Yes, you can transform your body without discipline or willpower!
How is that possible? Let me give you two examples and then I'll explain.
Chandler is single, 24 years old and about 40 lbs overweight. This is his usual routine during the week:
8:00 am: Chandler's alarm clock buzzes. He hits the snooze button, twice. 8:10 am: He finally stumbles out of bed, he shaves his face, brushes his teeth and takes a quick shower. 8:30 am: He gets dressed for work. 8:40 am: Chandler rushes out the door and commutes 15 minutes to work. 9:00 am: Chandler gets to his office, pours himself a cup of black coffee and begins his workday. 12:00 pm: It's noon and Chandler is starving, for his lunch break he drives with his coworker, Joey, to a popular fast food restaurant. He orders a double bacon cheeseburger value meal with a XL french fry and an XL soda. He gobbles down his food and sits at the restaurant for the rest of his lunch hour discussing fantasy sports with Joey. 1:00 pm: Chandler arrives back at the office, he feels miserable from all the sugar and saturated fat coursing through his veins. 2:30 pm: Feeling really lethargic, Chandler decides to have a 24 oz extreme energy drink to help him make it through the rest of his work day. 5:00 pm: Chandler leaves work and meets his friends Joey and Ross for happy hour at a neighborhood bar & grill where all the servers wear "pieces of flair" on their suspenders. He orders buffalo wings and has a few beers. 7:00 pm: He drives home. 7:20 pm: Chandler changes into comfy sweatpants and house slippers. 7:30 pm: He grabs a bag of sour cream and onion flavored potato chips and crashes on the couch in front of his 50 inch plasma TV. He flips through the channels finds a college basketball game to watch. Later he changes the channel to sports news so that he catch all of today's highlights. 11:00 pm: He gets up from the couch and makes himself a bowl off ice cream. He watches the local news and the start of Letterman. 11:45 pm: Finally, Chandler falls asleep on his couch.
Rachel is single, 24 years old and extremely fit. This is her usual routine during the week:
7:00 am: She wakes up and immediately makes her bed. She brushes her teeth and drinks a glass of water. 7:05 am: She changes into her workout clothes. 7:10 am: She drives ten minutes to her gym. 7:20 am: She does her TSC Heart of a Champion Training 8:00 am: Rachel finishes her workout and drives home. 8:10 am: She showers. 8:20 am: She prepares three turkey sandwiches and packs some baby carrots, an apple and an orange for later in the day. She also fills up a water bottle to take to work. 8:30 She fixes a bowl of high fiber cereal with walnuts and blueberries in skim milk. 8:40 am: Rachel walks out the door and begins her 15 minute commute downtown. 9:00 am: She begins her workday feeling great! She's already had an awesome workout and a nutritious breakfast. 11:30 am: She eats a small bag of baby carrots and one of her turkey sandwiches at her desk as she finishes up some paperwork before her lunch break. 12:00 pm: She meets her coworker Monica for a brisk 45 minute walk downtown during their lunch hour. 1:00 pm: She eats an orange and gets back to work. 1:30 pm: She enjoys another one of her turkey sandwiches at her desk. 4:30 pm: Rachel eats her last turkey sandwich. 5:00 pm: She leaves work and drives across town to me her her friend Phoebe at the indoor rock climbing gym. 5:15 pm Rachel spends an hour and a half working on her climbing skills with Phoebe. 6:45 pm: She has a few more baby carrots on her way home from the rock gym. 7:00 pm: Rachel hops in the shower. 7:15 pm: She starts cooking a healthy TSC approved dinner with whole grains, vegetables and lean protein while she listens to the radio. 8:00 pm: She finishes eating dinner and decides to read a book. 10:00 pm: She watches one of her favorite TV shows on her DVR. 10:45 pm: She makes her bedtime snack, low-fat cottage cheese with blueberries and walnuts, it's delicious. 11:00 pm: She brushes her teeth and goes to bed.
Now I have a few questions for you; a. Which routine takes more discipline? b. Which routine takes more willpower? c. Which routine do you think feels better? d. Which routine would you rather follow?
My point is that being an energetic, enthusiastic, confident, active, productive, optimistic, fit, healthy and empowered person is a matter of habit & routine not discipline & willpower.
In the example, Rachel uses healthy habits that empower her and make her feel happier and more confident. She never has to use willpower or discipline!
We all have two major things in common Rachel and Chandler, we all have 24 hours each day and we all CHOOSE how we spend our time. Nobody makes Chandler skip breakfast or drink an extreme energy drink in the afternoon, those are his choices.
The important thing to remember is that you have the power to significantly improve your life by making empowering choices and forming healthy habits.
I. Read the entire TSC Heart of a Champion Program: During an interview a reporter once asked me, "If you could only give a person one piece of fitness advice what would it be?"
I answered, "I would tell the person to follow my entire program. Giving one piece of advice is a cop-out, the reason TSC works so well is because it's a comprehensive program. It's all the pieces of the puzzle or another metaphor I like to use, the TSC program is like a treasure map. You have to follow all the steps to find the treasure. If I gave you just one section of the map, you'd be just as lost as if I gave you no map at all.
