Six Pack On Order

I have a dream. Okay so it’s more like a goal – one that I’ve had for like a decade now, if not longer. It’s one of those frustrating goals because I know that the end result is only dependent on me. And while I could blame my genes or somebody else for not achieving this goal sooner, I am well aware of the fact that the only reason this goal hasn’t been crossed of my ‘to get done’ list is because I haven’t applied myself.

Food often gets in the way. How can I say no to a yummy green scallop curry with coconut rice, or a bowl of turkey minced spaghetti bolognaise with chilli and lots of pasta, or a box of Lindt milk chocolates that are just begging to be eaten, can you?

If you haven’t guessed already, what I’ve been dreaming of is a nice six pack.

The bit of fat that I’ve carried around with me has disappeared from my arms, my legs, my chest and my face but refuses to budge from my tummy. And while I’ve become a pro at keeping my tummy tucked in whenever I wear anything remotely skin hugging, the six pack is far from being achieved.

Abdominals are one of the hardest muscles to reveal, especially for a woman. Women have to work harder on their exercise routines and their diet to achieve the toned look around their midsection. What we eat and drink are largely responsible for the way our midsection looks, the amount of exercise we do comes a close second, and then there’s also the issue of stress which stimulates the release of cortisol, which is no friend to sexy defined abs.

There are three things which I believe are responsible for my lack of success when it comes to visibly defined abdominal muscles – sugar, large portions and inadequate abdominal work.

While I don’t put sugar in my tea or coffee nor do I drink soft drinks or eat lots of cake, my problem is chocolate. Chocolate is my weakness. Lately I’ve been going through a few blocks per week. If I see it, I’m going to eat it, especially if it’s within reach. Even as I write this I’m about to eat a piece of dark chocolate to satisfy my cravings. Chocolate has become my unhealthy addiction that is preventing those abs from showing.

The second factor is my portion sizes. I like food. I’ve never been fat and have never had a weight problem other than a few stubborn kilograms a couple years ago that have now disappeared, I’ve always loved to eat. I’m a Tauras, maybe that has something to do with my passion for indulgence in delicious food and expensive items – though the bank balance could improve to help with the indulgence in expensive items 🙂 . With certain meals I am capable of going back for seconds and thirds which is terribly unhealthy. Sometimes I’m even capable of eating more than my partner and he’s far from a light eater.

Finally, the issue of abdominal training arises. Once upon a time I loved it. In recent years I’ve neglected it.

Well duh, no suprise why I haven’t succeeded. I haven’t made an effort and have been self sabotaging any chance I have of defining my abs.

I’d like to write a training program to train my abs but I’m not going to stick with it. Something else will come up and there will be an excuse that will prevent me from sticking to it. The only thing I can do is to tell myself that I have to work my abdominals regularly. In theory, I want to train them every day, in practice I’ll be lucky if I manage two or three abdominal training sessions. My partner, who is a PT is going to keep me motivated and will ensure that I train my abs at least twice a week – and hard.

The other thing I have to work on is eating less chocolate. Since Christmas is like just around the corner, I’m going to leave the cutting back until after the silly season as I am certain I will be indulging in my favorite chocolates along with a bottle of red wine. Meal portions will also be addressed as soon as all the yummy Christmas meals are eaten. Until then, I’m going to try and be better.

So why are those abs so darn important?

Having strong abs is going to help me be a better runner. Strong abs will support my spine and reduce back ache. They will make me feel better about my physique. Strong abs will be evidence that I have excelled in my fitness and have achieved an important goal. Abs are the hardest muscles to develop and show but once they are in great shape, so is the rest of your body.

What muscle groups are you trying to work on?