Turbulence Training deserves a feature on this blog

More than two-thirds of 2009 is done, are you two-thirds done with your goal for this year?

One of my goals for 2009 is to finally take control of my weight issue. Blah, I’ve been trying to do that in years. What’s the difference with this year, you ask.

Well, I didn’t expect the day would come that I’d be talking about my weight, my constant struggle with it and write fitness stories on this blog. I am not ready, I am not comfortable with it but if you know me, if I am just too happy or sad about something, I couldn’t keep my mouth shut. My typing addicted fingers can’t be restrained as well.

I’ve been telling friends about it so I guess it’s time I write about it. So here goes…

I joined a gym and terribly bored with the usual stuff I do. One day the treadmill broke down and the elliptical squeaks a lot it’s racking my brain. I had to find some other way to make my gym time worth it. While searching for an exercise program some weeks back, the mighty Google have taken me to Turbulence Training by Craig Ballantyne. Heard of this program or Craig? No? Then, read on.

Craig Ballantyne, a certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist wrote (let’s put this in bold letters across our walls),  fat loss is EASY if you understand and accept how HARD it is. Repeat 5 times. Ouch.That struck a chord, a deafening one really since I’ve been there before, telling myself “Ok, I’m going to lose some weight and get back into shape”, only to fall over and over again, year after year.

I’ve been in and out of the gym, running on the treadmill and doing weight training without rhyme and reason. I have lost some weight and hit the dreaded weight loss plateau and became depressed. “When will I stop crying inside dressing rooms?” I increased my gym time but there’s NO way I could incorporate more than one hour of time in the gym everyday given my 6 day work week and being a mom to a 5 year old who constantly needs my attention and time whenever possible.

Like anyone else, I scoured the net for information.

Turbulence Training promises fat loss with short burst workouts, no long, slow and boring cardio. So, although a little bit skeptical at first, I started Craig’s Turbulence Training program at 168 lbs. After 8 weeks of  using the FREE program I downloaded, I lost 8 lbs. Now to you, 8 lbs in 8 weeks might not be much but it’s the biggest loss I’ve had had in all my life so allow me to be happy and proud, will ‘ya? I have still a lot to lose to achieve my goal weight but at least, for a change, I know I have the chance to make it this time.

So did I spend more than one hour in the gym for 7 days a week? Did I kill myself over the much hyped cardio? Nope, nope, nope!! I downloaded the free sample workout called The 5 Secrets to Burning Stubborn Female Fat and took it from there. The BODY WEIGHT (no machines!) workouts are short, FUN (I can’t believe I’ll equate the words exercise and fun) and very doable even with my busy schedule. I did not spend any more than 30 minutes on each of my workouts. I have too little time as I only go to the gym during my hour-long lunch break (lucky me, gym is just in the adjacent building).

Why am I writing this?

• Because I hope busy moms like me will finally be able to incorporate exercise in their lives despite the chaotic routines at home without ever leaving home, buying expensive cardio machines and most importantly, without having to spend a lot of time away from their kids just in a struggle to stay fit like how I did using Turbulence Training.

• I am also writing this long post (are you still there?) MAINLY because the 5th TT Transformation Contest starts TODAY and I am about to take a huge step, a big challenge by joining the 12-week Transformation Contest! And inviting those of you who are tired of being overweight and want results to join me. The contest is a HUGE motivation. You can find the contest rules here.

Now the biggest question folks ask is, “Do I have to buy Turbulence Training to enter the contest?” And Craig’s answer is “No, you do not.” However, you must use Turbulence Training Workouts (there are a few free programs on the web). But you can always have full access to the outrageous Turbulence Training Trial Offer for 21 days. In the full Turbulence Training program, you’ll get a step-by-step fat loss solution that removes all frustration and guesswork once and for all. If you don’t like it, you get all your $4.95 money back.

Craig talks a lot about Turbulence Training at his TT Fat Loss blog and offers free workout routines at Turbulence Training Workout Routines. He is so supportive he even answers my questions in emails or in Twitter.

So, say goodbye to long, boring cardio that steals your precious time and start using your own body to sculpt your own body and spend your extra time outside of the gym, doing the things you love. Each of us have the built-in equipment (body weight!), why not make use of it? I’ll end this long (and hopefully not too boring like cardio) post by wishing myself good luck on this life changing step.

*****

Whaaat? All talk and no photos? I hear ‘ya, I hear ‘ya.

I’m going to be totally shameless today if it means being held accountable to this task I just committed myself into. Yes, I took some photos. I took them myself because no matter how hard I explain to my gym pal how to use the DSLR, she got the photos all blurred. Gah, I wish I have a point and shoot camera! So I had to take matters in my own hands. Ok, hold your breath and don’t lose your respect even after you see my belly!

Yes, the photos are small and uhm, no, you’re not allowed to click on the photos to make it big. Plus, it will self-destruct in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1…if only!

I wish I had taken a photo before I started TT. M & M (mom and mirror)  can tell you I did NOT look like that before TT came into my life. My belly sagged and protruded more (my daughter was spreading a rumor in her school that I was pregnant with twins, remember?), my thighs were as big as the trunk of a baby date palm tree you can see in Dubai, my obliques were jelly soft (hell-loow Muffin Top!), my arms, oh my arms – they were BIG and jiggly (they’r e not small yet but less jiggly now). I had some improvements here and there but still have a LOT of work to do!

Just for the record, I don’t aim to be as skinny as the pale and weak Victoria Secret models. I just want to get rid of the stubborn belly fat and fit into my old clothes again, if that’s not too much to ask!

So, how about you, did you set up a fitness-related goal for 2009? How’s it going so far?

* I’ll document my 12-week journey every Saturday and hope to hear your story, too *

Tagged as: body weight, craig ballantyne, Fitness, interval training, turbulence training

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