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T-Tapp Tuesday–Reaching Milestones

Tuesday, September 6th, 2011

Or is that a poundstone?!

I preach “Weight Doesn’t Matter” a lot! I realize if you have extra weight and bad knees, weight does matter.

However, if all you’re after is fewer pounds of weight on those knees, you might make some decisions that will, in the long run, hurt you even worse.

If you “diet” and deprive yourself of calories to see the scales go down, but mess up your metabolism in the meantime, the metabolic mess you find yourself in years from now may make dealing with the knees seem like child’s play.

If you “diet” to lose the weight, but do nothing to rehab the knee and make it stronger, you may get around a little better…for awhile. But if you don’t help reverse some of the damage from the stress on your knees (or hips, or ankles, or feet…), you could end up in worse shape down the road.

As one who has never lost “weight” easily, it’s been pretty discouraging to do an eating plan, watching calories, to see not much loss. Had I understood then what I do now, I’d have measured! I do know I got into some smaller clothes, but my focus was on the weight loss (or lack thereof).

I’ve shared bits of my story before, but I’ll recap a bit on the weight. I lost 10 lbs. fairly quickly with T-Tapp, which thrilled me, after losing absolutely nothing since having my son four months before! And I mean….absolutely.nothing.nada.zip.zilch. I looked and weighed like I did the day before he was born!

I continued to lose, slowly, but I lost inches even faster! I got up to about 25 lbs. lost……then gained 10!!!! I was assured by one of the trainers on the forums (and I highly advise getting on the forums from time to time for encouragement, answers and new tweaks on moves) that if I was gaining weight, but losing inches, I was developing muscle!

That encouraged me…..for awhile!

Finally, getting tired of having my joy stolen by the dumb scales I started searching the forums for threads about weight. I ended up compiling them into a thread called Weight Doesn’t Matter. Worth a read if you find yourself tied to the scales!

I decided to only weigh every 6 weeks. I don’t remember exactly how long it took, but after awhile I noticed the nasty hold those things had on me was gone! I could actually laugh when I gained weight—but lost inches!!!

The reason I am sharing all this is to put my “milestones” in perspective. I am thrilled, don’t get me wrong! But, they wouldn’t mean nearly as much as they do now, with more toning and better health to go with them!

As of this past weekend, I have lost 50 lbs. since starting T-Tapp!

And, for the first time in 20+ years, I weigh what I did before I was expecting Susannah!

Those are good milestones, and yes, I’m happy….but I was more thrilled when I dropped another size a month ago! (That makes 9 sizes lost now!)

Keeping this in perspective–it took me 4 1/2 years to get to this point, and for the first 4+ years I had lost only 30 lbs.! It’s only been since I addressed some things in my eating 4 months ago the last 20 lbs. have come off. But—I have also stayed consistent with T-Tapp—which is as important to staying toned and getting healthy as losing “weight” is!

It is important to emphasize that optimum health is not achieved by losing “weight”. Shifting your focus from the number on the scale to the real factors of good health, such as improved mood, energy and vitality, is the way to accomplish a lifetime of balance and your ideal body composition.

~The Schwarzbein Principle, p. 230

I still have toning up to do, and I may regain some weight as I add starches back in (in moderation), but it will be my healthy weight. And even if I gain 10 lbs. back, but am toned and healthy–

That will be just fine!

Rejoice in those milestones…..but don’t get stuck there! There’s more energy and better health to be won!

(Stay tuned for next Tuesday—there will be a giveaway–but you’ll have to work for this one! )

Tags: getting healthy, losing weight, milestones, T-Tapp
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T-Tapp Tuesday–Can I Really Maintain with 2 Workouts a Week?

Tuesday, August 30th, 2011

I remember when I first heard that people could maintain their goal size with only 1-2 workouts per week. Wow! I couldn’t imagine!

Of course, I thought, that was probably two TOTAL workouts per week, the 50 minute one, not the shorter 15 minute Basic Workout Plus!

