Imagineering

I love that word. I got it from Dax Moy's "The Magic 100" program. This is the program tagged as "The Fastest Goal Achievement Program on the Planet". Grand claims? I don't know - I hope it is true! I am going to give it 100% to see!

Back to "imagineering" - there is no official definition in the program (I don't believe - apologies if there is!), but I believe it is "enabling your imagination to engineer your future reality". How cool is that? I have read alot about the Law of Attraction (another, much longer, post!), but the concept of imagineering is so much more rich! Really using your imagination and believing what you imagine, however far-fetched, could be your reality...Who does that??!! Um, kids, that's who...Not busy, stressed out, limited-by-our-knowledge-of-reality, boring adults!

So, that word caught my eye, along with alot of the concepts of the Magic 100 that asked you to suspend reality for the purposes of this exercise of gathering your dreams on paper, and starting to consider them a feasibility. You don't have to ask "How am I ever going to make THAT happen??!!" - in fact, one of the main facets of the Law of Attraction is NOT to ask HOW!! It's like poisoning your aspirations...

The interesting thing that happened during this exercise, is that my aspirations took a totally different direction than I had ever thought or uttered out loud!! How did THAT happen?? But things really started flowing, and I got more and more excited as they landed on paper...I didn't ask how - I still am NOT asking how...I don't have to know that right now...Somehow it will reveal itself to me over time...

Anyway, this is not my final review on the subject of Dax Moy's Magic 100, but I wanted to talk about the process and how it has spurred my thinking...It has invigorated me in many areas of my life, knowing I have BROADER goals and aspirations that I am working towards! Something to think about if you might need that spark in your life as well...

For more info on Dax Moy's Magic 100, Click Here!

Update on Turbulence Training Challenge #2

So, I am 6 weeks into the 12 week Turbulence Training Challenge, and things are going phenomenally! I have lost 8 lbs, and at LEAST 1.5% BF (as I measured after 4 weeks, and not since then). I have really leanned out with that 8 lbs (given I started at 20% BF), and am completely stoked that the program and eating I am on are WORKING, and are programs I am going to STICK WITH after the 12 week challenge!

I would LOVE to post pictures, but have decided that I'm going to only post before and after pics. It dulls the impact of totally sick "after" pics when you've been posting your progress regularly - people are used to your new leaner look! I want to shock and awe with my results - I am so focused and disciplined because of this challenge!

The support on the TT forums is great - it helps so much to be learning from others, and know you aren't in this alone. It's reinforcement when you need it, and someone to celebrate your victories with, big and small.

I found a little digital Canon camera that I thought I had lost, left on an airplane or just lost somehow about a year ago - but I found it in a purse I hadn't used in a year!! So fun to have all of those pictures back!! However, on it were pics from last summer, and I was SO heavy! It is painful to look at those pictures. I wasn't weighing myself at the time, knowing I was heavy. A BIG lesson for me is that I HAVE to keep the scale out in my bathroom, and have to get on it at LEAST once a week...Otherwise, you can so easily end up 5-7 lbs up before you realize what has happened! I get on it daily right now - and some days it is up .5-1.5 lbs, and some days it is down! I need to see trends - if I am plateau-ing I need to DO something after a week of no movement. I'll change my diet a little, add a bit of cardio, or just increase my intensity if I can...But you can't lose sight of the number, no matter how bad it gets. The truth is better than ignorance.

I wish the me of a year ago knew about TT!! Especially before my wedding in May 07! My fitted wedding dress is in MN, and I just thought about this - I can't wait to try it on when I go home this summer! I know it is going to be way too big, which will make me happy, and yet sad...I wanted to be in the BEST shape ever on my wedding day, and I completely was not...But after the wedding and the stress leading up to it, I definitely gave myself a "free pass" on eating for months...Not good...

Okay, have heard enough good stuff about Dax Moy's "Magic 100" goal achieving program that I am going to buy it today! My life is really "flowing" right now, and I want to take advantage of that and organize my goals so I can keep achieving more! I'll let you know how that goes - I'll probably post some of my goals here and progress!!

Who is your Mentor?

If you're not currently familiar with Precision Nutrition site (click here
to go there and check out their forums!), and you're interested in losing weight, being fit, or getting 6 pack abs, you probably should mosey over there...So much information and expertise jammed into that site, you can get lost for days!

An interesting email hit my inbox earlier this week...PN did a survey of a sample of their newsletter subscribers, asking questions about happiness with their physique, level of fitness, knowledge about nutrition, and access to mentorship and social support.