Like most people you've probably been extremely frustrated by many different diets, exercise routines and fitness gimmicks, gizmos and gadgets. These programs and products usually fall into one of three categories: a) dangerous b) pointless and c) incomplete. It's true many products (especially the so-called fat burning pills and supplements) are dangerous and I would never take them. Most of these products especially the endless ab exerciser infomercials that promise ripped abs in 4, 8, 12, or 16 weeks fall into the pointless category. Their method is always fatally flawed, but that doesn't matter to the companies that sell them, because their goal is not to help you get fit, it's to separate you from your hard earned dollars, as they collect 3 easy payments of $Fill in the Blank.95 And finally, there are the incomplete programs, they may give you a few pieces of the puzzle, but certainly not enough to get the entire picture. In truth most diets, routines and gimmicks, gizmos and gadgets fall into 2 and sometimes all 3 of these categories.
It's time to stop all that nonsense. The TSC Heart of a Champion Training and Nutrition will be your map to success. Say goodbye to dieting and the endless squabbles of low-carb vs. low fat vs. high protien. From now on you will be eating RIGHT. You will feed yourself the proper amounts of carbs, protein and fats to fuel your success and transform your body. Say goodbye to silly exercise routines. This is a Training Program not an Exercise Program. It's vital that you understand the difference. The words "exercise program" denote that we are going through the motions for the sake of exercise and eventually exercise becomes a repeating and monotonous cycle. That's why TSCers use the Heart of a Champion Training Program. Just like the name implies we are training not exercising. We strive for constant and consistent improvement towards the accomplishment of our goals. Our training workouts must be done enthusiastically with 100% focus and intensity. We will use the most efficient lifts and cardio workouts to transform our bodies as quickly as possible and achieve true health and fitness.
But what is true health and fitness? It's simple, it's the point at which you look your best possible, feel your best possible and you are your best possible. The program is designed with this specific purpose in mind. The purpose is not to lose X amount of pounds or get better ab definition or bigger biceps, THE PURPOSE IS FOR YOU TO BE YOUR BEST. The TSC Program is about helping you push yourself to your full potential and uncovering the Heart of a Champion that beats in your chest. Once you uncover it you'll realize that you can achieve anything that you put your mind too. You'll be more energetic, enthusiastic, confident, active, productive, optimistic and empowered than you may have ever dreamed. You will breeze through obstacles that hold back your peers and meet new challenges with zeal.
The TSC Training Program works for everyone. It's being used on six continents by people of all ages, genders, colors and creeds. Like I said, the program is a map. If you follow the map it will lead you to your destination; true health and fitness. The key is adherence. The principles of the Heart of a Champion Training and Nutrition program work every time they are applied, but that means you have to apply them. It all comes down to this question, deep down in your chest, do you have the Heart of a Champion? Many people live their entire lives without much success, but one day they flip a switch that opens the gates to their unlimited potential. If you need inspiration watch Rocky or The Lion King or The Mighty Ducks or any number of great inspirational movies. You can make the heroes journey. The program doesn't require an abundance of skill, ability or time. But it does require that you give your 100% best effort. It's simple, if you want to be your best, you have to give your best.
Are you ready? Prove it. Start now and Finish Strong. This is a 10-week commitment to yourself and your future. To get the Heart of a Champion You have to Finish. Anyone can start the program, but to be a Champion you have to FINISH THE PROGRAM.
Be a Champion.
II. Week Zero Weigh-in, Measurement and Photo: Before starting the training & nutrition portions of the Program it's vitally important for your success that you capture an honest assessment of your starting point. To do this, you need to weigh in, measure your waist (body circumference at the navel) and take an honest head to toe bathing suit photo. I strongly recommend that you print 3 copies of your before photo. Write the date of the photo, your weight and waist size on all three copies and post them where you will see them. I recommend posting one on your bathroom mirror, your refrigerator and one on the back of your bedroom door. This person in the photo is the old you. You must start thinking, acting, and behaving like an energetic, enthusiastic, active, confident, productive, optimistic, dynamic and empowered person right now. Your transformation is really a renaissance, a re-birth. Your dedication and adherence to the training program will set a fire and the new you will rise from the ashes, like a Phoenix. From today forward your life should be segmented into two portions, before transformation and after transformation.
III. Implement the TSC Nutrition Guide: It's time for more action, now that you've read the Nutrition guide and have an understanding of what it means to eat right, you need to take action and implement the program. This should be done in 3 steps and take only a few hours.
Step 1: Clear out the Junk: Go through your fridge, freezer, pantry and cupboards and throw away all of the non TSC approved items. The best way to beat temptation is to AVOID TEMPTATION. There is absolutely no need to keep a half full bottle of chocolate syrup and an aerosol can of whipped cream in your refrigerator at home! Get rid of all sodas, juices, and energy drinks. Dump all your microwave food in the trash, no more microwavable pizzas, hot dogs, corn dogs, or nuggets, it's all garbage! Say goodbye to snack cakes and toss out all the sugary cereals. Get rid of everything that isn't a part of eating right and living up to your full potential. Throw out all the junk, the new you doesn't keep that stuff around the house and you are so much better for it.
Step 2: Go Grocery Shopping: Replenish your fridge, freezer, pantry and cupboards with lean protein sources, veggies, fruits and whole grains.
Step 3: Start Eating Right: It's simple, you've gotten rid of all the junk and replaced it with the proper foods that help you eat right. Now follow the guide and you will be well on your way to a total body transformation.
