Levels 6 and the start of 7

Such a slacker!  I just realized that I have not posted since July 15th which was when I was just finishing Level 5!!  So....level 6...as usual...wow!  The moves begin to really incorporate balance and I love how Tracy starts using the hand weights in the leg section.  I've had a hard time following Tracy's advice to workout in 80 degree temperatured rooms and to not use a fan...at least when I do my cardio.  But I have been doing that after my cardio while I do the muscular structure workout, and the sweat just pours off of me...as if it didn't before, right?!?!  Ha!  So continuing on now with Level 7 which I did my second day today.  I read on the TAM forums that Abcentric's Level 7 was easy I think and that people were skipping over it.  I feel like I read wrong or was going crazy when I was reading those threads.  It was not easy for me!  I started with one lb ankle weights and will probably move up over the weekend to 2 lb weights.  I'm sure I will make it to the 3 lb weights with this level...but in no way, shape or form is it easy!  I'm finding that I need to preview these later levels more than just once before I do them b/c there are more moves per leg than in the earlier levels and the moves are of course more complicated.  LOVING it!!!

I went ahead and watched Level 8 last night, even though I still have 8 days left of Level 8.  So excited to do the kneeling free and weighted arms and to go back to using the hand weights in the leg section in Level 8!!!  But that is still 9 days away still with my rest day in there...or maybe 10...however it works out depending on when my rest days are...so either way, I'm getting way ahead of myself!!!

I leave for vacation one week from Monday....woooohooooo!!!  I will be bring Tracy with me of course :)  My sister just started Level 1, and I will be seeing her for the first time in almost a year while on vacation so I'm excited to do some TAM with her!

And I've gotten two of my co workers involved in Meta too now!  I would love to become an instructor...hmmmm...maybe Tracy will open a studio down here in Florida?!?!?!

Here's me at the beach just last week!

Happy Friday!!!!!!!!!

Last day of Level 5

Today was my last day of level 5...woohoo!!!!!  I was all excited that I did not have to do any more of those side plank leg lifts...until I previewed level 6...haha...no such luck, they are in that level too.  And she adds a straight leg plank to that move this time...omg!!  So as I thought would happen, I was only able to finish out level 5 using the 2 lb ankle weights on each leg.  Those plank kicks were tough!!  But I like being challenged :)  I'm still battling with the fact that Tracy does not do the same thing on each side in the videos, for legs at least.  In level 5, the last move is a leg lift pulse thingy with an arm pull over.  On the right side she does straight leg pulses and then on the left side she does a sort of leg pull instead. So I do 20 of one and then 20 of the other on each leg just to even it out.  I'm thinking that's what I'll continue doing if there are anymore uneven moves in the coming levels.  All in all, level 5 was pretty difficult and challenging!  I liked it a lot!    My only negative thought about the Meta workouts so far is that I'm surprised that they did not edit the videos better with some of the moves and reps.  But in the grand scheme of things, with Tracy doing tens of thousands of moves on film for us....that's no big deal!

Tomorrow bright and early...level 6!  Having previewed it yesterday and today already...hahaha!...can we say "anxious???"  I can already see how the movements are continuing to get faster and faster.  Which I think is awesome!  I worry a little about the affect the straight arm dumbell type swings will have on our shoulders eventually...but I'm not to worried about it.  Just a thought I guess.  The abs in the abcentric level 6 seem like they are much longer...makes sense of course.  And there is an ab exercise mixed into the leg section, which I thought was unique.  We'll see how the transition goes tomorrow with that move.  The leg section has all kinds of new moves with lots of balancing in some of them, like coming down on one arm instead of two and stuff like that.  And Tracy incorporates the 3 lb hand weight into some of the leg moves for the first time in this level.  I'm so interested to see how that will make it more challenging.  Not every move is done for 40 reps either.  There are a few that are only done for 10/15/20.  And there are about 8 or 9 moves per leg instead of the usual 6 that have been in earlier levels.  The very first move, I already noticed that she does it 30 times on the right side and 35 on the left, so I've just decided to go for it and do that move for 40 on each side.  That may change tomorrow when I'm actually trying it for the first time!!  This is all just from previewing it so I'm sure my outlook will be different once I attempt it.

On a side note, I'm not even to Continuity 1.0 yet and I'm excited about Continuity 2.0!!  Everything that Tracy has been posting about what she's been taping sounds amazing and I cannot wait to see how she incorporates the chair and medicine ball into Continuity.  But from my understanding, I think Continuity 1.0 is 9 months worth of workouts, so if that is the case, I still pretty much have a good year or so until I get to 2.0 :)  Patience is a virtue I apparently do not have with TAM!!!

Until next time after I've attempted level 6!

Level 5 - Day 2!!

Soooooo....so much for the "easy" workout that I spoke of in level 4...ha!  For the last 4 days of level 4 I wore 3 lb ankle weights on each leg and it was a struggle. 

