Self-Care in Chaos 2
Are you in a season of stress or chaos? Â I’ll continue sharing what I did for self-care during an extreme time of stress.
I shared in my first post on Self-Care in Chaos how I made the decision to eat something vs stressing over it being balanced or âhealthyâ or âcleanâ. Sometimes I was able to eat a quick breakfast before I left, but obviously the day of the surgery that wasn’t going to happen as my husband had to be there at 6:30 a.m. and the hospital was an hour away! I was able to bring some fruit and snacks with me, but I did go down to the hospital cafeteria to get a little bit from the yogurt bar. Each day would find me looking around and just gravitating toward what sounded good. Thankfully I didn’t have a whole lot of choices to confuse me and stress me even more! Some days that salad bar was amazing and I really piled it on. Other days I walked by– couldn’t even look at it! :p
There were days that I had Subway for lunch and pizza for supper, and other days I had salad bar for one and the yogurt bar for the other. I would buy some snacks but tried to also take fruit from home. I definitely was eating more sugar between the snacks, fruit and yes, the ice cream at Culver’s that I indulged in sometimes on the way home. đ but the fruit was more portable and easy to keep without any refrigeration.
Make plans ahead if you can to help you navigate a chaotic time.
It’s important to fuel your body well so that your body can deal with the stress. Your adrenals will be taxed, and by not eating or eating all junk you’re not going to help them out. Neither is stressing over every bite you put in your mouth as not being healthy and berating yourself for it. In fact, that can be even worse!
If you’re going through a chaotic time, give yourself permission to just make sure you eat. Then if you can, try to make better choices wherever you may find yourself. It may be a hospital cafeteria, it might mean having to catch some fast food on the way home as you’re dealing with whatever stresses life has thrown at you. But make sure you make time to eat! If you are the type that just doesn’t eat for long periods of time when stressed, have a trusted friend or relative be your buddy that will make sure that you are eating. Tell them they have your permission to make sure that you are eating, whether that means asking you, bringing you something, or taking you someplace to eat. Be grateful for whatever you’re eating versus thinking âOh, I shouldn’t be eating this.â
Be sure to stay hydrated!
This is another area where it can be easy to let go because we don’t read our body’s cues for hunger or thirst very well during a stressful time. Hydration is crucial for your body to continue functioning well. For myself, I made sure I had bottles of water in my backpack and I bought bottled water even though yes, it was usually more expensive. I knew it was important and crucial for me to stay hydrated during this time as much if not more so than when life was ânormalâ.
Start Small
It is hard to be intentional during these time! If you can pick just a few things to help you make sure that you are fueling your body well by at least eating something, and stay hydrated to help your body function optimally, that can go a long way towards taking care of yourself during the chaos.
Self-Care in Chaos
Life can be full of ups and downs. One thing is for sure, you can’t plan for life surprises!
A year ago the surprise was my husband’s open heart surgery. In May he had a significant change in his heart valve function that necessitated a trip to a larger hospital for testing. It was determined that he needed a valve replacement and it was going to be done in June. This was not a part of our summer plans! In every other way my husband was extremely healthy but a congenital defect in the aortic heart valve was declaring that it needed attention– and quickly!
I am no stranger to chaotic moments. Having a large family does that all by itself! đ I have been through my husband’s major accident (resulting in a serious head injury), a child falling from our barn loft, another child’s autoimmune disorder… The struggle is to make sure that we are taking care of ourselves in the midst of the chaos. It’s easy to think âI’ll take care of myself when this settles downâ. Exercise, eat better, drink more water, make sure I get enough rest–it’s difficult to keep everything going when chaos hits. Even the most disciplined of us can struggle when life’s routines are completely overturned.
I knew that I needed to be making sure that at least a few things for happening. Whether your chaos is something as unexpected and serious as heart surgery or a changing job or a cross country move, or a âhappy stressâ such as a wedding, birth of a child or big anniversary celebration, it’s still a stressful time that changes the normal daily today routines. It can throw us off of all of our good habits we work so hard to instill. It especially will toss out the ones that we’ve been struggling to make a part of our routine already!
The first area I want to address is eating.