IV. Implement the TSC Bonus Program: Start enjoying physical activity! It doesn't have to be anything strenuous, it can be as simple as a 30 minute walk or as engaging as full-court basketball. To be an energetic, enthusiastic, active, confident, productive, optimistic, dynamic and empowered person you need to enjoy all manners of physical activity. Find things you like to do and start doing them.
V. Take your Week Zero TSC 300 Challenge (Saturday): This is a big day. Relax and give your best effort. It's okay if you score zeros across the board, after all this is Week Zero. Do your best and finish the challenge, even if that means 0 pull-ups, 0 push-ups and doing a 57 minute 3 mile walk. JUST FINISH.
VI. Solidify your 10-week goals (Sunday): After completing your Week Zero 300 Challenge it's time to solidify your 10 week goals and put them in writing. Remember the most important goal you can have is adherence. The TSC Program works for everyone every time it's applied, but you have to apply it. You have to do the workouts and follow the nutrition guide to get the results.
Once you complete your goals make 3 copies and post them next to your Week Zero before photos. VII. Implement the TSC Training Guide (Monday): Begin the program enthusiastically and follow it exactly as it's written. Remember the most important thing to exercise is good judgement. You might be tempted start all gung-ho, but remember this is a 10-week journey, not an overnight success. You have to come back day after day and follow the map.
VIII. Expect Soreness: You will be sore, in fact you will be the most sore during your first week of training. Expect it and deal with it (http://transformationsuperchallenge.blogspot.com/2009/02/reduce-soreness-recover-faster-feel.html). Please exercise good judgment, If you're sore, you need to push through the pain. If you're injured, you may need prolonged rest, treatment and medical care (a broken bone is not soreness, it's an injury, duh).
Most of your soreness will reside in the first 3 to 4 weeks. You're body craves physical fitness and will make adaptations very quickly when you give it the right stimulus (training) and building blocks (nutrition).
Also, avoid pain reliever pills, many of them inhibit muscle growth. IX. Rise to the Challenge: Every able bodied person can complete this program. It's your choice. Choose Success.
X. Transform - Make it happen and Finish Strong: Discover the Heart of a Champion that beats in your chest.
In order to Transform your body you will need to set the right goals. Most major successes in life begin with goal setting and are accomplished with perseverance. Whether your goal is to earn a scholarship, buy your first home, graduate from law school, start your own business, or transform your body, success starts with goal setting and is realized with a mix of optimism, fortitude, commitment, enthusiasm, diligence, and perseverance that give you the tenacity to overcome obstacles and achieve the results you want. In short, you have to set a goal and make it happen.
To transform your body, it's imperative that you set great goals. All too often I hear people setting the wrong goals. They say things like, "I want to be skinny" or "I want to lose _____ pounds" or "I hate my thighs, I want them to be smaller." Theses are terrible goals because they are focused on the wrong objectives. Goals like that will never create feelings of empowerment, but the will take you on a frustrating path to failure.
The TSC Heart of a Champion Program is really about the inner transformation. It's about becoming a more confident, enthusiastic, productive person. It's about SELF-EMPOWERMENT. You being in control of your life and becoming your best. Goals that revolve around being skinnier, smaller or losing weight, will never help you achieve the inner transformation and they will only frustrate you as you struggle to achieve meager results.
A stunning example of this is bariatric surgery. When a surgeon staples or lap-bands your stomach it robs you of opportunity to accomplish something real and meaningful with your own hard work and determination. It's the easy way out, but it's rewards are fool's gold. When you lose 100, 150 or 200 pounds after bariatric surgery you haven't really accomplished anything. Sure you'll get smaller, and maybe you'll feel more confident because you think you look better, but you haven't accomplished anything because you haven't EARNED it. Truthfully your probably not actually better at anything, except looking less fat. Think about some of the celebrities that have had bariatric surgery; Roseanne Barr, Randy Jackson, Al Roker, Carnie Wilson and Charlie Weis. Do any of these people have the dream body that you want? Of course not! Charlie Weis had bariatric surgery in 2002 and almost died after he bled internally for 30 hours. Chances are good that like Weis, you will survive the surgery, but even then you'll be faced with a lifetime of pills and supplements to help deliver the micro-nutrients your body needs, but can no longer get naturally because you choose to circumvent nature. Furthermore, what is the purpose of bariatric surgery? The only thing that it can do is help you eat less. That's it! Bariatric Surgery helps you eat less! WOW, you could eat less without having surgery. This is the point where you might say, "But I've tried eating less. In fact I've tried everything! I did all the different brand name diets from Atkins to the Zone, I tried exercise, I bought the fat-burning pills, I joined a gym, I bought a bowflex, I did crunches, I ordered the workout DVD's and tried do all sorts of funky exercises in my living room, I even have an ab-rocket! But nothing worked!"
To all this, I respond, "Sure you tried everything but did you finish anything? What were your goals in the first place?"
And guess what? The goals were always wrong! The goals were always to be skinny, lose weight, or get smaller and those goals NEVER WORK. You might see some progress initially, but the be skinny, lose weight, and get smaller goals always lead back to where you started, in a constantly repeating cycle of yo-yo dieting madness.
The most sickening thing about all this is how easy it is to burn fat and transform your body. With the TSC Heart of a Champion Training Programs, burning 100 pounds of fat becomes a 10-20 week process depending on your drive and perseverance. If you have the guts to go under the knife for stomach stapling or some other bariatric surgery, then you should have the guts to train properly and eat right for 10, 20, or 30 weeks as you transform your body and earn the feelings of empowerment and accomplishment that come from sowing the seeds of your own success.
