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T-Tapp Tuesday–Of Weeds and Exercise

What do weeds and exercise have in common?

 

Lately my husband and I have been reading some of Eliot Coleman’s books, and this was from “Four Season Harvest”:

Weeds probably discourage more potential gardeners than any

other single problem. “Oh, the garden was overgrown

with weeds and we finally gave up” is so common a statement that it

is almost considered a normal reaction. It doesn’t need to be that

way. Have you ever heard anyone say, “Oh, the living room finally

got so dirty that we just stopped using it”?  We don’t stop

enjoying the living room because of dust. We simply vacuum or

sweep every so often to keep the room clean. The same applies

in the garden.  Furthermore, just as dirt in the living room can

be minimized  by placing a mat outside the front door or asking

the people to remove their shoes before entering the house,

weeds in the garden can be prevented in a number of ways. All of

them make less work for the gardener.

 

How many times have you “let exercise go” or “let the new eating plan go” because you messed up or life happened?

 

I was part of a small challenge among some friends.  We’re all on an e-mail list together, homeschooling mamas who’ve known each other a long time.   Most of us had major things come up last month that kept us from “finishing” as well as we had hoped.  One had a major move and all that entailed.  Another had an unplanned surgery.  Yet another has major stress with what her husband is going through in his job right now.  I felt my adrenals weren’t quite up to snuff the second half of the month, so I had to back off.

 

Should we just throw in the towel and quit?  Let the “weeds” take over?

 

NO!

 

I think the biggest area we have to really watch those weeds is in our thoughts!

 

When life hits, don’t say “Well, I blew it again!  Might as well wait until next week/month to start!”

 

The way to overcome and make “lemonade” when life throws lemons at you is to say, “This month isn’t going as I planned, but I can do something! I can at least do 3 moves throughout the day and brush.”

 

Or “I might not get a whole workout in 3 days a week, but if I can get one in plus a few moves on the other days, I’ve accomplished something!”

 

As the old adage goes, “Something is better than nothing!”

 

It’s often good to have a back-up plan.  The past few weeks I got a modified PBS in (MORE style) and Organs in Place (OIP) some nights before bed.   Although I would have liked to do more moves on the days I didn’t teach classes, that was all I could handle.   As I’ve shared before, in preparing for my trainer certifications, I will mentally go through a move as if I’m teaching it, and I also have been reading Fit and Fabulous in Fifteen Minutes one move at a time, so I am still “working on it” even if I can’t actually do a move every day!

 

As in the “battle of the weeds”, nipping things early  helps.  Or Eliot Coleman’s example of a mat at the front door to help with dirt in the living room.

 

We can do the same with our mindset about T-Tapp:  what can you do to nip the “negative thoughts” in the bud?   What can you do to defray the temptation to just give in and do nothing because you couldn’t do everything you had planned?

 

Before I started training to be a trainer, MORE was my “go-to” workout. When I was in a funk and couldn’t decide–it was already decided for me!  If I was still balking due to a late night the night before, or because the day was getting away from me, I would tell myself, “You can do MORE Chair.  It’s only 10 minutes!”

 

At least I did something!

 

Think through your “contingency plan” and what are the bare bones basics you will do no matter what. For me it’s brushing (I take Sundays off), PBS in the morning and OIP before bed.   I also try to get in the Mitten Chop Box, but I don’t stress about it.  PBS is easy to remember because it helps me wake up and stretch out the nighttime kinks.  OIP is fairly easy to do before bed without too much thought–although there have been nights I was so dog-tired I just fell into bed! ;)

 

And lest you despair that just doing a few moves won’t yield any results…here again is Debbie Davidson’s powerful testimony of “just” doing a few Hoedowns throughout a stressful time in her life!

 

Share your thoughts in the comments–do you have a “go-to” plan?   A set of basics that get done no matter what?

 

I’d love to hear from you–and I’m sure others would benefit from it, too!

 

 

Be sure to stay tuned–I am hoping to have the “surprise” I mentioned a few weeks ago ready for next T-Tapp Tuesday!  :D

 

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2 Responses to “T-Tapp Tuesday–Of Weeds and Exercise”

  1. ~Mrs. R says:

    Hello!
    I found your blog from the T-Tapp forum. It is SO nice to have a modestly dressed T-Tapp success story to share on my own blog!

    Thank you for your encouragement. I NEEDED it today. I started T-Tapping & watching what I ate 11 weeks ago. I have been sporadic at best with my T-Tapping. Then we had company the last 2 weeks of September (very stressful with my step-Dad’s strokes & cancer problems), and I was planning on starting again once all the dust settled. Here is sit and I haven’t started!

    So I am going to submit this comment and go T-Tapp!

    I have not really taken any weight off, but have reduced a total of 7 inches when I measured last, about 4 weeks ago. Time for me to get more serious about my health!
    Blessings, ~Mrs. R

    • Trisch says:

      Welcome, Mrs. R! (I also am a Mrs. R! LOL!)

      Glad you were encouraged–that’s my goal! Yes, it is hard to stay consistent at anything when life happens. I sure know about that! I’m so sorry about your step-dad’s health issues. That is so hard–my own father had a neuro-degenerative disease that eventually took his life.

      I didn’t lose a lot of weight with T-Tapp–in fact, the first 4+ years, only 30 lbs.!

      One of the things that makes T-Tapp the “cream of the crop” of exercise–no, two things are:

      1. It gets more done in less time! (that comprehensive compound muscle engagement really boosts the fat-burning!)
      2. It is doable with real-life–I don’t have to work out 2 hours a day or even work out every single day to get any results!

      True, the results may come a bit slower, but doable, slow and staying off is preferable to me than lose fast out of the chute, burn out, and it all creeps back on! :p

      Thank you for commenting! And if I can help you any on your T-Tapp journey, feel free to contact me!

      HUGS!

      ~Trisch

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