I am 37 with a 9, 7, 4, 1 year old.  I’m very encouraged that Reviewer has rock hard abs now!  Congrats to you!  That so motivates me more.  I bought Lotte Berk DVD’s (I think they’re the instructors from Physique 57) that Kelly Rippa promoted.  How’d you like that class?  Kelly was actually in your class?  Is she as small as she appears on TV?  How long was the class?  I wonder if an hour a day can be enough vs TA saying 2 hours 6 days/week.  Has anyone accomplished that?    What is this Bar Method?  Is that Fluidity Fitness?

Mom- yes, Kelly was in my class and I even chatted with her!!!  I wanted to tell her she was the reason why I was in the class- I had never heard about that studio until I read Shape!  But I held back.  Her trainer taught the class.  It was a lot of fun.  Very similar to what I remember about Lotte Berk.  The Bar Method is also similar.  It’s hard to explain the moves.  You use really small movements but they burn. Sort of like TA.    You use a ballet bar to do certain moves.  I know my explanation sucks- I’m sorry!

Physique 57 classes are 57 minutes long.  The Bar Method is one hour.  The Bar Method also has dvds but I have never seen/done them.

Kelly was very teeny, tiny but buff.  Her arms were killer.  She was absolutely gorgeous, she basically had come straight to the class after her show.  It seemed that she was also going to stay for the next class too!!!

I have to admit that I’m already at my ideal weight although I would be content with losing a couple of pounds  My main goal is to lean out.  My abs are cut as well, my husband likes to say I have a 6 pack but not quite.  I have been working out on and off for years and was able to lose my baby weight very quickly.  I was very lucky!!

Hey it’s been quiet so it was nice to read all the new posts.  Someone said something ever seeing Gwyneth fat.  Here’s a before after pic I found online right after I started researching about TA after I watched Oprah.  I don’t think she’s fat at all in the ”before” shot but you can see a difference…
http://img.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2007/06_01/boogieDM0306_468×850.jpg

Spanish, wow you met Kelly?  She does look so very tiny on tv!  tho her arms are a little buffer than I’d like mine to look… 
THanks Reviewer for telling us about your stomach.  Great motivation.  I haven’t had a flat stomach in about ten years!  I really hope I get the results you have had.  I need to go back and read how frequently you have been working out..

Mom, yes, she looked like she worked out intensely.  I noticed she picked up heavier weights. I don’t remember what weight they were.  I chatted with her about that, since they advised me to use 2-3 pound weights and I can lift a lot heavier.  She told me to definitely listen to them b/c it kills.  

I know what you mean about the Mat workout.  I don’t feel sore at all either afterwards.  I went to The Bar Method today.  That class is a killer.  It is so addicting.  This is the link: http://www.barmethod.com.

I rented one of their old (2003) dvds on netflix: Designer Sculpting.  It’s very similar to the actual workout in the studio.  Their philosophy is “to produce a streamlined and graceful silhouette.  With a focus on elongating major muscle groups….”  They are releasing new dvds today. I will probably buy them- 2 for $30.  I’m not happy with the music on the older dvd.  In class, you work out to current music, like Madonna and Kyane West.  The class is awesome!  One (or maybe both, I’m not sure) of the founders/teachers in the studio that I go to is in the new dvds.  

I have never done fluidity fitness.  What is that like?  It seems like there are a lot of these ballet type workouts available.  I bet it’s just a matter of finding one that you like.

Tanya taught the class that I attended.  She is also Kelly’s trainer.  The article in Shape magazine said that Kelly also does spinning and running.  
I also heard that that issue of Shape was their best selling issue!  I later saw her on the show talking about it and she told Regis that they do a lot of airbrushing.  Her abs look sick after having 3 kids!  I did not see her stomach but her arms were so cut and buff.  I was drooling.  

reviewer, that’s funny cuz I also got asked if I worked for TA when I told people on video fitness forum how much I loved DAnce Aerobics.  Oh well… 

I also absolutely love Fluidity!  If you look around the BM website, there are moves there that you can only do with the bar and Fluidity includes those in their workout…such as flat back and the pullup and also pushing up on the bar during the pretzel…I love my bar and feel it is worth more than I paid