I’m not talking about dieting. I don’t like the word diet anyway! đ I’m talking about fueling your body well so that you can handle the stresses of a chaotic time. The hospital where my husband was at had a really good cafeteria but unfortunately I was always missing the hours when they were open. There was also a Subway, a wonderful salad bar, a yogurt bar and a place that sold pizza by the slice.
Chaotic times are not the times to be a purist about eating. At least not in my book! Obviously if you have food allergies and sensitivities that’s going to make things a bit more stressful for you. But even then you may be able to find some options. For example the salad bar that I mentioned had plenty of options that even those with some food sensitivities could have gotten something to eat. But the flip side is, sometimes we just don’t want to see another salad!
If you are an emotional eater, as I am, it can be very difficult because it takes planning ahead and intentionality as well as a bit of determination when things are on an even keel. When things go totally haywire then it’s much more difficult! Intentionality and determination go out the window because your energy needs to be channeled into a different direction so that you can deal with the stresses at hand. Survival is truly the name of the game! Planning ahead is certainly not easy when life hit you upside the head out of nowhere. If it hap
pens to hit you before you’ve had a chance to refill restock your refrigerator and cupboards, that can definitely make things challenging!
Have a plan for when chaos hits!
Going into this time I knew I needed to have a plan. When we came home from the hospital after my husband’s testing and diagnosis, while working on scheduling the surgery, I knew I needed to be thinking ahead about what I was going to do about eating. I’m blessed to have older daughters at home who do all the cooking. We eat a lot of home cooked meals, but I couldn’t take those with me. I had no way to keep them cold and no guarantee of a way to heat them up.
My mental energy was needed to be funneled into making preparations so that I could be fully there for my husband. I needed to get things squared away with my business. I needed to take care of some financial things so that I didn’t have to worry about those during the time of the surgery and immediately following. My husband also was making preparations to make my job easier for afterward when he would be somewhat out of commission. I did not have the mental or emotional strength to be planning ahead for my food as well.
My plan of attack was was to make sure that I ate something 3 times per day. I had been working on backing off of gluten and making some other changes, including slowly working on eating less sugar. During this time, however, it was not the time to be that strict with myself. Also, I obviously didn’t have as many choices. While I loved the salad bar, there were some days that the salad bar didn’t appeal. If it doesn’t appeal, guess what? I won’t eat it! Or I won’t eat enough of it to sustain me. So I gave myself permission first of all to just eat. Sometimes that meant catching something at a fast food place on the way home. I tried to make better choices but I just gave myself permission because I needed to eat. I knew that if I didn’t, once I got home I would be rummaging around for ice cream, bread, cookies, anything and everything that was not going to be a healthy choice to fuel my body and strengthen me during this stressful time!
In the next post I’ll share more of what I did to make sure I was eating and things I wish I would have done in preparation.
Are you dealing with a stressful or chaotic time right now? What is your plan of attack to make sure you are fueling your body well?
Getting Started with T-Tapp
Are you ready to get started with T-Tapp, but not sure which starter workout is best for you?
Or have you already been T-Tapping for awhile and would like to try out one of the other starter workouts, but aren’t sure which one to get next?
Introducing—-
I created this fun quiz to help you narrow down your choices between the main 4 starter workouts–Basic Workout Plus, MORE, Healthy Hormones (also called Mindful Movement) and Senior Fit.
You can also opt in on the sidebar of the quiz to find out ALL the answers (because you’re curious, right?! đ ) as well as receive tips to help you get started. There are links to video reviews of each workout (shared in a recent Facebook Live series) as well as highlights you can download to compare to help you make the best choice for YOU!
If you still aren’t sure after going through the reviews, please feel free to contact me–I can ask even more questions to help you find the best fit!
Ready to find out?! Click on the graphic above or here—> Which T-Tapper Are YOU?!
And I’d love to hear which answer YOU get! Comment below with your quiz results!
Hit the Floor for Deep Discount Tuesday!
Looking for a great series of workouts to work your abs? There are TWO great deals for Deep Discount Tuesday this month!
First set– Hit the Floor Combo, Hit the Floor Tempo and Hit the Floor Harder for only $40 ($90 if purchased separately).
Hit the Floor Combo has Hit the Floor Softer (created for use with weighted shoes, but you don’t have to use weighted shoes–or any shoes! đ ) and the original Hit the Floor (a little more challenging than Hit the Floor Softer).