I started level 5 yesterday.  As usual, I'm loving it!  I don't have one bad thing to say about it.  I am really happy that all of the arms are getting a bit faster and I like that the laying down abs section is the longest one yet.  I was also pleasantly surprised to see what an increase in difficulty the leg section is on this level.  The plank work addition is outstanding!  Between the free abs, laying down abs and the planks and such in the leg work, I've never worked my abs so much in my life :)  And I love working abs!  So needless to say, once again, I love THIS level as well!  I started with 1 lb ankle weights right off the bat.  Yesterday and today the 1 lb weights have been perfect.  I don't see myself getting above the 2 lb weights for this level.  With all the plank work and the move at the end where you open up into a side plank and do the side kick would be way to hard with anything more than 2 lbs.  But you never know.....

On the progress side of things, I was so super happy to find that I had lost 2 lbs.  Not to be repetitively annoying, but I did not start this journey to lose weight...just wanted a muscular transformation...but here I'm losing weight and toning up more than ever.  I quite honestly was skeptical at the fact that throughout this entire program I would not be using anymore than 3 lb weights for both arms and legs.  But I've never had so many amazing results before.  Once again...I am truly a believer and little miss Tracy knows her stuff :)

I also have noticed my pants are fitting a lot looser.  Last night we went to watch the fireworks on Marco Island and while we were sitting on the beach, my pants would not stay up in the back...LOL.  PJ (my boyfriend) had to cover me up with a jacket from behind, haha!  I see it a lot in the upper thigh area of my pants.  For instance, today I am wearing these white capri that I bought a few months back.  They used to be comfortable when standing but tight on my thighs when sitting and as I sit here at my desk, they are completely comfortable!!

One change I did make to my diet that may be contributing to the 2 lbs I lost, and I may have said I was going to do this in one of my previous posts, was that I stopped eating peanut butter and any nuts excessively like I had been for years.  Since I don't eat a lot of meat, nuts is where I usually get a lot of my protein.  But besides the fact that it was messing with my digestion (don't worry, no details...haha), I also believe it may have also been aiding in me keeping on an extra few pounds in my stomach area.  I always felt bloated and PJ finally told me that nuts definitely do that.  So I'm trying the whole no nuts at all for a few weeks and then I may gradually add some back into my diet...in complete moderation though this time.

Til next time!!!

Level 4

Ok...level 4!  I think I'm on day 6 already.  The first day I did it, I immediately LOVED the free arms, abs, and laying down abs!  The legs section, honestly (don't kill me for saying this...LOL) seemed pretty easy compared to levels 1-3.  I started right off the bat with 1 lb ankle weights on each leg based on my previews of the level prior to doing it.  The 1 lb weights were fine for me.  I thought with a little bit of added plank work that is incorporated into the legs section, it would be a bit more challenging, but it wasn't until the 3rd day when I went up to the 2 lb weights on each ankle.  Then  I started to sweat.  The more I do a level, the more I get into it as the days go by, so I'm still using the 2 lb weights with my rest day tomorrow and then 4 more days to go after that...thinking about doing 3 lb weights for the last 4 days.  We'll see how that goes!  The only move I think will be difficult to do with the 3 lb weights would be the side plank with leg kick...but I keep telling myself "There's only 15 of them on each side!"  So I'll muddle through that!  Looking forward to level 5, hopefully some more intense leg work!  I'll be previewing it over the weekend.

On a side note...I was on a mini-vacation this past weekend and did not miss a TAM workout!!!  My boyfriend and I drove up to Hilton Head, SC to visit my parents and I have to say, it was so refreshing!  I even got a nice hour run around their golf plantation on Sunday and I'm thinking of incorporating one outdoor run a week into my workouts.  I know Tracy doesn't like running, but I tried to mix it up a bit instead of just running.  I did some sprinting and hills.  But I was actually sore...and I barely ever get sore from cardio anymore...so I think I will try to do that once a week!  I'll have to do it pretty early, since down here in SW Florida it is like 90 degrees by 8am most of the time ... lol.  But that's ok, b/c I love early workouts.  That is the best time for me to do them as I've said in previous posts.

And lastly....I had to say goodbye to my treadmill last week :(  So sad....she was with me for 10 years and I finally got the best of her...haha!  Wondering if my dance cardio on the treadmill finally did her in?!  One of the important pieces underneath ... the Hydraulics maybe... (technically speaking...LOL) that makes it go up and down when you change the incline, completely snapped off.  Argh!  There was no saving her according to my boyfriend.  And since we just bought a new house, a treadmill is not in the budget right now.  So outdoor runs and more innovative workouts it will be!  I love a challenge :)

Til next time......

Last day of level 3!!!