But what are the right goals?
The RIGHT GOALS are the ones that lead you to constant and consistent improvement towards your full potential. The right goals lead you on the path to being your best. They are tangible, you can measure them every week as you improve.
The right goals also use the right vocabulary, instead of losing weight you need to burn fat. Instead of getting skinny you need to get stronger! Instead of being smaller you need to run faster!
Start thinking in terms of being Fast, Fit, and Strong. Now you might think I'm crazy right about now, but stick with me. During the Summer Olympics have you ever spotted an obese person lining up to run the 100m, 200m or 400m sprints? Of course not, these are the fastest people in the world and any extra body fat would literally weigh them down. Of course I don't want you to begin training like an Olympic sprinter this afternoon, but you should start wrapping your head around the fact that you want to be fast. Certainly you're not going to develop world class speed over night, but you should strive to be your fastest and set goals accordingly. Again the goal is to be your best! Comparing yourself to others is a waste of time.
Fast, Fit, and Strong . Fitness is second on the list, it's vitally important. To be your best you absolutely have to develop cardiovascular endurance and muscle stamina. You have to be able to keep going like the energizer bunny. Think of Olympic rowing, have you ever seen a fat guy in one of those boats? Of course not, they are some of the fittest athletes on the planet. In fact, most races come down to who has the endurance and stamina late in the race. All of the elite rowing teams can start fast, but to become a champion you have to finish strong. Being fast and fit are great! They will help you lead a longer healthier life, but being strong will help you lead a better life. Studies have shown that an elderly person's quadriceps strength is one of the great determinants for there quality of life. Sadly you may never become "elderly" if you die of an obesity related illness in your 40's or 50's. Oh and Guess what happens when you mix speed with strength? You get POWER! You can literally make yourself more powerful!
When you set goals to become fast, fit, and strong and persevere towards making them happen you will dramatically improve your life and make the inner transformation that the TSC Heart of a Champion Program is really all about. If you really want to feel confident and empowered you need to push yourself to be your best. That means being faster, fitter, and stronger as you push passed your old limits and towards your full potential. I hope you see the difference between "I want to lose 50 lbs so I'm not so fat anymore" and "I want to achieve my full potential" because they are worlds apart.
Now of course your saying, "Well golly, that sounds good, but I'm busy, I work, I have kids, I have responsibilities, I don't have all day to train like an Olympian athlete!" Of course you don't have all day to workout. None of us do. That's why it's important to train as effectively and efficiently as possible. So that you can earn the results you want and still manage the responsibilities you have. Again, the transformation process is about getting better, it will reduce your stress, not add to it. Once you get your training and fitness on track, you'll find that the rest of your life falls into place and everything becomes easier.
The TSC Heart of a Champion program demands just 4 hours of training per week. It's just two twenty minute cardio sessions, three weight training sessions that will take you 40-50 minutes and one fitness test (The TSC 300 Challenge) that should take 20-40 minutes depending on your fitness. That's it! You can radically transform your life and earn the respect of everyone around you by transforming your body the right way. You can literally burn 100 pounds of fat in 10-20 weeks. Imagine waking up 15 weeks from now and being faster, fitter, stronger and 100 pounds lighter.
Along the way, you'll have to follow the TSC Nutrition guide and do some bonus activity too, but the results will change your life. Imagine this, let's say you're 6 feet tall, 300 pounds with a 48" waist, on Thanksgiving day. You could begin the Heart of a Champion program and be close to 200 lbs and a 34" waist by Valentine's Day and by the first day of spring you can absolutely have six pack abs. Follow the TSC training and nutrition programs and add bonus activities and you can do it.
So now you're thinking, "wait, what is that jazz about TSC Bonus Activities? What does that mean?"
The TSC Bonus Program is simply encouraging you to get more physical activity during the day. It can be as simple as taking a walk on your lunch break or when you get home for work. But now your thinking, "see, I knew there was a catch, it does take more than 4 hours a week! See I told you!"
Well, the training takes 4 hours a week, but you absolutely need to go beyond just training. Really the bonus program should be about playing! You know that fun stuff that kids used to do outside in the afternoons before the TV news convinced us that world was too dangerous and instead it would be safer for America's children to be raised indoors in front of televisions and gaming consoles, eating microwaveable corn dogs, pizza rolls and hot-pockets.
So yes, your transformation will take more than 4 hours a week, in fact I'll let you in on a little secret. I'm sure you've seen the Biggest Loser and watched horrified as "America's toughest trainer" pushed her Losers through another gut-check "last chance workout." Well guess what... The last chance workout is totally bogus. With as big as the competitors are on that show, a weekly weigh-in can be totally determined by salt intake and hydration. The last chance workout is simply a way to format the show and do storytelling, it gives the director (yes the show has a director) a chance to send Jillian over to talk to a contestant and have a semi-scripted conversation about what's going on with them and why they aren't giving it their all. The last chance workout spawns story lines and can help the director and producers create drama. Fights and tears boost ratings, but have nothing to do with transforming your body or burning fat, so here's the big secret. The competitors that post huge numbers on the show use long walks to burn fat! That's the big secret, hey you can walk too, you don't need America's toughest trainer yelling in your face to burn fat, just walk! The competitors will wake up early and walk 3-4 hours or more per day without the trainers! They'll walk between 9 and 16 miles per day, it takes time but it will melt the fat off of you. Heck it even worked for Jared the subway guy. Although, you'll notice that Jared never did the proper training to transform his body. He was really fat and now he's less fat, but you won't see him taking his shirt off in public anytime soon. In fact, Jared is gaining his weight back! That's why he appears in a heavy winter coat in Subway's newest winter Olympic themed ads.
