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It’s short, intense, and with the help of a community striving for the same physical and internal improvements, you will thrive! I never could have accurately described Tighter Together before the first round, but the second one was even better! We had individual macros, but were all on the same workout schedule pushing through and encouraging each other! We came together to offer answers to common questions on the Facebook page, cheered with other in their triumphs and picked each other up on their low days.
In no way is the following list of "winners" complete because there are hundreds that found more determination than they ever knew was inside them and that's a prize. THOUSANDS individuals now have a better concept of personalized nutrition, resistance based circuit workouts and an entire community to lift them up!
JOIN ME IN GIVING A VERY HEARTFELT CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR NEWEST WINNERS!
SUMMER 2022
GRAND PRIZE WINNERS - $1,000 CASH PRIZE
EMILY E.
This wasn’t my first TT, but this one in particular really clicked for me. I don’t think it’s dramatic to say it’s been a game changer or even life changing. These last weeks have been incredibly uplifting and rewarding for me, in so many ways. I’m ecstatic with the outcome - huge reduction in everyday pain, better energy and sleep, fat loss (I’m down 11+ inches / 2.5lbs), increased strength, feeling happier and accomplished and on a much better path - pretty incredible for just a few weeks of good hard work! I’m super excited to continue building on what I’ve learned and accomplished so far.
I had given up partway through the previous TT New Year challenge, due to pain I’d been experiencing in my back, hip, and feet for a while - I figured my body needed a break. But the pain never subsided with the break. Soon I also found myself developing some new frequent habits of over-indulging and just poor choices nutrition-wise, that I didn’t think were too big of a deal in the moment - until I finally recognized that I had put on a significant amount of weight in a VERY short time.
Shortly before the challenge began, I was hurting physically and emotionally, beating myself up for looking and feeling so bad and for not getting back to healthier habits. No clothes fit, I didn’t want to go anywhere or let anyone see me. I was too uncomfortable to even go for a walk. I got sick for nearly 3 weeks and that had me feeling pretty concerned about my health. Then I saw my before pictures for this challenge. I was shocked, horrified… somehow I couldn’t see those huge changes in the mirror, but they were undeniable in photos. On top of that, I actually heard the seams ripping as I was changing out of my very tight clothing for the before pictures.
I was still sick during the first week of the challenge, but I thought perhaps I could make up whatever I missed during the last bonus week (and I did). Committing to this Summer TT was exactly what I needed, it could not have come at a better time.
My biggest NSV from the challenge was my reduction in pain. I’ve been living with pain from spinal issues and old injuries for many years, so feeling it dwindling substantially just over these last weeks - well, I’m totally convinced now that movement heals. Especially the thoughtful movement in Madeline’s programming. I believe the deep core work has helped me the most across the board - pain, posture, performing other exercises better. I know all of the unilateral strengthening is key, too. I challenged myself to do each workout, even if I didn’t feel up to it or was short on time - at least attempt it, do a bodyweight-only or shortened version. Even on the days I wasn’t feeling it, I ended up feeling 100 times better during the workout and afterwards. I also committed to the LISS this time around, which I often skip. It’s amazing how just walking a few minutes most days has helped. I’ve become so much more in tune with noticing what’s going on in my movements. I now enjoy walking for a little time outside to listen to music, and I use it as an opportunity to pay attention to my posture, and even feeling how my feet are moving throughout a step as I’m actively working on strengthening and repairing my feet.
My visible fat loss results are thanks to (loosely) macro counting - following the macros that were provided for my fat loss goals. I ended up losing 11+ inches all over, while the number on scale only changed by about 2.5 lbs between the start and end of the challenge. I saw the number on the scale go down, and then up, more than once - proof that I was building muscle. Even though I mostly eat vegetarian meals, rarely met my protein goal and was usually going over on fats for my macros, I still had great results. I didn’t weigh or track my food constantly, but I did log 3 full days at the start (what an eye opener!) and then again on occasion the following weeks, to check and see if I was close to meeting the macros or where I could make improvements on certain meals. The first couple of weeks were tough because I was missing what I’d become accustomed to, but I kept reminding myself of my desire to improve my health rather than continue with the damaging effects that my frequent “treat yo self” habits had created - and eventually my mindset changed. I saw and felt results the first week and certainly that helped to keep me motivated. I appreciate all of the added nutrition guidance from Dr Courtney. Learning to pay attention to biofeedback, I realized I needed to eat more as I was getting hungrier and feeling less energy at times during the last two weeks, perhaps thanks to the extra muscle growth or more energy expenditure, as I was progressing and improving at the workouts with each week.
I’m blown away with my experience and accomplishments this time around. I keep wondering to myself, what if I hadn’t signed up for this challenge, where would I be right now? I’m so SO glad that I did, and I’m very thankful for this genius plan.
Thank you for everything, Madeline and team!
Emily E.
ANGELA
This was my first TT challenge and I loved it!!! I’m so grateful for all the amazing options that were available so that I could make a workout happen almost everyday!! (even while camping! ) I also loved the structure of foundational exercises vs accessory so I could always make the foundational days a priority. And the modification options were awesome.
I especially loved the deep core that was integrated into so many of the workouts, simple and effective :) . I finally feel like I am making progress on my core strength for the first time since having baby #3 and it makes me so happy!!!
The scale might not have moved as much as I would have liked but I’m so glad I took before and after pics so I can see the progress I’ve made by participating in this awesome challenge. I feel stronger and healthier than I have in a long time! Thank you for helping me start along the path to better health and a better quality of life. I’m happier, I have more strength and energy for my family, and I’ve started to develop healthy habits to keep me progressing on this path of health and wellness!!! So thank you!!! Im already looking forward to the next challenge !
BRITNEY
Hello, my name is Britney and I am a single mom to a 20 month old. I have struggled with my weight for the last 10 years, ever since I had my gallbladder removed, lost my dad, and went through fertility treatment. With all the stress I kind of lost control of myself. I have tried other workout programs and different diet plans including keto and weight watchers. I would do good for awhile and then resort back to my old habits.
When my sister mentioned doing the tighter together challenge I just brushed it off at first. She kept mentioning it so I finally looked into it and that evening I had signed myself up. I had been needing a change and this was the perfect opportunity to commit to 30 days and for $50 what did I have to lose. I just wanted to prove to myself that I could commit to a program and challenge myself. Plus, I just kept saying it’s only a month.
Diets are always hard for me because I am extremely picky and macros were always intimidating to me. Before this challenge, I didn’t know how to figure out my numbers or what it was even like to track macros. I like that this challenge had them all laid out for me and after watching the resource videos I felt like it wasn’t as hard as I thought. I preplanned my meals out on MFP the night before the following day which helped me stick to the plan.
I had some home workout equipment which is where I did all my workouts. I did purchase a few more weights and some resistance bands. Most of the workouts I was able to do and if not, the modifications were listed and I felt like I always got in a solid workout. I have not worked out consistently in years before this challenge so the first few workouts were a struggle and I was sore but it felt good to be sore. I felt accomplished and motivated to see results. I made sure to take pictures throughout the challenge and that is really what kept me motivated. By the end of week 2 I could tell my clothes were fitting so much better and my energy levels were up. I was also sleeping better and just all around in a better mood. At the start of week 3 I was shocked with how much stronger I felt doing the workouts. I love that I could go back and compare my weights to those same workouts the first week! It was like a victory within itself seeing the weight increase on almost all exercises.
The community throughout this challenge was also a huge support. I loved seeing people active on social media posting pictures and helping hold everyone accountable.
I needed to do this challenge for myself and I’m not going to lie I had a count down going at first with how many days were left in the challenge. However, that quickly changed and after the first week I was planning how I was going to keep this up. This started out as just a 30 day challenge for me but it’s now opened up the doors to long term success. I plan on continuing with counting macros, I signed up for the reverse program and I plan to keep working out. I feel great with my results over just 30 days and I can’t wait to see my progress in the months to come! I owe a big thank you to Madeline and her team for helping me gain my life back.
KALANI
This is my 9th TT but the first one that I have actually fully finished. I’m 12 months postpartum and since giving birth (I gained 70 pounds during pregnancy) I have not fully committed to anything and just ate what I wanted. I started my macros the day after I got them and after the second week really started seeing results I was lifting heavier, sleeping better and just feeling all around better with a ton of energy! Then by the third week I could tell I was losing inches by the way my clothes were fitting, my stomach no longer sags over my shorts which I was so self conscious about and I have lost almost two inches off my waist!!!!!! This community truly helped me stay on track and feel so much better about my body I cant wait to continue weekly moves and my macros for another 4 weeks then start the reverse diet.
Thank you so much Madeline and team - lots of love to you all.
