Clearer Pointers for My Abs Project

Jesse Stanchak's How to blog like a dieter (and vice-versa) felt like written specifically for this blog.

Shamefully, I have been struggling with my abs project. And this blog, being an extension of it, struggles as well.

I can not agree more with Jesse that blogging and dieting (in my case, improving my abs) are both alike. That it requires self-discipline, patience and self-knowledge.

Image from Dreamstime Free Photos

Here are the clearer lessons for my abs project that the article pointed out to me.

Jesse enumerated six similarities between blogging and dieting that I now relate to my abs project and to this blog.

1. I've got to know what I need to do.
Jesse encourages me to focus on what I need to do rather than what I need to avoid. He's absolutely right. If I failed to do sit-ups today and worry no end, tomorrow will still be the same - I can try again. Simply put, I should do sit-ups daily.
2. I have to set goals for every stage.
He further wrote

"People who only say “Someday, I’d like to …” never do. If you only think about the end result — whether its sales leads or a slim waist — everything else feels too daunting. People who only say, “Today, I’ll settle for …” never do any better. You keep yourself from building momentum and taking advantage of strategic possibilities. You need a medium focus to help keep you on the path to success. The goals in the middle are the ones that keep you accountable and keep you on the road to “someday.”"

My goal is to lose an inch off my waistline every month. If you nag me about it, it will boost my perseverance.
3. I got to measure, but not too much.
I have to measure my progress in connection to my goals. Since my goal is in a month's time, I only need to measure once month. That means less time worrying about my progress and more time to actually do the project.
4. I've got to take a balanced approach.
It is not just enough to regularly do sit ups. I also got to watch what I put inside, specifically, having too much rice in a single meal. Also, I have to reschedule my rice intake to be more during breakfast rather than dinner.
5. I've got to do it my way.
This is where self-knowledge comes into the picture. I've noticed that I do not do well with military-like regimen. I felt happier when for a given a day, I voluntarily increased my number of sit-ups because I want to and not just following a pre-planned number of repetitions.
6. I've got to commit to my abs project.
Being still a bachelor at 32 practically says it all, about me and the word commitment. If I can be committed to making my abs stronger and prettier to look upon, then I can be more able to commit too, with other important aspects of my life. But first, being committed to the project will translate to this blog being more active.

Such momentum a few days back is doing wonders for my morale and motivation for my abs project.

It's ON!

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Put Fitness Plan in 2011 into Writing, Keep track Using Nokia Cellphone & Health/Fitness Apps

Reduce your plan to writing. The moment you complete this, you will have definitely given concrete form to the intangible desire.

- Napoleon Hill

So, I guess if we really plan to reduce our beer bellies or unwanted fat in general, we should put it into writing. Or in my case, putting it into a blog for the whole world to get back on me when I start to renege.

Or better yet, use technology to write and monitor your health/fitness plan for the year. Your Nokia cellphone can become your health/fitness buddy 24/7 via these health & fitness apps from the OVI Store:

2011 Resolution Reminder

Do you start off the year with the best intentions, but find yourself conveniently forgetting those new year ’s resolutions? Use this app to make your promises count this year. Regular reminders can be a great way to make sure you don’t forget about your resolutions.

Source

Wellness Diary

Wellness Diary makes monitoring of your day-to-day wellness almost effortless, helping you to build healthy habits into your daily routine.

This service is still in beta phase and under development.

Source


Sports Tracker

This app is a great way of logging your workout.

Your phone becomes a full-featured GPS sports computer, keeping track of everything from calories burned while running to your average cycling speed over altitude. You get maps, time and distance calculators, step count, and even heart rate when you use a compatible HR belt. All data is stored in a diary so you can chart your progress, find your strengths and weaknesses, and share with others.

Source



If you are in the same boat as I am and uses a Nokia phone capable of downloading apps, you should consider these three health & fitness apps.