I had seasons of being able to maintain where I was at (although not at goal!) with just 3 workouts per week—but not for an extended period of time.

Now that I am considered a Less-to-Lose (one size or less to lose–still boggles my mind that I am at this point!), I am finding that that thinking is not true. I am not maintaining where I’m at with two workouts per week.

I’m continuing to lose!

I have two classes per week–Monday nights we do 4 reps of each of the moves in BWO+ and then I teach 1-3 moves from the second half of Total Workout, breaking it down a bit more for my class.

Then on Fridays I teach MORE.

Granted I am more activated as I am the trainer-in-training, and need to explain and demonstrate with good form for my class. But I would not say I’m getting as much cardio and activation as if I were doing to Total Workouts!

A week or so ago, I also decided to do 1-2 moves a day in the morning from the second half of TWO, to practice for certifications. Since I have adrenal issues, I really can’t do more workouts during the week–I could handle one, but I really need to practice that second part of TWO. I can’t do it 3 days a week, so I was in a quandary of how to do it when I thought of my “just 15 minutes” idea for decluttering. I decided I could spend 15 minutes or so reading in Fit and Fabulous about a move, then do it (warming up first with Primary Back Stretch and Mitten Chop Box).

Imagine my surprise last week to lose 2 inches and another pound!!!! As a Less-to-Lose, losing 2 inches in a week’s time is pretty huge! And it was from all over!

I know with everyone starting up homeschooling, it can be hard to make time for workouts. And if you are also canning, well, you know you have another busy month ahead of you!

But don’t throw the idea out just because you don’t have a whole 15 minutes to spend–doing Primary Back Stretch, Mitten Chop Box, and one other move maybe takes 5 minutes–6 max. Add a Hoedown to it and you’re good to go for the day! You’ve pumped some lymph to help move toxins and help get rid of sluggishness, you’ve stretched your muscles and gotten into spinal alignment, and as a little bonus, you got some fat-burning going, too!

You also might find that you are able to focus on form more by isolating just a few moves, which will help you when to do get to your workouts.

Doing this really showed me how that when you understand muscle activation and get neurokinetically connected (muscles connected to the brain!), you really can get more benefit out of less time spent!

Now that’s efficiency I like!

Tags: doing one move, less is more, maintaining, T-Tapp
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T-Tapp Tuesday–What Are You Looking At?

Tuesday, August 23rd, 2011

Sorry I was MIA last week! I had lots of good thoughts but just didn’t get them put into print!

Today’s post actually came out of my quiet time a few days ago. 2 Corinthians 3:18 “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”

Now what does that have to do with T-Tapp?!

Well, I take it from that verse that we are transformed by beholding. That’s a whole other post!

The same principle applies.

If I am looking at how far I have to go, what little progress I made compared to so-and so, how much I have to change (eating, exercising, cellulite, body brushing, health choices)…..

Beholding means: to mirror oneself, to see reflected, behold as in a glass

In the spiritual sense, we want to be beholding Jesus, His Truth, and become more and more like Him.

In the T-Tapp sense we want to be beholding, looking at, reflecting, mirroring the truth–that I can lose this fat/weight/inches/sizes, I can get healthier, I can get rid of this cellulite, I can make better choices in my eating, I can make time for exercise.

It all comes down to what are you looking at?

And thinking about?

Our mind really does have a lot to do with it. I often can’t teach a whole Total Workout–most of my class is not ready for that, and quite frankly, my adrenals probably can’t handle it!

But do I despair and decide I can’t become a T-Tapp Trainer?

No! I can teach the move “mentally”, going through it as if I would at certifications. (That was a great suggestion to me by my mentor, Michelle Barbuto!).

I can do 1 or 2 moves a day, talk-teaching them as if I had a class.

Sometimes I think we tend to focus on what we can’t do, vs. what we can!

