My f(abs)ulous Science Project

We all want them. They are everywhere: from late night programming to your trainer’s promises to your vision board.

Flat, toned abs.

Doesn’t it always seem like you are chasing the idea of it,though, rather than actually realizing it?

Last year, I competed in a fitness competition when I lived in New York City. I worked my *abs* off to make sure I was eating right, exercising right, and supplementing to create beautiful, non-bulky, feminine abs.

It wasn’t as easy as some late night programs would suggest. There are no drop-3-dress-sizes-in-10-days quickies without stressing the heck out of your liver, impairing your immune function, and shocking your whole body in the process.

But beautiful abs can be achieved. It takes consistency. It takes hard work. It takes patience with yourself, and it takes a *wee* bit of planning. That’s about it. Really and truly.

I am posting this series of articles for three key reasons:

First – there are a few main f(abs)ulous subject areas that are integral to creating the abs that you want: diet, exercise, nutrition & supplements. And…surprise(!) - those are the main topics in the f(abs)ulous series.

I want you to have the knowledge and the know-how so that you can get good at it, and get’er done. You already posses all the tools necessary to achieve the toned stomach you want – you just need a little guidance. Enter Dr. Stephanie.

Second, and luckily, abs are one of those muscle groups where you don’t really need a gym. So, I will be using my body weight, a yoga mat, and my desire. I will document everything I am doing so you can follow along too!

Third, I will pre-empt this by saying that I am very happy with my current fitness level and form. However, I want to show you that my method works– so I am using myself for this f(abs)ulous science project.

I don’t plan to get fitness competition lean, but currently I would be considered ‘off-season’. Getting to somewhere between 15-18% body fat would be a good target goal for my height, size, and body weight. Using only objective tools for measuring my progress, here is what I am going to be measuring changes in:

measurements
waist
hip

body fat
electrical impedance (basically an electric current that you run through the body that measures body fat)
(you can use calipers also, but there can be a higher degree of measurement error with it, depending on who is taking the measurements!)

strength: how many…?
full sit-ups in 1 minute
reverse crunches

endurance: how long…?
can I hold a front plank
can I hold a side plank

Ahhh...I like nothing more than to have a specific, measurable, ongoing challenge - I thrive on stuff like this!! So with this in mind I have decided that my target deadline is going to be July 16, 2009. Reason being is one of my very close friends is jetting down to Las Vegas for her stag that weekend, and it is *conveniently* 12 weeks away. So, perfect, right?

Look out for the first post: My f(abs)ulous Science Project: Diet Rules later this week

…aaannnnddd go!