ALLISON
My name is Allison and I’m 33. I’m a mom of 3. I’ve played sports my whole life and have continued to play volleyball. After college and then later after having my first two babies I struggled to lose weight but found exercise and tracking macros to be really helpful for me. However, during my third pregnancy I developed a chronic pain condition that made it near impossible to be active and I was incredibly discouraged. I gained a lot of weight and had to start over.
Since then (my daughter will be 2 in August) I have been working with doctors and physical therapists to get to the root of my pain- during this challenge I had tests and an mri that showed I have OP. Some days the pain is manageable and other days it’s debilitating but my pt and doctors encouraged me to stay active especially prioritizing strength training.
I am in tears writing this because this challenge gave me the motivation, encouragement and push to keep going. I gave it literally everything I have. I’m so thankful for the physical therapist approach to warming up, cooling down and the form directives. I’m thankful for deep core exercises that have aligned with my own personal physical therapy, and I’m thankful for the many options for modifications.
This program gave me so much pride and confidence. I am so excited to continue with Madeline Moves. It has truly made an impact not just physically but mentally as I have pushed past hurdles of defeat and pain. I feel a difference in my pain-more manageable and less flare ups and feel like my hard work truly paid off!
THANK YOU for all that you do!!
SECOND PLACE
1 YEAR MOVES APP SUBSCRIPTION
AMY
I’ve been thinner before. I’ve looked better before. I’ve even been stronger before. But I have never loved myself this much before. I am proud of this body that birthed my fourth baby in January; the second baby in less than two years. I am proud of this body that is showing up for me and my family every day.
Before this challenge I was mean to myself, telling myself I was incapable of eating reasonably and incapable of regularly exercising anymore. Four kids is a lot! And so is working full time as the primary income earner. But I showed up for myself and I did the work. I got up early six days a week to workout, sometimes with a baby in arms or on the floor. I was compliant with my macros for four weeks straight. I listened to my biofeedback and increased my intake so that I didn’t end up binging. I pushed myself, I got stronger, and I feel better in my body. I lost 7 pounds on the scale, but I shed countless pounds of mental self-abuse. Thank you for this challenge and community that enabled a mindset shift for me! It was the kickstart I needed.
MIKAELA
There will never be sufficient words to explain how grateful I am for this challenge.
Over the past couple of months I really lost myself. I stopped prioritizing my health and struggled to put myself first. I started to make excuses for why I couldn't workout, eat well, and take care of myself in general. That then led to me not living my life... I stopped doing things and going places. I began making excuses for why I couldn't go to the beach or hangout by the pool. I stopped getting my hair done (which is something I LOVE to do) and truly just stopped making an effort for myself. I became extremely uncomfortable in my own skin. I was afraid to start making an effort for myself again because what if I failed? What if I gave 100% and saw no change? And where do I even start? I had no idea...
And then my best friend told me she was doing this challenge and asked me to sign up to help her stay accountable. I knew I needed to make a change to get back to myself and get back to my life. I decided I needed to give 100% and that I would rather try and "fail" than not try at all. I decided this needed to be my starting point.
Going into this I did not expect to get the results that I did- but this challenge reminded me of what I am capable of. It reminded me that not only can I do hard things but that I WORTH doing hard things. I am worth the effort. The changes I see in the mirror are secondary to the changes I feel inside. The level of effort and care that you have put into creating these challenges is clearly evident in the community that you have created. The level of support is second to none. I can't sing high enough praise to the workouts, recipes, and [again] the community.
Thank you for creating these challenges and for truly caring about each person who signs up. Thank you for giving me the tools to take my life back!
JESSICA
I am nearly two years postpartum with my first kiddo and have struggled to find the motivation, energy, and discipline to get my nutrition and fitness back on track. I struggled with postpartum depression for the first year on top of many big life changes (becoming a SAHM and moving to a much smaller town away from family and friends) that led to unhealthy food habits whenever I was stressed or anxious.
After years of my closest friend encouraging me to try this program with her called Tighter Together and with the help of three friends also doing this challenge, I decided it was time for a change and went all in.
I cannot even begin to tell you the massive life change these four weeks gave me. It re-ignited my absolute love of fitness, it kick started a healthier approach to nutrition, and most importantly, it gave me so much energy and joy that helped me to be a better mother, wife, and kinder person to myself. I am THRILLED at the changes I experienced both mentally and physically.
At the end of the four weeks, I lost 6 pounds, 3 inches in my abdomen, and at least an inch everywhere else. But what I gained was exponentially more than that. I gained a new outlook on my physical and mental health. I gained the ability to be proud in myself again. I gained the joy of having more energy and the pride in being disciplined even when it was hard. I gained the knowledge that I can do hard things and can push myself. I gained the opportunity to take a bit of time for myself each day to work on my health. I gained so much more than I ever expected walking into this challenge.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you thank you thank you! You have won a believer for life! See y’all at the next challenge!
MOLLY
This is my third tighter together challenge. I was not as consistent with this one compared to the others because we had a family vacation right in the middle of the challenge. I loved the quick options and the flex week that this challenge had to offer! I have 4 kids and sometimes can’t get around to doing the full working but the 30 minute one worked great.
The challenge workouts are always tough but make me feel so strong when I accomplish them. I love the community that is behind these challenges too! Thanks for another great one!
EMILY F.
This program is just what I needed to get myself moving and grooving. I had been feeling burnt out and needed something to motivate me. As a busy mom of 5 with a hubby that travels is hard & exhausting. This Tighter Together 2022 Challenge was an answer to a prayer I didn’t even knew I had. It gave me back that spark I was missing. My husband & I even challenged each other with a side bet. Which kept us both accountable. I loved the workouts, videos, modifications, personalized macros, recipe resources & community.
It’s so much more than a challenge. It’s a lifestyle. I am so thankful for giving it a shot & stepping out of my comfort zone.
New Year 2022
GRAND PRIZE WINNERS
$ 1,000 CASH PRIZE
Becky Browning
When I began Tighter Together, I didn’t like myself very much. My thoughts were not healthy. I was sad when I saw myself in the mirror. I didn’t like getting dressed. I hated the scale because I believed that number was my identity. I was always always sick to my stomach. I spent my days not moving and eating whatever I wanted, and then getting mad at myself for doing that. I felt foggy in my mind. My body had all these strange aches and pains. I went to bed sick and woke up sick. I can truly say all of that is gone!! The other day, someone said “How much weight have you lost?” I said, “I really don’t know.” She said, “Don’t you want to know?” And I replied, “Not really. I feel so good in my mind and I feel strong. I love how my clothes are fitting.That number just doesn’t matter to me right now.” I am a new me and I love me!! 😭 I will keep going. Thank you!
Becky Browning, age 45
Mom of 5
“MIMI” of 3 🥰
PS I finally weighed myself. I lost under a pound. But the scale does not get the final say!
Ivey Eschberger
Hi! My name is Ivey Eschberger. I am 33 years old, married, and have a 5yr old daughter. I decided to do Tighter Together starting Jan 10th 2022 due to I had noticed I had recently gained some weight and was not feeling my best. I had definitely overindulged over the holidays like many, but something else was also going on that I needed to get under control – (My Drinking). Yes, a glass of wine a night had turned into 3 or more glasses a night or 3 or more beers a night (weekdays not just weekends). That sounds crazy now that I am writing it down, but it was true. I knew I wanted to get it under control, and it was one of the main reasons I was gaining so much weight. So instead of just winging it on my own doing YouTube workouts and trying to figure out what to eat, I decided to join Tighter Together. I had been following Madeline for a while and I just came across her stories on IG about TT. I thought to myself, this is what is going to help me stop drinking so much and get myself back in shape! So I did it! I showed up for EVERY WORK-OUT except 1 day when I was sick with a fever, but the next day I kept going! I finished! I also prepared all the recipes that were given to us. I followed all the food recipes and tips. I did start counting macros then turned into build your plate, but I still counted calories and made sure I was under my calorie count every day that Madeline had given me at the beginning. Some days were hard, but some days were fun! I had stopped drinking for 14 days in a row!!! But then had some wine on a weekend. BUT then did not drink during the week while I was working-out and following the healthy recipes! So now we are here – Today is 2/9/2022 and I am now NO LONGER Drinking during the week!! YAY. I will have some wine on the weekends, but it gives me something to look forward to, and I am sleeping so much better! I am now starting Weekly Moves on the Moves App and will probably do TT again before my Sister’s wedding in May to get ripped for the bridesmaid dress I will be wearing! 😊 This just feels like it is becoming my new lifestyle, and I am so proud of myself. I look good and feel good. My body looks so different from when it did on Jan 10th 2022! It makes me want to push more and do even more. I can’t wait to see results from continuing the Moves App and following the healthy recipes provided. I am no longer trapped in the unhealthy cycle of drinking every night and waking up feeling terrible every morning. I now look forward to cooking at night, going to bed early, and getting up in the morning for my Moves Work-out! 😊 Just Look at my Before and After photo below and attached. – I KILLED IT!
