Kasia Jones

WPM's Transformation of the Month - July 2011





Interviewed by: Mike Hall
Nominated by: Megan Jones


Kasia Jones is like many of our readers; she is a middle aged woman who let life cause her to be lazy. She ate the wrong things, didn’t move enough and most importantly, she didn’t make time for herself. When her kids were grown she decided enough was enough and started to eat better and move more. She is all about goals, so her initial goal was to lose 50 pounds and to do a fundraiser Bike Trek for the Nations MS Society that involved 105 mile bike trek.

As to this date, she has lost from 45% body fat to 14%. Her goal is to reach 9 to 10% body fat by the time she does her competition in October. In just about 14 months, Kasia has lost 127 pounds! On top of this, she has battled MS for 20 years!

"...The ups and downs of my treatments really put a lot of stress on me. Sometimes I was so exhausted I didn't want to leave the house. The great thing was that thinking about training made it easier to endure my treatments. Training was my "fun" on days spent in pain or at the hospital. I knew that if I didn't show up for training, my trainer and fellow competitors would come looking for me. It's a good feeling when people care."

WP: Congratulations on winning our “Transformation of the Month”. How does it feel to be considered for such a title?

It feels wonderful considering all I have overcome; multiple health issues, leg reconstruction surgeries and multiple treatments for MS. You can imagine how great I feel.

WP: How many pounds of muscle did you gain?

My goal was to maintain the muscle I've already gained because I had so much weight to lose. I realize that it's impossible to gain muscle while losing body fat (regardless of what anyone might say). I still trained with heavy weights but it was all about preserving muscle.

WP: Did you decide to go with a Personal Trainer, self knowledge, or a gym?

I was at a gym but no one would help me. I did my first competition all on my own. Backstage were a group of competitors who were in great shape. One of them would later win the Overall Figure Championship. They saw that I was alone and really befriended me, it was awesome. They called themselves the “Stokes Crew”. Their trainer was Terry Stokes, regarded as the best figure coach around. I saw his book online and learned a lot from his site but I had never met him. They had, what seemed like a “family”. They made me feel so much better.

After the show I contacted their trainer Terry Stokes and he remembered me and gladly welcomed me to the “crew”. He was so angered by how trainers at my last gym ignored me. Although he has a lot of champions, he is more concerned about the individual accomplishments, as opposed to trophies.

WP: What made you decide you were ready to transform?

I was tired of looking and feeling like I did. It was not making my situation any better and I wasn’t getting any younger! Almost every disease is easier to handle and treat when you are in better shape, so I made the decision to take action and improve my life.

WP: What was the biggest challenge you faced while going through your transformation?

My body became resistant to fat loss after I lost about 100 pounds. I had to work out a lot harder and eat really clean for just the smallest of gains (in fat loss). I was also going through therapy for MS which made it very hard to train.

WP: Did you take any type of supplements during this time?

I take very few supplements. I utilize an excellent multi-vitamin and protein powders. Along the way, I take with supplement retailers at 911.strong and Big Rig Supplements. Their products are great for all levels of training and their input is always great.

WP: What program did you follow and explain how it worked for you.

I follow a high intensity program developed by my trainer. He combines resistance exercises in a way to produce a cardio effect. He believes that separating the two (weight training and cardio) is a big mistake a lot of women make. Women need to train differently and harder than men. His program is tough but it's busted through every plateau that I had. When my metabolism slowed to a crawl after losing 100 pounds, these workouts kept my body burning fat.

WP: What type of effects has your transformation caused?

Well, aside from needing a new wardrobe, it has given me more confidence and more energy. Since my MS is always going to be part of my life, it also allows me to withstand further treatments. Additionally, it has introduced me to a world of incredible and inspiring men and woman. We support each other and I truly treasure my friendships with them.

WP: Do you believe that people can “spot reduce”?

There is no such thing as spot reduction...period! The body is pre-determined by your genetics to accumulate, distribute and lose fat in particular areas at a certain rate. You can't change this. Disregard what you may read. Spot reduction cannot work, unless you alter a person's genetic makeup, and that's not possible.

WP: Did it ever come a time that you came to a “stand still” in your progress?