You can’t do a standing workout because of a knee, hip or other issue?

You can do MORE Chair or SunRay TappCore!

You can’t do a Total Workout due to stamina or time?

You can get results even with “just” Basic Workout Plus or even splitting Total up over three days!

You can’t make huge changes to your eating without getting overwhelmed?

You can make small changes–drink a bit more water, 1 less pop or coffee a day, switch to dark chocolate from milk chocolate, use a bit less sugar in those cookies, eat 1 more veggie a day–choose ONE good thing and get started on it!

You can’t afford Teresa’s alfalfa (which is the best, imho!)?

You can at least body brush (make sure it’s a natural bristle brush), and you can buy dead sea salts at Wal-Mart that aren’t too pricey and do salt masks for at least 5 minutes two to three times per week!

You don’t think you’ll ever lose those sizes?

You CAN–one step at a time! If you knew that in 4 1/2 years you would lose 9 sizes and gain better health, making small changes to your eating as you went along, doing basically 15-20 minutes a day for maybe an average or 4 -5 times a week, with some time off—if you knew that here, at the start, would you go for it? Would it be worth it?

Of course!

But we don’t always know where the journey will take us. The best thing to do is to keep our goals before us, but not have it tied to tightly to a time frame. A general time frame is fine (lose 2 sizes by next summer), but hold it loosely! Be on the lookout for those things you just can’t measure–better health, better sleep, more energy, happier outlook, less PMS :)…..

Be encouraged by other success stories, but don’t compare yours. Yours is YOUR story. It will encourage others, but there might be a special group you are really going to encourage! (More to lose, less to lose, busy moms, those with chronic fatigue, or adrenal fatigue, slow to lose)

I have more to talk about in the T-Tapp Journey, but for now, I ask again….

What are you looking at?

The answer to that question may determine your true success! Remember, yes you CAN!

Tags: focus, thoughts, yes you can
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T-Tapp Tuesday–Consistency When “Life Happens”!

Tuesday, August 9th, 2011

We’ve all had those times when “life happens”, and all of our well-intended plans just go to the wind.

It can be particularly disconcerting when you’re trying to stay consistent with your T-Tapp routine, going well for a little while, and then BAM! Something comes up that really throws you for a loop, and maybe it’s major enough you don’t know when you’ll be able to “get back to consistency”.

Are you doomed to just put on what you’ve lost? To have to start all over again in a few weeks….or months?

No!

There are threads on the forums for ways to “sneak T-Tapp in” throughout the day.

If you can do at least the “Terrific Three”, you will have warmed up your spine, improved spinal flexibility and joint mobility as well as pumped lymph and worked some muscles! What are the “Terrific Three”?

Primary Back Stretch (PBS)

T-Tapp Twist (TTT)–at least the stretch, and can be the MORE version

Hoedown (HD)–just 1 set (2 is great, but do at least one!)

Just doing shoulder rolls–the T-Tapp way–can go a long way toward keeping muscles from getting sore, but also to help relieve tension (women tend to hold tension in the traps–shoulder rolls with the thumb twisted to the back wall really help!). You can do them seated or standing.

Maybe you’re in a hospital emergency room, waiting with someone for a test (and waiting, and waiting, and….) On a quick trip to the restroom, you can “bend it, tuck it, lift it”, clap for 4 counts, pulling thumbs to the back wall, elbows close to body and keeping ribs up. Then kick out purposefully for 4 repetitions (like you’re kicking a ball–not a field goal, though! ) and then lift touch for 4 repetitions, keeping knee and ankle in alignment. That will help banish fatigue and soreness from sitting around!

If someone else is in the restroom and you’re a little too shy to do all that then you can really be sneaky! Do Butterflies! I have been able to turn diagonally in a regular stall and still be able to do them. Now if you are taller with longer arms, you might opt for the handicap stall! Bend it, tuck it, lift it and really curl that core, pulling belly button to your spine. Do a set of Butterflies, slow and controlled, no momentum. Really work those lats! Keep those arms stretched out like someone is pulling them out of your body, and behind those ears. Set of 8 little bounces, then do 8 halfway down. On the way back up the hands are pushing up the h-e-a-v-y air!

