Tracy Anderson is Totally Not Kidding: Part 1

Remember when I told you about The Water Secret, and then we were all going to start eating better and working out once a week in March, and then twice a week in April, and then three times a week in May? Did you do that? Me neither. I really wanted to but…

Injury/home renovation/illness/travel minus time/energy/access to my kitchen and it simply did not happen. I’m sure you all have your own reasons as well, even if your plan was not the same as mine. But if you HAVE been on top of your spring shape-up, then high-five! I wish I were more like you!

I had no intention of doing anything extreme to get in shape for summer, but now it’s May and I need to do something NOW. I haven’t worked out since November, thanks to a semi-serious neck problem. I am finally pain free (for the most part) and it’s time to buckle down. I’m fed up with not wearing the things I want to wear because I don’t like the shape I’m in, and the only person that can change that is me. Time to put my butt to the grindstone!

My one issue with working out is that while it made my body stronger and firmer, I also felt like it made it bigger. All the trainers always told me I wouldn’t get bulky, since that’s not my body type, but my legs and upper arms still got bigger than I wanted. I have a small build and that just didn’t feel natural to me. Plus, when you stop exercising, those parts stay big, but they don’t stay firm. Greeeaaat.

I had heard about Tracy Anderson, who trains the very slim Gwyneth Paltrow and Courtney Cox, as well as the more muscular Madonna and curvy Shakira. (Rumor has it her gym in NYC costs around $900/mo!) Her "thing" is to help people create a long, lean physique instead of a bulky one. She has this book called “Tracy Anderson's 30-Day Method: The Weight-Loss Kick-Start that Makes Perfection Possible” and I bought it and read it.

It really makes a lot of sense. There are three components: Muscle Design, Cardio Complement, and a Menu Plan, and they all work together. (It comes with a DVD too). It’s basically a diet and fitness boot camp. As the super-long title states: it's a kick-start, which is what I need. I can’t just continue along with my “all things in moderation” lifestyle, because that’s for maintenance and I’m not looking to maintain my current shape. I want change. It is not going to be easy, but hopefully, with some hard work and dedication, I will see results. By June.

Today is my first day, and I can tell you this: Tracy Anderson means business! I’m going to write more about the diet and exercise components tomorrow, because if I get into that now, the post is going to be 100 years long. But, hoo-boy! I hope I can keep this up for all 30 days!