Imagine what you could do with proper training, proper nutrition and some TSC Bonus activities like walking, riding a bike, dancing, or playing just about anything. You can totally transform your body.
I know it's true because I've done it myself. Now your thinking "wait Chris, I've seen you youtube videos, you have like an insane 8-pack."
Well thanks, but something you should know, this fall I hurt my lower back at work (two herniated discs in lumbar spine). I couldn't lift weights or exercise for nearly two and a half months, actually I could barely bend over and putting dishes into the dishwasher caused excruciating stabbing pain.
During the time my back was injured I consciously decided to neglect the TSC Nutrition guidelines and instead insisted on eating what I considered the average American diet. It was almost like I was recreating Morgan Spurlock's documentary Super Size Me except without the McDonald's food, you'd have to pay me to eat that crap. But I did have my fare share of In-n-Out, ranch soaked pizza, and Oreoes (but at least I was dipping them in skim milk).
My back injury occurred on September 9th, 2009. I ate like crap and couldn't return to exercise until Thanksgiving, 2009. On Black Friday, November 27th (the day after Thanksgiving) my back was feeling a lot better, but I felt disgusting. After 79 days of inactivity and consuming what I considered the average American diet I weighed in at 253 pounds and I only had one pair of jeans that still fit me, barely. My butt was covered in cellulite and I spent most of my time wearing sweatpants. Given my height, 6'3" I had officially become an obese American with a Body Mass Index over 30 and my waist was 41" when I was flexing!
Later that day, I played in a touch football game with some high school friends (a Thanksgiving tradition). I was fat, slow, weak and far from being my best. Later I saw some photos of the game, there is actually a picture of my fat gut hanging out of my shirt. The next day, Saturday, November 28th, I took the TSC 300 Challenge, it's the fitness test I was talking about earlier. The test is comprised of 3 sections pull-ups, push-ups and a 3 mile run. Each section is worth 100 points for a total of 300. I was able to do 9 pull-ups, 31 push-ups and run 3 miles in 32:04 for a total score of just 122 points. Certainly this score might be higher or lower than what you could score today, but the goal isn't comparison, its improvement. The Heart of a Champion Program is designed to deliver results, regardless of where you begin the journey.
I set my goals on Sunday, November 29th. I wanted to burn fat, build muscle and transform my body. My goals were to burn between 40 and 50 pounds of fat and build 2-5 pounds of muscle (goal weight between 203-213). I wanted my waist to return to 32-34" and a body fat percentage between 4-10%. But my most important goals had to do with the TSC 300 Challenge. I knew I needed to be faster, fitter and stronger to achieve my other goals. For the 300 Challenge, my goals were to improve to 20 pull-ups (100 pts), 50 push-ups (100 points) and run 3 miles in 21 minutes or less (82+ points) for a total of 282 points or more.
There's one more goal that I should have set, and that is adherence. The TSC Training Program works every time its applied. It is being used by people all over the world to transform their bodies, but the program only works when you do the work. If you skip the workouts, they can't transform your body. Completing every training session with 100% intensity is paramount to your success. During the 10 week Heart of a Champion Transformation Program I had an adherence rate of over 98%. The only workout that I missed was Friday, December 25th, 2009, It was Christmas Day and I was spending it at my Aunt's house in Northern Idaho. They gym in the town was closed and my Aunt didn't have the required equipment. It's okay. You can miss a workout if your in Northern Idaho on Christmas day.
So given my 98% adherence rate and my enthusiasm for the TSC Bonus Program you'd expect that I would have had some pretty good results. Well you'd be right.
Ten weeks later on Saturday, February, 6th 2010 I completed my week 10 TSC 300 Challenge. I racked up 19 pull-ups for 95 points, 53 push-ups for 100 points (50 push-ups is the max score), and I ran 3 miles in 19:55, that's over a minute faster than my original goal time and worth 89 points. In total I scored 284 out of 300 possible points and achieved a miraculous 10 week transformation.
The next day (Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 7th) I took my week 10 measurements. I weighed in at 206 lbs! That's 47 pounds lighter than just 10 weeks earlier. I would estimate that I burned 49-50 pounds of fat and built 2-3 pounds of muscle (although I didn't have pre- and post-challenge DEXA scans, so I can't say for certain). My waist was 32.25" while flexing, I'd burned almost 9" of fat off my waistline in just 10 weeks. My abs were back and I felt better than before I hurt my back.
During the challenge I would always be setting weekly goals for the amount of fat I wanted to burn and the numbers I wanted to see on the 300 challenge. It's vitally important that you give yourself active short term goals, like "burn 7 pounds of fat this week" or "do 1 more pull-up than last week" You'll remember that my original goal in the 3 mile run was 21:00 or less, well I beat that in week 8, so my week nine goal was to "run faster" I had to beat my week 8 time and then in week 10 my goal was to beat my weak 9 time and go even faster, I wanted to go sub 20 minutes in the run. Guess what, I did. Guess why, GOAL SETTING.