You’ll be surprised how that will help clear your mind and make you feel better!

Of course, Hoedowns are THE classic move, but sometimes there just isn’t a good place or enough time. But you can do sitdown Hoedowns without too much trouble!

Sit up tall and at the edge of your chair. Knees straight out from the hips, ankles under knees, feet toes forward–no ducks! Press in lightly with your feet to stabilize your knees from flopping out and to get some lower body activaton in there. Elbows bent, palms up just like standing Hoedowns. Open arms out to the sides, tighten tummy (curl that core!) and lift touch one leg 4 times. Pretend your foot is h-e-a-v-y, and keep the foot flexed. Then do 4 on the other side. Repeat, then do 2 sets of 2 and 1 set of singles–4 each leg going back and forth.

Alternately you could just do 8 each side.

Don’t think that does much good?

There is a testimony of trainer Jennifer Haber who worked with her mom when she was ill in the hospital. Even though she did the Hoedowns and Butterflies very weakly–her blood sugar came down by 50 points! You can read her whole story here!

What else?

Just like Teresa shows in the Yes You Can seminar, you can hang onto strollers, shopping carts, and yes, to some extent wheelchairs (I did with my dad!) with the palms up. Even the lawn mower! That gets those shoulders rolled back.

A set of Tricep Curls or Hitchhikers are easy to fit in for the arms.

And when you’re driving, you can tuck/curl the core, press that lower back against the seat, lift ribs and keep tummy tight. And while you’re at it–hang onto the steering wheel palms up! Tighten those lats and inhale big, stretching the ribs; exhale bigger, pulling the ribs in.

To release trap/shoulder tension, do a big inhale while you hunch shoulders up, then as you exhale, bring the shoulders down but keep ribs up (this in T-Tapp stance if possible). Exhale all the way, pulling in those ribs. Doing that few times really helps get oxygen in and release that trap/shoulder tension!

And just walking, sitting, standing with your belly button pulled to the spine and ribs up, getting your shoulders back in alignment over your hips will do wonders for you! Keep the chin from jutting forward, and this will help distribute the weight of your head over your spine.

There’s also the Mitten Chop Box, which you can fit in in a trip to the restroom fairly easily!

I’ve often bent my knees just a little and tuck/curled my core, ribs up, knees out for standing for a period of time–you’d be surprised how much “heat” that will generate all by itself! LOL!

Finally, don’t forget to skin brush. It’s easy to let something like that go when life goes crazy, but it is good for detoxing as well as just pampering yourself. 5 minutes is all it takes.

Especially if your crisis is a health crisis of a family member, you need to take care of yourself, too!

Stay hydrated, keep moving, and try to make the best choices you can with food, and you may find you can make it through a tough time without being more sore or out of shape than when you started! In fact, you may be pleasantly surprised to find out you maintained or even lost through sneaking in moves, with full fiber muscle activation and leverage isometrics! Or maybe even look and feel better!

Until next week–Happy Tappin’!

~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`

Here is Michelle’s thread on the forums if you want to read all her tips.

And here is Debbie Davdison’s testimony how just doing Hoedowns several times a day during her mom’s hospitalization helped her lose inches from her hips!

Tags: fitting in moves, T-Tapp, t-tapping through a crisis
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Workout Wednesday–Double Dog Dare Ya!

Wednesday, August 3rd, 2011

My day got rearranged–again!

I found out I needed to get a video done for my training, and that wasn’t on my agenda for today. But I got it done! Then I did the same workout with a friend a few hours later!

I wouldn’t recommend that as a general rule! My thighs were sure “talking” to me! HaHa!

So what’s my dare?

Video yourself doing Basic Workout Plus or MORE! or even TWO!