I don’t have a chance to look back at all posts but is everyone on here doing her dance dvd every day or at least 4 times a week?  If not, what form of cardio are you choosing?  I thought Reviewer you were not doing her dance but I could be wrong.  I just finished it and it kicks my butt every time!!!  ;)  I’ll have to check out videofitness.  Never heard of it.  I wanted to buy Fluidity but the price of it has stopped me as well as where would I store it.  How long are the workouts?  Do you alternate TA with that workinprogress?    Man, everyone on here already seems to be in great shape!  Getting me intimidated.  :) 

ps I am trying to do the dance aerobics 6 days a week, even if it is only 10-15 mins.  I read the editor of self wrote recently that she added just 10 minutes of aerobics to her regular routine and a healthy breakfast and she lost some weight so that’s how I’m looking at it.  dont’ think i will ever be able to do 2 hrs daily tho

I have TA’s first DVD.  If you do not like her new dance cardio, then you may not like her 1st since it’s the same concepts.  BUT her 1st one has back-up dancers and I think there are less combos.  I haven’t actually done the routine since I’m still trying to get the new one down.  I got it b/c I have to workout at home and wanted variety when i and if I master her new dance cardio.  If that makes sense.  Her dvd’s are pricey.  What props do you need for the bar method dvds?  Now I’m thinking on the fluidity again.  How does that compare to TA mat routine?

Mom, I actually have not done any of the Bar dvds.  Today I watched one of the old ones but I wasn’t paying much attention.  On this dvd, a couple of them used a bar but one used a chair.  It’s somewhat similar to the TA Mat but the Mat is much more dancey and flowy.   

Reviewer, I’m curious to hear about your new invention- lol!

I am headed to the gym tomorrow.  I’m taking a new class called “Flow Motion”.  It’s described as a muscle definition class with yoga and pilates moves.  I wonder how similar it will be to The Bar Method and TA Mat.

Mom, Yes, I have done various types of Yoga on and off for the past decade.  I also do Pilates on occassion.  Pilates definitely helped me with my flat abs.  However, genetically, I don’t tend to gain weight on my abs.  I gain weight on my butt and thighs…. and I also have underarm pit fat!  That has been driving me CRAZY!!  My arms are getting more toned but I still have a bit of fat that pops out- do you ladies know what I’m talking about???

The other day in the Bar Method class, I was looking at this one woman who seemed to have a very similar shape to mine and she also had that fat!  It was weird.  She was very toned but had that also.

I bet plies work the thighs.

It’s hard for me to say what works best since I am constantly changing what I do!  I know when I did Ashtanga Yoga consistently, my arms were very defined.  Pilates helps with your core/abs.  When my 2nd dd was 4 months old, I went back to Pilates.  My first day, I chatted with the other woman and explained I had 2 girls, including a 4 month old. One woman asked me if I had actually given birth to her since I had flat abs!  I honestly didn’t do any exercise during the pregnancy besides run after my 2 year old.

My good friend is a Pilates instructor- she has that long, lean look.  She’s tall and thin!  Duh.  I feel like- say you are long and lean naturally, you may be drawn or encouraged to pursue dance or Pilates or whatever.   Does that make any sense?  So, I often wonder- what came first- genetically they have this body type and then they pursued dance/fitness, etc..  Or did they begin to exercise and then developed those long, lean looks.

I’m Latina and I have thighs and a nice, round butt.  I have never done anything to get that booty.  I was born with it!

Anyway, sorry this is so long, but I think about this topic often.  I have been chasing that “I want a long, lean body” for so long….but is it even possible, according to my body type.  TA says she can change any woman’s body but again- where are the before and afters???  I’m going to continue doing the Mat workout (and Bar Method, Yoga, Pilates, etc…) because I like and enjoy these workouts but I don’t know if they will create that look that I want.  I’m trying to accept and appreciate my body while still enjoying working out.  

I recently started a blog and have been talking about this- being happy with what you have.  I’m not saying to be complacent but more like appreciating what you have and working with it instead of fighting it.

spanishcurls, I think I know what you are referring to with the underarm fat and I have that too..not too bad. 