Someday in the near future (probably 10 or 12 weeks after you read this) you'll have completed the TSC Heart of a Champion Transformation Program with a 98-100% adherence rate and you will have achieved remarkable results. You'll probably have burned 40, 50, maybe even 60 pounds of fat or more, you'll be faster, fitter and stronger, but then the questions becomes, "Where do I go from here?"
It's simple, you set new goals and you start achieving them! Then you will take THE NEXT STEP. After completing the 10 week Transformation Program it was time for me to re-evaluate myself and set new goals. I decided that in the next ten weeks I would do 25 pull-ups, 75 push-ups and run 3 miles in 17:57 (these scores will go far beyond maxing out the 300 Challenge). I also want to continue burning fat and building muscle so that I can get my body to 198-203 lbs and 4-6% body fat. You need to know that any able bodied person can do this (women, the scoring for the TSC 300 challenge is slightly different for you, but you can max the test and score all 300 points). It doesn't take talent or skill. But it does take setting the right goals, proper training, proper nutrition, some hard work and mostly perseverance.
On Monday, February 7th, I started the TSC Heart of a Champion Plus: THE NEXT STEP. It's a program I designed as the logical next step in the development and progression of your health, fitness and physical abilities. It picks up where the first program leaves off and will push you further towards achieving your full potential. The new workouts will blast you towards the results you want and inject fresh enthusiasm into your transformation training.
Sure it's hard work, but it's also JOYFUL work. It feels great to run fast and it feels even better when you push yourself to run faster. As you become faster, fitter and stronger you will become better at everything. You will be naturally energized, more creative, and more productive. You will be more in control of your life. Stress will fade away and you will achieve a more balanced and fulfilling life style.
At this point, only you can stop yourself. The TSC workouts work if you do them. The TSC Nutrition Program works if you follow it. The TSC Bonus Program works if you take the time to invest in yourself. If you're an able bodied person you can absolutely do this and start transforming immediately. Everyone has excuses, but you have the solution.
Our society is rotting from all the cheap satiation available to us. Hungry? have a Snickers, or a Big-Mac or a Whopper, it's cheap easy and fast, but the satisfaction never lasts. It's time to make a real and meaningful change in your life. Forget about losing weight, being smaller and getting skinny. Be faster, Be Fitter, Be Stronger. Learn and Grow. Start the program and more importantly, FINISH THE PROGRAM.
1. Enter three 5k races and run sub 20:00 in all of them (I have my eye on the Sound to Narrows 5k in my hometown as my first race). ***NOTE: Do not decide to run a marathon, you will go on the worst yo-yo diet of your life, you will ruin your metabolism, and you will hate running. Instead enter 5k's and aim to run faster in every race.
2. Climb a Mountain: Hopefully Mt. Rainier this summer with some of my best friends.
3. Erg 2k in sub 6:00 (an erg is a type of rowing machine).
4. Walk 26.2 Miles without stopping. Humans are designed to walk long distances, not to run them. I'd like to try walking a marathon for time.
Ivan was born in Zaire in 1964. He was purchased by a man that owned a funky little shopping mall in my hometown, Tacoma, Washington.
The man placed Ivan in a 14' x 14' concrete cell with a large viewing window in the center of his funky little mall, "The World Famous B&I" on South Tacoma Way. For 27 years, Ivan sat in his little room as B&I shoppers strolled passed him.
I remember seeing Ivan once during my childhood. To the best of my recollection, there was hay scattered on the floor of his barren quarters, a limp tire swing hanging from the ceiling and a punctured 4-square ball rolled away in a corner.
What I remember most, was Ivan. He was beautiful and magnificent, an astonishing creature designed for the lowland forests of the Congo. He sat before me in the dingy B&I bathed in vomitous fluorescent lighting. His 14' x 14' cell was his personal fortress of solitude. He sat there, not moving, just gazing out through the glass, his sad eyes looked right through me. It's almost unfathomable to imagine the profound sadness and loneliness that 27 years alone in a 14' x 14' cell at the B&I could do to any pack animal. I wouldn't want to spend 27 minutes alone in the B&I, much less 27 years.
PARADOX. I enjoy taking walks in the evenings. Depending on the weather, it's pretty common for me to go for an hour long stroll 3-4 nights a week. It's a healthy habit that I find very refreshing. It's great to be outdoors, breathing deeply and just walking (humans are designed for long walks). You can walk with a friend, family member, golden retriever or just enjoy the chance to be by yourself and do some serious thinking.
I'll usually take a route through a safe and familiar neighborhood, and guess what I see... I see people sitting slack-jawed on their couches staring at television sets, ALONE. Certainly, some families watch television together, but often times I see people sitting by themselves in front of a Television. Isolated, alone, secluded, watching TV. It's disgusting.
How often do you watch TV alone? Many American households have more television sets than people! A fact that makes it easy for each member of a household to slink off to their private quarters and watch TV by themselves.
Ivan was forcibly confined to his 14' x 14' concrete cell, but how many of us willfully choose to live in isolation? We confine ourselves to a couch and allow the TV to watch us! We slouch down into the cushions as the television beams powerful messages paid for by multinational mega corporations. They tell us what to think and feel, they tell us what's cool and what we HAVE to have. We choose to sit stupidly in front of the television while we are brainwashed to purchase light beer, potato chips, extra value meals, cars, trucks, SUV's, soda, diet soda, diet pills, prescription drugs, blue jeans, and jewelery.