I am learning so much through the process of becoming a trainer. After the initial “getting to know T-Tapp” stage (which can be a few months or even longer), you can always “bump” things up a notch by attention to form.

I attended a clinic 6 months after starting T-Tapp and I believe it really helped me pay more attention to some facets of form. Oh, you won’t be able to apply it all! But little by little it “clicks”.

By paying extra attention to my form through videos, I take that to my workouts, where it’s translated into more toning and shaping. I have lost all my back fat, br*a pudge as well as my underarm pudge–my underarms look almost as toned as they did in my 20s! Not that that was my goal, but I will say I was pretty impressed as they’ve been very pudgy for nearly 20 years!

Many trainers offer video review for those of you who don’t live near a trainer to get a one on one session. Both have their good points! A video review gives you something to go over and over, plus you get the trainer’s critique in “writing” to go over as well. But a one on one session (or even 3 on 1 or a clinic) gives you some immediate feedback. Plus, if you don’t understand something, the trainer can try explaining or showing you a different way.

If you can’t afford either one, you can video yourself and critique it! No, it won’t be detailed and you might not know how to correct some things, but you sure can see if your arms aren’t really straight when you think they are, or your “ribs up” isn’t very “up”, or your standing leg just straightened on Hoedowns!

If you see something and you’re not sure how to correct it, you can always go to the forums to ask questions or search to see if someone else asked the same question. Everyone there is very helpful, and can point you to a thread, or maybe even one of the trainers will pop in and give you advice.

You can also go to a mirror after viewing your video, and get those arms up behind the ears, straight, no cheerleader arms (which I am very bad about!), and see it correctly, then feel it–because away from the mirror you need to know how it feels to get into a flat back, or get those arms behind the ears, etc. This really helped me with Plies, where I tend to pitch the shoulders forward and inactivate the lats by dropping the ribs. I found I didn’t need to go up and down so far with my lower body to be able to keep my core curled and my shoulders back!

Of course, “the laborer is worthy of her hire”, and if you can swing a video session or private session with a trainer, I’d go for it! But if you can’t, or maybe you’re saving up for it, in the meantime…

I double dog dare ya to video yourself!

‘Cause if you do–it will be a win-win situation! You can only win by watching yourself and seeing where you need improvement. But do take just one thing at a time–we can be too critical sometimes! Just like any other habits you try to instill into your life, changing form by retraining muscles (which like to go the path of least resistance) takes time and perseverance.

So, who will take my challenge?!

Leave me a comment if you will video yourself within the next two weeks and watch it to critique yourself. And when you do, please share with me what you discovered!

And if I can be any help, just ask!

( A note–I am having trouble with my e-mails, so if you e-mail me and I don’t respond within a week or two, please try again. I’m hoping to get it resolved by this weekend!)

Tags: form, T-Tapp, video critique
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T-Tapp Tuesday–Workout Wear

Tuesday, July 26th, 2011

Before I go into today’s post, could I ask for prayer? My husband’s step-mom, JoAnn, is very, very near Heaven right now. We went to see her but I’m not sure if she was aware of us—she can’t respond. We know where she is going and will have a joyous reunion someday, but it’s always hard letting go. Please pray for her passing to be peaceful.

Thank you!

~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`

Ah, what to wear to work out!

I started out in my nightgown–that didn’t work out really well. I kept getting caught up in it!

So I went to Goodwill and bought some pull on shorts and a tank top. I worked out in my living room and pretty much banned the children–mainly because they liked to come ask me questions during balance moves and I didn’t want to fall on them! :p

After awhile I lost enough that those shorts were too loose, so I bought some stretchy shorts and nicer tank tops through Blair. I don’t normally like to wear tank tops, but I would get nearly overheated in t-shirts. I bought a very lightweight short sleeve shirt to wear over the tank for a little more coverage without making my temperature soar!