Yes, after about 100 pounds, my body decided that it didn't want to lose any more weight. Then my trainer introduced me to high intensity training. These really got things started for me again. It's all about packing more “work” into less time. Its resistance, jumping, pulling, pushing, twisting, and anything to burn calories. The proper diet is also very important. If you want get over a plateau you must follow the right diet. You also have to be careful not to go too low in calories because your metabolism will just shut down.

WP: What did you do differently to overcome the “stand still”?

I combined resistance and cardio into one workout. I did this by performing mainly compound exercises non-stop. I sometimes put 3 exercises into one movement. These compound exercises are done back-to-back without any rest. This type of workout is a combination of resistance and cardio, awesome for burning a lot of calories.

WP: How long did it take for your complete transformation?

It took me over a year. There were times when I doubted myself, but I knew I couldn't stop. And I am not done yet!

WP: Can you give me an example of your current workout?

You may not understand the exercises without actually seeing them because some of them are quite original, but I will do my best.

DB swings: 15 reps + jump squats: 15 reps + mountain climbers: 100 reps. This is repeated 4 times without rest, and then I move immediately to the next set of exercise.

Triceps push-downs: 15 reps + Spider push-ups: 15 reps + Db squat press: 20 reps. This is repeated 4 times without rest, immediately move onto the next set of exercises.

Pulley squat row: 20 reps + Barbell clean and press: 15 rep + Db suicides: 12 reps. This is repeated 4 times without rest, immediately move onto the next set of exercises.

Spin bike: 200 hard reps + medicine ball high pull: 20 reps + medicine ball squat press: 20 reps. This is repeated 4 times without rest, immediately move onto the next set of exercises.

The workout ends with me performing the next set of exercises doing each 3 times non-stop:

Bulgarian split squats: 15 reps each leg
Duck squat with 50 lb. DB: 20 reps
1 arm DB snatch: 15 reps each arm
Plyometric: 10 reps
Bicycles crunches: 150 reps
Seated twists: 50 reps

I do a similar type of workout 6 days a week. If you train hard like this, you won't need a lot of cardio to get in shape.

WP: Great workout. Can you break down your daily diet into a sample diet for us?

My diet consists of basic bodybuilding foods: Lean proteins, complex carbs, good fats, and fibrous carbs.

Average day:

Meal 1:
Oatmeal: 125 calories
4 egg whites
1 slice of toast

Meal 2:
60 grams of chicken
125 grams of veggies
Complex carbs (brown rice)

Meal 3
75 grams of Haddock
125 grams veggies
Complex carbs (brown rice)

Meal 4
Protein powder: 1 scoop w/water
60 grams of chicken
125 grams of veggies
Complex carbs (brown rice)

Meal 5:
75 grams of Haddock
125 grams of veggies
Complex carbs (brown rice):

I use two teaspoons of olive oil throughout the day over my vegetables to fulfill my daily fat intake which is about 12-15% of my total calories.

WP: What would you like to say to motivate others to transform their lives?

I have coached champion cheerleading squads in a wheelchair, undergone multiple surgeries, multiple health issues, and I have MS…and I did this. There is NO EXCUSE NOT TO!

WP: Do you also compete now?

I have competed, but I have yet to compete when I was in my best shape. The first time I competed I had lost 100 pounds and I was just ecstatic to show off my new body. Since then I've met Terry Stokes, my trainer. I've improved greatly but I will amaze everyone this October. He is taking it slowly so that I look my best onstage.

WP: How does your routine and life changes when you go from pre-contest to off season?

I relax the diet a little, but since I have not reach my ultimate condition (10% body fat), I can't afford to gain more than a few pounds. I take off short time periods, of a few weeks, where I eat whatever I want; this replenishes my body for the next phase of fat loss.

WP: What do you like and dislike about competing?

For me, it's hard because I lost so much weight, but I still was not in competition shape. Then I see some competitors only have to lose 12 or 15 pounds to be ready for a competition. It's a tough pill to swallow sometimes.

WP: What would you change about the judges in the competitions?

I hear competitors complain most about uniformity in judging. They just want to know what to expect from show to show. It would be nice to have a set of judges for bodybuilding and a separate set of judges for figure.

WP: From your past contests, what have you learned you need to correct or work on for the physique you are aiming for?