The results were fascinating! On a scale of 1-5, people rated their happiness with their own physique as follows:

1-Extremely unhappy - I’m nowhere near my goal and I doubt I can make it.
2-Unhappy - I’m far from my goal but I’m willing to do something about it.
3-Ambivalent - I’m working toward my goal but I’ve got a ways to go.
4-Happy - I’m close to my goal and making progress.
5-Extremely Happy - I’ve achieved my goal and I’m working on maintenance now.

They then looked only at the people who answered 5-Extremely Happy in order to measure the impact of various factors on their success. You really need to read the full article here, but long and short of it is that although there wasn't significant difference in nutritional knowledge amongst level 3-5's (in happiness with physique), 77% of 5's said that they had access to regular mentorship (constructive and impartial feedback and direction, on a near daily basis, for a period of at least 3 mos). Only 17% of 3's and 4's said they had access to the same. Less than 5% of the 1's and 2's had such access.

Ryan Andrew's question of the day to readers was: do you have somebody in your life that actually knows how to eat well - and is healthy enough, vibrant enough, and fit enough to demonstrate it? Seriously, do you have someone that can help you work through nutrition problems and troubleshoot obstacles, rather than just telling you to eat more proteins, carbs, and fats? If you have a good role model in your social circle right now, someone who has already done what you want to do, and someone who can mentor you to success, make the absolute most of it! If however you don’t already have a mentor like that, FIND ONE IMMEDIATELY.

Interesting question for those of us in the TT Challenge - outside of mentorship, which is provided to a certain degree but maybe not the most personal level that Ryan seemed to be talking about, is the support found on the community. Not all of us find that support from family or friends, and even more limited is finding folks executing just what we are going through. The TT forums provide that, in spades! You're never in this alone unless you choose to be!

For those of you reading this who MAY be interested in that kind of support and community, think seriously about purchasing TT, or getting a trial membership, and getting to know the program and the community. The next challenge is coming - just around the corner. Are you going to sit on the sidelines and watch, or be one of us losing weight and feeling better every day??!!

My personal mentors?

My trainer, Michelle Adams(http://www.thrivetraining.net/), who has competed herself in multiple figure competitions, as well as marathons and many other physically painful endeavors. I see her twice a week (one training session, one group bootcamp), and email back and forth daily. She keeps me on track and mentally going every day, and pushes me past the limits I'd set for myself physically! Not to mention celebrates every small victory with me, from a perspective of someone who knows how hard it is to hit each one

Also, my nutritionist, Dr. Clay Hyght. See http://www.drclay.com/ - he's competed in many bodybuilding shows and has multiple degrees and certifications in exercise and nutrition, not to mention being a Chiropractor and winner of the 2007 Precision Nutrition "Hot Body" Contest! So, he's definitely walking the walk...He's responsible for prescribing the nutrition that, when combined with my TT training, will shred fat off of my body until I am a lean, lithe minx!

Are paid mentors necessary? Nope, not for most. For me, I am taking this challenge, this 12 weeks of my life, to prove to myself that I CAN achieve my goal of ultimate leanness. For me, I need the accountability and guidance of these two to make that level of leanness even a feasibility. For me, I don't HAVE friends or associates who've accomplished what I am looking to do that I can lean on for advice and guidance. And personally, let me tell you that I am DILIGENT about what I put into my mouth, and in executing my workout plan exactly, knowing two people are going to be looking at me and asking, "You ate WHAT??!! What were you thinking??!!"

So, take a look at the full article on Precision Nutrition, and think about what YOU have to gain from a built in support network synched with an effective workout program...I can tell you - 5 weeks and 6 lbs into this challenge, I consider joining TT a life changing decision for myself!

Please let me know what you think and what your experience has been! I look forward to your viewpoints!

Karla

New Article on Carb Cycling for Women

Here is a snippet and link to a good article on carb cycling that I just read...

Carb Cycling for Women
Plan Your Week to Reshape Your Body
by Christian Thibaudeau

Tomorrow morning, flip on the local weather channel. You'll probably see the "five day forecast," that tells you the weather for the coming week.

If they predict it's going to be 95 degrees and sunny on Monday, and then say you'll get 15 inches of snow on Tuesday, you know what to expect. Not only are you in the middle of the weirdest storm ever recorded, but more importantly, you know exactly what you'll be wearing each day.

