Baring It All

As part of my 2010 is all about me, I have completed the Widdle My Middle Challenge. I must admit, that it took reading the challenge to get me interested in my abs but now I'm hooked! The main idea is to do a 30 day sit up challenge following her program - which basically boils down to 10 minutes of abs 5 days a week.

Now, I must also admit that this correlated with the start of the two hundred sit up challenge I am doing at work. So, we are currently in week 5 of this challenge and in addition to doing the 10 minutes a day I am also doing this challenge (which right now means an additional 200+ crunches 3x per week).

Back to the challenge. It was not easy to commit to. The first week was relatively easy but then I found myself getting bored with the routine and feeling that it all focused on my upper abs. With that being said, I basically just followed the rule of 10 minutes/day 5 x week. I added in some different exercises to replace some of her exercises I got bored with or felt I had poor form (for example, I am awful putting a balance ball on my feet and rolling it towards my chest - just a fail all around).

I added in more lower abdominal work as this is a problem area for me - things like reverse crunches, leg lifts and bicycle kicks. I would also do oblique twist, full sit up roll downs, oblique dips and oblique side lifts with dumbbells. I also did back lifts every session to make sure that I was also working my lower back muscles (completing the plank exercises was also helpful).Basically, what I am saying is that I did my own version of the challenge and it worked just fine.

Now for the results - I must admit that I usually don't focus much on my abs beyond my once a week ab class so this was a big change for me. I don't like to diet, love cardio but have a love hate relationship with weights and abs. After completing this challenge I will definitely stick to working my abs cause the results were worth it. I probably won't be as extreme, but enough to keep what I worked for. I believe that abs are a gift from your genes, we all can't have Jillian Michaels abs and as long as I feel great I am happy. So, with that being said here are the results:

• I lost 1 inch off my waist (smallest part of your midriff)


• I lost 1 inch off my hips (different for everyone, but where your hips are)


• I lost 1/2 inch off largest part of waist (basically around your belly button)

Onto the hard part - THE PICTURES! It was also part of the challenge to take a picture of yourself before and after. You are not allowed to flex or suck in so that your stomach is at rest in the pictures...cause when you measure you don't suck in! The before pictures make me sick! I also think I made a mistake not doing both in a bikini....I realized I should have done that about halfway through. Anyways, here we go as promised, but I am not happy about doing this.

And...just for giggles, I tested a sucking in pose on the side shot to see what Bradly Cooper will view if he walked past me on the beach - cause everyone sucks in on the beach unless you are a few deep!

I don't know, maybe you can't see the changes or not but I can and I notice them. Not only does my core feel stronger, but I see the indent in my waist more clearly. The before photos just look jiggly, loose and gross. It's weird, before I never felt my waist was super fat or as gross as this, but maybe it's the lack of a tan and the angles/clothing I don't know. But I definitely see a difference and you all better appreciate I posted the photos - cause that wasn't easy:)

Now, the exciting news! My reward, well gift, was a fabulous weekend getaway with my lovely boyfriend to the Bahamas. Cincinnati has just been pummeled by snow, leaving people like me without 4 wheel drive stuck in our homes and all around just frustrated. We just needed some time away and alone time so we booked a last minute trip to the Bahamas just yesterday! I can't wait, 8 Days and counting!