Tracy Anderson's 30-Day Method Part 1

I’ve been curious about Tracy Anderson ever since the day I read (GOOP: Tracy Anderson Method) she was Gwyneth’s trainer. Last summer, I decided it was time to finally try The Method. I was so happy to find the book in The Big Bookstore (aka Fully Booked at The Fort) as I was just about ready to order from Amazon. The night I bought it, I read it from cover-to-cover. The days following my purchase, I was psyching myself and preparing for the 30 days. I knew that I was going to stick with it, no excuses, and I wanted to make sure I was ready. 

So, I began on a Monday, the 9th of May 2011...

Day 1: I am not a breakfast person. I’ve always loved fruits, but somehow it’s so much easier to just grab a cup of coffee in the morning. So, the strawberries were a great way to start my journey.

Lunch: Tomato Minestrone Soup - Yes, I blended it, I am not a big vegetable fan. Reminded me of my Cabbage Soup days...

I was surprised to realize that I actually enjoyed the Dance Aerobics. I am not a dancer, mind you, I am awkward, uncoordinated and just plain self-conscious. But alone in my room, with my new playlist, I was THE Dancing Princess. (I started off with 20 minutes of jumping and 20 minutes of step-tapping.)

My Playlist: 

Please Don’t Leave Me - Pink

Pretty Girl Rock - Keri Hilson

Beautiful - Akon

Good Girl - Alexis Jordan

Commander - Kelly Rowland

Your Love is My Drug - Kesha

Teenage Dream - Katy Perry

DJ Got Us Falling in Love - Usher

Who’s That Chick - Rihanna

Club Can’t Handle Me - Flo Rida

Only Girl (In the World) - Rihanna

Dynamite - Taio Cruz

Do You Remember - Jay Sean

Meet Me Halfway - Black Eyed Peas

Born this Way - Lady Gaga

And because I love them so much, I listened to The Script for my Mat Work (also called Muscle Design).


O!!! M!!! G!!! The Mat Work was brutal. Now I understand what Tracy meant when she said I was gonna discover muscles I never knew existed. She was NOT kidding. To think I started with the minimum 20 reps.

Day 2: 








Breakfast: Turkey Avocado Roll-Up - I replaced the turkey with chicken breast 






Today is the day I admit that I am a Belieber. My brother and I are taking his 2 little girls to see JB in concert. But my calves are killing me, I can hardly walk!!! My niece, Alessa, looks at me funny and says again and again that I am walking like a really really old lola! Obviously, there are no heels in my footsies’ near future, especially in MOA’s concert grounds with screaming lovestruck tweens. Thank you, ballet flats! 

Tracy says that for the next 30 days, working out is my JOB. Because I knew I wouldn’t be able to work out in the afternoon, I squeezed in my workout during lunchtime. I have never sweat so much in my life!!! Only two days and I now have a newfound respect for all those celebs with bodies I would kill for! It is no joke to workout this much! I am keeping my fingers crossed I can survive the next 29 days.

Day 3: I’m beginning to look forward to breakfast. Well, same goes for lunch...snack...dinner...I cannot stop thinking about food! I have a text buddy I send random text messages to on what I’m craving for the day. He always replies with “Tracy won’t be happy.”

I WANT Japanese rice crackers. But...thank you, Tracy, for today’s lunch and dinner - I looooooooooove salmon!!!

My legs are still not my own. 

Day 4: 

Breakfast: Berry Compote






I’m so getting into dance time, I think I’m actually developing some moves. Not to worry though, I don’t think there will be clubs that won’t be able to handle me right now. I’ll leave that to Flo Rida.


Oh, no!!! Our cook sabotaged my dinner!!! She added salt, pepper, rosemary AND olive oil! Her reason? “Maam Kars (she has decided to call me this!), you look so kawawa parang walang lasa yung food mo...” Hmm...she meant well. Okay, I have to keep an eye on her!

Day 5: Heaven! I never thought half a chilled grapefruit drizzled with honey would make me so happy. And guess what, my legs are finally alive again. I woke up and the pain was gone. It’s a miracle!!!

I'm now up to 30 reps in my Mat Work.

Day 6: I am drowning in self-pity today. Saturdays are the absolute worst! So, I locked myself up in my room and caught up on Private Practice and Grey’s Anatomy. (Thank you to my fave doctors for brightening up my day!) After I munched on a cup of grapes (yes, everything is measured carefully!), I felt alive again.







My pesonal fave ♥♥♥

The hardest ingredient to find for this 30-day menu is the kale. I tried emailing and calling all these specialized organic farms (Thank you Fab V for your contacts!) to no avail. I have had to make do with spinach or just about any green leafy I could actually stand. 

Day 7: I am sorry, Tracy, I did not do my job today. I’m seriously debating on declaring NO WORKOUT SUNDAYS.

Day 8: Back to work. I actually missed it! The whole routine seems to be getting easier, so I am now jumping 23 minutes and step-tapping for 17 minutes during my dance routine.

Day 9: Ack!!! I woke up with the strangest dream...I ate a small bag of Gummi Bears and when I turned on the TV to start my routine, there was Tracy reprimanding me for cheating! Am I going crazy?

I still, and I truly believe always will, hate beets (the ironic thing is, one of my BFFs - Poops - actually calls me this - Beetsy) 

Day 10: I finally got the poaching bit right! This will be my new way of cooking fish! Sometimes, simple is really best.

Bonus: My Spanish teacher, Mati, asked me if I was doing something new with my skin. She says I am glowing!

I survived the first 10 days!!! 


My cheats? 
1.) I couldn’t really eat the steamed veggies - carrots, beans, beets - and so I decided better to not eat than to substitute. 
2.) I’ve also drank chamomile tea with honey on days when Mumsy invited me to Starbucks. 


So far, I’ve lost 6 pounds, I reached the 40 reps on my Mat Work and I’m loving my Cardio Dance Time. 

And because every girl deserves to be pampered, I gifted myself with a 1 1/2 hour massage from Spa Amansala. All relaxed and feeling zen, that night, I was ready for twenty more days. - KAB

* Photos from: health-fitness-exercise-equipment.com, teamsugar.com, primetime.unrealitytv.co.uk, amazon.com