Fluidity focuses a lot of the back of the body which they claim most other exercises tend to not work on.  THey have you do the backward pull up on the bar which I love (if this doesn’t make sense to you, if you go to the website, I believe the model on the video demonstrates this.)  I think this really did help me out that area.  I have seen them on the biggest loser do that on the treadmill so I believe it can be done there as well but have never tried it.  hope this helps.

the only thing I will warn about with BM and fluidity workouts…when you are doing the up-on-your-toes squat, someone recently told me to make sure you are engaging your glutes.  I wasn’t doing that and the front part of my thigh got a little overdeveloped(bulging) and it scared me a little bit.  I haven’t done a BM or fluidity WO since 11/25 and that bulge looks like it is going away.  pheww… 

momof4, I can break down for you exactly the workout of fluidity if you are ever interested.  I believe there is also a pretty good review over at the video fitness.com review section. 
ps… my hubby just said to me tonight, wow your face, neck, arms, legs all look thiner!  I took all my measurements before I started the TA workouts, so I am excited to see if there will be a difference.  I think I will wait until day 10…  again, I didn’t do any cardio really before so this could be a big part of it.  I swear, I think you are burning 100 calories for every couple of minutes on the dance dvd….it is so freaking intense.  The longest I have gone is 25 minutes on it and I felt sick afterwards! 

sorry this got long too… hope you all have a great weekend

Workinprogress- that’s weird, I didn’t see your previous post.  Thanks for the GP pictures.  Do you have any idea when the “before” one was taken?  It could very well have been shortly after she gave birth to one of her kids.  I don’t mean to come across as cynical but I worked in advertising and I know how things can be distorted.  

Anyway, last night as I was getting ready for bed, I decided to check out my body- lol!!  Shockingly enough, my underarm fat is going away!???!?!?  I can’t attribute it to any one specific workout but it’s probably that I’m very active in general.  However, I have been going to The Bar Method around 3-4x a week.  My membership is coming to an end in 2 weeks- I already scheduled 7 classes in those 2 weeks.  

I was talking about my body with my husband last night.  I asked him if he thought I looked any leaner.   He said he think so! (But then again, what is he going to say, right??  No, he is very honest with me usually anyway).  But he also said I will never have that dancer’s look, that my body is muscular.   He’s no expert but yeah, my body is more built like a gymnast than a ballerina.  

And yes, I met Kelly Ripa and also chatted with her a bit.  She was gorgeous and so nice.  The entire class seemed to be filled with model/actress types.  For ex, a woman approached Kelly and said she was now on Guiding Light.  I don’t watch any soaps so I didn’t recognize her.  Physique 57 was very, very similar to The Bar Method.  There are a bunch of the same routines with different names.  

Here’s the link for that article with the HS pics of tracy…
http://books.google.com/books?id=Vx0DAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA103&lpg=PA103&dq=%22eric+anderson%22+%22tracy+anderson%22&source=bl&ots=yeQK2d1IAt&sig=jtYIVjGZdGQ5hg35vCz68CGcBHU&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=10&ct=result#PPA104,M1

Workinprogress, yes, I agree, it’s so important to find a workout that you enjoy.  If it ain’t fun, then why do it??  Life is too short!  I am constantly trying new things and classes at the gym, so I never get sick of my routine.  

OK, this is too funny.  I went to my gym this morning.  I did 20 min on the Stair Master and then went to the new class called “Flow Motion.”  We start doing the exercises- We did a million plies (sp???) and a bunch of other moves.

Then the teacher says that if you want to create those lean, long dancer’s body, you need to use light weights and many reps and “this exercise helps pull the muscle back to the bone” and I think- wait, doesn’t TA say that???  Then we start doing these arms moves- exactly the unweighted arm section in TA’s Mat video.  My teacher then says that she recently did a training class with Madonna’s trainer!!!!!!

At the end of class, I approached the teacher and asked if she had trained with TA.  She looked shocked that I knew that name.   She said she did a boot camp training with TA right before TA left to go on Madonna’s tour.  

I should have asked her more about TA.  I’d love to know what she is like in person.  I plan on going back to the class next week so I will be sure to ask her.  I just had to laugh.  I came home and ran to the computer,  My husband asked- what are you doing- and I said I have to tell my friends!!!!