Hit the Floor Tempo is a variation of Hit the Floor that includes the fascia stretch sequence that is in the newer Brain-Body Fitness Floor and Core Floor workouts. The workout has no instruction and less form reminders and is a little more challenging than the original Hit the Floor. (See a progression here?!)
Hit the Floor Harder is just what it says! This is the most advanced of the Hit the Floor series and definitely more challenging! It also includes the first 10 minutes of Total Workout as a warm-up.
The second set includes Hit the Floor Tempo and Hit the Floor Harder at the great price of $25 ($60 if purchased separately). You could call this the next step set if you already own the Hit the Floor Combo.
Are these effective? Yes! I’ve featured all three workouts in my Beautiful YOU online classes. While Hit the Floor Harder is truly challenging, it’s also very effective if you have the core strength and want to take it up a notch!
Progression of these workouts would be:
Hit the Floor Softer (with the Combo)
Hit the Floor (with the Combo)
Hit the Floor Tempo
Hit the Floor Harder
{Disclosure: The sentence below contains an affiliate link. If you purchase through this link I will receive a commission that helps keep my website running so I can continue to bring you great tips and support!}
Ready to work on your abs and focus on core strength and losing inches off your tummy?! Check out this month’s deals HERE!
Just an additional note–I’ve had a few questions about whether these workouts are okay to do with a diastasis recti. Â I don’t recommend much floorwork until you have gained core strength and your gap is closing. Â If you want to ask questions specific to you, please contact me and I will help you choose the best path for you!
Maximize with MORE!
MORE to lose? MORE candles on the birthday cake? MORE health issues? MORE joint issues?
How about MORE muscle activation?!
If you answered yes to any of those questions, MORE is the workout for you!
MORE is what I call an adaptive workout. If you are not very active and need to get started with gentle movement, MORE can help you. Â If you are fit–yes even if you run 5 miles a day–MORE can challenge you! I often joke that it takes you from training wheels to racing bike! đ
MORE was created to help those who may have more to lose or more health or joint issues. The moves are modified to help those who may have shoulder, hip, back or knee issues along with other joint issues.
There are only four reps of most moves, and the pace is slower. There are kick-outs between each move, between each side of a move as well as between each set of Plies. The slower pace and fewer reps caused the trainers to call it a âClinic in a Boxâ when it first came out, because that is what we do at clinics – we go at a slower pace and do fewer reps because that creates more muscle activation!
The slower pace is easier on the brain, causing a greater connection of brain to body. However, it’s tougher on the muscles! Now, if you’re saying thinking, âWait a minute! Didn’t you just say that it would be gentle?!â Yes it is! The difference is the amount of muscle strength and stamina you bring to the workout. That’s why if you are stronger and more fit, you are going to bring a whole different level of muscle activation and brain-body connection into the workout than someone who is just getting cleared to exercise after surgery or injury to a joint.
When I started T-Tapp I started with the Total Workout, more specifically the 15-minute Basic Workout Plus and Step Away the Inches. Those were good workouts for me to do, but about 8 or 9 months into my T-Tapp journey I purchased MORE. I wish I would have started with MORE! Â In fact, when someone asks me what workout to start with, I will most often recommend MORE. All the starter workouts are great, but that slower pace and excellent instructional really help lay a great foundation. I personally feel that if you did all three of the MORE workouts (MORE 1, MORE 2 and MORE 3), that would lay a great foundation no matter what other T-Tapp workouts you want to do next!
Having adrenal challenges makes it hard to make decisions. Often I was staring at my stash of DVDs and spending my workout time trying to pick one! Because I liked MORE I decided that if I didn’t have it figured out by the time I got my Skechers laced up and tied, it was going to be MORE. And that is how it became my go-to workout, going on to make up nearly half of my workouts that I did over the time that it took me to lose 8 sizes! I now know that the slower pace, modifications and kickouts made a huge difference with my adrenal issues to be able to do the workoutâand see results! This was before Healthy Hormones came out, and while it is an amazing workout as well, if you have a hard time not knowing when you’ve overdone it or crossed that line of âI did too muchâ, you want to go with MORE instead.