Julianne Beecher
This is my love letter to Tighter Together and Madeline Moves.
I wish I had taken measurements before starting this challenge. Because the scale has been all over the place, and I know by now that it just doesn’t mean much. Nothing can account for the way that I feel. I haven’t done a workout program that I’ve loved for years. My friend introduced me to Madeline’s Instagram account while I was searching for a macro-counting challenge to be a part of. Little did I know, I would find a community that would seriously change my life. I have fallen in love with the workouts—even joining the 5 am crew to fit a workout into my busy day (another new love that I NEVER in a million years would have believed). I have already signed up for a year of WM because I am here to stay! I can’t wait to track my progress over this year. Thank you for being so genuine, Madeline. It makes it easy to trust you and this program! I love following Brandon as well—thank you for the thoughtful posts about what muscles we are working on and your pointers on form! And finally, Courtney. So glad to have a knowledgeable nutritionist on this team who has encouraged us all to go slow. To reverse and take a break (way earlier than I would have ever thought). I have lost “all the weight” before. But never with a slow mindset. Never with listening to my biofeedback and learning to live at maintenance in the MIDDLE of my journey. So much new knowledge because of this challenge! I am finishing out February in a deficit and then plan to begin my reverse. I think this process will be healing for my brain and past diet experiences. I have loved learning to fuel my body—the focus on hitting my numbers instead of living in a deficit mindset has been a game-changer. My days have not been perfect, but isn’t that the point? Life isn’t perfect! I am just so grateful I found y'all. Thank you.
Ashley Brown
Tighter Together New Year 2022 symbolized a new beginning for me. In the fall of 2020 I realized my hormones were completely out of whack because I spent a majority of the last few years unintentionally undereating; my sleep was terrible, I was constantly stressed and my workouts were suffering. I spent a little over a year healing my body, my hormones and my relationship with food and it wasn’t easy. I was 15lbs heavier going into this challenge, but I know I was in a better place mentally and fuel wise. I felt connected to my body and truly was able to embrace this challenge. I was originally worried when I previewed the workouts because there was so much shoulder work and I had a rotator cuff injury from years ago-I always avoided intense shoulder exercises when doing WMW. I decided to trust the programming this round and not ignoreor skip exercises just because I had an old injury. I did have to modify some moves but I still got a great workout every single time. I credit both Madeline and Dr. Moss for creating such a wonderful warm up and cool down guide and overall programming because throughout the entire challenge I never had shoulder pain besides muscle fatigue. It was amazing and completely new territory for me! The moves didn’t matter, the intention did. I was intentional with my food, using it to fuel my body and I was intentional with my workouts, customizing them for me. Over the 4 weeks of this challenge I only lost 3lbs but that doesn’t bother me because I feel amazing and strong and my clothes are fitting so much better. Thank you for helping kickstart my workout journey in such a body positive way.
Angie Chaney
I often wonder what my life would currently look like had I not stumbled across Madeline Moves Instagram page a year ago. I was certainly headed towards a future with unnecessary limitations. Madeline, you have inspired me in ways that words can’t accurately describe. The community you have fostered is encouraging and real. Even though everyone’s health and fitness journeys are unique, it feels as though we are all on the same team rooting each other on. This is my second Tighter Together, and at 54-years-old, my life keeps getting better. I continue to learn, grow, fall down, get up, and push forward. I literally can’t stop sharing with friends and family the impact you and your team have had on my life!
What I gained through participating in this Tighter Together was completely different than the first. I almost didn’t sign up, because I knew that during the last week of the challenge, I would be in Florida on vacation. In the past, if circumstances weren’t going to be “perfect”, then I would just “sit out” and watch opportunities pass me by. Not this time! Instead, I chose to put into practice what Madeline always says, “Modify and GO.” Our hotel was on the 14th floor, so I utilized the stairwell. I took long walks in the deep sand. There were so many ways to move my body when circumstances couldn’t be “just right”. This change of thinking was huge for me and will affect many critical areas in my everyday life.
My goal during this challenge was to make body compositional changes. I couldn’t believe the amount of muscle I was able to build in four weeks’ time. Proper nutrition and workouts created with a purpose proved to be a recipe for success. I used the customized macro count that was designed for me. Before I began the Madeline Moves program, I didn’t even know what a macro was. You have taught me so much. The workouts definitely weren’t easy, but they were 100% worth it. I felt incredibly accomplished after each session. I love the fact that everything I needed to begin making some of the most monumental changes in my life were laid out for me. All I needed to do was fully show up…and I did!
Next week, I begin watching my two grandchildren every day…a one-year-old and newborn. A year ago, I’m not sure I would have had the strength and stamina to do this. You have provided me with such an incredible gift through Madeline Moves. This program made my body ready to once again carry diaper bags, car seats, and kids! This is definitely not an opportunity I would have wanted to watch pass me by! Thank you for blessing my life in a way that will in turn bless generations to come.
SECOND PLACE
1 YEAR MOVES APP SUBSCRIPTION
Meg Evans
This challenge has been such a game changer for my life. I miscarried a few months before the challenge started and was in a bit of a spiral mentally and physically. My husband is also deployed so he wasn't here to help me through. I saw that a tighter together challenge was starting and I have done one in the past but didn't make it past week one. I was determined that this time would be different. I woke up early and completed the workouts and meal prepped all my food for the month the week before because my house was being renovated so I wouldn't have a kitchen throughout the challenge. I didn't think I could do it but every day I showed up and completed the workout, besides one day when I took a rest because my muscles were burning. I am the healthiest I have even been mentally after this challenge and will be a better mom, wife and friend because of it. I continue to watch what I am putting into my body as well as staying active and working out with daily moves. I will forever be a subscriber and am not going back to how things were before and look forward to mom moves when I have the opportunity to try again for my rainbow baby!
Becky Verwaard
This is my third Tighter Together and this one has been my favorite and most successful! This is the one where the nutrition component actually clicked. Macros weren’t difficult this time around. I chose fat loss this time but decided not to carb cycle and just averaged my numbers. I never felt deprived or hungry but felt fatigued after the challenge so I’ve increased by 100 calories so I’ll stay in my cut for a few more weeks before I move to maintenance.
The workouts were fun and I looked forward to every single one! I only missed two but needed those rest days so I call it a win! I pushed my weights and realized I could’ve been lifting that heavy all along. I’ve continued with weekly moves and can’t wait to see what happens!
I’ve felt so proud of myself for the first time in my fitness journey. I’ve found a workout plan I love. I’ve learned so much about nutrition and listening to my body.
I lost 7 lbs and a total of 7 inches. I have the confidence to continue this journey and I will be in the best shape of my life when I turn 40 in April.
Thank you Madeline and team for everything you do and continue to do.
Sincerely,
A grateful participant
Becky Verwaard
Rebecca Halbert
This challenge could not have come at a better time for me. At 11 weeks postpartum, my body had settled into its new normal. I was 15 pounds heavier than my starting weight which led to a lot of negative self-talk and guilt. Don't get me wrong, I was extremely thankful for everything my body did the last 9 months and couldn't be more happy. But hitting a plateau physically really started to take away my joy which impacted how I showed up as a mom. I knew moving my body again would give me energy I desperately needed as well as help combat my negative self-talk. However, between caring for a newborn and trying to figure out this new life as a mom, I barely had the headspace to think about a workout, let alone the time to actually do it. Wanting to be the best mom possible, I knew I needed to start prioritizing working out. I decided to purchase Tighter Together because I knew it wouldn't add more stress to my plate. Between the 30 minute workout notes and easy way to modify a move, I had a huge burden taken off my shoulders. There was minimal thinking and planning on my part. I just had to show up, follow the notes, and get it done. It definitely wasn’t perfect and it didn't happen every day. There were many workouts interrupted by a hungry baby. But even with the interruptions and inconsistency over the last 4 weeks, I still felt better physically and mentally. My body responded quickly to movement. I had more energy to keep up with my daughter's needs and the chores around the house. My core started to come back together and my back pain went away. Even my pre-baby clothes started fitting again which really helped the negative self-talk. But above all else, the best thing that came from this challenge was that my ability to show up for my daughter has significantly improved. It truly is amazing how making a 30-minute commitment even a few days a week can have a significant impact on your life. I am so thankful for the strength and recovery this program has brought me. But I am even more thankful for the lesson that taking care of myself helps me love and take care of my daughter better!
Thank you so so much for an amazing resource! I know it's a lot of work to build and package the program so THANK YOU!
Kristen Gavel
When I signed up for tighter together at 36 weeks pregnant, it challenged my mentality and push approach BIG TIME. I have a habit of never subbing for alternative moves and never shortening to 30-minute workouts. I almost didn't sign up, because I was worried that using the alternative moves and not doing fat loss macros would make me feel "less strong". However, I had been doing Moves throughout pregnancy and decided I was up for an unconventional challenge, I didn't even know if baby would come before the end of the challenge (due 2/9)!
