“45-year old inspiration sheds 9.8% body fat, sculpts a sexy six pack, and says ‘bye-bye’ to sit-ups for good!”
I’d like to introduce you to Dana Tantillo…
The most recent WINNER of our Amazing Abs Solution 12-week transformation contest (which just ended on July 24th).
As you can tell her by her before and after photos, her transformation is pretty RIDICULOUS!
Not only are her photos a testament to her amazing success but so too is her journey over the last 24 months. You can read it all below.
I recently spent 15 minutes on the phone with Dana to get a more in-depth record of her amazing abs solution transformation and I think you’ll get some really inspiring nuggets from our interview.
Listen to our interview here:
Here’s what Dana had to say about her Amazing Abs Solution journey:
“My 12-week transformation actually started 12 months ago. On July 4, 2011, my husband and I were invited to a fireworks display and I didn’t have any shorts to wear. I made a pair of cutoffs out of an old pair of jeans that I thought were too big. Sadly, they were very tight and I spent the evening very uncomfortable and sucking in my belly.
I had been working out a couple of times a week, but my diet was inconsistent and my dedication to working out was halfhearted at best. Two days later, I joined a local gym, bought some personal training time and was weighed and measured. I started at 142 pounds and 26 percent body fat.
During my workouts I could see that I was building good upper and lower body strength but my core was like an out of shape target in the middle of my body. I started taking some of the Ab classes at the gym – hundreds of crunches and very little to show for them other than a permanent abrasion on my tailbone!
After two and a half months, I had dropped 10 pounds and 3 percent of my body fat. I was feeling much better and starting to look better too. Then everything fell apart. Thanks to my weight loss, I discovered a lump in my breast. The same week, while waiting for biopsy results, I herniated a disk in my upper back. I had back surgery on September 29, 2011, was diagnosed with breast cancer 5 days later, and had a bilateral mastectomy on October 18, 2011.
Two months later, it was back in the gym to try to regain my fitness, as well as figure out how my new body was going to work. I still had more reconstructive surgery scheduled for 3 months later, so my time was limited.
I returned to the gym to work with my trainer, and attended the Ab class faithfully. Eating better and getting stronger were my main concerns for the first quarter of 2012. By the time I had to take another training break for surgery, my weight was stable and my body fat was about 24 percent. During my recovery, I started looking for a smarter way to get in shape. I had been doubling up on cardio classes and jogging on the treadmill, but I wasn’t really making any progress. I learned about high intensity interval training (why hadn’t I heard of this before?) and my internet searches led me to Yuri Elkaim’s website.
As I was considering purchasing The Treadmill Trainer, the Amazing Abs Solution transformation special/contest was announced. I knew I had to try it since what I had been doing was obviously not working. With my purchase, I received a one-month trial membership to Fitter-U Fitness and the Locker Room Forums. Even though I was not able to continue the membership through the 12 week Amazing Abs Solution program, I took what I learned and worked with it.
With a renewed purpose (and a contest to motivate me!), I dedicated myself to the Transformation Challenge. I cleaned up my diet, and got to work. I learned I had been overtraining, not eating for energy, and doing ALL THE WRONG core work. During the first week of Build, I thought I had made a mistake. It seemed a little too easy and not very intense. HA! Wrong Again!! Week 2 of Build kicked my butt all over my living room and each week was a new and demanding challenge.
About halfway through Sculpt, I started to notice my body changing. My waist was tightening, my belly got flatter, and my clothes were falling off. The more positive changes I saw, the more dedicated I became to seeing this program through to the end. I have never been able to stick with an at-home program before, but now I realize it was probably because I wasn’t seeing any results.
My favorite part of the program is having Yuri with me in my living room! His unscripted style, humor, and hard work (if he is breathing that hard imagine what it is doing to me) pushed me through every workout. Yuri is so encouraging during the workouts I really feel that he was with me through the whole process.
I have learned that I can do more than I ever thought possible. I know now that my attitude and mental toughness toward the workouts is a bigger part of the picture than my physical strength. By pushing myself out of my comfort zone and completing the program (yay me!), I am stronger in every aspect of my life. My diet is clean, my body is fit, and I cannot wait to see what challenges lie ahead!
Now, I’ll let my before and after pictures and measurements speak for themselves…
Before 05/01/2012
Dana Tantillo, 45yrs old
H: 5’5″ W: 128 lbs
Body Fat: 23.8%
chest: 37″
waist: 28″
hips: 37″
Goals for 12 week Challenge: Waist 26″, Hips 36″, body fat less than 21%, AND A SIX PACK!!!
After 07/22/2012
Dana Tantillo, 45yrs old
H: 5’5″ W: 120.5 lbs
Body Fat: 14%
chest: 35.5″
waist: 26″
hips: 35″
…. and my results far exceeded my goals!”
**********
WOW….is really I could say when Dana sent us these incredible results.
Why not give her some LOVE by posting a supportive/congratulatory comment below.
And if you’d like similar results, then YOU TOO can use the Amazing Abs Solution program to get your own…amazing abs!
