Wednesday, September 23, 2009

T-Tapp Notebook(s)

I am a notebooking kind of girl. I kept notebooks before I knew they would become a homeschool method. Cindy Rushton calls herself the Notebooking Queen (love that girlfriend!), but I would have to qualify for at least a Notebooking Princess. So when I began finding out about T-Tapp I started a notebook. Just a 1 1/2" 3-ring binder, the kind with a clear cover to slip a cover sheet in.

First thing in the notebook: blank calendar pages to keep track of workouts, brushing and short notes about how I was doing ("sore knees" or "did the whole enchilada!"). Next thing: copies of the measurement chart in Fit and Fabulous in 15 Minutes. From the beginning I kept careful records of measurements and weight. But I didn't take a "before" photo until I had lost 2 sizes and a bunch of inches, so don't make that mistake. Even if you don't show anyone, TAKE A BEFORE PHOTO! Yes, it's a little embarrassing for people to see my befores, but it's not too bad because I don't look like that anymore!

Then I began to fill the notebook with form tips. You could do this in a file on your computer, but I'm also a book kind of girl and I like to re-read with a colored pencil to make notes or underline. I had a section for material from online classes I took from Trainers Lani and Michelle. I had a section just for encouraging posts on the forum, or things that motivated me.

Last, I had a section for goals. Most of my goals were related to an upcoming event, like a wedding or a college reunion. It helped me to have smaller time frames and an endpoint. I didn't always reach the goal by the event, but I did a short time later, and still checked it off. I still have my goals pages. I like to look back on them with the satisfaction of a job well done.

The good thing about keeping records of both workouts done (not planned, DONE) and measurements is that I could see a correlation. We tend to think we're working out more than we actually are sometimes. Or somehow it seems that time spent posting on the forum with all of our T-Tappin' friends ought to count for a workout, ha! At any rate, times of slowed inch loss led to an investigation and voilĂ , no wonder, I only did BWO+ twice a week for a couple of weeks, duh.

The notebook "just growed" and eventually expanded into several notebooks, most of which I still refer to. T-Tapp was very important to me and it deserved some organization and documentation in my life to keep me on track. You might not be a "learner" type like me, but even a slim folder with calendars, measurements and goals will help. Sometimes our progress is nearly undetectable until we look at the numbers (or the photos--ask any 60-Day Challenge participant who was surprised at their comparison photos), and with a notebook you'll have the hard evidence.

5 comments:

  1. I love this idea! I've always kept my little blog for tracking progress and workouts. Somehow when you write down your goals and can visually see your progress it makes it more concrete.

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  2. This is a great idea. I have been reading your blog since you started it, eagerly looking forward to each new post, drawing tons of encouragement from your journey, and trying to learn to be consistent with my workouts. When I think of you, T Tapp seems quite magical! Thank you for sharing your story with us.

    Susie

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  3. One thing is for sure - the word procrastination does not enter your world.

    You are an inspiration.

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  4. Can you please tell me what Brushing is???? Thanks so much!

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  5. Brushing refers to the CRT System available from T-Tapp. You actually brush the skin with a natural brush in a specific pattern. It has many benefits, including tightening the skin as inches are lost, and I brushed from the beginning (and still do).

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