Abs of August: A guest post

While I search for inspiration, AKA try to think about something to write about that doesn’t consist in whining about what I can’t do or the silly things my kids say, please enjoy this guest post by Lizzie.

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Are you tired of that pudgy layer around your midsection?  Have you heard the whisperings of “muffin top” as you walk by in your pre baby jeans that you just can’t afford to replace?  Is your washing machine broken and you need a washboard and they haven’t made a washboard in like 100 years so you need to ripple that midsection just to clean your clothes?  If you were born yesterday then you need these amazing ABventions:

 

Who wouldn’t be convinced that these would work?  I mean, look at how happy she looks.  But, seeing as we couldn’t come up with three easy payments of $19.95 plus shipping and handling the recovering member of CITS came up with [in your best stadium announcer voice]: ABS OF AUGUST.

Well, it’s really more a CORE challenge than just a way to get sexy Abs, but sometimes you just have to live with side effects.  So why the big challenge?  Enter the team.

–SMO: Surgery recovery and general boredom. Recently pinned in place wing removing all fun summer activities that require a working arm including running. Boo.

–Yenny: C-section recovery.  Cute little Ella didn’t turn herself around in time, so out through the lower abdominals it is.

–Lizard: Regular pregnancy recovery.  A little bit of Diastasis Recti, core weakness, general flabbyness and a refusal to purchase new jeans for post baby hips.

-Laura: general core strength for long distance running

We are all runners and enjoy being active, so we know that a strong core is the key to performance and injury prevention. So here we go, 30 days of about 10-15mins of core each day.  We have all taken before pictures too, but will most likely only post them once noticeable changes have been made.

So what are we doing?  Nothing revolutionary.  We didn’t go out and spend $150 on a TRX (although I’d kinda like one).  Just your everyday core regime:

-planks

-v-sits

-heel drops

-twists

-hip raises

-etc.

modified for one arm, post c-section and general laziness as necessary.

(Editor’s note: ever try a one-arm plank?  I’ve topped out at 15 shaky, huffy-puffy seconds.  It isn’t pretty).

Will it work?  No idea, but along with the four of us keeping each other honest there’s the added motivation of first person to miss a day owes the other three wine.

With any luck by September we’ll be stable around the middle, ready to get back to some serious running training and looking half decent on the pool deck.  With a lot of luck, we’ll be looking like this and running 1:20 halfs.

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And here’s the best part.  We’re taking weekly pics.  Whether or not we get brave enough to post remains to be seen.

We’re still looking for joiners… If you’re in – just remember the bottle of wine rule.