Thursday, August 15, 2013

Ab Challenge Update!

I'm so proud of me!!

I am now at the halfway point of the 30 Day Ab Challenge. Today was 90 crunches, 70 sit-ups, 42 leg raises and 60 second plank. I started with the plank, knowing that I tend to get lazy. I made it to 60 seconds and only the last 13 seconds were a struggle!! Mind over matter though and I pushed myself to stay up. The strain on my lower back was a little concerning so I'll have to see how it goes incrementing up over the next day or two. I've been taking my meds, so I'm hopeful that I can get to the 120 second plank in a couple of weeks....

So being the workout junkie that I used to be, I'm well aware that in order to hit ALL the abdominal muscles, you have to work the obliques and back muscles as well, so straight forward crunches are insufficient. This has helped me reach the increasing numbers by switching up the crunches to include these muscles. I'm still doing the requisite numbers, just working all the groups. So 90 crunches was surprisingly easy especially when mixed with the leg raises and split into sets.

However, the sit-ups are becoming a battle of wills! I got to 40 no problem, by breaking them down into sets of 10, but the next 20 were completed by me cussing at myself and the final 10, I pretty much had to will myself up and back back down again.... How I will get to 125, I don't know. I'm determined to try and get it into one workout, but if I have to split it into two, so be it.

I know it's working though. I can see a little definition, but this morning I zipped up a size 2 skirt without having to suck anything in and with only a little muffin top!! It's been 18 years since I was a size 0. I'm not aiming that skinny, unless I can still look healthy, but that size 2 made me feel mighty good! I wore the size 4 skirt today. With a shirt that I love, but is now way too big for me. Such an awesome feeling. To be back in a size 2 by the 1 year anniversary of my divorce would be awesome. I had to give myself a new goal and I've decided that pre-ex-husband weight is a good goal to shoot for. Shedding the weight and the inches is like shedding the years of abuse and misery. Strangely cathartic...

1 comment:

  1. I love it being put that way... shedding the years of abuse and misery.

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