Ivan was forced to receive a daily bath of that awful fluorescent light at the B&I, but we choose an even more treacherous light bath, from our plasma and LCD screens as they instruct us how to be good little consumers. So we can go to mall and make sure we have the latest khaki pants from the GAP and get the most "extra value" from our fast food cuisine. The smiling faces of models, dancers, actors and athletes swirl before us, exalting the latest goods to appease our ever growing consumer appetites.Make a better choice. Go outside. That's where real life is. Life is growth, learning, movement and connection. Go for a walk, take your dog, or a friend, or your son, daughter, brother, sister, mother or father. Walk and talk. Be real people. Plan something, discuss ideas, current events, relationships, religion, politics, anything! Stroll passed the homes in your neighborhood and see all the people sitting alone like Ivan did for 27 years. Real life is outdoors, it's physical, it will occasionally cause you to break a sweat, it will bathe you in refreshing sunlight.
When you go to the grocery store, casually look in the carts around you. You'll see carts full of pizza rolls, hot-pockets, pop-tarts, soda cans and other microwaveable nonsense. It's the food that the TV told your fellow shopper would make them happy. Coca-Cola has ad spots with the slogan "open happiness." Can you believe that? It would be a lot more accurate if they said "Open carbonated water mixed with high-fructose corn syrup" with another warning label that stated "WARNING: This product may lead to obesity, type 2 diabetes and premature death." Now certainly television and soda could be used in moderation...
I'll be the first to admit that I watch my share of television, that that antics of Snooki, Jwoww and the Situation are a guilty pleasure. If you are going to watch television, please meet every advertisement with skepticism and be aware of the more sinister form of brainwashing, product placement. If you are going to watch television or have a coke and a smile, plan to share the experience with another real person that is really there! PS: "Coke and a smile" is another one of those creative ad slogans that sells you faux feelings.
I've strayed tangentially from my main point of this piece, which was, "Go outside and connect with other real people." So I'll just reiterate that, GO OUTSIDE AND CONNECT WITH OTHER REAL PEOPLE. Life is growth, learning and movement. Choose to LIVE.
Ivan was eventually freed from solitary confinement at the B&I penitentiary. He now resides at the Atlanta Zoo. He stretches out under the sun and enjoys the company of other gorillas.
The TSC 300 Challenge is a fitness test that measures strength, stamina and cardiovascular endurance. The purpose of the test is to help you transform your body and achieve true health and fitness. That means looking your best possible, feeling your best possible, and being your best possible.
The TSC 300 Challenge is composed of 3 events. Each event is worth a maximum of 100 points. With proper training, like the TSC Heart of a Champion Program any able bodied person can max the test and score 300 points. This is remarkable considering that many professional and Olympic athletes would not be able to score 300 points if we gave them the test tomorrow. Obviously, severe asthma, arthritis or other disabilities would make it more difficult to score 300 points, but every able bodied person can max this test. The TSC 300 Challenge doesn't require abundant athletic ability, talent or skill beyond doing the basics of pull-ups, push-ups and running 3 miles.
The first event is a maximum set of pull-ups. You can do wide grip pull-ups with your palms facing away from you or narrow grip pull-ups with your palms facing towards you (these are also called "chin-ups" and are typically easier for most people). Start each pull-up from a "dead hang" fully extended position and pull up until your chin is level to the bar.
There is no time limit, you can hang tough as long as you want, trying to squeeze out one extra rep, but as soon as you drop off the bar, you're done. The scoring for men is 5 points per pull-up, 20 pull-ups scores the maximum of 100 points. The scoring for women is 10 points per pull-up, 10 pull-ups scores the maximum of 100 points.
Rest for up to five minutes while you catch your breath and mentally prepare for the second event, maximum push-ups. At the top of your push-up your arms should be slightly flexed, then lower your body until your upper arm creates a 90 degree angle with your lower arm. There aren't any judges that will disqualify you if you don't go down low enough or up high enough, but do your best to use a complete range of motion. Be honest with yourself, using a limited range of motion only hurts you in the long run. For the best form, keep your chin up and your eyes looking straight forward. Do as many as possible without breaking proper push-up position. This means that if your hips start to sag or your but shoots up in the air, you're done.Ideally, your push-up strength will develop in a 3:1 ratio with your pull-up strength. Thus a person that can do 8 pull-ups should be able to perform 24 push-ups. If your push-up to pull-up/pull-ups is far outside of this ratio, it's indicative that you have muscle and strength imbalances or that your total body weight is outside the ideal range for you. Don't worry though, The Heart of a Champion Training program will correct these imbalances over time. Men, you score two points per push-up, 50 push-ups scores the maximum, 100 points. Women, you score 4 points for each push-up, 25 push-ups earns you the 100 point maximum.
The final event in the TSC 300 Challenge is 3-mile run A.F.A.P (As Fast as Possible!) I prefer running 12 laps on a rubberized track to complete your 3 miles. You can find a track at most high schools and colleges (in the United States). Running on a track offers several advantages, it allows you to calculate your split time, the rubberized cushioning is easier on your joints and if you travel, it's easier to find a track than to map out a new 3-mile course each time.
Other methods include creating a 1.5 mile loop and completing two loops or choosing a "turn around" point 1.5 miles your starting point and running there and back. You can also choose to run your 3 miles indoors on a treadmill, but I prefer the great outdoors (even if it's well below freezing).