MORE also has three short mini workouts that are 10 minutes or less. The Chair workout saved me many times when I was having issues with my hips that caused me to have to see the chiropractor often until I rehabbed them with T-Tapp. It was also great for those low energy days when you know you need to move but it’s hard to talk yourself into a workout! The short standing Broom workout is great for getting that lat activation. And the Stepping workout is just enough to get a little cardio without pushing you over the edge, as well as learning great technique for walking outdoors, too. On the Instructional menu there are excellent tips for getting up and down from a chair, the floor, best way to walk and use stairs to protect the knees along with a short video on Organs in Place on a slant board.
What’s the best way to start?
First, watch the Instructional. Yes, I said watch! In fact, watching through all the components at least once would be beneficial! Then do the Instructionalâif for time’s sake you need to split it up, always warm up with Primary Back Stretch first.
You could then ease into MORE by doing half of the Instructional for several days in a row or all of it for 4-7 days in a row. Take 2 days off then you could do a schedule like this:
M-MORE
T-Chair
W-MORE
Th-Broom (could do Primary Back Stretch first)
F-MORE
S-Stepping
Sun-Off (Primary Back Stretch okay)
Eventually you could do 2-3 days of MORE, then do a short mini-workout followed by another 2-3 days of MORE.
M-MORE
T-MORE
W-Stepping or Chair or Broom
Th-MORE
F-MORE
S-MORE (or do another mini-workout!)
Sun-Off (Primary Back Stretch okay)
After you have been doing MORE for awhile (2-3 months) you could try MORE from My Home to Yours, which bumps the activation up a notch and is slightly faster, but not as fast-paced as Basic Workout Plus. There are a lot of options with MOREâand I love options!
I really believe MORE needs to be in every T-Tapper’s repertoire! You may not think that you need it because you’ve been T-Tapping a long time. With the newer workouts such as Senior Fit, Turn Back Time and First Step, there are other workouts that you can do to get muscle activation and fascia stretching. But if you are overwhelmed because of the length of those workouts, then MORE is a great place to start or to continue your T-Tapp muscle activation journey!
Next week (May 15-19) I will be doing a series of Facebook Live videos at 12:30 p.m. Eastern, Monday through Friday, where I will be doing a quick review of each of the starter workouts. Monday will be Basic Workout, Tuesday will be MORE, Wednesday– Healthy Hormones, Thursday– Senior Fit and Friday I will share tips to get started that apply to any workout! You can just show up on my Be Youthful ‘n Fit business page at 12:30 p.m. or come by later for the recording. If you ever wanted to hear a little review of each workout so you could make a better decision of where to start (or restart!), please join me!
{Disclosure: The sentence below has affiliate links.  If you choose to purchase through these links I do get a commission that helps me with my business so I can keep bringing you great tips, information and encouragement!  And sometimes it helps buy ice cream. After all, it is one of the essential food groups! đ }
You can check out MORE out at the T-Tapp store. There’s also a GREAT deal on MORE 1 & 2, too!
Deep Discount Tuesday Is HERE!
Did you finish the 60 Day Challenge? I barely got my essay done in time–nothing like waiting until the last minute! đ
Today’s Deep Discount Tuesday is a favorite–30% off nearly everything in the store! Â A few exclusions–events, digital products, Nerium, Celazome Eyelyph Serum and Magnesium Oil.
But dvds, paperback books, skin care products and supplements are included!
And did you know the new MORE 3 is on dvd now?!
LOTS of great workouts and products to choose from! Â Grab your list you’ve been keeping and check it all out at the T-Tapp Webstore!
Prices reflect discount–no code needed! Â What a GREAT way to reward yourself at the end of the 60 Day Challenge!
Happy shopping!
What to Do After the 60 Day Challenge
Wondering what you’ll do to keep your motivation high now that the 60 Day Challenge is coming to an end?
Thereâs nothing like a challenge where many people are doing it at the same time to have fun and help keep motivation high! Â But what do you do when it comes to an end? I know for many of us, we want to be careful to not lose the momentum we’ve gained during the past 60 days.
You could turn around and do your own personal 60-day challenge for the next 60 days and maybe get a group of people to join you. While that would be fun, we can’t always live in âchallenge modeâ. Â Â Just like you can’t be doing a bootcamp forever, neither can you be doing a challenge forever. It would be unhealthy as it would lead to overtraining and stressing the body, which in turn could cause you to gain back the inches you’ve lost. Not what we want!