WIP- I look forward to checking out that link.  Thanks!

Mom, Yes, I do feel lucky that I live near NYC (I’m a born and raised NYer.  I lived in NYC for years and years but we had to move out to a burb when we started a family.  It’s insanely expensive to live in the city with children and we wanted more space).  I have seen many celebs throughout the years just walking around.  I have chatted with a few, like Usher and Jamie Lynn Singler (sp).

As for making peace with my body…..I’m not there yet but I am trying! Thanks for pointing out that it’s an issue that most women have.  I forget that.  I really want to focus on having fun with exercise.  

I understand what you mean about lifting heavy weights.  One of my favorite classes was Body Pump.  It’s a weight lifting class set to current, fast music.  It’s a great class.  I was so used to lifting heavy.  Lately though, I have been obsessed with The Bar Method classes and only lifting 2 and 3 pound weights.  Today at the gym, I could not believe my eyes.  My arms have gotten extremely defined and more cut.  It has to be due to the low weight but high reps!

The article I read I think was different so check out my link if you get a chance.  the one I read, the HS picture was only of her so there shouldn’t be a question…
The article seemed to also tell her side of the story and had some comments from her clients that were also favorable so it’s hard to sort it out….

Hey work, thanks for the article.  That was interesting.  Seems like if she could find a good business partner she’d be successful.  No wonder she’s thin-with all that stress I’d be a size 0 too!  :)  Where is the Harper’s Bazaar article?  These people with the great results within 10 workouts must be doing mat/dance 6 days/week.  When you guys do the standing leg series…does it hurt you while you are doing it?  It doesn’t me so I’m wondering if I’m doing the moves completely wrong.

Someone on videofitness.com posted a link to a new TA article.  She is opening up a studio in NYC.  However, it doesn’t look likely that I will be able to check it out.  Well, I will go in to check it out but based on the interview, it seems that each person will have to follow a customized training program.  It seems very interesting but also very expensive.  Based on the other interviews, it seemed that this studio will cost thousands of dollars. However, I know many NYC women who are already drooling thinking about this studio!

When I talked with Heather to order her first DVD she mentioned she is opening a studio in NYC next. Spanishcurls, do you know the title of the new Physique 57 dvd’s?

Hi, Welcome!  What do you mean Gwyneth being upfront about her involvement? 

Mom, when I was at Physique 57, I asked the woman at the front desk about their dvds. I don’t remember her exact words, but it was something along the lines of “not for a very, very, very long time”.  I also remember she laughed when I asked her that question.  

Physique 57 and The Bar Method seemed to have extremely similar moves.  I was only at Physique 57 one time though, so you can take that with a grain of salt. They suggest 2-3 pound weights, both use the ballet bar to stretch and for lower body moves, both use great, fast music….

Livingit, I have commented about TA’s past and also question her expertise.  As for GP, I do wonder if she helped fund the studio. Probably.  She probably also gets a huge discount (if she even pays at all) for TA’s services for all the added publicity and endorsements she provides.  But I don’t know if you are referring to something else?

Work, I hear you about all the buzz and drama.  

For whatever it’s worth, I agree with those of you who have said that this is getting to be just too much drama.  We all started these posts to keep ourselves motivated and talk about our experiences with the Tracy Anderson DVDs, not get into the finer points of what she did or didn’t do to her clients in Indiana, etc.  I honestly have found a lot of the posts over the past few days to be the opposite of motivating . . . 

Several of us had been seeing a lot of wonderful changes in our bodies since starting the DVDs and we had been receiving positive reinforcement from our peers by chatting about our progress, and I wish we could get back to that on this site.  Maybe I am being naieve, but I like to think that Tracy Anderson is human, just like us, and yeah, she may have made some really bad business decisions in the past, but she has been an instrument for a lot of positive change in my life, and I think in the lives of some of the other women who have been posting here, and surely she deserves some credit for that . . .

I agree, I rather hear about  the workout.  It’s a workout I enjoy and see results!  Don’t much care about what she does as a person, it’s all about what works for the muscles! 

Here’s the link to the video on self.com: http://www.self.com/fitness/workouts/2008/11/sculpt-a-list-arms-fast

Reviewer, thanks for the link.  I actually have that special issue of People but I hadn’t read it yet.  