Always run in a safe and well lit area. The last thing you want to do is sprain an ankle because you didn't see a crack in the sidewalk or get mugged running through a park at night. Ideally, you should be doing your TSC 300 Challenge on Saturday morning, so it shouldn't be an issue.
Guys, to max the run you must complete 3-miles in 18 minutes or less. For each 10-second interval above 18:00 subtract one point from 100 to get your score. Thus for each minute over 18:00 you will subtract six points. Women, the scoring is the same for you, except your goal time is 21 minutes. For each 10-second interval above 21 minutes subtract one point from 100.
Like I stated earlier, every able bodied person can score 300 points on this challenge. It doesn't take athletic ability, skill or talent. Your goal should be to improve in each category every week as you progress towards scoring 300 points. Please keep in mind that plenty of Olympic and professional athletes would not be able to score 300 points if we gave them the challenge tomorrow, or even if we gave them an entire month to train for it. Again, the goal is steady improvement, not perfection.
Don't be discouraged if you don't do well the first time you take the challenge (it's entirely possible for individuals with poor fitness to score zero points the first time they take the challenge) or if you fail to improve in each category every week. Just continue to show up and give your best effort as you strive for your goals. You will get there eventually and along the way you will find true health & fitness, that magical point at which you look, feel and perform as well as you possibly can. That is the promised land and the TSC 300 Challenge and the Heart of a Champion Training & Nutrition Program can help you get there.
Tom Cruise's famous line in Jerry Maguire is total BS. "You complete me" is something you should never think or feel. You MUST complete yourself. I've talked with two friends recently about their bad break-ups and both placed the blame for their failed relationships squarely on their ex-girlfriends.
They kept whining, "Why couldn't she be more understanding?" "She never called me back!" "She was selfish." "She didn't want to help me." "She wasn't there for me when I needed her." They had both used their previous relationships to fill a void in themselves. They had a piece missing and they thought a girlfriend would complete them.
Besides recent bad break-ups and useless diatribes of "she wasn't ______ enough when I needed her most." Guess what else these two guys had in common?
Guess.
They are both FAT and extremely out of shape. They both choose to live boring sedentary lives and both of them blame others for their failings in business, school and relationships instead of taking responsibility for themselves.
Being out of shape and fat carries so many disgusting side-effects; low self-esteem, lack of energy, depression, lack of confidence, denial, guilt, stress and the need for external stimulants and validation. Your fat weighs you down, literally. It's like an anchor and a rain cloud that follow you everywhere. You're fatness is your personal prison cell.
But you have the keys to unlock your true self! You are only fat because you choose to be! Consciously or unconsciously you make decisions everyday that keep you fat, unhealthy and rob you of the opportunity to be happy, confident, energetic and empowered.
If you're a fat, depressed, sloth of a human of course you are going to fail in relationships! Of course your girlfriend will dump you or your wife will want a divorce. If all you care about is what's on TV and whether or not you have cold beer in the fridge, you are a LOSER! And the saddest part is that you choose to be a loser.
You have to complete yourself! How can anyone be in a healthy relationship if they are themselves incomplete and in search of validation? It's impossible! It's like the 13 year old girls that go on Maury Povich and say that they are gonna have a baby and that the baby is going to love them. It's the same thing with depressed fat people. They get themselves into relationships just so that they can hear the other person say "I love you." Really it's one of the most selfish things you can do.
Think about this paradox... Many people associate fit people with narcissism and think "all they care about is looking good in front of the mirror." I will readily admit that the world is full of fit people that are total jerks, tools and jokes (see the Jersey Shore) but, the most narcissistic people in my opinion are depressed fat people.
Often, they blame everyone else for their shortcomings and failures and refuse to take responsibility for themselves. They need others to care for them because they won't to care for themselves.
You can't truly love someone else until you love yourself. Now, I'm not talking about being "in love" with yourself and spending all day doing your hair, posing in front of the mirror, and picking out the perfect outfit (see Jersey Shore again). I'm talking about genuinely caring for yourself and your well being. When you take responsibility for yourself you are actually being selfless, not selfish. Once you take responsibility for yourself, you can no longer be a burden on others or society as a whole.
When things aren't going the way you want you should look inward first, it's probably your fault. Stop looking for scapegoats. Blaming others for your situation might feel good in the moment but it usually results in burning bridges, losing friends, and ending up right back where you started, but worse.
Albert Einstein said, "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result."
So if you're fat, depressed and keep blaming everyone else and it still isn't working, don't you think that it's time for a change...or are you INSANE?
Take responsibility for yourself and your health and fitness. You hold the keys to your personal prison cell. When you are ready to feel real joy and happiness, get the Heart of a Champion program and transform your life.
I can't give you the "heart" but I can help you find it. You don't learn to have the Heart of a Champion, you have to uncover it like an archaeologist. When you take responsibility for yourself and your well being and commit to the program you will reveal the Heart of a Champion.
Hopefully my friends will find the heart and transform their lives before another unfortunate female gets trapped in their web of incompleteness.
MAKE IT HAPPEN.
Best, Chris Krueger Transform your body now and change your life forever. Get the TSC Heart of a Champion Program and Make it Happen! http://www.tscheartofachampionprogram.com/
Yes, you can transform your body without discipline or willpower!