Then I found moisture wicking workout wear! Ahhhh! I bought some pants and one top from Lands End. They don’t make the style of top I bought anymore, unfortunately. It was a V-neck, but it didn’t fall away from your body, and it wasn’t terribly snug, yet it fit enough that at a clinic the trainer could see if I was curling my core or not.

I know some ladies have exercised in their skirts or loose fitting culottes, and that’s great! But I will say, as a trainer-in-training, if you go to a clinic, have a private session or do a video review, it is important for trainers to be able to see your knees, that they are adequately bent, and that your core is curled (that your lower back is flattened as much as you can). If your clothes are too loosely fitting, that can be hard to tell. It’s the same for you watching yourself in a mirror.

For teaching, I bought a pair of looser fitting pants at Target (but they are not moisture-wicking–:( ) and I wear my black T-Tapp t-shirt. Although not moisture wicking, the t-shirt must be just the right thickness or fabric or something!

Target also has a pretty decent selection of tops, too (usually!).

Sometimes at Kohl’s they have some decent choices and often have sales or coupons that can help with the cost!

I have a friend who wore stretch pants and a t-shirt with a short jumper over it. Not long enough to cause her to get hung up in it, but still covered pretty well. The only thing is it was a bit harder for me to make sure she was curling her core. I’ve told my friends that come to my classes, they can wear looser fitting workout clothing–as long as they don’t mind me touching them to make sure their form is okay! LOL!

Some ladies like yoga pants, others just stretch pants. Wal-Mart carries some Danskin workout wear, although you’re at the mercy of their stock as to style, color and sizes! I do have a few shirts I bought there and they’re okay–not my favorites, but they’ll do when my others are dirty.

Under Armour also has some higher necked tops–the price is a bit higher, but sometimes a local sports shop will carry their clothing and you can catch sales or clearances. (Be aware that the homepage has all kinds of workout gear, including sports br*s. The link I posted will take you directly to the tops page.)

I recently found Hydrochic, which is sun-protective water sportswear, but most of their tops are very modest. They are also pricey! But if you only wear one for working out, or use it just for when you’re with a class or clinic, it will most likely last a long time. I might try to combine some patterns to make something similar.

I’m kind of partial to this one: Piper Short Sleeve Swim Shirt

They even have plus sizes

I’ve not actually ordered any of their products yet, but actually thought they were some of the nicest things I’ve found for more coverage.

(Again, the homepage has pics of their mastectomy sports br*s on models, just so you know. The link above is to their tops.)

Of course, if cotton t-shirts or tank tops aren’t too hot for you, you can get them at a local thrift or GoodWill store!

Basically just make sure whatever you wear won’t overheat you, will move with you, and won’t get you hung up spending time getting things untwisted or out of the way, or anything that will restrict you–especially on moves like Plies and Lunges!

The bottom line is wear something that makes you feel like it’s your “workout wear” whatever you choose. A nightgown or pajamas can sometimes be counterproductive! It doesn’t have to be expensive or name brand, but wearing something more “official” helps you get a little more serious about it. When it’s not something you’d just lounge around in, well, just like getting dressed in the morning vs. staying in your pj’s all day, it gives you a different perspective!

And please make sure your husband is happy with what you are wearing. I don’t have a laptop with a working dvd player, so doing the workouts in my room is not an option. I make sure my husband is okay with what I’m wearing out in the living room around the children. Same thing when I got to go to Safety Harbor–I did a “fashion show” for him and he picked what he was okay with. And that is my goal–to please him!

Here is a KwikSew pattern I found that is somewhat like the Hydrochic tops.

Now for footwear–I can’t recommend the Skechers highly enough! You need a good cross-trainer, with a good platform and a wide toebox–you should be able to flex your toes inside the shoes. Common error is to “grip” your toes inside your shoes–that will cause pain AND inflammation, which is not what we want!

Here are the ones I use (and if you sign up for Shoebuy’s specials, you can get $10 off or 20% from time to time, and it’s always free shipping both ways!).