Or just write your own abs-project even on an old notebook in your room, just like me. *winks*

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My Two Abs-Project-Related New Year's Resolution

I will join the chorus of this time - New Year's Resolutions - for my overall health and, of course, my abs-project in 2011.

People are so worried about what they eat between Christmas and the New Year, but they really should be worried about what they eat between the New Year and Christmas.

~Author Unknown

Image from daveograve@

Luckily for me, I wasn't worried at all on what could've eaten this past holiday season. Rather, I was more concerned on how to afford what will be our holiday feast.

So, my first resolution for 2011 is to always eat on time. Because missing a meal often lead to late-night binges, extra rice and all. All the calories happily stored by my beer belly because I will soon dozed off to sleep. The main focus of this resolution is to eat a lot. Yes! You read that right. Eat a lot, ONLY on breakfast.

My second New Year's resolution is to sleep enough hours. Rightly so because accordingly;

A sleep schedule is vital to any weight-loss plan, say Wake Forest University researchers who tracked study participants for 5 years. In the under-40 age group, people who slept 5 hours or less each night gained nearly 2½ times as much abdominal fat as those who logged 6 to 7 hours; also, those who slept 8 hours or longer added nearly twice as much belly fat as the 6- to 7-hour group. People with sleep deficits tend to eat more (and use less energy) because they’re tired, says study coauthor Kristen Hairston, M.D., while those who sleep longer than 8 hours a night tend to be less active.

~Habits that double belly fat

Image from malias

I think that these two resolutions are realistic and achievable enough for me this 2011. Happy 2011 to everyone! And may all our resolutions, including my abs-project, be achieved this year!

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No Jogging - Project On Hold

My abs project is practically on hold after I missed jogging for 3 consecutive Sundays.

Jogging is the centerpiece activity for this project of mine. But these three reasons listed below prevented from doing just that.

1. Sick bay
2 Rain
3 Alumni Event in Silang Cavite

I do not know why, but the previous two weeks seemed like busier than usual. In the few times that I had, I made up for that lack of jogging by lifting dumbells in our boarding house. In fact, my arm workout has already leveled up to 3 sets by 12 repetition.

But I am positive about the next two sundays of August. And yes, the project will push through!


Photo by NateOne

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Abs Project Back on Track

The project had a minor bump on the road over the weekend.

I was down with the flu - body aches, cough & colds. Thus, I wasn't able to  jog around.

I consider the month of July a success with regard to this project. I was able to jog on all Sundays of July.

A not so good start for August.

Photo Credit - Aidan Jones

My body probably reacted with the sudden activities and the rainy days more or less bolstered it. I was practically in bed the whole time last Sunday and Monday. Tuesdays & Wednesday I temporarily forego using the stairs and even the morning stretching.

Last night, however, I felt completely recuperated. I was A-okay.

So, I did the 3 sets - eight repetitions lifting-weights routine for my biceps and triceps. New gym rat housemate Apol was present for both encouragements and guidance. He even suggested to increase the number of repetitions.

But given that I had a recent bout with flu, I decided going easy but surely would be good for my body long term. And I am planning to integrate some workouts I saw on an old issue of Men's Health magazine.

Abs project is now back on track!

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Standing-path after Lunch

I am writing this blog entry while standing.

In the past, I work on my computer while standing in order to shake off sleepiness more common between 1 to 3 o'clock in the afternoon.

Today I do so because I thought that it would be a good part of my abs project. I think that sitting after a hearty meal would only make my belly bigger.

Where as now, I am doing so as part of this project. I just had my lunch and strongly resisted myself eating additional rice. I figured that if I sit down immediately after eating, it wouldn't do any good in improving my big big ab. Also, I believe that doing so will aid my stomach digest the meal I just gobbled a while ago.

This morning, I was able to do my deep breathing exercises, was able to eat oatmeal for breakfast and now is standing  writing this entry.

Hopefully these would all become routine. A routine that can help come closer to my goal.

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