Mom, I will be sure to report back when I check out her studio  The thing is, based on the article, I don’t think someone could just take one class and that’s it.  Maybe I’m wrong??  It seemed to suggest that she would create a unique fitness program for each individual, but maybe I am not reading it correctly.  I imagine it’s going to cost thousands of dollars (based on her past studios and from the interviews) to join???  

I just checked out the People link from Reviewer.  Good to know the moves are on her DVD’s, except for that one stomach one.  Can anyone do that advance pike without putting their feet on the ground?  That is a killer for me.  It’s in her PP DVD.  Also, what do you mean by gallop, knee up hop knee up hop etc. on treadmill?  How is that possible?  I tried her run a minute, walk last night and I’m sore this morning.  Can’t imagine hopping without falling honestly.

Now I do have a question though if anyone can answer….in TA 1st dance DVD she says treadmill bulks up love handles b/c it pushes on that muscle or something like that.  Now I have always thought 3 miles on treadmill or eliptical is good…but now when I was doing it today I was nervous that the progress I make with her DVD’s by making by bum smaller, am I only making it bigger by walking/or doing elliptical 3 miles a day?

Mom, Somewhere on this thread wasn’t there something that Tracy was doing a treadmill workout w/ Madonna?  If that’s right, then it’s counterintuitive to not doing it unless there’s a distinction she was making long ago such as not doing only treadmill for all of your exercise needs.

Also earlier you asked if the mat still hurts.  Do you mean the next day (sore) or burn while you exercise?
And yeah the rant vent was pretty hard core but she’s entitled to her opinion correct or incorrect.

Oh yes, the leg work still burns like crazy when I am doing it, both in the Mat DVD and the PP DVD.  There are many days I cannot even get through the leg portions without having to stop for a second or two and shake out my legs.  The PP leg work is so hard!  Why oh why is it so hard!?!  That first exercise, especially, where your leg is out to the side and you lift it straight up . . yikes!  It is soooo good for my hips though! 

why does TA say that constant repetition creates bulk but then says work up to 100 plies?

so doing 100 plies will tone the legs and not bulk them up?  I did PP today and did better on the leg part than before.  Do you also think doing these workouts 4-6x/week will give you great bathing suit results by May?  :) 

Well, I am an eater!  I feel if I’m going to do all these workouts I can eat (I guess that’s why my progress is slower).  To be honest I eat a banana and an english muffin with pb with a big glass of ice water in the morning.  2 hours later I have a snack, I try to keep it to a 80cal protein snack or kellogs 100cal bar.  Then by 11:30ish I eat lunch (this is where I go bad), I eat a regular sandwich on low cal bread (turkey or ham with cheese), pretzels or baked chips and cottage cheese with ice water.  Then I eat grapes or something within 2 hours after that (I’m honestly hungry) then my kids want to snack snack until we eat dinner at 6:15  so around 4ish I’m hungry (probably more wanting to stress eat b/c of my 4 kids around me wanting wanting wanting haha) then dinner is usually chicken or tacos or spagheti.  I try to do a small portion of dinner so I go to bed hungry.    OK, slam me.  B/c I KNOW this is my downfall every time!!  :)    I just finished the dance dvd and could only manage 30 min.    Do you think doing the mat and pp 6x/week and 30 min of some cardio will do it? BTW  Thank you for your suggestions!!!!!  I really appreciate it!

Hi Mom,   Just some suggestions… Change english muffin to Ezekiel  Sesame Bread (it’s not bread made from flour it’s made from sprouts) just 1 slice.  PB is okay if it’s 1T and a pure PB organic not Skippy.  Better is a 2-3 whites only scrambled egg with veggies and salsa or hummus (Tribe all natural is good).  Change the banana to an apple.  Water is good.

Snack: the kellogs is probably sugary.  Try a slice of Ezekiel w/ just hummus.  
Lunch:  lose the pretzels and baked chips.  Lean turkey with greens and a lemon squirt is good.  Add raw veggies. 

Snack: no fat vanilla yogurt with whole strawberries or blueberries.  Maybe a little Kashi Go Lean cereal.  