To say my mentality shifted is an understatement. Not only was I able to increase reps and weight and range of motion at FORTY weeks pregnant, I did it by listening to my body and substituting for pregnancy friendly moves and even gearing some workouts towards a lower impact intensity level.
I went from 10 to 20 lb Arnold presses and even increased weight for squats! I didn't miss a workout and at the end of my pregnancy I felt stronger than I've felt in a long time! I even snagged some friends to sign up for moves because they were encouraged by my ability to complete a program while pregnant, and were previously intimidated by getting back into a workout routine.
THANK you Madeline for your amazing program and after pushing for only 7 minutes, this little workout buddy finally arrived on her due date 2/9! Just in time for me to miss out on WMV Conditioning 😆
Cally Musland
These were not the “before” pictures I sent in. These were the ones I took for myself because I was horribly embarrassed of where I was at. I broke my ankle at the end of August (clean fibula break + tibia fracture), had two surgeries and gained some new hardware. I am still recovering. The worst part of everything was gaining 25 pounds and losing all the progress I had made since the start of the pandemic in 2020. I developed a love of running. In March 2021, after loathing running my whole life, I did David Goggins’s 4x4x48 challenge, and ran 48 miles in 48 hours. I ran my first half marathon last summer, and I was weight training regularly — not my “thinnest” but definitely my strongest.
My “before-for-me-only” pictures were taken Jan. 10, eight days into a 10-day detox, and already 10 pounds lighter than where I started 2022. I had my last PT appointment Dec. 23. I started TT Jan. 10. I have kept up with healthier eating that works for me (I used MFP to track macros and calories, made some of the TT recipes and incorporated some of the TT resources). I have continued to stay on that healthier path since wrapping TT, and the past few weeks I’ve been doing the MM Move. Sweat. Shred./Anywhere workouts at home.
I stepped on the scale this morning and am the same weight I was Jan. 10. I gained about 2 pounds since the end of my detox. I was pissed, even though I knew the scale wasn’t the best measure of my progress. My clothes were fitting better, I felt better. So, I decided to put on that swimsuit and do the “after-for-me -only” photos. When I see the side-by-side comparison, I’m not mad at the scale anymore.
It’s very clear the muscle I’ve built has replaced some of that fat. I never really had much cellulite in my legs before, and that seems to be the case again. That was a striking difference to me in the pictures. Plus, my right leg looks a little less sickly after losing all that muscle in my leg from the broken ankle saga.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Rachel Fitzwater
I really enjoyed this challenge. I ended up losing about 4-5lbs…however, the biggest shift I noticed was how my overall mood was so much better during the challenge. I feel like I’m finally seeing how working out consistently is a mood booster for me. It has typically been the first thing I drop when I’m stressed out but now I see how important it is for me to prioritize my workouts for my overall well being.
Tracking macros this time around really helped me be more intentional about meal planning and cooking at home- we’d gotten in a bad habit of eating out/grabbing to go too often. It also helped me plan ahead for special treats and there were only a few times I indulged in something and ended up not hitting the macros perfectly… but I’m learning that’s ok! I’m thankful that macros isn’t all or nothing and that it’s about a lifestyle.
Kristen Rupe
Something I had to learn for myself is, “Progress is not linear.” I did the TT challenge in May 2021 after having recently had my 4th and last baby. Since I’m done having kids I thought I would just continue to progress and not ever have to have that feeling of “starting over” that often comes after having a baby. Unfortunately I ended up needing surgery in September and had to take 8 weeks off working out. Then COVID hit our house. I felt like I had lost all my momentum and was so discouraged! I wasn’t supposed to have to “start over” again! I quickly realized that I wasn’t actually starting over. I had all the prior knowledge of macros and was familiar with the style of workouts so it was really easy to get back into the swing of things. This challenge gave me the push I needed and it feels good to be back!
I lost about 5 lbs, but here are some awesome non scale victories:
1- posture— working the muscles in my back has improved my posture so much.
2- joy: my mental health is significantly better when I’m active.
3- gratitude: gratitude for my body. I get to move and that’s a blessing.
4- accomplishment: the feeling of accomplishing a goal is so rewarding to me.
5- empowerment: I’m amazed at how much stronger I became in 4 weeks. On the last benchmark workout I PR’d every single move. What a high!
Nica Bannister
Change is hard. It is inevitable, but very hard. I thought Tighter Together was a chance for me to get my nutrition back in check but I never thought how it was the one constant I was going to rely on in the midst of all the changes.
You see, after a year of maternity leave, I had to go back to full time teaching. This also meant I had to transition my son to daycare AND wean him from breastfeeding. I never thought some ‘simple’ things would be so difficult. During the longer workouts, I was able to ruminate over big emotions, and used the LISS sessions to ground me. I pushed myself physically but I never thought it would help me tweak my time management skills (meal prepping a week’s worth of lunches, or not hitting snooze when the alarm went off). On the days I wanted to wallow in self-pity, I walked, or nourished my body with good food. I also didn’t punish myself for wanting an Oreo, but never felt the need to overindulge. I mean, how could I, when I had a mug cake almost every day?!
In 4 weeks, I have moved on to heavier weights quicker than I have in months, and achieved 3 unassisted pull ups!!!! I lost 2kg, but also have extra energy; not needing a second cup of coffee even while working long days in the classroom. More importantly, I gained confidence and validation that Nica Bannister. :)
Danielle Hobbs
Where do i even begin! I started this challenge with my sister because she loves MOVES! I wanted to feel better about myself and be stronger to keep up with my kids and knew having her accountability would help me get there… but i got so much more out of it then that. I found a community of local ladies who cheered each other on as well and made me push through even on days i didn’t feel like i had it in me. You see over the last 5 years i have lost myself. I became a Mom to a 5 year old girl and then twin 2 year olds boys. I stopped being Danielle who took care of herself and became an unhealthy Mom who is in survival mode but then one day at the end of 2021 i woke up and realized i was being the worst mom by not taking care of myself too! My mental health was suffering; as well as, my body was suffering. So i decided to make the change and the challenge was the perfect way to help start that! With the changes i have already seen i have a ton more confidence and a lot more strength to do things for and with my kids! I can’t wait to keep pushing myself to be better with all the things TT taught me!! Thank you so much for the push!!
Jenny Penk
I decided to jump in on Tighter Together as a way of dealing with grief after the loss of my mom to cancer a few months ago. I just wanted a goal to focus on and knew that I was most likely to stick to it if I committed with a group of friends/supporters. This challenge was certainly about making physical changes in my body but it was also about doing something for my mental health. I embraced many bad habits as a way of coping after her death; emotional eating, excessive alcohol, and just being sedentary in general because I felt like “I just can’t right now”. So participating in this challenge was a way to push myself past those things that were actually doing more damage to myself and family than actually giving me comfort. I’m not a very self disciplined person or athletic person so just the simple act of showing up to move every day was a huge victory for me. Physically speaking this challenge was really eye opening in showing me that there is a difference between weight loss and fat loss as the number on the scale didn’t budge at all during the challenge but I lost about 2.5 inches around my waist and I can feel the difference in how my clothes fit. I also felt a tremendous amount of progress in terms of strength and was really proud of myself for small non-scale victories such as doing a full push up and being able to do box jumps. I’ve always thought “I’ll be able to do that once I lose some more weight” which was a lie I comfortably believed for a long time. Tighter Together helped me push myself both physically and mentally to be able to do hard things that I told myself I couldn’t do. Grateful for your hard work in putting this program together and for the team working in the background that also helped make it happen!
Carly Kelly
At first glance these photos don't appear all that different. The scale moved, but not that much. Inches were lost, clothes are starting to fit better, but the biggest joy and accomplishment for me over these past several weeks has been remembering how important it is to prioritize my own health. When starting TT I was 4 months PP with my 4th baby in under 7 years. Pregnancy and nursing left me feeling like my body wasn't mine for a long time and with awful morning sickness, tiredness, etc, I let taking care of my own health take a major back seat for too long. Between getting back into working out and beginning to learn about macros and properly fueling myself I know I'm on my way to a healthier lifestyle that will not only benefit me, but will positively affect my children. When I took these photos my first thought was discouragement knowing how far I have left to go, but then I think about the importance of the small steps I've taken since the beginning of TT and the long term results I know are bound to come if I stick with it. I'm also unbelievably thrilled by the strength changes I noticed over the four week challenge, the energy that was restored (even with many sleepless nights with a newborn), and learning how to properly fuel my body through it all. I am so grateful for being part of this group and now being part of the MM community. I'm looking forward to what's next and continuing this journey one day at a time, knowing that although it's going to take time to see the results physically, there is so much to be proud of and encouraged by already!