Not only that, but it’s unrealistic. Life has its ebb and flow– and it will not stand still for us to continually put the intense mental and physical focus on doing a challenge continuously. A challenge should be those bright spots here and there, not an ongoing place to live. Especially coming to the end of the school year, many of you have children with their end-of-year events, getting ready for summer activities, wrapping up the end of the school year or college. Graduations, birthdays, summer celebrations and holidays– all of those will sabotage our wonderful focus on a challenge!
I advise my clients to back off a bit after an intense effort to such as the 60 Day Challenge. Now before you start writing me and telling me how you can’t lose the momentum and you feel so good doing something every day, and you like the intense focus, let me remind you that intense mental focus can stress your body long-term! T-Tapp in itself is intense mental focus! đ
Taking a vacation can help recharge us and give us a break from the everyday routine. Â We come back more refreshed and ready to tackle life once again. Â In the same way, a break from the intense focus of a 60 Day Challenge can help us come back refreshed and ready to tackle form and routine once again!
Don’t worry! I’m not talking about taking a total break from T-Tapp! I’m saying let’s back off the intensity of it. I often encourage ladies to scale back to three short workouts per week for a few weeks. Â You can still do a few moves on the off days. Â In fact, I would encourage you to pick one or two of the T-Tapp Tuesday moves that Teresa’s been doing with WTSP Great Day Tampa Bay. Those are fun variations and sometimes totally new moves that can add a bit of fun to your workout routine! Still take one day completely off other than walking, and Primary Back Stretch would be okay on an off day. Doing this for 2 weeks can take your mind off of what to do and how to continue losing inches and âhow will I keep my momentum goingâ. Just take a break from all that. Towards the end of your two weeks, you can start thinking about your next routine. But it’s still not time to ramp it up for another challenge!
I encourage you to keep it light. One routine that I did for awhile that was somewhat fun with lots of variety, was to do one full workout, one short workout, one stepping workout and one floor workout each week. Yes, there were three days off! I walked or did a few moves on those off days–again, this would be a great place to add those fun T-Tapp Tuesday moves. Just don’t do too many! If you have adrenal issues I would not advise doing a full workout. Swap out a short workout for that full workout. So you would be doing two short workouts, a short stepping workout and a floor workout. I’ll give some examples below:
Those with adrenal issues:
M- MORE
T-Â Light day–1-2 T-Tapp Tuesday moves
W- Broom 2
Th- Light day
F-Â Brain-Body Fitness Floor sequence 2
S- MORE or half of Healthy Hormones
Sun- Off (walking and Primary Back Stretch–PBS–okay)
For those with no adrenal or health issues:
M- Total Workout
T- Light day (1-3 T-Tapp Tuesday moves)
W- SATI (Step Away the Inches)
Th- Hit the Floor
F- Light day
S- BWO (Basic Workout)
Sun- Off
Another option: Â Three full workouts with light days of 1-3 T-Tapp Tuesday moves in between. Â Keep in mind sometimes a floor workout or stepping workout can be a full workout as well!
M- SITTM (Step It to the Max)
T- Light day
W-Total Workout
Th- Light Day
F- Brain-Body Core Floor
S-Light Day
Sun–off
If you want to try the 4 workouts per week routine, using one full workout, one short (or two short workouts swapping one for the full workout), one stepping and one floor make a list of your workouts that fall in each category. Â Then you can either write out which workouts you will do on those days each week on your schedule, or you can write in just âFullâ, âShortâ, âSteppingâ and âFloorâ and pick from your list! Thatâs what I did and crossed them off my list as I chose them because I wanted to rotate through different workouts. Â If you find you like doing the same workouts all the time, that is okay, too! Â Itâs whatever works for you! Â You want to enjoy your routine, not hate it!
After a month of this routine, you could then revisit the Instructional of the workout of your choice. Â Do 4-7 days, take 2 days off, then you can do one of two variations:
Short Workout Focus–one week do 6 short workouts, 1 day off. The next week do 5 short workouts, with 1 light day (no more than 3 moves) and 1 day off.
Full Workout Focus–3 full workouts one week, 4 full workouts the next. Or stick to 3 full workouts each week. Â One day completely off (walking or PBS okay) and other days are light–no more than 3 moves.