I use my shoes only for T-Tapp, and they last at least a year. A lot depends on you and how often you wear them. I recently bought a new pair but apparently have lost enough in my feet that now they are a bit sloppy! So I may need to buy the next size down next time!

I hope that gives you some ideas and places to look for workout wear. If you have any questions, please let me know!

Until next week–keep on Tappin’!

Tags: hydrochic, prayer for mom, T-Tapp, under armour, workout wear
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T-Tapp Tuesday–T-Tapp Is a Journey

Tuesday, July 19th, 2011

Between 4-H fair preparation, computer issues, and then just plain 4-H fair madness–it’s been a crazy few weeks!

But now I hope to get back to regular blogging–both for T-Tapp Tuesdays and for Fabulous Family Fridays. And maybe even a few more in between!

I had posted the following on the T-Tapp forums three or four weeks ago, and I thought it might encourage some of you (who don’t frequent the forums).

Next Tuesday I’ll have a post about workout wear. And Friday–the importance of music in your homeschool!

Editing to add–just found out Deep Discount Tuesday today (July 19) is Hit the Floor at 40% off!!! Here is the discount code: DDT071911

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Last fall, my family went on what turned out to be a 5,200 mile trip “out East”. That included going from Niagara Falls out to Boston and CT and all the way to Florida and back through the Smokey Mountains! (And many places in between!)

We planned. We figured. We refigured. We threw some things out. We added some things in. We refigured. We packed. We fixed some things on the van. We repacked. We fixed some food and snacks to take on the first “leg” of the trip. We bought needed jackets and shoes. We repacked (are you noticing a pattern here?! LOL!)

We even talked to others to see how long they allowed for such a trip.

Finally the big day arrived! We had prepared and now we were ready to go!

Do you think the trip went EXACTLY as planned with NO glitches?! No! It was an adventure! You might plan to stop at such and such time for a hotel, until you find out there are none to be found within a 20 mile radius when you’re ready to stop!

You might plan to stop at the next exit for food…until you find the next exit has only gas stations.

You might plan to wait until you get to this point to have everyone use the restroom, until you hear a voice in back say, “I have to go potty REAL BAD!”

You might have NOT planned to see the Statue of Liberty, because you didn’t want to go anywhere near New York City. But it was practically on the way so you did (and hyperventilated when you realized you were headed down the west side of Manhattan! ).

You might have planned to get to one friend’s house by 10 pm, but instead showed up at 12:30 a.m. (bless them for waiting up for us and taking us anyway!)

You might have planned to see Jamestown, but realized you just didn’t have enough time to do it justice, so you had to cross it off the list.

You might not have planned to go to Florida, or just barely dip down there from Georgia so the kids could say they’d been there, but then you find out you can go to the Safety Harbor Retreat, so your family decides to go visit a cousin in Ft. Myers (and have a blast while they’re there!).

You might decide the trip can only be 16 days max, but because the whole point was to make memories as a family….well, what’s another 4 days?!

Thankfully we didn’t have any van breakdowns, although our “check engine” light came on several times during the trip, giving us something to be concerned about! (The fuel pump did go out—but not on the trip! Whew!)

So what does this have to do with T-Tapp?! (Other than going to the Retreat!)

T-Tapp is a journey, too. We make preparations. We buy the dvds. We read all we can in the book and on the forums.

We get some workout gear together. We decide when and where we’re going to work out.

We have goals. We might refine the goals. We even talk to others to see how long they took for the journey.

Then we start! We’re off on our journey!

But what’s this? A detour?! So soon? Ah, life happens. We do what we can, planning to get back to it after this crisis is over.

Back at it. Refine the goals again. Doing great, seeing some progress!

You weren’t planning on thinking about your eating at all. But since it’s “on the way”, you decide to make a few changes–and even though you hyperventilated a bit about it, you feel better!