YEEEEEES!!  This morning was the last day of level 3...adios to those side leg lifts that I did not enjoy but work so well ;)  So...per my last post, I did not think I would be able to get above the 1 lb ankle weights for this level...I was totally right!I finished today still with the 1 lb ankle weights and my butt huuuuuurts!  I got really good at the free arms and free abs.  I totally understand what Tracy means by using cross vector forces when doing the free arms now!  One day I was doing them and I just kind of let myself go with it...and that is when I got it.  Pushing one arm while pulling the other arm in the opposite direction...wow, what a more intense workout once I figured that out!  I also started really getting my legs and hips into it...like you notice Tracy doing.  Not to dramatically, but just tiny little movements...such a difference.

The end of level 3 also left me with the realization that I can't eat peanut butter for every single meal!  hahahaha!  I LOVE LOVE LOVE peanut butter!!!  B/c of my hypoglycemia, I really cannot eat a lot of sweets, so my diet has always been pretty clean.  Except for Skippy Natural Peanut Butter.  So I'm doing a test run this week to see if I see any additional changes without peanut butter consumption!  Now I know how smokers feel when they are trying to quit smoking!  Aaaaaaaaaaah!!!!!

I previewed level 4.  It looks easier than level 3, but "looks" is the key word there!  I'm excited to start some plank work with the leg exercises!  Tomorrow is my day off so I will do some cardio and stretching and prepare for my first attempt at level 4 on Thursday morning bright and early....4:30am to be exact!  Working an hour away from home really does not give me a lot of time for workouts or free time before/after work, so I'm up before the break of dawn.  But I enjoy it.  I've been working out super early for years now and it ensures that I don't miss a workout....and I'm happy to say that I have not missed one TAM workout yet!!!

Thanks for following my updates!!  Feel free to contact me anytime to talk about TAM, fitness, whatever!  Also for anyone interested in Beachbody workouts, I am a coach so feel free to let me know, ask me questions, and visit my page: www.teambeachbody.com/clinsay.  I haven't been super active with Beachbody b/c my current job is crazy busy, but hopefully soon I will get back into it more!

Back soon with level 4 updates :)

Level 3 - Day 5

I had every intention of starting a blog on Day 1 of Level 1...obviously that did not happen, so I will recap quickly, my experience and thoughts on levels 1, 2 and the first 4 days of level 3 to catch up.  Hopefully I will stay on track from here on out :)

Level 1:  My thoughts, as I think back to when I first started almost 30 days ago, was "Wow, this is innovative!"  I wondered why no one had thought of this before.  Working your accessory muscles to pull everything together.  Love Tracy!  Loved her right from the first day.  I know a lot of people like a lot of cueing...I do not.  I liked how Tracy explained things and then just let you go at it.  I remember the first few days being sore and I could not believe that I was sore without hardly using any weight.  After the first few days, I challenged myself by adding some ankle weights after reading a post on TAM's Community website.  The "ouch" was back again.  By days 9 and 10, I was more than ready for a change.

Level 2: I started right off the bat with one pound ankle weights.  Definitely struggled the first day, but by the second and third days I was ready to move onto 2lb weights.  I did this and pretty much stayed there for the remainder of the level.  I liked level 2 a lot and this is where I started to notice changes in my butt!  Well, my boyfriend first pointed it out, and then of course I was focused on it.  Sure enough, my pants were loose on my butt....wow!  I don't really have weight to lose, so I wasn't really looking for that sort of thing.  Nor have I been taking measurements...which I totally should be doing.  But when he made me aware of that, I was extremely pleased.  I should really start doing measurements...note to self!

I really am not looking to lose weight...I'm just looking to re-design parts of my body that have fallen victim to weight training methods that I did not like.  So by level 3, I really am now a believer in Tracy's method.

Level 3:  So the moves definitely got harder.  I'm enjoying the abs, both standing and laying down.  I sometimes wear my one lb hand weights that I used for kickboxing, for the free arms and that makes a lot of difference to me.  Since starting this level, I've had two strangers comment on how lean and defined my arms are...and of course my boyfriend keeps his focus on how my butt is continuing to becoming tighter...LOL.  On day 5, today, I used one lb ankle weights for the legs section.  This is the 3rd day of me using the ankle weights for this level.  I honestly do not know if I will make it to the 2 lb weights b/c this level is hard for me...what I like to call "extremely ouchy!"  The one move I get annoyed with is the second leg move.  My range of motion just feels weird.  I don't feel like I can kick my leg out directly to the side like Tracy does.  But by this day, I've got the rest of the moves down.  I choose the music only option and just do it! 

I guess I should add that I find it very helpful to watch each level a few times prior to doing it.  So on day 8 and/or 9 of a level, I've been watching the next level to prepare.  I count the reps Tracy does for each leg movement, b/c it seems as though she is not balanced on what she does on each side.  I'm finding she either does around 30 or 40 reps of a move, so I stick with those numbers.  By day 3 of each level, I just listen to the music and breathe through it!