Want this info in a shorter version to keep handy?! Â Enter your name and e-mail below to get a checklist of the different routines mentioned in this post! Â
(By entering your information you will be signing up for my e-mail list where I share blog updates, form tips, specials and sales as well as subscriber only freebies. You can unsubscribe at any time–and I will never share or sell your e-mail!)
So, What IS a Facebook Party?
The first Thursday of each month (usually!) I try to hold a Facebook Party. Â It is a LOT of fun!
If you’re new to “Facebook parties” you might have some questions:
- Is this a live event?
- Where exactly do I find this party when it’s time?
- Will I be able to see the information later as I am not available at that time?
- What do I DO?
- How long does the party last?
All great questions!
Is this a live event?
Yes, kind of! Â It’s all done on an event page on my Facebook business page. Â A few minutes before I’ll be in there and usually say something like “Who’s ready to party?!” Â đ Â I will be posting and then you can participate in the comments. Â Sometimes I ask questions, I might share a form tip or tip for getting your water in, I’ll share links to blog posts I think might be helpful as well as offer some freebies (you might need to sign up for my e-mail list for some of them) and sometimes I offer specials on products and services, too!
Note–if you are already on my e-mail list and I am offering a freebie for those who sign up, I send through an e-mail during the party with the download links for YOU, too! Â â„
Where exactly do I find this party when it’s time?!
When it’s time for the party, you’ll want to head over to the Event Page. Â On that page there are two selections–About and Discussion. You want to select Discussion as that’s where all the action will be at!
Will I be able to see the information later as I am not available at that time?
Absolutely! You can go back to the Discussion page to see all the conversations, and I usually have the freebies and specials available for 24 hours after the party (until 9 or 10 p.m. that next night) to give everyone an opportunity to benefit!
What do I DO?!
Hit refresh or the F5 key often so you can stay current. Sometimes it will seem slow then all of a sudden comments are flying everywhere! đ Â I try my best to keep up but I do miss one here and there. After the “party” is over I go back through to make sure I responded to any questions. So if you asked a question and I missed it, hang around or come back a little later as I’ll be sure to respond!
How long does the party last?
Just an hour–and it flies by SO fast! Â Since this is all done via typing in the comments, you are free to grab a snack, a drink, take care of your little ones–whatever you need to do. The conversations will be there waiting for you when you get back!
If you have any other questions about Facebook parties, comment here or contact me. Â If you’ve attended my parties in the past, what are your favorite parts? What kind of freebies would you like to receive?!
The Best Workout Plan for Results!
You signed up for the 60 Day Challenge (or decided on your own personal challenge) and created your plan of attack (workout plan). You really like Healthy Hormones and know your body responds best to it so that’s your main menu choice for workouts. Things are going fairly well and after just a few weeks you can tell things are fitting a little bit looser! Yeah!
But then…..you read of how Steppin’ Susie did Step It to the Max and lost a size already! In TWO WEEKS!
So, you think….âMaybe I should have a little of that, too.â So you add Step It to the Max in 2 days per week to âget a little more cardio inâ.
Next day you read how Die-Hard Dana lost 5 inches in one week off her abs alone doing Brain-Body Fitness Floor four times each week.
You really do need to work on those abs….so you decide to add in Brain-Body Fitness Floor. But you’re already doing Step It to the Deathâer–Max twice a week, so you decide to do BBFF (as we like to shorten it) twice each week and Healthy Hormones once each week.
Another week goes by and you haven’t lost 5 inches off your absâin fact, things are getting a little tighter for some reason. And your right knee is hurting. You go to the support page on Facebook and find that Agile Annette has lost an inch off each arm doing Tempo Arms. Arms are you other main area you want to see shape up. You decide to stop doing Step It to the Max and Healthy Hormones and just alternate between Tempo Arms and Brain-Body Fitness Floor.
After another week you are getting so frustrated! Â The Challenge is almost over and things are going the opposite way in spite of concentrated effort. You’re tired and tired of the Challenge already! Why are things going wrong?
If you have ever experienced anything like this, I call it the Distraction Syndrome.
âI’ll have some of what she’s having!â
Sounds like what we’d hear at Starbucks, our favorite restaurant or ice cream shoppe, right?!
You see something delectable on someone else’s plate or maybe a friend wearing a cute outfit and want something similar. Nothing wrong with that!