First and foremost, I have to get leaner to even have a chance to compete with the top girls. I have good muscle, now I must work hard to bring it out. Once that happens, I will be able to see more clearly exactly what I need to improve on.

WP: What are your strengths and weaknesses in your physique? How are you attempting to correct them?

My one thigh is not as big as the other because of the knee issue I have. What I do in the gym is focus on trying to even out both quads without hurting my knee. It's a delicate balancing act because I want to go 100% but I must be smart and not hurt myself.

WP: What problems have you had as far as staying motivated and disciplined to stick with your workouts?

Honestly, I've been through so much this doesn't really faze me. Working out is nothing compared to infusion therapy for MS. Following a diet is easy compared to facing treatments on a daily basis. It’s all about perspective. I love this and it makes me feel better, challenges me, and surrounds me with amazing people. What more can you ask for?

What problems did you have to overcome in order to stay on track with your fitness program?

The ups and downs of my treatments really put a lot of stress on me. Sometimes I was so exhausted I didn't want to leave the house. The great thing was that thinking about training made it easier to endure my treatments. Training was my 'fun' on days spent in pain or at the hospital. I knew that if I didn't show up for training, my trainer and fellow competitors would come looking for me. It's a good feeling when people care.

WP: What keeps fitness interesting to you?

Fitness truly gives a person the ability to improve their life. I was amazed as I lost so much weight it made life interesting and enjoyable. My doctors told me how much it would help if continued my progress. That really got me motivated to work even harder. Then I discovered figure and I was re-energized again. I'm just beginning this journey. Who knows what's next on the horizon.

WP: Tell me something about yourself that no one else knows. It’s just between us, no one else will know. Ha-ha.

I'm addicted to Angry Birds on my Ipad and I check daily for new updates, please don't tell anyone!

WP: Mum’s the word. Ha-ha! How have you, mentally and physically, changed over the years?

I have always been active, but like most woman I got caught up in life. Poor eating, lack of exercise and many health issues caused me to gain weight and lose confidence in myself.

WP: Any shout outs?

I want to give a shout out to my wonderful fun-loving husband, Mitch. He is definitely my rock.

I want to give a shot out to my second family, the Stokes Crew, who supported me when others wouldn't and told me to keep going when I had little strength. To my trainer, Terry Stokes, who is also a cancer survivor. He knows a lot about figure, but more importantly, he understands life and what's really important.

WP: What were you like in high school?

I was always involved with sports, music and academics. Because I was involved in a variety of interests, I met incredible people. This continues as an adult - my friends come from a variety of backgrounds as well. I am always amazed and learning from them!

WP: If I were to open your fridge and kitchen cabinets, what would I find in them?

My refrigerator is boring! Chicken, fish, lots of green beans, broccoli, potatoes etc. I eat really clean most of the time. I keep a little pasta around just in case I want to 'splurge' at dinner time. There may be a jar of peanut butter hiding in there somewhere also. I have a collection of protein shakers in my cabinets. I must have at least 30 pieces of Tupperware in my cabinet; it's what I use to pack my meals in.

WP: If I were to walk into your house and have a look around, what type of fitness equipment would I find?

I have a spin bike, push-up bars, a bunch of dumbbells and some floor mats. If you know what you're doing, you can put together one hell of a workout.

WP: What are your hobbies outside of fitness?

Biking and walking top my list. Music is always a great pick-me up. I am always looking for new music to put on my IPod!

WP: What are your future goals for your career, this industry, and your physique?

I want to see how well I can do when I'm in my best shape. Winning an overall title would be incredible. I really want to work with other women who have health issue and show them how to improve their life through improving their body.

WP: How do you make time for yourself? How do you relax and hide from the stress of the world?

You have to make the decision that you need time; for you. My family understands that when I do this I return to them refreshed and happier.

WP: The interview is coming to a close now. Is there anything that you would like to add prior the end of the interview?

I would just like to encourage anyone who has doubts about anything in life to believe in yourself and plan a course of action. I sat back for a long time and felt sorry for myself which produced zero results in my life. When I decided to make a change, I never looked back. The hardest part is taking the first step. Each step gets easier after that first one. Go out today and change whatever it is that's holding you back.

WP: Great comment. We are delighted to have you featured as our "Transformation of the Month". Thank you for taking the time out to hold this interview with us. We wish you the best of luck in the future.