Thinking

By: L Jones

I want rock hard abs. I have not been mentally tough enough to follow through with a nutritional and work out plan to achieve this simple goal. But now I am and I am going to get those abs in 10 weeks. This is my proclamation and I want you all to hear. Ok, here is how this is going to work, on my Monday blog, no matter what it is about, at the bottom I will include a link to my Flickr account. There I will take pictures of myself, with a copy of Monday’s newspaper to prove it’s not a picture from the past. I will also post measurements as comments on the pics.

Every Monday, I will take updated pics and post no later than Tuesday, with updated measurements. And in 10 weeks, I plan to be sporting a 4 - pack set of abs. Now I know you are probably saying “Why 4 and not 6?” Simply, I am giving myself 10 weeks to transform.

Ok, so who is Ruth? Well, look at the picture. Ruth is the lady who is going to help me mold and shape my abs. She doesn’t know this yet, but she will by Tuesday. (smile) I met Ruth by chance one day while at the fitness center on Willow Grove Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base (NAS-JRB) in Pennsylvania. I had been working out with weights, but I needed to work on my abs. You see, I injured my back while in Iraq, nothing serious, but I needed to relieve the pressure that the added weight on my stomach puts on my back.

I opened the door to the aerobics room and there she stood, my future pain in the stomach. LOL. She had just finished a class and was about to leave; but instead we talked about my needs and we did a one-on-one abs-kicking routine. She was the one.

Now, I am going to do something a bit different and introduce you to Ruth.

LJ: How did you first become interested in fitness?

RH: I’d had 3 babies in 3 1/2 years and wanted to lose weight.  I joined a women only gym 26 years ago.  I enjoyed the challenge of trying to get through an entire hour class without stopping for breaks. 

LJ: Why did you decide to become a fitness instructor?

RH: I enjoyed the challenge and at that point I believed I could do a better job than the instructors I had.  It was a great part-time job I could fit around my family.  It became a passion. 

LJ How do you keep fitness interesting to you?

RH: The people in my classes keep me motivated.  I have a difficult time keeping motivated using equipment.  I go to conferences at least once a year with other professionals to keep updated on the latest techniques and equipment. 

LJ: Do you believe that exercise enhances people’s lives? How?

RH: Absolutely yes.  It makes people feel better physically and mentally.  It boosts self confidence.  When someone feels confident about themselves, it permeates all they do. 

LJ: What is your favorite exercise (routine)?

RH: Teaching step aerobics.  Cardio workouts get the endorphins flowing so you feel good.  It’s also very satisfying to me to be able to get a beginner and gently push them to a more advanced level.  And we all have fun doing it! 

LJ: What are the top three factors that you contribute to obtaining optimum fitness?

RH : (1) You have to include both cardio and weight training.  Change the routines on a regular basis so your body doesn’t plateau.(2) Eat the right foods and get enough sleep. (3) Positive attitude!

So there you have it. I am going to pop the question to Ruth on Tuesday; she only does classes on Tuesday and Thursday. See if she can work me out on those days and give me some interesting exercises for the others.

Oh yeah, if anyone out there is interested in making my challenge to myselfyour own and would like to proclaim it here:

1. Let me know in a comment

2. Get a Flickr account and start taking pics

3. Stick with it. Each week we’ll offer each other tips and advice to reach our goal.