I promise I want to keep my firm abs. Pinky promise. However, I often drift away into a fantasy reality where I get to eat what I want, get up from table after table of lobster with piping hot butter or grilled octopus over a greek salad saturated with extra virgin olive oil and vinegar with a chilled glass of Saracco Moscato rocking my solid tight abs. LOL, and yes, I laugh out loud as obnoxious as my daydream when faced with the quip of advice, “5 sets of stop eating so much crap!” Exclamation point added for personal emphasis of how intensely my friend and fitness trainer, Sonia Trimble screams to the top of her lungs, with a banter, jig, and a few cartwheels as she’s brought me and countless others back to a solemn reality.
The Firm Ab Dream
Catching up with Sonia, I really wanted the tea on how I can best work towards my dream abs as the holiday season quickly approaches (hold there’s a big disclaimer); while being able to enjoy the seasonal foods the holiday is sure to offer. I mean, of course, I’m committed to some real abs, but a girl has still got to enjoy life and a cocktail party or two every now and again. Ok, maybe more like five or six, but who is really counting? I mean it will be the holidays!
Sonia confirmed, my question was one of the most common and persistent questions she receives, “What can I do to firm my abs?” “What can I do to flatten my tummy?” “How do I just get rid of this flab in my midsection?” She admitted, although her answer is frequently frowned upon as it disregards senseless shortcuts, made-up secrets, and magic pills—she sticks to it with conviction. Because she’s committed to the truth, our personal nutrition choices are more responsible for how we will or won’t maintain our abs. Full translation: abs are made in the kitchen.
Firm Abs
Yes, firm abs and a lean midsection are made in the kitchen and enhanced in the gym. Every day awareness of what we’re eating and how much we’re working our muscles should be prioritized. Consequently, we live in a society where many of our lifestyles and livelihood centers around socializing.
Truth is, our bodies are not constructed to spot reduce or burn fat in specific and isolated areas only, namely our midsection. While some of us can often build muscle tone and definition more rapidly in one muscle group than another, burning fat efficiently in our body is an overall effort of our body’s metabolism and you know it, a large percentage of that effort is through consistent clean and nutritious eating.
So while there are certain exercises specifically designed for us to incorporate to firm, flatten, and ultimately chisel our abs, we simply can’t load our bellies with fatty, processed, nutritionally deficient foods and expect to remain lean and fit —especially in our midsection.
I’ve come to conclusion, I’ve got to do a better job training my brains to make the choices that my stomach, heart, joints, bones and other organs will most benefit from. Consequently, it’s both as simple and difficult as that.
Bottom line tea remains once we embrace the truth- that nothing tastes as good as healthy feels and looks, we’re well on our way to whatever health and wellness goals we hold for ourselves. Amen to that!
