TC1 vs. TC2

It’s been a very long time since I have checked in on my blog. The days are just so very busy right now. It’s the end of the school year, teacher gift ideas, classroom photography projects, wrapping up Box Tops contests, wrapping up the Challenge, etc, etc. Add to that the fact that May is just always a busy month for us with my daughter’s birthday, my birthday and Mother’s Day. And although I doubt any of you were thinking to yourselves, “hey, she hasn’t posted anything in a long time, what’s up with that?!?” I do apologize for my absence.

The TC2 is going well. I adore my team and my team trainer and have made some good friends outside the team as well in some amazing women and cemented my friendship with past TC gals and the trainers. As much as I walked away from TC1 saying it was the single best experience in my life, I can honestly say that TC2 was that much better. We are talking life changing here, for real.

Some of you might be thinking, “yeah, but isn’t that what she said last time?” And you would be right, it was indeed what I said last time. My goal going into TC1 was to walk away with working out and going to the gym part of my everyday life, a habit, done without even thinking about it. And it was. For a while anyway. And then I feel so completely off the wagon, I couldn’t even see its dust trail any longer.

Now, what makes this time around different? Why is TC2 different than TC1 and how am I going to keep from falling off the wagon again? That’s a good question. And seeing that it is the last week of TC2, I think it’s a good time for an answer too.

Things that make TC2 better/different than TC1:

1. My team

My team in TC1 was amazing, don’t get me wrong. And some of them will be lifelong friends. But we kind of all went our separate ways at the end of TC1 and we all had different ideas about how/if to continue the journey.

My team members this time around are all well aware that even though some of us are much closer to our goal than others, we are in this journey for the long haul. We are going to see each other through to our individual goals and then on to maintenance. This is a part of our lives. Period. We are a part of each other's lives. Period. Sorry, PSA, you are so stuck with me now!

2. My attitude

I don’t know if it was because Daniel was still getting up multiple times a night or what, but I was just so TIRED at the end of TC1. I couldn’t wait for it to be over and I couldn’t wait to ”sleep in” until 6:30 or 7 every blessed day - oh how my pre-child self would shudder to hear me refer to such an ungodly hour as “sleeping in!”

This time around, I have come to the realization that yes, I am a night owl by nature, always have been, always will be. But as much as I despise with my whole heart hearing the alarm clock go off at 4:30 or 5:30 in the morning and as much as I think it is all kinds of wrong to be driving into the gym while the moon is still burning brightly in the sky (thank GOD for DST or this would still be happening every morning!), and as much as I truly hate not seeing my children's smiling faces and getting their hugs and kisses in the morning, I have made peace with the fact that mornings are going to be my go to workout time.

Yes, I will take an occasional class in the afternoons/evenings as my schedule permits. Mostly because I love the classes like Combat and Rock Bottom and those particular ones aren’t offered in the mornings. Sadly though, I have learned that if I don’t get that workout in first thing in the morning, the odds of it happening later in the day are greatly reduced – slightly more than Tyra calling my name as the winner of ANTM, but not as good as a snowball in hell, if you get what I’m saying. In any event, working out in the morning would not be my first choice, that’s for sure. But it is the only time it is going to get done, so I am forcing myself to become a morning person, like it or lump it.

3. My plans

At the end of TC1, I don’t remember that I had specific plans. Yes, I was going to go to boot camp now and again and workout in the mornings and in the evenings. Heck, the TC was over, so I can workout whenever I want, right? Forget 6:30 MWF, I can do it at 7 am one day, 5 pm another, etc, etc. And while this point kind of blends with #2 above, it’s also about planning it out, no matter the time, day, etc.

My team and I are all going to get together Friday after our remeasurements and we are going to come up with a post-TC workout schedule. Everyone’s schedule won’t be the same, but we are each going to come up with a PLAN. Hopefully we can workout in pairs or as a team once or twice a week, but if not, we will all still support each other via facebook, texts, emails and phone calls. I will have a plan and my team will help me stick to my plan, just like I will help them stick to theirs.

4. Accountability

At the end of TC2, I had no accountability to anyone but myself. Yes, the trainers encouraged me to keep coming in and asked about me when I wasn’t there. But this time, I feel a much greater sense of accountability to my team, my friends, my trainers, Weight Watchers, and myself. I signed up for the year-long membership which stretches out the cost of the TC2 over the course of a year, but also provides one hour of personal training per month. Not only will I look forward to getting my butt kicked by my trainer at least once a month, having to get measured by her will help push me as well. I also plan to keep attending WW meetings to be accountable to the scale there. The level of accountability I now have is a huge help in keeping me on track going forward after the TC2.

I think, no wait...I believe, no, hold on...I KNOW these four aspects of TC2 listed above will keep me on track toward my goal and beyond into maintenance.

Well, I have rambled on quite long enough. It really helps for me to write it all out, so thanks to anyone who listened.

I will post my WW and TC2 official results later this week or this weekend.