First Runner Up
Average to Lose + Health Improvements - Under 50 Category

Linda O.

Well, T-Tapp has done it again! I had made great improvements in my measurements and overall health when I started T-Tapp about a year ago. I was totally surprised then how my body came into better shape and my hormones and health issues began to level out. Since that time, I got very busy, and a little lazy in the T-Tapp arena, and I wasn't looking as good as before. And now I had an important goal, my oldest daughter's wedding this summer (only a few months away), to motivate me to kick it into gear again. But this was only a 30 day period for the January Jumpstart, and could I accomplish noticeable results in that short period of time? Well, I set out to find out. The Jumpstart and the wedding gave me just the motivation I needed to become more serious and regular with my fitness routine.

My first commitment for this challenge was to start each day with Primary Back Stretch and a total body Skin Brushing session before I started my day, even if I was getting off to a late start. I did not want to compromise this. I suspected that part of my excess inches and fat could be related to toxicity issues, and I wanted to maintain integrity in my skin while I was hopefully losing inches. Skin brushing was a key factor for me, as people with adrenal issues often have thinner skin. So, I was not the least bit gentle while dry brushing. I figured my skin needed a good tightening and detoxing, and I was going to do what I could to help it get it. I did not want unsightly, saggy skin from any potential inch loss. And I wanted to help the lymph move along naturally while brushing, as it was potentiated by the lymph-circulating,T-Tapp movements.

This one-month fitness trial started out pretty slowly, with my busy schedule making it seem difficult to "fit in" any exercise. So, I dropped my big expectations and took the advice of so many other women, and Teresa herself, who all say that less is more. On many days, I was only able to squeak in my 15 minutes, but I did a good job of doing some T-Tapp daily, even if was only Primary Back Stretch and a set of Hoe Downs. Before switching to T-Tapp, I was so used to over-exercising myself until I was sore, over-tired, and adrenally fatigued, so this was a big paradigm shift for me to believe that I could do less and still get big results. At least, that's what was advertised. I wanted to see if it was really able to produce what it claimed.

Still recovering from adrenal fatigue (affected greatly by an underlying thyroid condition and the intense aerobic and weight training I did for so many years), I knew that I was going to have to make this 30 days workable for me and my schedule. I am a busy mom who stays home with my kids and generously volunteers my time for a lot of good causes. This fitness challenge could not become my central focus in life, and it had to be manageable. I had spent so many years living to exercise rather than exercising to live. I did not change my eating habits, though I generally focus on a very healthy diet, for the most part. I did not do any other exercise other than a variety of T-Tapp workouts and a very occasional elliptical session so that I could get some reading done simultaneously. Although, I will admit that I tried to focus on the KLT position while striding and even threw in some T-Tapp arm movements while reading. It's amazing what you can do with a little ingenuity!

On the days when I had a little more time than just the 15 minutes, I rotated various workouts and spent a little more time on those. I mixed it up a lot by doing the Broom Workout, Tempo Arms, Tempo Lower Body, Critter Crunch, Lady Bug, and a few Retreat Series Videos. There was no reason for boredom. Sorry, Teresa, but a few times my kids heard me saying out loud, "Are you kidding me?" I guess I needed to complain just a little bit. It was those lower body segments that were "burners" on some days, but I loved them anyway! And I forgave you completely by the end of the workout. :)

Truthfully, though, my stamina is always greatly improved when I am consistent with T-Tapp. My hormones seem to stay even, and my weight does not fluctuate. Prior to T-Tapp, I could focus on the same healthy diet, but my weight would continue to increase, and the results in my figure were definitely not proportionate to the time and effort that I was committing to that amount of exercise. Now, I can eat those man-made carbs occasionally and not see a weight jump, and most importantly, my stomach can stay much, much flatter! That still never ceases to amaze me. Really, a visible, instant result after ONE workout from just using the core. I'm sure that the Organs in Place exercise is effective in that also, but my core strength and my posture have never been better than when doing T-Tapp. I just never would have believed that instant, visible results from one exercise session were possible. That was definitely not ever possible with my previous, traditional exercise. It just wasn't!

Because of my slow metabolism and hypothyroidism, I also suffer from not-the-most-efficient elimination processes. Well, I can say that it was not an issue while doing the T-Tapp movements consistently. And there was no water retention that I can remember, either. T-Tapp just does a very good job of keeping everything "moving along" as it should. I think that just reinforces the truth that a better performing internal system results in a healthier, happier, and fitter person all around.

I also want to tell you something that I think is exciting, besides all of the health benefits I experienced during these 30 days. I had purchased a mother-of-the-bride dress that I found and liked prior to the January Jumpstart. It was the only one at the store and was not in my size (not even close), but it was on sale and would probably be gone quickly. So, I purchased it (knowing that I could return it up to the date of the wedding, if necessary). My thought was that I would check at other stores in the chain to see if they could get me one that was about 3 to 4 sizes larger. I actually got into the dress at the store, but there was no way that I could zip it. At home, I tried it on for my kids, and it took 2 of them, along with me, to trip to zip it, and then it was a quick on and off before I burst the seams. At the end of the 30 days, after I took my final photos, I remembered the dress. I had not yet gotten around to ordering the larger size. I wondered if there was any chance that I could get it on completely to see if it would fit or feel any differently. That could be a good test of what I had accomplished over the past 30 days. So, I got brave and got out the dress. The surprise was that I was able to get the dress on and zip it up all by myself! Better yet, I didn't think it looked too bad. It certainly felt much better. We'll see what I think when the June wedding rolls around in a few months. I do intend to keep up with the good fitness goals I've recommitted to, so there is a chance that this SIZE 8 will be what I wear to my first-ever wedding for one of my five children, when I was accustomed to wearing a size 14 to 16 over the past several years, since my hypothyroidism kicked in! This is amazing and wonderful to me.

I am honestly very thankful for all of the many blessings that Teresa and her T-Tapp fitness program have afforded me. It truly has changed my life and well-being in so many ways. I have not even added up my inch loss or compared my before and after photos yet. I know that I have made progress and have been convinced that this system works when I commit to it. My question about what I could accomplished in a short period of time has been clearly answered. I look better; I feel better; I live better. I know that I have lost inches, it is obvious, but it's not numbers that encourage and excite me this time. It's knowing for certain that there is something that works every time, and that gives me great hope for my future fitness years and my long-term health management. Sincere thanks to you again, Teresa. And hats off to your "award-winning," reliable fitness system for those of us who are in it for the long-haul!

VIEW THE OTHER 2011 JANUARY JUMP START WINNERS!