Dinner: Chicken or salmon 3-4 oz with oil spray skillet fresh veggies and quinoa or whole grain Barilla Plus spagehetti is good (high protein and Omega-3).
Fruit in it or added is good.

You can do variations of this but this is a basic and will leave you full after a couple of days of detox.  Always toast the Ezekiel.

Thanks for the pita tip…I’m trying it.  I love the MorningStar breakfast patties (fake sausage) so I could add one of those to your salsa pita…yum!

I’ve only found Ezekiel in the frozen section (made w/o preservatives but the stuff lasts FOREVER) of health food stores. Morningstar has an entire line of stuff to choose from but you have to check calories. 
The main thing is you have to have protein with every meal or snack to curb the cravings and help build the lean muscle.
Vitamins:  I take a ton of stuff (I started these when I started Tracy) and it’s made a world of difference.  Like the regular grocery store processed “crap” there is the same in the vitamin world if you walk into say a Jewel.  Shaklee is the best.  They have stringent quality testing and controls and you’re getting pure stuff.

Hi, -

Can someone tell me who was on the cover of the special edition of People magazine.  I’m trying to track it down!

I was out of town last week in DisneyWorld, a lot of walking and I did my own version of TA arms.  Back on the wagon today with PP w/o and hopefully a treadmill w/o.  I did order the Dance Aerobics DVD directly from the studio and have to say it came very quickly and Heather was a pleasure to deal with.  However, I haven’t really concentrated on the new Cardio DVD yet, so I really shouldn’t have been buying her first dvd but I had to have it!  And it’s true,  being away from the w/o for a few days, I felt like a limp noodle.

Also, I saw Kelly Ripa jogging/running while I was at Disney - she is one teeny tiny girl.  I look like an american gladiator next to her.

I just wanted to add my small tip to the Reviewers arm flapping suggestions.  When holding one arm out while the other is moving, I’ve really been trying to concentrate on isometrically contracting those arm muscles of the straight out arm.  When TA says your arm should be  killing you - I scream at her- in a good way.

Hope everyone is doing well.  And thanks reviewer for posting your meal recommendations, I need that after a week of Disney Character breakfasts!

Peace to All-
videochick

Hey everyone,
  Adidas did a YouTube of Tracy…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taCiMBFc0sc

The clothes/shoes are by designer Stella McCartney for Adidas. You can find them by clicking through one of the Amazon links at the top.
In the youtube Tracy talks about the standing abs and how it does take work to connect to the movement and the muscle while standing.  I’ve noticed that once the sausage rolls were gone, I can feel the abs but of course not the gut wrenching when she has you do the dead leg lifts!
The clip also talks about her Reebok boot camp and you see training session but it’s all moves from her DVDs.  Enjoy!

I had family staying with me from out-of-town all last week, so I ate and drank way more than usual, and didn’t have much time for myself, but I did manage to squeeze in a few sessions in the plywood room - so no “progress” - but at least I didn’t really gain any weight or lose too much of my new-found definition!  

Merry Christmas everyone!  I am working out today and am proud!! Yee-ha.

Merry Christmas!!  I miss this borad!   I too did her mat workout!!!  Had to do my TA, love that girl!!!  :)  Also-getting compliments.  So that helps.  :)  I am really trying to do 4 for the least but 6 preferrably.  I feel so much better when I do.  I was doing her Dance DVD this week and hurt my knee tho so I’m laying off that for a few days.  :(  Do you know if her shoes are Nike Shox?

Hi, everyone -

Hope everyone is enjoying the holidays!  I, too, missed checking in on this board for motivation.  While I haven’t been able to do a full Mat or PP workout, I’ve been doing certain segments, mainly the abs and arms, my  trouble spots.  I have to say I’ve had serious DOMS from that PP ab segment.   I need to find a way that I can make my own copy with chapters or something for those days that I just can’t fit in the whole thing or the ability to split the workout in the a.m. and p.m. without fast forwarding.  Really, by the time I fast forward I probably could just do whole workout?!  Still haven’t tackled the Dance DVD.  I’ve just been trying to get on the treadmill and bang out some serious cardio.  I’m hoping in the New Year I’ll have some more time to devote to learning the cardio.

