Turbulence Training
Transformation Contest 2010...

Abby Drops 6.4 Pounds, 2.6% Body Fat, and 2.25 Inches from Her Belly Using Meathead" TT Workouts!

I joined the first ever TT Transformation Contest on December 31, 2007, not nowing what to expect. Since then, I have joined 7 of the 9 contests. When I first joined, I had no idea that I would find such a source of inspiration, motivation, and workout variety. I keep coming back for the amazing support, camaraderie, accountability, and oh yeah, the TT workouts!

Workouts
"Arise, and be, all that you dreamed, all that you dreamed" ~ Arise, by Flyleaf.

I began my contest thread on Day 1 with this lyric and kind of took it as my anthem for the contest. I wanted to push myself, and see what I could accomplish. With this in mind, I chose 3 workouts that I thought would be
challenging.

Workouts used were:
TT for Meatheads V
TT for Jacked & Lean Meatheads
Resistance Evil: Afterburn TT

All were unique in their own way. Meatheads V was a great "meathead" workout with added fat loss intervals, Jacked & Lean had all those kettlebell swings (!), and Resistance Evil was challenging (and evil), but fun!

I included at least an hour each week of stretching/yoga. I found that it helped me to dramatically increase my flexibility and it helped with my TT workout recovery. I also included a small amount of running, some of which was training with my 6 year old son who ran his very first 5K race (very proud of him!)

Nutrition
"If all else fails, start by eating an extra apple and extra serving of vegetables today." ~ Advice given by Craig Ballantyne in the Nutrition Forum

I printed that simple, straightforward advice and taped it to my computer monitor. I really tried to keep my nutrition simple and straightforward. My kids and I sat down and made a long list of all the healthy foods we liked to eat - they had a great time telling me all their favorite fruits and vegetables. When I was menu planning, I could just choose items from the list.

I felt great during the 12 weeks - just a few "stressed eating" incidences, but stress is part of life. No one will have a stress-free 12 weeks. Things are going to happen and learning to deal with them is part of the challenge. Overall nutrition-wise, I feel like this was one of my best contests. I tried lots of new foods, and even convinced my husband to try a few things. My son already loves to try new foods, and my daughter is learning to try - she recently discovered that she likes green beans!

Results
I lost a total of 6.4 lbs, 2.6% body fat, and 2.25 inches from my abdomen. I made my goal weight range, and my goal of eating vegetarian at least 2 full days per week.

Even after writing so many TT Contest essays I still have trouble conveying how thankful I am for TT and how it has helped me to achieve a healthier lifestyle. My family and I will reap the benefits of this lifestyle change for years to come. Thank you to Craig and everyone in the TT family!

Final Stats (11/28/10)
Age: "under 40"
Height: 5' 7.75"
Weight: 139.4 lbs (-6.4 lbs)
BF%: 18.7% (-2.6%)
Chest: 32.5 in (-1.25 in)
Waist: 27.5 in (-1.5 in)
Abdomen/Navel: 29.75 in (-2.25 in)
Hips: 35 in (-1 in)

Abby