Taylor Yoakley
This challenge was great! It was hard on lots of fronts. Physically the workouts pushed me hard. I was lucky to be doing this with my wife which was awesome. She was very encouraging and it was great accountability. Didn’t make them any less challenging but not everyone has someone to do them with. I have never done a macro count before so I was new to that. I also typically don’t eat a good breakfast and I don’t snack very well so I felt like I was eating for four people haha. It was tough to get all the protein, carbs and fats but I think due to the amount I probably didn’t lose as much weight but I had SOO much more energy.
The workouts were great. They crushed me. You left enough room to really push on some things with max reps and they were great. I loved being able to track my heart rate during workouts and seeing the change over those 30 days your challenge had on my resting heart rate! It nearly dropped 14-15 bpm on average. Overall again I can tell such a great change physically from energy, eating habits and overall health. My body got a lot stronger and I felt like I added a good amount of muscle and dropped a number of inches over my entire body (about 9” over everything measured which was a huge success). I didn’t lose but only 4 lbs but to me those were massive lbs. the scale doesn’t show it but my head and body felt them!
Thank you for putting this challenge and building such great workouts that we could accomplish with a very minimal home gym of dumbells and bands (we did get a barbell after week one and that was a game changer- and we are still using it!) Another challenge was contracting Covid during the first week. But between other’s testimonials and daily encouragement from your team and accountability with my wife, we kept after it and came out pretty dang good on the other side. Thank you again!!
I wish I could tell you about each of the amazing men and women in the group who are deserving of praise, but the list is too long, here are past winners and entries that blew me away!
MAY 2021
GRAND PRIZE WINNERS
Kristen
Wow! It’s crazy to see my photos side by side. I’m amazed at the physical transformation, but even more so the mental transformation.
I had my 4th baby in the middle of 2020. My husband is considered an essential worker so he was working long hours. I didn’t feel like I could ask anyone for help because of the pandemic. I felt so lonely even though I was never alone. I was in a dark place for too long and finally decided to stop trying to pour from an empty cup and take care of myself. I started by moving my body 15-30 minutes every day. It felt great and I craved more so I decided I would sign up for TT.
I never missed a workout, not because I felt like I couldn’t, but because I loved them! They were fun and I felt myself getting stronger, happier, and more confident. I did it all from home and my kids even joined me for some of the workouts. I loved that they got to see their mom set a goal and put in the work.
I had tried to lose weight earlier in my postpartum journey and I was unsuccessful. I chalked it up to the fact that I was breastfeeding and told myself I would just have to wait until I wasn’t nursing anymore. I got the custom nursing macros and it turns out I was actually under eating. I followed the macros and could tell I was fueling my body properly. I felt amazing during my workouts! I did lose a few lbs, but my body changed so much! I would have never realized the change in my back if I didn’t take the photos.
I am just so proud of myself for taking back control and feel so much happier. I’m excited to keep going and see myself grow stronger. Thank you Madeline for your help in bringing me back to the light! I can never express how much this challenge changed me and I’m so grateful. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart! (Now can we talk you in to doing a Fall TT?!)
Navera
There is so much I want to thank you for this tighter together!
This was actually my fourth TT - I've done tighter together workouts through a move, a breakup and getting COVID in Jan of 2021 - but this is the first one where I was fully committed and consistently tracked macros or used the build a plate method. Interestingly enough - this is the first TT where I also went out to eat regularly with friends, didn't restrict myself or make eating feel like a stress or burden and I think it's because of the build a plate method. To not have to worry, or obsess, or stress about food has been the biggest blessing!
The workout programming is absolutely magical! I pushed myself to pick up weights I would've been afraid of, pushups felt easy (especially after those weighted ones we did together in our FB live workout!) and I noticed this strength carrying over to the other parts of my life. Carrying groceries home for a mile (NYC problems!) felt EASY.. Riding a bike felt more effortless.. and when I did the optional mile challenge (after not having run for over a year), I was SHOCKED at my pace - because it was the same as what my marathon training pace had been when I was consistently running 20+ miles a week!
All in all - I lost 10lbs, I am down just over 2% body fat, and truthfully, I felt surprised by the pictures because I wasn’t expecting changes - However, what feels like a bigger win is the commitment I felt and the mental shift of the ease with which I approached meals and eating. I know I've technically lost weight, but I cannot wait to continue to "Grow". Thank you so much for creating this resource; it's absolutely invaluable!!
Annie
I am a mom of 3 kiddos under the age of 8 who all have hidden special needs. This past year with COVID/quarantine was incredibly difficult for us and my mental and physical health went out the door. I decided to join tighter together this May to try to make my health and wellness a priority again. This was my first time doing a program from Madeline and also my first time counting macros. I really appreciated Madeline’s calm demeanor and stress free attitude of progress over perfection! I took everything one step at a time. I was not perfect with my macros but I did my best and slowly learned how to add in more protein in my diet and make better food choices. The best part was that I didn’t feel restricted with food, the meals in the plan were AMAZING! I never felt deprived (the opposite in fact). I did the 30 min versions of all the workouts every morning in my basement while my kids watched cartoons. My before and after pictures do a good job of showing my physical gains (I think I lost 9-10lbs), but I feel it’s important to share my mental gains. My anxiety and depression has drastically improved. I have loved prioritizing myself and my body and am starting to feel confident and strong which then trickles into the rest of my life (aka mom life). Thank you Madeline for this program and I look forward to continuing this journey with your moves app!
2ND PLACE WINNERS
Lydia
All I can say is wow.
I am blown away by EVERYTHING I have learned from this program. This is the first challenge I have EVER completed and it feels so good. I went from knowing very little about nutrition to understanding and changing what goes on my plate. I went from not exercising at all, to exercising 6 days out of the week. Holy cow! I realized that I needed to make a change to help me live a healthier, happier life. It wasn’t easy, but I am so proud of myself for learning this new lifestyle. The recipes that were provided were oh so good! I can’t wait to make them again!
This challenge helped me internally in so many ways. The biggest change I have noticed is my mental health. TT helped push me to finally put myself first. Those 4 weeks I did things for me, and me only. It felt amazing, and it’s not going to stop there. Focusing on myself has led me to living a happier life. I physically and mentally feel so good. Now that the challenge is over, I have continued going to the gym and being conscious of what I’m eating. I never thought that I would be able to complete this challenge or even do the carb cycling, but I DID IT! I’M SO FREAKING PROUD!
Mackenzie
Hi! I just took my after pictures and am blown away - holding back tears at how proud I am of myself. I had not taken progress pictures the entire challenge because I wanted to focus on how I felt rather than what I looked like.
Before this challenge, I went to the gym once or twice a week at the most. I was afraid to take this leap and join the challenge, but I am so glad I did. I chose to focus on the workouts and less on macros (more build your plate style) because I knew shifting from 1/2 trips to the gym each week to 6 was going to be a huge adjustment to my life and didn’t want to overwhelm myself with such a drastic change all at once. As the challenge progressed, I was feeling amazing. I’ve never felt so strong and motivated. I realized I can do hard things, I can lift heavy weights, and I’m more than the number on the scale. At the beginning of the challenge, I could only do knee assisted pushups and only about 8 of them with good form. Now, I can do 20 regular pushups in 1 minute. My mile time decreased by 46 seconds. My hip thrusts went from 30 lbs 10 reps to 115 lbs 10 reps. But most importantly, I am confident. I am excited to continue on this journey with Madeline Moves.
Thank you, Madeline, for helping me change my lifestyle, improve my confidence, and making me a much healthier and fit person!
Stephanie
Wow!! I have so much to say yet I’m completely speechless at the same time!! I hope I can accurately put into words what this challenge has done for me. Here goes nothing!!
I want to start with the workouts. I’ve always been an athlete and lover of working out. Since quarantine started I’ve really been a cardio junkie. I was doing cardio consistently but never seeing results (we’ll get to that in a minute). My husband and I recently bought a farm and my goal was to feel strong and be able to help him with different things. Not sure why I was doing so much cardio when my goal was feeling strong, but luckily Madeline opened my eyes. By the end of the four weeks I was lifting heavier and feeling stronger than ever before.
Now the nutrition. I think this was the biggest 180 for me. I didn’t realize it, but up to this point I had been consistently under-eating for months. I had no energy, I constantly felt bloated and I never came close to “feeling strong.” I had been yo-yo dieting for a long time without even realizing it. I started counting my macros two weeks before the challenge started and I thought, “this can’t be right, I’m eating way too much.” But I trusted Madeline and I heard all of the success stories, so I kept on going. The recipe guide was SO helpful. All of my breakfast and lunches came straight from the guide.