All is going along great! You’re really enjoying the “scenery” you’re starting to see!

But wait! What’s with the “check engine” light?! Well, you’ll keep an eye on it, but you go on.

Then progress seems to be a bit slower. You worry just a bit about that light. Things seem to come to a standstill and you’re worried you’ll never get to your destination.

Now you find out why the engine light was on (adrenal fatigue, PCOS, insulin resistance, fibromyalgia, hypothyroid). Time to refine those goals, again. Sigh. (Are you noticing a pattern here?!)

You rethink your workouts and now your focus is more on health. You still would like to get to your destination, but right now getting that engine working better is the most important thing to do.

Things start going better and you get a bonus you hadn’t expected–maybe you lost a size or your energy returned. Maybe you got a compliment on your youthful appearance that you hadn’t really noticed in your focus on health!

Pretty soon you’re on your way again! You don’t know when you’ll reach your destination, but now, you really don’t care! It’s an adventure, and you’re anxious to see what waits around the next bend!

Unlike a family trip “out East”, the T-Tapp journey doesn’t have to end–even when you reach your destination.

Because then it’s fun to help others on their journey, as you continue to enjoy yours!

Remember, just like a family trip that it’s wise to plan for, but be flexible with, so is our journey with T-Tapp. It’s wise to plan, but we need to be flexible with it so we can enjoy the journey as best we can and soon we find out…

The journey is as important (if not more so) than the destination!

Enjoy the journey!

Tags: journey, T-Tapp
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Deep Discount Tuesday!

Tuesday, June 21st, 2011

I’ll be posting later about workout wear, but wanted to get this out earlier in the day!

Today’s Deep Discount Tuesday at T-Tapp is 30% off ALL nutritional products, dvds and skin care! (Discount doesn’t apply to books, apparel, magazines, closeouts, TappClub specials, seminars, downloads, insurance, or events.)

At checkout, use the coupon code DDT062111

Happy Shopping!

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Giveaway Winner!

Saturday, June 18th, 2011

Another long day, but Cassia now has her own Z-pack! (Zithromax) I think she was jealous and wanted to be like Susannah…. I call them the Z-pack Twins now!

The winner of the alfalfa giveaway is….

CINDY!

You can send me your address at tinklingbells (at) medt (dot) com and I will try to get that out this week!

Gena–I haven’t forgotten about you! Someone forgot to buy more padded mailers at the store last week…. (yeah, that would be me! ) I will try to get yours out Monday!

Thank you all so much for being patient with me–hopefully next week will be better, on time, and yes, there is ONE more giveaway! So do check back Tuesday!

Happy Tappin’!

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“T-Tapp Tuesday?”

Wednesday, June 15th, 2011

Sorry to be late…it will actually be later today when I post Workout Wednesday!

It’s been a rough few days.

Sunday we visited my step-mother-in-law. She has AML (acute myeloid leukemia) and isn’t doing well. In fact now they found she has infection both in her bowels and her heart. She is saved, but please pray for her to have peace and for the doctors to have wisdom.

Then Monday, I ended up taking Susannah to the doctor, since she had been sick since Friday night and it wasn’t getting any better. Turned out she was dehydrated! So we spent all afternoon at the hospital getting IV fluids.

And then today…..just as I started teaching my first student (today is the last day of music lessons for the summer!) Jessica comes in the living room to tell me Bekah hurt her food badly. I’m thinking broken bones! But instead I find out she stepped on a nail in the barn–yeah, rusty, dirty, and no, she’s not supposed to be barefoot in the barn! It went in about an inch, Dallas said. OUCH!

So today has been turned topsy turvy, too!

We’d appreciate prayers for healing, for wisdom, for my SANITY! and for some “dull moments” to come!

Hopefully I will be posting later today about workout gear–Lord willin’ an’ the creek don’t rise! :p

Posted in Life Happens!, T Tapp | 3 Comments »

A Gracefull Place