Not sure if I will blog daily, but I definitely will blog one or two times throughout each level.  I'll try to do one more before level 3 is done. 

I'm leaving to visit my parents in South Carolina for a short vacation with my boyfriend next weekend!  I will definitely be bringing Tracy with me...she now will go everywhere with me!  I've even ordered and received Continuity already ... LOL

Much much love for TAM!!!

About me

So....I've been meaning to start blogging on my TAM journey from the start, but it just didn't happen...better late then never!  Here I go....

A little bit of background:  I've been active in sports, namely soccer, since I was 5 yrs old.  I played my entire life, eventually going on to play professionally after college.  When the team disbanded due to loss of funding, I decided I needed to go back to school again.  I attempted Law School...didn't like it...but ended up going back to the school where I got my Bachelor's and received a Master's in Forensic Psychology.  I graduated in 2006 and have been working in all different kinds of fields...and none of them are what I went to school for.  But the main premise throughout my entire life has been fitness.  I enjoy it, I love it...and dare I say, I need it, now that it has become such an embedded part of my life.  In a sense, fitness did and continues to save my life on a daily basis. 

I've battled hypoglycemia since High School and have been told it may have been exercise induced, which apparently happens to a lot of athletes.  Having said that, it still sucks even though it's normal for life long athletes I'm told.  Although I do want to say that I would rather battle hypoglycemia then another disease like cancer any day of the week.  I'm good with the cards I've been dealt in that aspect and feel very lucky with the life I've been given thus far.  Anyone who has blood sugar issues will tell you how bad it feels when your blood sugar drops.  You can't think, you feel dizzy, you can't focus, your heart starts racing, it can throw you into a panic...etc etc...So when I first experienced these feelings, I was petrified and did not know what was wrong with me needless to say.  I would do anything to not continue to feel that way.  It just so happens that diet is the best way to regulate this disease.  So I've been forced to exercise and eat clean pretty much all of my life.  It is my life...it is a lifestyle...and I love it!

I used to live in PA, where I attended the second largest female fitness center in the country, Momentum Female Fitness Center.  This was no Curves or anything like that, and it was not a chain.  The only location was in Mechanicsburg, PA.  It was amazing!  You walk in and just feel fitness energy immediately.  There's a huge stage with amazing instructors with disco lights and classes galore.  Along with what most gyms have, cardio equipment, weight training machines, etc...  Most of the instructors were trained in the Les Mills program, so I was engulfed in those workouts for the 6 years that I lived there, which included Body Attack, Body Combat, Body Pump, Body Flow and Body Jam, to name a few.  At the same time, I enjoy my "ME" time...aka working out at home alone...so I became a Beach Body coach and started working out to P90X, TurboJam, Chalean Extreme, TurboFire, INSANITY and most recently INSANITY Asylum.  Then...I met my wonderful boyfriend (again) I will leave that story for another blog (lol), and moved to Naples, FL to be closer to him after doing the long distance thing for a good 6 months.  When I initially got down here at the height of the economic downturn, it was tough.  I was living in a crowded apartment with my boyfriend, his brother and 3 huge dogs while working 3 jobs.  Things since are completely different, but due to that situation back then, which is now going on 2 years ago, I had to fit my workouts in at home, super early in the morning.  So I preceeded to just do my at home workouts.  All of the workouts that I named above, have kept me in amazing shape thankfully!  INSANITY actually pushed me past my soccer fitness level, which I never thought possible.  But I constantly was searching for new and innovative weight training workouts b/c I just never really was satisfied with the ones I was doing.  I wanted that lean, dancer body...I also dance, so that is where a lot of my inspiration came from.  Fast forward to me up late one night and stumbling upon Tracy Andreson's Metamorphosis informercial about 3 months ago.  I went back and forth with ordering it b/c EVERYTHING seems to be a scam now a days when it comes to fitness routines.  I've tried them all.  The ones I had named above, previously, were the ones that I stuck with after muddling through all the crap and empty promises from other programs.  So I ordered TAM.  I chose Abcentric only b/c I love to work my abs!  Otherwise, I probably would be Omnicentric I think.  I was definitely skeptical of Tracy's rules such as you cannot use more than 3lb weights for your arms and 3lb ankle weights at most for your legs.  But at the same time, her reasoning seemed so right.  I ordered her book....did some more research...and I truly believe Tracy is right on the ball with the accessory muscle focus.  At least for women that is.  Unless you want to be a power lifter or bodybuilder, most fitness women want to look tight, small, and lean.  And that includes me!

So that brings me to today.  I just finished day 5, level 3 of Tracy's Metamorphosis workout, which is where I will begin blogging about my TAM experiences. 

Enjoy!!!