Less to Lose + Health Improvements - Under 50 Category

Alaina T.

Hello,

My name is Alaina, I'm a 28 year old mother of four. I have been t-tapping off and on for the last 12 years, and this is my first challenge. My friend introduced me to T-Tapp when I was a teenager and ever since I've been encouraging friends and family to try it with me. I've always been active in sports and have tried many workouts in the past. I felt like I struggled to maintain the body I wanted. Since a young age I've experienced severe back pain, mostly in the middle as well as in the tailbone. The first thing I noticed when T-Tapping is that my muscles weren't tightening up every day, typically I would expect the pain everyday around 2 pm, but now the pain was happening less and less. After going to see a physiotherapist for 3 years, and being off and on medication, I found the cure for my aching back muscles. I quickly learned that when I stopped T-Tapping, the pain would come back full force and I would be back in bed wrapped in warm blankets. Around the age of 17 I started feeling arthritic aches in my knees and every once in a while it flares up, sometimes in the hips and back as well.

I used Basic Workout twice a week after the birth of my children and after 3 months I would be very close to my pre baby weight. I had no problems with breastfeeding, and I honestly feel it helped me with my patience, relaxation and relieved a lot of stress in the mind and body. When I was T-Tapping I felt happier in the mornings and went to sleep easier at night time. Since my son was born 3 years ago I had only T-Tapped 3-4 times and I nearly officially fell off the workout wagon. I was stressed out, my hair was falling out, I was a new single mom, and I didn't feel too great about myself and wasn't sure where my life would take me or even if I wanted to continue on.

I never used to measure myself or keep track of how much I was losing, I just noticed the good changes. It wasn't until December 2010 when a mysterious injury happened to my left leg and I felt as though I had lost all use for it. I woke up one day to a slight ache that quickly escalated to throbbing pain that took my breath away. The pain was so great I couldn't walk around, pick up laundry, or even get through cooking a meal without lying down. Needless to say I was scared and felt like I had not been taking good care of myself. After 2 trips to the emergency room/exams and ultrasounds, doctors couldn't see anything wrong with me, but why was my leg not working and why did it feel like someone kicked me in the back of the thigh with a steel toed boot? The pain continued for 3 straight weeks and I knew then that I had to do something about it. The final straw was when I was laying on the couch and I felt as though I was slipping in and out of conciousness and the only thing I could do was cry to myself, I
was done crying over physical pain. I used hot water bottles and warm blankets, and slowly started stretching.

Even when stretching I was scared to re injure that leg again. After a month of agonizing pain and taking pain relievers I was done with the doctors. I said I wasn't going back, I didn't want any more pills. I didn't want any pills to begin with. After about 2 weeks of having no pain in my leg I saw the post for the January Jumpstart Challenge. I thought about it for a minute and thought it was the perfect opportunity for me to rehabilitate my leg, increase circulation, pull me out of my slump on the couch and best of all, get rid of the spare tire I gained lying in bed for the past 2 months. I've worked out with Step It to the Max and Basic Workout Plus every day for the past 30 + days and I feel amazing. I've experienced NO arthritic pain in the knees, very little back pain, huge inch loss, tightened arms, and I am 100 percent HAPPIER!

It was only 2 months ago I was bed ridden, fearing the worst
for myself and once again, this amazing workout has pulled me up and toned my body. My friends and family have been so supportive and I had a great time exercising each day, watching myself transform. Im bouncing out of bed in the morning and am going to bed earlier at night. I sincerely want to thank Teresa for creating this amazing workout. It has never failed me when I need to help myself be a better person mentally, physically and spiritually.

I know it says there's no need to diet but since I've been working out everyday my body seems to reject many foods and our fridge contents are a lot healthier now. I've cut down on sugar, coffee, stopped drinking cows milk, stopped eating pork, chicken and beef, and now things are so much clearer. I'm not a vegetarian but I'm more aware of what I put in my body and how my system reacts to it. Im looking forward to T-Tapping more and spreading the word about this lifestyle change! Kukwstumckaw, Thank You for listening.

Alaina T.
Tsalalh (people of the lake)

VIEW THE OTHER 2011 JANUARY JUMP START WINNERS!