Hi my name is Joyce. I am 34 years old and a self-confessed junk food addict; a serial dieter; and a fitness poser. As a kid, I was never active and ate a lot of bad food. Even though I was not extremely overweight, I always had a fat belly. I was 18 when I knew that I needed to change my lifestyle so I joined a local gym.
I enjoyed weight training but not cardio. Like most people, I hated it with a passion but still went on the stationary bike because everybody was doing it. I tried different diets with temporary success. At one point, I got frustrated and blamed my parents for my bad genes and eating habits
Until a few months ago I had an eye opener to reassess my lifestyle, my 36-year old brother was rushed to the hospital for chest pains. He had a minor heart attack and had two metal stents placed in his arteries. He also found out he was diabetic
This prompted me to do some online research and stumbled upon Craig’s website, TT for Fat Loss.com. His no B.S. approach towards losing fat, gaining muscle and a practical nutrition were exactly what I needed to meet my health and fitness goals.
I set two goals for myself. First is a short term goal: To finish the 12-week body transformation contest and lose 15 pounds of FAT. While my long term goal is to eat clean, stay fit, and lose belly fat permanently. I knew that in order to make this work, I will need dedication. I told myself that I need to make this happen like my life literally depends on it: "NO MORE EXCUSES." I had to rewire my brain and constantly remind myself that I’m doing a lifestyle change and not a quick-fix diet. Before Turbulence Training, I was working out for 3-5 days for 1-2 hours with no results
Now, I love the fact that I can go to the gym on my lunch break and get a full fat-burning workout in 45 minutes. Also, no more long and boring cardio! I followed Turbulence Training for Abs on the 1st month; TT Hot Dudes and Buff Chicks on the second, and TT 2K12 The End on the third.
For nutrition, I followed Craig’s Simple Nutrition Plan for Fat Loss. I kept a weekly journal on my weight and measurements. Downloaded the free app "Lose It" on my iPhone to log my food intake. I removed almost all processed foods, junk foods, and fast food on my diet. I ate 4-6 small meals of whole grains (brown rice, quinoa), healthy fats (raw nuts, flax seeds), veggies (sweet potatoes, broccoli, squash, lentils), and fish/lean meats (eggs, chicken breast, ground turkey)
To control my cravings, I reward myself a cheat meal once a week which means a couple of pizza slices or steak and a dessert for dinner. I also incorporated Intermittent Fasting once a week for the first 8 weeks. Then, I eliminated deep-fried foods, refined sugar, sodium and alcohol. For the last four weeks I followed some of Isabel de los Rio’s abdominal nutritional guidelines
To keep a clean-eating lifestyle, consistency is KEY. Therefore, I take a few hours to plan, shop and prepare my meals in bulk for the week. I supplemented with natural whey protein powder, multivitamins, Vitamin C and D, fish oil, green tea, and 3-4 liters of water.
For motivation, it is vital to stress the importance of a reliable support network. It’s good to know that you are not alone in this amazing journey. Luckily, I have the support and understanding of my partner. As well as the TT members forum. Whenever I need a pick me up to keep me going on a bad day, I know I have the right people and resources right in my fingertips.
Turbulence Training has been a life-altering journey and has given me a new perspective in life. I never thought that in my 15 years of struggling with diet and exercise that I can reach my goal in such a short amount of time. Nevertheless, this is only the start of a new beginning and I have a long way to go. To stay focused on my long term goals, I need to apply everything I learned from the past 12 weeks. I'm very grateful to Craig for creating Turbulence Training and making a difference in my life.
Here are my measurements from the past 12 weeks:
January 2, 2012
- Height: 5’1
- Weight: 119.5 lbs.
- Waist: 34.5"
-Hips: 36"
- Chest: 33.5"
Feb 22, 2012
- Height: 5'1
- Weight: 106.5 lbs.
- Waist: 30.5"
- Hips: 32.6"
- Chest: 31.2"
April 5, 2012
- Height: 5’1
- Weight: 101 lbs.
- Waist: 28” (6.5" lost in total)
- Hips: 31"
- Chest: 30"
Body Fat Measurements (Defender Fat Calliper)
- Feb 1: 24%
- Mar 11: 18.2%
- Apr 5: 16.5%
