!) I have a packed day today. First, my Kaplan MCAT course runs from 10AM to 1PM, then I'm teaching a private lesson at the AMAC, meeting with a client, and working on the website with my roommate. Plus, getting in a leg workout - Max-OT style! And going to church...wow, that's why I've decided to wake up a bit earlier every day (5:30 AM on weekdays; 7:30 AM on weekends). I find that I have a bit more time to get things done without feeling frazzled and overwhelmed. This coming week will be jam-packed with more exciting opportunities, news, and updates! Stay tuned and stay strong!
Saturday March 6, 2004 - Busy Day! Today is typically a busy day for me today. I've got martial arts and a bit of studying to do today. Plus, a back and biceps workout with Jennifer. Gonna be a fun day!
Friday March 5, 2004 Howdy all! I am very pleased to report that we are working feverishly to launch Version 3 of our website. I simply can't tell you enough how excited I am about this next version. In the meantime, I will continue to communicate with you via this ultra-scaled down blog so please check back with us and maybe the next time you visit, you'll see a whole new MelOna.com! Stay tuned for the latest and greatest my friends!
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