We can apply this same concept to our weekly diet plan to help us gain lean muscle and lose bodyfat. This approach is called carb cycling, and it's being used by bodybuilders and figure competitors to drop bodyfat consistently and effectively.

It's based on rotating your carbohydrate intake each day, depending on the amount of exercise you have planned. More training... you get more carbs. No training that day... less carbs on the menu.

In my original carb cycling article, I went into detail about the history of carb cycling, as well as discussing how you can manipulate nutrient intake to affect your body's hormone levels. But for now, let's learn how to make it work for you.

Carb Cycling: The Basic Structure

Carb cycling is similar to the nutritional practice of eating carbs only in the morning, and after workouts. The biggest difference is that the amount of carbs (and thus, the amount of calories) will vary each day. What will this accomplish?

• It allows you to have fat burning and muscle building days each week.

• Your metabolism never gets a chance to slow down or adapt, which often happens with "traditional" diets.

• Long-term success is reinforced because it's relatively easy to follow, especially compared to more strict, low-carb diets.

(to continue see link below)
-------------------------

Here is the link for the rest of this long and super info packed article - along with great pics that I couldn't include!

Carb Cycling for Women Article (con't)

Please let me know what you thought - is this something you will incorporate to some degree? I am doing only higher and lower days right now (not three different levels), and will let you know what I see in terms of results!

Karla

What is "Turbulence Training"?

Now that my hard work is starting to pay off in terms of inches and loose clothes, I am starting to get alot of questions about what I am doing to get in shape and lose weight! I have struggled to explain Turbulence Training in an "elevator speech" to this point - but I wanted to do a better job of explaining it for those who are interested.

Turbulence Training promises fast fat loss results for men and women who don't have a lot of time for exercise. I think I qualify! I read this as a bold promise, especially given the claim of great results in only three workouts per week. Having done 5-6 days a week as long as I can remember, I was interested.

The program was created by Craig Ballantyne. Of course there are alot of "fitness guru's" out there, but I'd come across Craig's name before in my husband's Men's Health magazine, and also in Oxygen and Shape magazines (I have gotten 10+ magazines per month forever to keep me amused during marathon cardio sessions!). So I considered him quite qualified as a fitness expert.

I did some reading on Craig, and learned his experience goes back to the mid-nineties, in both the gym and in the research lab. He's actually led research trials on sport supplements, strength training, and cardiovascular training. Plus, Craig has been a strength coach and has worked with hundreds of clients in thousands of training sessions.

Craig's articles are pretty hard on traditional aerobic cardio workouts. So if you're looking for new ways to spend 30 or 60-minutes doing cardio (and catch up on your magazines!), then this program is not for you. But if you only have 45 minutes to workout, a couple of times per week, and you have access to only a bench, dumbells, and an exercise ball, then you'll like what Craig has for you here.

So, what is Turbulence Training? Well according to Craig, its the combination of resistance training and interval training used to boost your metabolism so that your body burns calories and fat between workouts (uh huh, while you AREN'T even sweating!). He says, "Cardio doesn't boost your metabolism after exercise. Only strength training and interval training do that - while you work, sleep, and eat - your body will be shedding fat."

Craig's unique system of bodyweight exercises, dumbell exercises, and interval training can all be done at home, with minimal equipment. So again, if you are one of those people who loves machines, or cardio equipment, or marathon workouts, then this program is not for you.

I've been using the program for about 6 weeks now - starting just prior to the start of the Turbulence Training Challenge. I really love it! Why? Because I no longer choose to allocate my precious time to hours in the gym each week! After we got our puppy, Maximus, last year, suddenly I wasn't free to get home from work at 7pm, or head off to the gym every morning at 5:30am. My little guy needed exercise and TIME from me! My workouts and body went downhill fast - I put on 10 lbs and nothing fit. Buying new clothes even though you have a closet of GREAT clothes that are just too small is NOT fun.

Turbulence Training system is known for burning fat without sacrificing muscle - so you end up lean, defined, chiseled and toned. 4 weeks into the Turbulence Training Challenge #2, and I have lost 5 lbs and 1.5% BF. I know these results will continue.

The best part about it (okay, second best to losing WEIGHT!) is that the workouts are FUN and VARIED! So many workouts are boring (i.e. long cardio) or repetitive (i.e. doing the same bodybuilding workout over and over again). But Turbulence Training uses a lot of unique (but not fluffy) exercises, including some cool, killer bodyweight moves that will make you more athletic and increase your functional and core strength - again, all with minimal equipment needs. I do workout in a gym for my sessions, but on vacation this summer I plan to switch to a body weight TT workout series, so I can maintain even without a gym or weights or equipment.