Lastly I want to talk about the TT community. I joined the Facebook group and it was the best thing I could have done. I realized that there were so many other people in my boat (cardio junkies, under-eaters, scale obsessers). Luckily, the TT veterans were quick to speak up and remind us all to stop using the scale as a measurement tool and TRUST THE PROCESS. Once I got into the swing of things, I had so much fun! I had more energy than ever before and could feel myself getting stronger by the workout. The best part is that my mindset has totally changed. I now know how to properly fuel my body. I learned to not beat myself up over one “cheat meal” and that I can live my life how I want and still feel great about my body. Oh and the craziest part of my results?? I only lost ONE POUND. In the past this would have really discouraged me, but I have so many non-scale victories that the scale doesn’t even matter to me anymore. So a huge thank you thank you thank you to Madeline & her whole team. I can’t wait for the next challenge!
3rd Place Winners
Trisha
Before and after May TT. I just want to say thank you for such a challenging and rewarding experience. I’m someone who does not workout. I never enjoyed it or was motivated to, but I also never had trouble staying in shape until after I had two kids in three years and had lots of extra weight to lose. I decided to take a leap into the challenge after seeing Lauren McBride and several of our Outlander obsessed group members joining in. It has truly motivated me to eat healthier, be conscious of just how much I was eating and eat less, and also to stay active. Your workouts have helped me to feel stronger and inspired me to keep going. I joined Weekly Moves and am continuing my weight loss journey. Thank you for giving me the motivation I needed to lose that baby weight and become healthier and feel better about myself overall!
Deanna
Jennifer
This challenge was a fun one for me because two of my best friends completed their first TT challenge with me. This was my seventh one. I enjoy the Madeline Moves workouts and challenges so much. I really enjoyed this challenge because my friends and sister-in-law helped me stay motivated. The community aspect of this challenge is amazing! I always enjoy the May challenge because it’s a great push for me before Summer.
I’m a mom of two small boys so finding time to work out can be a challenge some days. I’m proud of myself for sticking to the work outs and macro counting. My 4 year old son is always sweet to provide encouragement. I want to stay active and healthy for them so I can keep up with their busy schedules and play with them. The Lord has blessed me with my health and I pray it’s something I’ll never take for granted. This year was a challenging year with Covid and teaching first grade. There were weeks I didn’t have the energy or time to work out. This challenge has helped me get my focus back on taking care of myself. Thank you for an amazing program! Im forever grateful!!
Honorable Mentions
I am 53 years old. Exercising and taking care of my health has always been important to me. However, ten years ago, my life took a major turn.
My mom was diagnosed with stage four colon cancer. She passed away after a long, hard fight. She was my best friend. A year later, my daughter was in a car accident that left her in a coma on her 17th birthday. The doctors told us that IF she survived, her quality of life would be minimal. She suffered a global brain hemorrhage. After months of rehab, she relearned how to swallow, talk, walk…everything. I’m so proud of her daily perseverance to overcome and am so thankful to have her in my life. Next, at 48-years-old, my husband was diagnosed with non-hodgkin’s lymphoma cancer. He began an arduous six-month journey of chemotherapy. Today, he is cancer free! Not long after my husband settled into remission, my dad was diagnosed with glioblastoma brain cancer. My siblings and I became his full-time caregivers, until he went Home to be with Jesus and my mom nine months later.
Honestly, it has been an extremely difficult ten years. Through it all, I gained thirty pounds, quit exercising, ate to survive, developed hypothyroidism and went through menopause. I also developed many unhealthy habits. These habits became my new lifestyle. There were times I certainly desired to make changes, but felt directionless, defeated, and like it was “too late” for me.
One day, I was telling my daughter how discouraged I was to have gained all this weight. The gentle words she spoke next opened my eyes. “Well, it’s not like you’re really doing anything about it.” She was right! I had ACCEPTED this lifestyle as my new reality. After all, this is what is supposed to happen to women my age, right?
The very next day, I stumbled upon Madeline Moves Instagram page. I began watching your stories, learning about macros, burn vs. build, and was so inspired by all of the women over 50 working out and looking strong. First, I started making intentional food choices and implementing movement into my daily routine. Then, in April of 2021, I joined Weekly Moves and began incorporating resistance and strength training into my life. Having the videos and workouts planned out for me made all the difference. I finally had direction!
The obvious next step for me was to join May 2021 Tighter Together. The commitment made me nervous at first, but I knew the accountability and community is what I needed. I signed up. Let me tell you, this program is a game changer!
Although, I wouldn’t trade one day of being a caregiver these last ten years for those I love, I am incredibly thankful to be at the place again where I am making my health a priority. To think I almost lived in an excuse mentality for the remainder of my days is quite frightening. Thank you, Madeline, for providing me with everything I need to be fit at 53. Your program has truly changed my life!
-Angie
Previous Winners:
First, I started the program nursing a back injury and was not able to work out the first 2 weeks. Still, I counted my macros and tried to walk as much as I could while my wife did her TT program. Counting macros was a completely new idea to me. No only does it work for cutting, it is unbelievably sustainable for everyday life. Just in those few weeks, I lost 13 lbs by counting macros with no workouts. I was eating MORE than I used to and realized how unhealthy of a relationship I had with food. I was eating virtually no carbs while woofing down fats. Too often I would opt for calorie deficit after a bad weekend and just starved my body. I was hardly getting results and continually frustrated. With macros, you can pick up right where you left off and easily recover. On top of that, it doesn’t crush your moral if you slip a little. Since you can eat anything that fits in your macros, you don’t have to truly have a “cheat” meal. You just plan around it!!! Very much looking forward on continuing to count macros well into the future to help with a healthy, steady diet.
Once I WAS able to get in the gym for the full workouts...woah. I have always lifted weights and done extensive resistance training, but nothing prepared me for those circuits and workouts! I woke up each day with sore muscles that I didn’t even know existed. It pushed my mind and body to the limit with every session. The best part was each week, since the workouts were duplicate, I could feel myself getting stronger. You see it with the increase in weights and feel it with the energy you have. The workouts increased my metabolism and truly showed me how much those macros mattered. Definitely a new type of workout program that I have never done before but look forward to continuing to try out in the future. I think I’ll be signing up for Weekly Moves to continue the progress!!
I do think the best part about doing this program was getting to do so with my wife. She had been doing MM since quarantine started last year and has always loved it. I now got to see first hand why she enjoys it so much and why she was seeing such great results. It was so fun getting to do the workouts WITH her rather than just working out at the same time as her. Pretty confident this will be our first of many Tighter Together challenges.
This is only my second time participating in Tighter Together and I’m so glad I made the commitment to reset in the New Year and begin again.
When the pandemic happened, I used that as an excuse to stop working out altogether. I didn’t do any physical activity for an entire year, worked from home and sat in front of my computer all day. That not only took a major hit on my physical well-being , but my mental well-being also.
I’m so grateful for the resources this program provides and the support from the community that I became a part of when I joined Together Together. I’m so proud of just the fact that I actually worked out for 6 days every single week and sometimes even 7! That’s a huge win for me and a reason to keep going. But even more so, I’ve improved my mental health, I sleep better at night, I can breathe better, and have been pushing myself harder every single workout. I’m seeing slow, steady weight loss and cannot wait to see where I am at the end of this year!
There is some awesome physical changes that I'm excited about but the real win for me during TT was the mental shifts. I am finally FEELING good and strong and capable and that's a game changer! Plus I'm enjoying figuring out the nutrition side a little more! Madeline changed my life in the June, 2020 TT and I am just a force to be reckoned with now! No sign of stopping and I am a Moves App lifer! Thank you for all the work you put into your app and these challenges! You will never know how much I appreciate i
First off, I want to thank Madeline and everyone in this fitness community for such an awesome 4 weeks. I actually used to be a fitness trainer at Gold’s Gym in Santa Barbara, Ca back between 2004-2008. In December 2006, I competed in a body building show but more of my competition life was based around full-contact fighting. Needless to say, my life has mostly revolved around the fitness world. I’ve kept us with my fitness but noticed that my nutrition became a “whatever I want to eat” game. That works for a while until it doesn’t. I honestly have not had a good nutrition routine in over a decade. With the physical demands with my job, as well as participating in kickboxing, Jiu Jitsu, CrossFit, and all kinds of outdoor activities, I never really felt the need to stick to a good food program.
Recently I saw my wife Jasmine (who runs @fitnessfrivolity) participating in the Tighter Together (TT) challenges. I definitely noticed a body composition change as well as her overall energy levels and passion for the TT community. I knew it was something that I should probably jump into, or at least something similar, but I really didn’t have a need or want to change what I was going. Then Jasmine told me that Madeline wanted to have some of the gals she collaborates with and their husbands do a couples TT and share with the community. So I agreed, knowing it would be good for me, and I signed up for TT. I’m slightly ashamed to say that I was not thrilled about macros. I always thought “why deprive yourself of something you want just because it doesn’t fit into your macros”. I soon realized what macros would mean to me and I have self-corrected my attitude lol.
