I am trying to accumulate all the different tips I have generated myself and got from other knowledgeable people and TAM-veterans. If you have any more advice and tips, let me know, I would be happy to add some more!!!
Preparation for TAM Meta
- Get your mind set on it! You have to decide what, how and when you are going to do.
- Don't leave any chance for loosing! Like in strategic planning, if you are sure you want it, don't leave anything to chance. Plan things, prepare everything. Don't leave a back door open for laziness.
- You have to prepare to workout 5-6 times a week! And while the program has an expiry date, you should think about it as your life change, than simply a 90-day thing. To become fit you need to start, to stay fit you need to continue!
- You will have to do 30 minutes of muscular structure (MS) and 30 minutes of dance cardio (DC) every day!
- You will have to keep up to the diet - even if you choose not to follow TA diet. But you have to remember, that it is about combination of all the things. You will not loose weight if you only workout, and you will not tone up if you are only on diet. Even if you don't want to loose much weight (or none at all), you still have to start thinking more sensibly about what you are eating. This is a path towards healthy strong body, you have to forget about McDonalds and fries (well may be you can give yourself a chance once a year even if it really something you can't refuse, but it is still better to make home-made burgers without any oil, etc.)
Dance Cardio
- Get good dancing/aerobics shoes - they protect you in all the jumps.
- Take it easy! It is a high impact cardio, so don't be surprised if you are breathless after 5 minutes.
- When you start out, try to step-touch first. Do as much as you can, even if it is only 5-15 minutes.
- Then slowly start adding the minutes of jumping by 5 or 10 minutes till you reach the full 30 minutes of jumping.
- After that it will still take you a lot of time to reach the point when you can do cardio with full energy, and as if you are performing.
- If it doesn't work for you and you have strong pains in your joints, etc. (note that muscle pain is OK!), try to do it on rebounder - it is gentler to your joints.
- If you still can't get along with the TA dance cardio, try some other dance cardio. The point is that you HAVE to do cardio every day you have training. Try other dance cardio - there are a lot out there, I have created a list here. Why is dance cardio better in this particular case? In dance you keep moving and changing moves, hence not over-empowering any of the bigger muscles. But of course, in the very end, do ANY cardio you can - even if it is jogging.
Muscular Structure
- Concentrate! Really - there is no good in tuning out when you exercise. Concentrate on what you are doing and put your mind into it.
- Watch those angels! It is highly important, and you have to watch them closely and repeat them. If it helps, put a mirror when you workout, so that you can see yourself.
- The 30-Day Bootcamp book is really good in explaining the basics about angles, vectors and eating. It is always a good compliment to Meta.
Eating Plan
- Get the required equipment! It is impossible to do TA diet without food processor and blender, steamer and juicer.
- Get to know what nutrition is about and why the diet is what it is (knowledge is your strength!).
- For more concrete advice week-by-week and other ideas see my Healthy Eating page.
Mood and motivation
- Get a training buddy! Or if you can't, then simply find a good friend (preferably one who is in to fitness), who you can share your successes with.
- Start a blog or diary - even if just for yourself. This is how this blog came around: I need to have the social pressure to workout and do more.
- Make full use of the TA community - it is a great place, people are all on the same journey and you can easily find support and encouragement.
- Try to smile during the workouts and feel positive - this would associate positive vibes with the workout, and make them more desirable and effective. Our thoughts do get into reality!
As Meryl Strip said in "The Iron Lady":
"Watch your thoughts for they become words. Watch your words
for they become actions. Watch your actions for they become...habits. Watch
your habits, for they become your character. And watch your character, for it
becomes your destiny! What we think we become"
