The Ab Challenge

Last week, it dawned on me that I had about four-and-a-half weeks until vacation.  A beach vacation. Which means swimsuits - puke!  I'm sick to death of trying to lose weight, I just want to be healthy so I decided I need to work with what I have.  And regardless of what the scale says, my body is weak and out of shape.

I've known for quite a while that I need to work on strengthening my core.  The core of your body is responsible for more than I realized.  It needs to be strong to support us.  My lower back aches, body aches and posture, I'm hoping, will be improved by a stronger middle.

So like I mentioned, last week it hit me that it was now or never, as far as vacation goes, in toning up what I've got.  If I happen to lose a couple pounds between now and then, I'll take that as well, but I am on a mission to try to firm up my mid-section.

I started looking on Pinterest for a good Ab workout.  Oh good heavens, that silly website gets me every time.  Overwhelms me, makes my head spin.  You click here, and then here and it takes you there, ahhhh!  Finally, I went to my beloved Google and just typed in what I was looking for.  (What did we do before Google?)

There are many different Ab work-outs and challenges in cyber space, but I finally found one that looked doable.  And by doable, I mean, short and sweet.    A let's-get-right-down-to-business type of plan.  30 days to firmer abs.  Do you promise?  Oh yes, I'll take one of those, please.

My biggest concern was seeing the 120-second plank on day 30.  Do you realize that 120 seconds is two minutes?  Two minutes isn't a long time when you're driving down the road or watching television, but when you're shaking and biting your lip to hold yourself up by your arms and abs, two minutes is close to an eternity.

I decided, regardless of the intimidating 120-second plank, I could do this or die trying.  I got Madolyn on board and my friend Traci, who is under the same timeline for her son's wedding.  Jay decided to jump on the Ab challenge train.  Then Lane was watching us and thought it would be good for him to prepare for football this summer.  We were eating supper with some friends, who we are vacationing with, and they decided they would all do it too.

Funny thing, I told a few of these folks that I would probably do more than the required amount of sit-ups because how could 15 sit-ups do any good?  I had serious ground to cover...

I'm on day eight and what I feared most - the plank - is the least of my worries.  Real sit-ups are the spawn of Satan, I tell you.  And what is crazy is that I used to do all kinds of ab exercises without any problem.  It is amazing how your body falls out of sync so quick.  Of course, when I use the phrase 'so quick', I'm talking like six years or so.  Yes, I think it has been that long since I did any kind of ab routine more than once in a six-month period.

And as long as Lane Truman isn't lying next to me as I do the challenge, I can get through it.  If that little booger is there 'coaching' me, I crumble.  He laughs the whole time, which makes me laugh, and I can't get through it.  It's best to let mama go at it alone...

Regardless of how my abs look at the end of this 30 days, mentally, I already feel better.  And the amazing thing, as my bff Jay said, is how fast our bodies re-adjust and get right back in the groove.  The first night, when I plopped down on the floor to do those super easy, nothing-to-worry-about-sit-ups, I soon realized how far out of it I was.  It was all I could do to complete those 15 sit-ups...the whole time thoughts of failure were filling my head.  I was going to press on and do my best, but doing 50 sit-ups, let alone 125 (day 30)  were seemingly out of reach.  A pure fantasy in my mind.

Last night I did half of my sit-ups (1/2 of 40) without using the couch to hold my feet.  Truly, I could not believe it.  How was I already able to do that?  When just a few days ago, I could barely muster up the strength to pull myself up to my knees with the huge couch holding me down.  I'm so determined to finish this challenge and prove to myself, and maybe a couple of my roommates, that I'm not a complete weakling!

Today is a rest day, yee-haw.  Every four days, we get one of those, to allow our body to recover.  Similar to my thoughts of doubling up on some of the sit-ups at the beginning, I thought rest days were going to be such a waste.  How silly was I!  The first one was like manna from heaven!  Today is our second rest day and I plan to enjoy it.

Just like with anything, taking that first step is the most difficult and often the most important.  I've known for a long time that I needed to do something, anything, to improve my aching body.  Madolyn, an over-achiever at times like her father, suggested throwing in a 30-day leg challenge, I told her one thing at a time is all I can handle right now.  This gal is a work in progress.  But who knows, after the abs are complete, I just may be ready to tackle the next one!

**And no, I will not be posting before & after pictures...you'll just have to take my word for it.**