It wasn’t too rough to start TT. The workouts were very different to what I was used to but I quickly understood how to handle each exercise and I felt like I quickly adapted to the workouts. As for the food, it was a slap in the face. I actually began eating more food than I did before the challenge. So I was feeling good during weeks 1 and 2. Once I got to week 3 and my body finally was used to the proper nutrition, the fat loss macros program I chose started to weigh on me. Before, I would just eat whatever sounded good and didn’t care how much I had. My office always has good food to eat. But 5-6 pieces of pizza may be have overkill. Overall, I actually felt much better. I had more energy and my body didn’t hurt for no apparent reason. Week 4 came and I knew I could manage for that last week. Some of the workouts were more tough than others and some I breezed through (like things with push-ups and pull-ups). By the end of the challenge, I honestly felt so much better with my overall health. I didn’t feel full and sluggish after my meals because my body finally was getting what it needed rather than wanted. I still had opportunities to have a Yasso bar, or even a beer with a friend. I just made sure I pre-planned those macros into my daily routine and didn’t have any issues. Beer is definitely a joy in my life but during TT, not once did I crave one. I didn’t even really want the one beer I had with my friend...ok 2 beers but then fit into my macros lol.
The day after the challenge, I had to travel for work. I decided to let loose a bit and not worry too much about my macros. I felt that mistake immediately. I could tell my body was like “what the heck is going on!?!? This ain’t right!” As soon as I got back home, I just right back into my macro routine and I’m already feeling way better. My overall takeaway from this TT (already knew this from back in the day but I ignored it for so long) was proper nutrition feels way better than a good buzz from a few beers. I plan to stick with my macros and enjoy treats along the way by pre-planning them into my daily nutrition. I look forward to the next TT as I will happy participate. Cheers to a happy and healthy lifestyle!
Thank you for amazing Tighter Together and Weekly Moves Programs. They continue to challenge me and I love that. I am grateful for the support from you, the Madeline Moves communities on Facebook, and your IG stories and posts. I also enjoyed the guided warm-ups as part of the program this time.
I was diagnosed at age 55 with an autoimmune disease in 2016 where I could barely walk when getting out of a chair and couldn’t lift my arms over my head without pain. I followed an Paleo Autoimmune Protocol to heal my body so I could get off prednisone and I didn’t let that stop me from working out. Fitness and working out has always been important to me. I enjoy and look forward to it.
During the pandemic I have really been focused on getting stronger/building muscle. I did my first Tighter Together in June/July 2020. I had remarkable results in body composition and lost 9 lbs and 3 inches in my waist. I lifted significantly heavier weights and felt an improvement in my mobility of my knees. I started a reverse right after and was in a reverse over the next 8-12 weeks increasing my calories by 1000 to 2300. I realized in Sept that I should not have increased my fat grams to more than 55 g so I tried to decrease fat macros and increase carbs. I was having trouble hitting my fat macros due to too much chocolate, especially during the holidays. I stayed in maintenance calories until January TT 2021 and was within 1-2 lbs of my ending July 2020 weight.
During this January 2021 TT, I followed the maintenance macros I was given (which were lower than my maintenance macros). I would say this time I didn’t adhere to the macros as much as I had last TT in the first 2 weeks. I focused a little more in the last 2 weeks of TT. I lost 3 lbs and 2.5 inches in my waist. See attached photo collage for before/after. If you need individual side by side photos vs the collage, let me know. I am now lifting heavier weights than the last TT. I feel stronger than ever and I was so excited when I was finally able to do assisted pull-ups for the first time! I hope to eventually do unassisted pull-ups but that will take some time – maybe when I turn 60 in July? Something to shoot for. I’ll be reversing back up to my maintenance following TT.
Your Tighter Together and Weekly Moves programs have given my daughter and I something to talk about and work toward together. I have enjoyed that most of all. We both started during June 2020 TT and followed with Weekly Moves.
Thank you again, Madeline, for all that you do to create a welcoming environment and program for people of all ages and abilities . You have truly made a difference in my life.
Thank you Madeline!! I’ve been doing your weekly moves for nearly 2 years and this was my 4th TT. I look forward to the daily workouts and love the variety. However, my photos prove how important diet is! I never missed a workout but clearly my quarantine diet went down hill. I took progress photos 2 weeks in (shown also) and my mind was blown! Thank you for providing simplicity regarding diet and helping to show that carbs are important and not the enemy!
Hi-my name is Melinda and I’m 46. I started working out 26 years ago after the birth of my first child. I was in an extremely abusive relationship and it was my release. Through the years I’ve yo-yo’d with diets and working out and have struggled with depression.
Fast forward to a few years ago and my 18 year old daughter and I got in the best shape ever because she was joining the Air Force. We created our own workouts and tracked macros. I absolutely loved how I felt physically and mentally. But then she left for the military and my other adult son who lives with me, started having extreme bouts of anxiety and panic attacks. In the past few years I’ve gotten very out of shape and gained 30 pounds due to my depression, the focus on my son, and my continued teaching from home. I started doing Madeline’s workouts last year and love the structure, how empowered and strong I’ve felt doing them, and how it’s taken something off my plate since they’re done for me.
I decided to do Tighter Together to get a ‘jump start’ on my macros and because of the support from the community. I’m happy to say it’s helped my depression so much. My son is still struggling, but doing the workouts and focusing on my food has been something positive each day to look forward to for myself. I’m still doing weekly moves and am continuing my macros. My hope is that this year I will gain back my confidence, keep my depression under control, and continue to gain strength both physically and mentally to be able to deal with my life challenges.
Libby did send me time and date stamped pictures for her after photos :) I double checked!
At the beginning of this challenge I was weighed down by sickness and stress. I needed a challenged that was going to help me get out of bed every morning and focus on what I was putting into my body. I was sick of binge eating every night because I was worried that I didn’t have enough energy to complete my long runs. (That I would try to do most days) Your workouts have changed my entire world. I use to think that I had to do at least an hour of cardio everyday but I have see more progress with your weight lifting workouts. Let me tell you I was so scared to cut out so much cardio but I decided to trust the process and within three days I had more energy and I was weighing less. More than that I was finally able to stick to my macros and not feel like I needed to eat more in order to have a good workout the next day. Everyday I would watch you do the workouts on Instagram and you would lift heavy weights. I started to challenge myself and see how heavy I could lift and this time I wasn’t scared that I would get too bulky. During this challenge I went from 110 to 104 by trusting you every step of the way. I have never had someone answer me so quickly when I had questions. I am thankful that this challenge came when it did. I can’t wait to follow your weekly workouts and see what how far I can grow both physically and mentally. Thank you for helping me find my “grove” again️
I’m Kayla, from Clemson, SC. I stuck to the macros and mostly hit them spot on everyday, with the exception of maybe 3 days. I missed a few of the workouts due to family priorities, but I have worked hard. The hardest part has been dealing with negative comments from people about how they think I should look, but I feel better and am so thankful! I made myself go to the gym at 4 am in order to get it in prior to 12 hour shifts and that created a mindset I never thought I would have. Thank you!!
I couldn't be happier to have stumbled upon your IG page! This challenge has given me an amazing lifestyle change that I was not expecting. Even after playing soccer at a D1 level, I've always been a scrawny, skinny athlete that has struggled to eat enough to gain muscle or weight in general. The macro consult was a game changer. The knowledge I've gained was surprising. Aside from the help you gave me, the Facebook was an awesome source of knowledge and motivation from the community.
Thanks so much for all of your help! Can't wait to continue onto Weekly Moves
Thank you so much for the challenge! I’ve said it before, but your generosity and kindness are beautiful! I am so thankful for my jbird headphones and Tula products from the giveaway!!! I love that you have created a space where women come together over a common goal and are “competing” but there is such unity, excitement and encouragement. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I can’t wait for the next one.
With that, here is my testimony.
I started TT just coming off of a 8 week cut followed by a month of reversing back up. So my body was still fairly lean from the prior cut so I knew that drastic changes weren’t going to happen but I am so pleased with the results that did! Over all my weight stayed to the same, around 126 start and finish. I also want to note that I had 2 vacations during this challenge and ate around maintenance macros a few more times than prescribed. I did track while on vacation as well as worked out. I fished the challenge stronger than I started - lifting slightly heavier in all exercises. I can see visible muscle growth in my legs, core and arms. Overall I LOST AN INCH around my waist and ADDED an 1/2 INCH to my quads. I feel strong, beautiful and confident in the skin I am in and that’s all the victory I need! :)
Thank you so much!!
I am absolutely stunned by the results of this challenge. Aside from my new muscle growth (hello abs!!!) and my ability to actually enjoy burpees, I have finally found a program and workouts that push and challenge me. For years I’ve tracked macros and worked out regularly, yet, I wasn’t seeing the results I desperately wanted to see. TT came along and completely changed the way I workout and view exercise. I feel SO strong and motivated to continue this journey with WM workouts. I wasn’t perfect with my nutrition, but the results speak for themselves. Thank you Madeline for creating this community, these workouts and for helping me get in the best shape of my life!