But when it comes to our workouts, it can create a distractionâone that does NOT get you to where you want to go!
It’s fun to see what others are doing and you certainly can change up your workout routine during the 60 Day Challenge or during your own personal challenge. But when you start jumping from workout to workout to workout, hoping maybe this one will shrink your tummy or tighten and tone your arms, you will do yourself a disservice.
Stick with 1-2 workouts to start with. Spending time with Instructionals, if those particular workouts have them, is the best way to improve form and muscle activation. If you like variety, then by all means rotate through workouts but don’t rotate through all 20 workouts you own in one month!
I strongly recommend sticking with 2-4 workouts throughout a month or even 60 Day Challenge. The concentrated effort you are already spending to focus on fitness is enhanced by doing the same movements but with focus on form. If you are constantly switching it up, you might be less bored, but you also might not see the results you are working so hard to see!
A few options if you like variety:
- Stick with one or two workouts for 2 weeks, then switch out ONE of the workouts for a different one
- After another few weeks, you can switch out the other workout for another, if you wish
- Be careful that you don’t add too much in (i.e. floorwork or stepping in addition to another workout, more âtarget movesâ), especially when you are focusing effort on a challenge (official or unofficial)
If you are someone who likes the same workout or two, there’s nothing wrong with that! But to keep form focus fresh (can you tell I love alliteration?!) revisit the Instructional(s) of your chosen workout(s) every 6-8 weeks.
When you make your workout plan, stick to it! At least give it a few weeks before you tweak it. Exception would be if you can tell it’s too much and you need to change things so you don’t overtrainâbut even then, try fewer reps, going every other day, etc vs totally changing your workout plan.
Consistency is easier when you have a plan and stick to itâand it will yield the results you want far better because you can stay focused and motivated.
And focus + intention + motivation = the best plan for you!
(Any resemblances to actual Agile Annettes, Die-Hard Danas and Steppin’ Susies are purely coincidental. To my knowledge no one has lost 5 inches off her abs in a week, unless she just had a baby! đ )
Would you like a reminder to stick with what’s working?
You can download these wallpapers for phone and computer for FREE! Â You will be added to my list where I share form tips, freebies, updates on events, sales and the latest blog posts. Â NO spam and you can unsubscribe at any time (although I do hope you’ll stick around! đ ).
Deep Discount Tuesday–Step Those Inches Away!
Did you hear about all the fantastic testimonials of inch loss from the 2 week Stepping Challenge Teresa held last month at the beginning of the 60 Day Challenge?! I was impressed! Â Many reported a great kickstart to their 60 Day Challenge with doing only stepping workouts the first few weeks!
Often stepping seems more fun and there’s just something about getting that blood pumping that feels so good!
Today, for Deep Discount Tuesday you can get the Step Away Super Set of Step Away the Inches AND Step It to the Max for just $30–PLUS a bottle of B12 spray! PLUS FREE SHIPPING on US orders!
Both workouts incorporate T-Tapp technique and form to supercharge your walking and get even more out of it. During Step Away the Inches Teresa says it’s almost like double the steps–due to the muscle activation! You can even incorporate these techniques to lose inches, sculpt and tone while walking outdoors, too!
Step It to the Max–or Step It to the Death, as a good friend of mine has called it đ Â is a full workout that includes a warm-up, cool-down and has KILLER Step-Lift Sequences in the second half! Â (I’m grateful for the water break before this part! I actually split it at the water break and do the warm-up and pick it up there the second day!) Â You will DEFINITELY see inch loss, toning and sculpting with this workout!
I LOVE the B12 spray! I use a few sprays before starting with client sessions mid-morning, then if mid-afternoon finds my energy really waning, I do a few more sprays. I have literally felt I needed a nap, used the B12 spray and I find my mind clears and I am able to function better, without the nap!
And who doesn’t love FREE shipping?!
Hurry to grab this deal–it’s only available at until 11:59 EDT tonight!
Step Away Super Set is CORE cardio–the T-Tapp way!
Buy Trisch’s New Book!
How does a hypothyroid, adrenal-challenged, busy mama of 9 go from barely maintaining a size 22W and being so tired she needed a 1 1/2 hour nap every day to an energetic mama and size 8 T-Tapp trainer?
Thatâs my story in Fatigued to Fabulous!