The Exercise Program Lately



So...still in the middle of the fat shift.  And I would say it has gotten a little worse. But I'm not worried.  Let me explain.

It began with the T-Tapp program. Which worked so fast that it changed my leg and hip shape to a marked degree.  Although, it seemed my body quickly burned off the fat from those areas, it also pushed out belly fat which it is slow and loathe to get rid of.  It is slowly, slowly going away.  But I've never carried belly fat in this way before.  It was always in my hips and backside.  So my clothes have been fitting oddly.



Meanwhile after reading Katy Bowman's "Move Your DNA", I was inspired to really be assiduous in changing my walk, to move in alignment.  This required me to be aware of always keeping my feet facing straight forward.  Along with walking straight, I also made sure that I was standing in alignment with straightened knees, weight on the heels.  I'm not joking when I say doing both of these changes was one of the hardest projects I've ever undertaken.  Basically because I was fighting decades of ingrained habit.  Not only that, the changes were deeply uncomfortable.  I felt disorientated by them.  I was learning to walk all over again.  They also caused deep muscle soreness in my hips and backside.  So many times, I was tempted to return to my old way of walking just to get some relief.  But I carried on. Not because I was being virtuous but because I noticed an immediate relief to my knee pain.  In the past walking a lot always caused my knees stiffness and pain.  But the new regimen of walking correctly no longer put pressure on my knees.

After a few weeks, the muscle soreness in my hips started to go away although as of now, I still get it from time to time.  This new, correct way of walking seemed to turbo charge and compliment my exercise programs.  My legs have never been straighter or more shapely.  I lost weight in my knees!  I never knew I had fat deposits stored in that area.  Also my upper thighs have a nice long, stretched out look.  That bit of bulk I've always battled is now almost gone. 

Due to my hips getting a workout by my corrected walk, that bit of saddlebag fat is gone as well.  Its true, you don't need exercise regimens to get rid of this problem.  You only need to walk in the correct manner!  I was amazed at how fast everything changed.

So now I'm still doing T-Tapp along with many other exercise programs plus still being vigilant in changing my walking alignment.

Recently I purchased an old favorite, the first "Buns of Steel" with Greg Smithy as the host.  I cannot believe how 80s it looks.  Heck, it even looked 80s when I exercised to it as a teen way back in the 80s.  Smithy is a hoot. He is always calm, always upbeat with goofy affirmations to pick up your courage.  The work out is tough.  As tough as I recall it being way back when.  If you do get a copy, don't expect to knock it out of the park when you do it for the first time.  You will need to stop, and take quick breaks.  Also if you have bad knees, as I do, don't use the range of motion shown by Smithy or his exercise students.  Just use small concentrated movements in the positions he suggests.  Always, always be aware that your knees are fully aligned and straight.  You will feel pressure and pulling on your knee if you are not aligned during these leg exercises.  Afterwards take some extra time to stretch our your calves and thighs to keep your muscles long.  Smithy doesn't concentrate on stretching to the extent that Callan Pinkney does in her Callanetics program.  So if you don't do extra stretching this exercise tape could cause some bulk if you are prone to it.

I really enjoy it and it always makes me giggle watching everyone's frizzy perms.

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