Let's find out how one female cardio fanatic finally got her 6-pack abs with the help of the Turbulence Training workouts!

CB: CJ, let's start with a little background info on yourself and what
you were looking to achieve when you found strength training and
interval training.

CJ:
Let's see, I'm a female in my mid 30's and a typical office
professional who spends looong hours sitting in front of a computer.

Fitness
and nutrition-wise, I grew up understanding the importance of being
active and staying healthy. So while I've stayed active most of my
life, I recently discovered I still had a lot to learn both about
fitness and nutrition.

When I found
Turbulence Training I was looking for body comp improvements. I had
been introduced to weight training about a year earlier and had made
great progress, but had gotten past that 'newbie' effect and really
needed something different to jump start my progress again.

CB: How were you doing before?

CJ:
During grad school and working full-time I put aside the active part of
my lifestyle for the days and evenings tied to a chair, and the
delights of eating at restaurants for 1-2 meals a day. I gained about
20lbs and was at my heaviest ever at 160lbs. Once I completed night
school, I put exercise and nutrition back on my priority list and lost
those 20lbs, mainly from running 5days/wk.

My
second stage started when I discovered weight training. I was about
142lbs and probably 28% BF. After about 6months I lost another 8-10lbs
and 7% body fat.

So, when I started Turbulence Training, I had already made good progress, I was probably 133lbs and 21-22% BF.

CB: What were your workouts before TT? Why did they not work as well? How have you improved upon those workouts?

CJ:
Before this I was a steady state cardio fanatic, so I ran 3-5 miles 3x
week and strength trained using a 4 day upper/lower body split. This
plan did work for about 6-9 months, but then I just stalled. Not sure
what the culprit was, just that I knew I needed something different.

When
I first started strength and interval workouts I was skeptical that
such a short workout only 3x/wk would be enough. I soon discovered that
strength and intervals kept the intensity levels up at EACH workout, so
the three days and two supersets were actually more efficient than my
4day split and 3 days of running. I also got on an HIIT (interval)
program and reduced my slower steady state runs to about once a week.

CB:
How have the strength and intervals workouts helped you? What benefits
& results have you achieved? What are your gains and improvements
and how do they compare to your before stats?

CJ:
I'm stronger, leaner, and faster than before.

On
the strength side, my proudest achievements are chin-ups and pull-ups,
something I've always wanted to be able to do. I've also improved my 5k
times by 2mins. I finally have the muscle definition/athletic shape
I've always wanted.

When comparing to my
before stats, I've had to throw the scales out the door and use the
mirror/compliments as my guide since I have gained a few lbs and BIA
hasn't seemed to move, but my clothes have gotten looser and smaller
and I'm also making strength and speed gains.

CB: How do you feel in terms of strength and energy?

CJ:
I think my strength gains surprise me most, since I typically have high
energy/endurance. I particularly enjoy how my strength gains have
transferred to running and bike riding.

What
I can lift in the gym just sort of evolves, but when I can climb hills
on my bike that I used to walk up, and finish 5ks in times that were
once out of my reach, it feels pretty good. J

CB: What features do you like about strength and intervals?

CJ:
It's fun, efficient, and intense. And it works!! When I'm in the gym, I
know that I'm making the best use of my time.

CB: Did you change your eating with the guidelines?

CJ:
Not much. I was on a pretty solid eating plan when I started strength
and intervals, but am consistently learning about making the right food
choices and looking to tweak things here and there. Incorporating a
post-workout recovery drink and getting as much variety as possible
have been the biggest change in my eating habits since I started.

CB: What would you say to people that ask you about your workouts? Do you get a lot of comments from others?

CJ:
When people ask me about my workouts, I try to hold back some
enthusiasm so I don't come across as a crazy fanatic and overwhelm them.

I've
had quite a few comments from other people in the gym, either noticing
how hard and smart I'm working, or complimenting my progress. One lady
even pointed me out and said "I want thighs like that!"

It's
always fun to see friends and family or even co-workers that I haven't
seen in a while because they remind me of the progress I've made.

The
best compliment I get now is a form of imitation. People want to know
exactly what I do and ask me for tips. They see it works, and want to
know how I've done it, and try to apply it for themselves.

CB: Thanks CJ! Keep up the great work with your time-efficient Turbulence Training fat loss workouts.

Sincerely,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training