Click here to learn More About the Amazing Abs Solution program
Kim
Lady, you look great. Your smile says a lot as does your 6 pack! I’m hitting 40 next year and you’re quite an inspiration!
Maha
Congratulatios, Dana! I wish you all thb est maintaning your new figue and lifestyle!
Steve D
Congrats-Quite a remarkable change in just 12 weeks. Yesterday I did the 1st workout of sculpt.. Hurting today most everywhere but determined. Again congratulations. Steve D
Patricia
Wow Dana! That is fabulous! What great strength you show! I struggle with the psychological components of exercise and also find Yuri’s encouragement, humor and hard work to keep me going but now when I feel like blowing off a workout I’ll also be thinking of you and how you remained true to yourself even during some pretty difficult times. You are an inspiration!
Melissa F
Congratulations Dana!! Good for you on having the strength and courage to keep positive and motivated through your journey! It was obviously quite the trek, and you came out shining like a star!! You are a great motivation to others, esp to me! Thank you! Keep up the great work! And I wish you the best!!
<3
Chrys
Wow Dana! You are superwoman! Despite fierce adversity you stuck to your plan and look at you now. Congratulations-not just on the new you body, but also on the amazing heart and perseverance.What a magnificent example and inspiration you are. Thanks for being you! You are beautiful!
Angela K.
You look very good in before pic and like a Rock Star in after pic.
You are an inspiration Dana..shine on!!!
Thanks for sharing how doing more then u think u can do w/ physical body also spills over into mental challenges! You Rock!
God Bless,Angela
Dana Tantillo
Thank you! I just woke up today (I work at night and sleep during the day) and found these lovely comments – made my morning all warm and fuzzy! Yes, I worked hard, but I have to give the big HIGH FIVE to Yuri for designing this great program and keeping me motivated all the way through. I feel so lucky to have access to a great coach from so far away – somedays the technology amazes me. Have a great rest of your day everybody and catch some Olympic coverage for great inspiration.
Cherylynn
You’ve inspired me, I’m encouraged and signing up for Yuri’s program today — thanks for sharing your story. Stay fit and well!
Nataly
Wow wow and hundred times WOW girl! You are a true inspiration
to everybody. I now exactly what you mean describing working out
with Yuri in your livingroom. I started my journey with FUF at the gym
but then I realized that not too much equipment was needed, so now
I do my exercises at home too
Congratulations and keep strong with everything!!
Abbas Zamara
You did a very great job there. Don’t you ever give up, okay? Keep going and going and going. Don’t, NEVER give up. If you feel mentally, it does happen to everyone. Just take a break. Rest for a week or something. But never give up totally, aight? Keep up the good work. I’m sure you’ve inspired many as you’ve just inspired me.
Honestly, i didnt read the whole thing. Bcoz i already KNOW how must effort you put in and all, how much sacrifises you made. Like the olympians, those that did not win sometimes cry too. Like if they did a major mistake like when i saw the trampoline event. I know how much effort he put in. So yeah… I was so sad to see him made a major error. 
So yeah, dont give up girl, keep it up. I’m sorry i didnt read the whole thing.
hehe
“See you on the healthier side” haha xD Best of luck. ~Abbas Zamara~
I hope my words are meaningful to you and everyone else. All the best and keep the good work up. I’ll definitely be more discipline with my food and all. thanks to you, also yuri and everyone else who shares their results. Thank you all. All the best, everyone. Let me quote Yuri’s line.
Suzanne
Dana-I was a few years older than you w/ my dx of breast cancer, much less involved than yours but shocking none the less. My friends consider me a poster child for the health food movement. I worked w/ a trainer after my limited surgery, doing hundreds of crunches a day and lots of heavy weighted squats. I lost not 1 pound, but did drop my body fat 8% in 12 weeks. I was thrilled w/ the increase in strength and finally giving up on conventional breakfast food completely. I was however left w/ chronic back problems and 2 very sore knees. As I read Yuri’s info ( Iam new to him as of last week), I appreciate the mindfulness re: avoiding injury by addressing the basics first
I send you strength and continued success. You inspire me to get back in the saddle, and bring my fitness level up a couple of notches.
Gem
Truly inspirational. You look fab. Congrats
Diana
Dana you did amazingly, and in inspiration to us all. You’ve also proved that Yuri has go the gift of enthusing us wannabees. His emails are full of encouragement too. Would you mind getting him a report from you so we can follow you up and see if this is sustainable for a length of time and not just a flash in the pan – i.e. with some more follow up photos too. You are truly and inspiration as he is. Love from a keen over 70 year old.
Terrie
Wow thank you for posting such an amazing story. You have inspired me to keep going. Thanks
Dana Tantillo
Update!
6 weeks later I am happy to report my weight at 124, bodyfat at 14.5% and measurements essentially unchanged! I was worried that without the contest to motivate me I would slip back in to bad habits – but so far so good!
I only wish for 2 things:
1) the Bears would have beaten Green Bay at Lambeau tonight (sigh)
2) Amazing Abs Solutions 2 – come on Yuri, I’m ready >:)