I am even recommending this program to friends who are just starting out, because Craig has put together a 6-week introductory program, and a 4-week intermediate program in addition to the 16-week advanced training phase (PLUS, the Turbulence Training program comes with a massive amount of bonus workouts for muscle building, bodyweight only, advanced fat loss, and even a female specific bonus). So, there is a program for you no matter what your experience level is, and Craig is constantly delivering NEW workouts for members, so you'll never be bored! Oh yeah, and every workout contains pictures of every exercise - so even if you've never done ANY of the exercises, you can pick it up with no problem. This comes in handy when you're asked to do "Decline Spiderman Pushups" for the first time...(??!!)

Okay, so bottom line. Turbulence Training is NOT....
Long, slow cardio workouts
A machine-based exercise circuit
A bodybuilding program to gain bulk
A workout with lots of time-wasting isolation exercises
A restrictive eating plan
Turbulence Training provides NONE of the above. Turbulence Training DOES provide the perfect workout for busy men and women who want to burn fat in the comfort of their own homes without spending a lot of money on equipment or space on exercise machines. Oh, and you'll actually have fun and you won't "dread" these workouts - heck, they are over before you know it!

If you're in the slightest bit curious, I recommend you look closely at Craig's program. I was very impressed with all of the Turbulence Training workouts, the bonuses, the guarantee, and Craig's expertise. For the money, it's the best deal in the fitness and fat loss industry - so much better than diet pills! And remember...

Craig Ballantyne's Turbulence Training is backed by a 8-week money back guarantee. And this is a real guarantee... if you are not completely satisfied, you will receive your money back, no "ifs," "ands," or "buts." I definitely was a skeptic, and was ready to use the guarantee if needed, but I will not be needing that at this time given the results I am seeing!

If you are serious about losing fat and inches with a plan that will fit into a busy lifestyle AND that you can maintain over the long haul, you really have nothing to lose.

Click Here to Try Turbulence Training Risk Free

Karla

Weekend Wrap Up

What a weekend, workout wise! Friday pm I worked out with a new trainer, one who is more familiar with Turbulence Training and the precepts, and who teaches a bootcamp I am a regular at on Sundays. I started a new TT program, TT Fusion Fat Loss - Advanced, and we worked through workout A completely. It was good to have her guidance on an Olympic lift that I hadn't done (properly!) before.

Saturday was a 25 minute walk-run, just steady state work trying to keep perceived rate of exertion around 7 or so out of 10. Sat night we went to dinner at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse - feared it could be a minefield of poor choices, but it was GREAT!~ I had seared ahi with crab meat sprinkled with peppers - all clean and delicious! Salad was tomato and onion and I put vinegar (not vinegrette!) on it, and that was super tasty, too! Long and short - it FELT like a cheat meal, because the food was so good! Since I am not planning on any cheat meals during the 12 week competition, these types of meals are invaluable mentally.

Finally, today (Sunday) did my weekly bootcamp workout in the park. It is held on an artificial field and outdoor track, so we do plenty of short sprints, 5 minute medium speed runs, agility and speed drills, then abs...I was still sore from Fri/Sat, but working out felt good. About 17 people out today (with two leaders) and great sunny weather, so an outdoor workout was great.

Tomorrow marks day 29 of 84 (beginning of week 5!) of the challenge. I plateaued for about a week and a half, and have lost about 3 lbs in the past 4 days, so I feel like I have pushed past that plateau (and hopefully gained momentum that continues)! I am still focused on my Challenge goals - which I just realized I never posted any goals! I want to lose 15+ lbs and have visible abs!! I'd like to get to 15% BF, but we'll see what weight and BF it takes to get the lean look I want.

So, 1/3 of the way through this challenge, I feel GREAT physically, I feel acclimated to the diet and am in love with the lifting/cardio plan! I have tried SO many different programs over the past few years, and to find the right program and the right support to finally make progress and eventually meet my goals, well, that is a GREAT feeling!

I am working on a post to talk a little more about my training program, but if you are interested, Craig Ballantyne now offers a 21 day $4.95 trial offer - this was not available when I started, but I definitely would take advantage of it if you are interested and want to kick the tires a bit! You get access to EVERYTHING I and all other TT members have - that's a pretty huge amount of information. Here is the link: Click Here for TT 21-Day Trial Offer

Keep reaching for those stretch goals!!