Average to Lose Runner Up Winner

Ana W.

My journey with T-Tapp began in November of 2007 when I read an online post from another "mom of many" who claimed T-Tapp "gave her her abs back." Always a researcher, I immediately looked up reviews, went on the T-Tapp website, and tried some of the "try before you buy" moves. I also ordered the book from the library that night. As a former aerobics teacher and avid video workout enthusiast (who has time for the gym?), I was always up for trying a new workout, especially one that claimed results. After giving birth to eight children over the course of 18 years, my diet and workout routine had gone through many changes. When I found T-Tapp, blessing number eight had just turned one and my normal workout ethic hadn't kicked into gear yet. I have always lost my weight after a baby and in my opinion, this baby should be no different, no matter what number she was. The only thing I was missing was my usual discipline.

I read through the book, and ordered the Total Workout/Beginner Rehab in January of 2008. When I got it, I tried it, of course, totally neglecting the Instructionals, after all, I had been working out by whole adult life. In a few weeks when I didn't get the results I wanted, I gave up. I spent the next three months fussing about my weight until I found myself back online and reading the success stories on the T-Tapp website. By the end of April, I had done a two week boot camp using the Instructionals, and started my every other day workouts. I did this faithfully for five and a half months. I started getting the results I was looking for. I also started on the God Made/Man Made way of eating. When I hit a wall, the T-Tapp staff was always ready to help and answer questions. I attended my 25th high school reunion wearing a size 4 dress. I was ecstatic! After the reunion, I took some time off for good behavior and found myself falling into my old bad habits of not doing anything, and eating everything I knew I shouldn't, and eating and eating. Late that fall and into the early winter, I started to realize that I was
stress eating my way through the recession which had hit my husband's tree and landscaping business extremely hard. We were holding onto our house by the skin of our teeth, and the collection companies were calling daily. One day I had a good look in the mirror and didn't like what I was seeing. I didn't see me anymore, I saw some stressed out chubby mom who looked like she had had a lot of kids. I had to stop this downward spiral. I had already gained every pound and every inch back, and then some. I was miserable.

In March of 2009, I made the decision to try again. I did a four day boot camp. During the boot camp, I found a T-Tapp trainer, Kim Volk. I contacted her and found out that she was not only local, her family's business was one of my husband's business associates!!! I began training with Kim which was one of the key things I think I was missing in the past. She was wonderful in showing me what I was doing wrong, whether it was not bending deep enough, losing my tuck, leaning too far back, etc. I had gotten results in the past, but I still wasn't doing the moves the way Teresa designed them. I was so excited about taking classes with Kim, that when the 60-Day Challenge came around this time, I registered.

My original intention was to do a two week boot camp, but the dates weren't working in my favor. The start date was the day before two of my children were graduating from community college with their Associates Degrees, and then, the week later, it was Prom 1, then Prom 2, and then finally, High School Graduation. Being a homeschooler, many of these activites were very "mom intensive," not to mention, shopping intensive, so I really only ended up with a four day boot camp a few days after the start date, and then for the first month, I worked out about three days a week, most of the time, just managing the Basic Plus workout and few extra Hoe Downs here and there. I also started to eat a raw vegan diet to optimize my health during the challenge and hopefully, enable me to lose weight as well as inches. All the while, I kept thinking that when graduation was over, I would move with gusto and sprint through the last 30 days. But that wasn't going to happen.

On the morning of the 30 day midpoint of the challenge, my husband, who had emcee'd the high school graduation just two days before, was in a near fatal accident. He was electrocuted with high voltage wires while 40 feet up in a tree. A branch he had cut, which should have skimmed past a wire, hit the wire instead causing an arc. He immediately began feeling the electricity, when this started happening he tried to "grab the branch quickly" to pull it off the wire, but was locked on instead. He ended up having what the electric company reported as 13,000 volts go through him, causing him to stop breathing and pass out. When he came to again, his co-worker was up in the tree with him, holding him in place until paramedics arrived. He was rescued out of the tree 45 minutes later. He sustained first and second degree burns on his mid-section, and arm, and third degree burns on his hand and fingers, upper arm and leg. He spent 8 days in the hospital with skin grafting surgery, and various testing. Thankfully, all his organs were fine and he suffered no broken bones. My church and homeschool community supported us by bringing meals, babysitting, shopping, etc. as well as Kim, my trainer, who not only shopped for me, but became my cheerleader. She helped me keep going with eating raw by picking up foods I could eat, especially while I was sitting in the hospital every day with my husband. I never had to eat at the hospital cafeteria at all, I always had something good with me. This was so important, since at the time, I was so emotional, I couldn't think about what I was eating. I do believe if I wasn't eating healthy like that, and in the middle of the challenge, I would have lost it and started stress eating again. Kim also had every one praying on the T-Tapp forums, for which I am so grateful. My husband and I truly felt those prayers. She is even planning a benefit for our family!!!

After the initial shock, though I didn't work out for almost three weeks, I did concentrate on the T-Tapp stance whenever I could, even while I was sitting in the car and traveling back and forth to the hospital one hour each way for the eight days he was an inpatient. When we did get him home from the hospital, my days were filled with caring for him, caring for the little ones and taking care of our
business and financial dealings. Though I would have really liked to see what I was capable of accomplishing through this challenge, I know I received a miracle for which I praise God every day, my husband is home and healing well. I know he is proud of what I did achieve too. I am so blessed to have realized all the friends I have through T-Tapp during this ordeal as well. Friends for life!!! Thanks for letting me participate in the 60 Day Challenge