videochick

Hello!
I haven’t contributed to this thread before. I did leave an Amazon review for the matt workout, I am SansSouci11 over there.
I have all four dvd’s, but mostly do the matt and post pregnancy ones— still learning the routines on the dance ones.
I have not lost much weight, maybe 5 lbs in a few weeks; but I have lost a jeans size..  I am 5′9″, size 10, (well, I guess an 8 now!) and 51 years old.  ( My post pregnancy was about 24 years ago, but I am using it anyway! )
Usually ab work does make me firmer, but not smaller.  So far,  Its 4″ off the abs, 5″ off my behind, and one inch off each thigh, and half an inch off each arm, 1″ off the bust and waist is the same.

I swear I feel it too, its like there is a wall of muscle there, with the abs, and my arms are getting their old shape back. I *think* the cellulite is leaving, but I am still wonder if that is a hallucination…

So far I can only do about 3/4 of both matt workouts without a rest.
I am a former Firm user too, also Tae Bo, Callanetics, a little pilates… kundalini yoga, and the gym. I have a bowflex and a mini trampoline. I use the trampoline for my aerobics , till I get the moves down. Its supposed to be a good anti aging thing, so we will see. Oh, and a foam roller.

I want to see her contraption that is like the pilates reformer (I think that’s the name for it) Has anyone used one?

Hi,  thanks for the welcome! I don’t finish them all at once because of lack of strength.   I do finish them, I just take a small break.  My arms fall too low.  I stop half way through the section using weights.

If she had it where you went to a different area and then got back to the arms, the way she does the legs, then I would not have to take the break.
On the post pregnancy one, its the same problem, except I can’t do that much ab work all at once. I wish it was chaptered in a way to mix it up and go back to it later. Maybe she did that on purpose though.

Yes, I was really surprised about the inches too, especially since I did not lose that much weight! Even though you read about it, I had never had that happen. I thought it was more for body building anyway.

I thought it was weird my waist stayed the same and everything else got smaller.
However, my jeans are baggy at the waist, which is weird, I didn’t lose there.  Its the opposite of muffin top, which I had earlier, even with spanx.

Its like I went back to the shape of when I was younger, same fitting problem from 20 years ago.

I think when this is over, I mean, when it seems like there will be no more shrinking… I will go to that place called makeyourown jeans.  The jeans are only around $50,  and fit you perfectly, like the $200 ones, (or so they say). 

On Nov 23rd (above) Reviewer posted what a lb of fat vs muscle looks like.  You should look for it, it stopped me from worrying about the scale.  Honestly.  I use to check daily my weight. I couldn’t accept that after a week of TA that I built so much muscle already but her post states the moment you begin exercising you are building muscle.  I found the post extremely hopeful.  LOL

I saw that lb of fat and muscle, momof4! I guess I just didn’t think I had that much muscle, so used to thinking of myself the other way! Or that it was only from body building and took months to build up to that, because before it has always taken so long to see the smallest change.

I just got a book from the library, its written by Michael Thurmond who makes over stars. He basically says the same things that Tracy does about all the tiny little supporting muscles.  And it made me think about her lack of chaptering in the dvd’s… maybe she didn’t chapter the dvd’s because they have to be done in sequence to get the larger muscles worked out first.  I was thinking they were just lazy—which didn’t make sense, she is so particular about the  details. ( But if she wants you to do arms twice, they really should have put a break in there).

Thurmond also writes that lunges and squats really don’t do much, they just build up that front muscle, and I flashed on “The Firm”.  He says he tells his clients not to do them.
For some reason, in my past life of exercising, I kept thinking that  the cure for my legs was lunges and squats, and just kept trying to do more. It never occurred to me that they don’t work. 
But years went by, and they didn’t work. Jeez, I am kind of slow to catch on! I thought something was wrong with me, didn’t realize it was the workout that didn’t work!