Tighter Together was everything I needed! Thank you Madeline for all your encouragement and knowledge through this whole experience. The before pic was when I had been doing BBG 3x a week on and off for almost a year. My nutrition was poor and I was not seeing any results, I felt weak and miserable. The after pic is 4 weeks of hard work, several slip ups..but consistency!! I feel strong, energized, and soo motivated! Since the challenge ended I joined weekly moves and whooo they have rocked my body all week. Thank you for this challenge again Madeline!
There are so many things I would like to say but I will try to keep this brief.
Thank you so so much for all the hard work you put into developing this program and cheering us on throughout this challenge!
A little bit of my background: I was a missionary in Mexico for 4 years and just moved back to the US last October. It's been a crazy transition for me, and I used running as an outlet most of the time to keep my endorphins up and just keep my mind off of the difficulties of going through reverse culture shock and figuring out my new purpose back here in the US. A few months ago I started logging higher miles, but I wasn't running well and as fast as I would have liked to. I started doing a little bit of weight training but after following your page for a couple months, the Holy Spirit nudged me to just jump into Tighter Together and try it. I was really hesitant at first because I really really hate "dieting", and I already eat mostly whole foods. Little did I know just how important portion sizes are and how little protein I was actually eating.
I'm so incredibly grateful that the Lord brought me to your page, pushed me to sign up for this challenge, and that I had you as my leader. Your honesty and openness about your faith during this time was the perfect balance that I needed to be reminded and encouraged to get back into daily queit times with the Lord. I knew that I could keep fighting to grow physically, but I still had a lot of "strength training" I needed to do in my heart to truly be stronger to fight against anxiety and worry in my life.
“Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.” This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it. This is why we work hard and continue to struggle, for our hope is in the living God, who is the Savior of all people and particularly of all believers.
1 Timothy 4:8-10 NLTThank you for pushing us to work hard, and for letting the Lord use you as a vessel to bring hope to many women. As proud as I am of the physical transformation, my heart is overwhelmed in gratitude for the spiritual and mental transformation that I have gone through in the last 4 weeks.
7 pounds down, and immeasurably stronger in every way!
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!!!
Testimonial:
I never thought i would find a workout/nutrition program that actually clicked, that ACTUALLY works! I feel STRONGER, healthier and happier than ever before!! Yes, I’ve always been into “eating healthy” and working out but I had reached a plateau and wasn’t seeing progress with anything i tried— until Tighter Together! Completing the Tighter Together program was more than a workout program or “challenge” for me. It became a lifestyle and gave me a new amazing perspective on eating, building muscle, bettering myself and new perspective on life itself, honestly!! I learned so much about what my body could do, the STRENGTH I have and how to eat to fuel my body and my workouts. I gained more than progress photos— I gained happiness, confidence and an improved self-worth!! I learned how to take care of myself but also how to be able to live a little!! Like Madeline always says “consistency over perfection!” That quote has stuck with me throughout completing the tighter together program! I’ve found a new love for circuit training and for macro counting! It’s a pretty amazing feeling to see the work you put in and to honestly feel proud...AND I’m not stopping here! I’m using this momentum and this motivation to keep striving for goals i never knew i could achieve and to continue to push myself—all thanks to the Tighter Together challenge! I can’t wait to continue feeling accomplished, healthy and amazing! In less than a month, with the Tighter Together program, i have seen so many truly incredible changes not only physically but mentally and emotionally! I am so proud for sticking with the early morning workouts and counting those macros to really give myself a chance to see and feel these changes! SO HAPPY that i got to go through this experience, connect with inspiring women, learn new workouts and recipes and better myself! I can’t wait for round 2 in January THANK YOU MADELINE!!!!!!!!♥️🏼
I am sad that these 4 weeks are over for this round of Tighter Together. The caption is I CAN, but I also want to add that I DID! This was an emotional journey for me. I had been following Madeline for a while on IG. I saw this Tighter Together challenge. I felt so defeated when I did my BEFORE pics. I wanted to give up before I even started. This has been the heaviest I have ever been in my life, including being pregnant with my 3 children. I wasn't comfortable in my own skin, but I knew that I needed to do something. I saw all the positivity coming from the group on FB and decided I needed to do this for me. When I first started, I pushed myself so hard, even though I couldn't do a push up. I heard and kept saying to myself,my head will give in before my body does, it is true! I would yell at myself for stopping! There were several times I cried while I was working out just because I was mad at myself for letting myself get this way. I am not where I want to be YET, but I know that I will get there. When I took my after pictures, I started to cry. I couldn't show my husband because he is out of country. I messaged him and he replied he was so proud of me. I showed my children and they said that they were so proud of all my heard work. I never want my kids to quit and I was not going to let them see me quit either.I don't think that I could have done this challenge without the help from my husband, my children, and all the people that were posting their triumphs and support for each other. I want to thank Madeline for creating this challenge. I have fallen back in love with working out and challenging myself. Thank you for making me believe in myself again!! Can't wait to continue the journey to not only better health but loving my outside as much as I love my insides.
I can’t believe those 4 weeks just flew by! It was the first time I’ve ever completed a challenge of this kind and I can honestly say I LOVED IT! I learned so much from the other girls in the Facebook group, I loved the recipes and the support/encouragement! It was a blessing to have that group page! My weight at the beginning of the challenge was 156lbs and at the end it was 152.5lbs. I learned from this challenge that the scale is only good for one thing, giving you a number. That number doesn’t define me, it will not make or break me because the strength I’ve gained from this is much much more than the gratification of seeing that number change. I don’t feel skinny, which was alway my goal, I feel strong and that’s my new goal! I love, love, love my strength! I love my muscles and definition! I’m lean and I can see muscles I never knew I could have! I catch myself flexing in the bathroom when I walk by the mirror just because I have muscles now! It was hard, hard work; that challenge was not a walk in the park but the results I have seen are incredible to me. I am capable of so much more than just cardio on a treadmill!!! Thank you Madeline for this amazing challenge and these workouts, they have been awesome! I am going to continue on for another 4 weeks of Tighter Together on my own and I can’t wait! Thank you so much Madeline!!!!! You continue to teach me so much! I really hope you know how much your workouts, your IG page mean to me! You’ve changed my life!!!! I can’t wait until August for the next round!!!!!! 😁😁😁
I’m so thankful TT is complete! Haha! I’m tired! This was definitely hard work and dedication! But I enjoyed it and I can’t wait for your August one! I’ll be back. What did I get out of this program? Well, first off, RESULTS! I have never had abs like this...and I didn’t think it was possible. 2 kids later and I’m 41! So, feeling the strongest in my life. Also, a new found appreciation for eating, what types of foods and how much of them. Now this part is exciting because it has carried over into my family, my 9 year old daughter reading labels and just bringing a healthy awareness of what we, as a family are putting into our bodies! Talk about a great group on TT. I don’t post much, but talk about inspiring and motivating reading peoples stories, knowing people out there are as sore as you are or fighting to make it through low carb day! Bonded with a great workout partner who helped keep me motivated some days, challenged me some days, and who let me motivate her some days! Supported by my husband as i added more gym time and kept weighing out my food, and sometimes his!;) Thanks so much for an inspiring program!
After completing Tighter Together, my biggest mental shift is the notion that food is FUEL! Carbs, protein and fats all work together to enable you to complete your daily tasks. The beauty of “tracking” those macros, is knowing how much of what you are putting into your body and the purpose behind it. I am a very goal oriented person, so having a number to hit was extremely helpful, but I also loved the flexibility that is built in. I now actually “prep and plan” my daily intake instead of grabbing everything in the fridge on my way out the door and hoping for the best. Of course it takes some time and effort, but anything worth doing, is worth doing well, and what better machine to have operating well than your body?! I found maneuvering the numbers enjoyable and now, if I am really craving something or know I have some kind of event, I can plan accordingly, adjust my workouts and take full advantage of the foundational work laid in Tighter Together.
The workouts were by far my favorite part of the challenge! Before I began TT, I was going to bootcamp about 3 times a week, for the last 5 years!! I was getting to the point where I was simply going through the motions and not taking full advantage of my workout. I’ve always appreciated a girl with muscle, but was always afraid to bulk up, especially because I’m short. When I found Madeline, also a shortie, I felt like MY version of her was attainable- strong, motivated, and inspiring. The way she crafted the workouts gave me the cardio I needed, but in a way that didn’t feel like I was running on a treadmill, the compound movements hit muscles I didn’t realize I was ignoring, and the support from the rest of the tighter together crew encouraged me to push myself, increase my weights, and add extra reps or a band here and there. I now walk into the gym and feel confident and excited about what I’m about to do! I love being in the middle of my workout and getting the question “what are you training for?”... LIFE! Tighter Together has given me exactly what I needed- structure (hello summer all you teachers!), support, and a mindset and pathway to a healthy body that I’m so excited to continue down!