If its true that the exercise you do builds the body you want, and
That will be nice,  to start designing yourself to that degree, eh?…I have never gotten that fit to even consider it, my goal was just to take off the fat, and someday I would work towards the shape,  but maybe its best to set the intention of a shape right from the beginning…

( My intention is to not have short sinewy-vein popping looking muscles like Madonna…she looks the opposite of what Tracy says she strives for to me, It must be what she did before she met Tracy. Or, Madonna  likes that look. She must like it, she took the time to create it.  I want to have the shape like Gwyneth has worked for. (It doesn’t look like they share the same trainer to me…)

I had a duh moment when I woke up. The reason the jeans fit differently at the waist is because jeans arn’t  worn at the waist, they sit smack in the middle of the abs!
Even though I only lost an inch on my bust, my bras are riding up,  like I shortened the shoulder straps.   My rib cage must have shrunk..speaking of ribs..
I am terrible at the rib cage isolations. I can feel them, they made me really sore. But I don’t do them in a sexy way like she does. In the mirror it looks like I am doing nothing at all except jiggling around… I don’t have that nice crisp look that she does.

SS572: Thanks for the info.  Isn’t it amazing that working out (lunges, squats) didn’t help?!  Ya’d think anything would make a difference but now that we have TA, we know differently.  I agree about the Madonna arms.  For awhile she was looking better but I think she’s just a gym rat (I’ve heard up to 6 hrs a day in the gym for her).  If you look at footage of her current tour, she has her biceps pumped way up (and yes veins-a-poppin’ which means hard core) but the triceps are flapping away from the bone.  Kelly Rippa, despite her tiny body has the biceps way built up.  Not a look I prefer.  Regis poked at them one day and said “Pippa you’re scaring me.”  But she totally loves that look which is her choice.

I have found my strength has gone waaaayy up since doing TA and much more than when I ever tossed around some weights.
Momof4:  girl you betta rest that knee or I’m gonna hurt you.  I told you all that DC dvd is too fast for good stabilization.  New shoes are always good but don’t put your hopes for them to stabilize your knees.  Alright I’m out of my busy period so I’m going to get my next review done of a new shoes/new cardio plan that I’ve promised you.  The VentPark owner is out of town but I’ll get it done and beg him to upload it.  (It often takes him over a week to do so.  You can go to the Feedback tab and crack the whip on him.)   Meanwhile, rest that knee until it’s 100%.  Ice for 20 minutes at a time too.

Hi, all -

DOMS - Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness!!  As in I was okay the day I did the workout, but - oiy! - the next day my abs were killing me.

Congrats to all that have seen inches lost!!  Love to hear all about it, especially the arms and abs.  I always have had “beefy” arms - yes an old boyfriend even commented on it once, and only as I hit my late 40s have I had an issue with the muffin top, Dunlap tire.  So all your results are motivation for me!

After eating and lounging at various sibling’s homes the last three days, I did the standing part of Mat this a.m.  It is always a killer when I’ve taken a few days off.  I too, had to rest between the unweighted and weighted arm segments.   Tonight I’ll finish the floorwork and then, skip, hop, and jog on the treadmill.

I think in the DVDs Tracy is wearing Nike shox, but in the videos posted on YouTube she is now wearing Addidas.  I had a pair of Nike shox when they first came out and liked them, but some other pairs that I bought I didn’t find as comfortable.  I have a pair of Saucony Grid Propel which have a similar sole construction - just not the round shape like Nike -  which I like.  I had gotten them at DSW if you have one of them near you.   I usually wear New Balance, but lately I find that my size 10 feet don’t fit in their size 10 anymore.   I think like jeans, it’s all trial and error with sneakers, too.

I haven’t done any measurements at all since I started this TA stuff around Thanksgiving or so.  So like most Americans, I will take them in the New Year. 
Cheers,
videochick

Hi,

Just checking in that I did PP this morning.  Had to take a few breaks during the leg segment.  I think I really need more of a warmup in the morning.  Also since the arm segment isn’t as long as Mat, I upped the weights to 3lbs.  Didn’t get my cardio in last night as I had to work late.

I don’t know if the skin will ever go completely back to my arm muscle, but anything will look better than now!

Have a great day,
videochick

I so agree about the “high” - TA’s workouts leave me feeling so good and so happy!  I have been totally slothful and not exercised for the past week or so (sick husband, sick kids, holiday craziness, etc.!) and I totally feel depressed, my skin is all broken out, and I feel puffy and horrible all over.  I can hardly wait to get back into my normal “routine” next week and devote myself to Tracy on a daily basis again!