Abs-not-so-fab

Almost two weeks on from my previous post about my quest for abs, I am afraid to say I hit a couple of stumbling blocks. Two poorly children and a visit from family made it more difficult to fit in the training sessions and keep up with the strictly high protein diet I was on. Here’s what I did manage to do:

1. Training: I have still managed to do approximately 30 minutes most days of high interval training and cardio. This was mostly in the form of interval runs which I could only manage by getting up at 5.30am and doing before my two toddlers and my visiting family woke up for breakfast. Unfortunately the weight training I have grown to love, has been few and far between. This is simply due to time constraints: I can nip out in the morning for a run before anyone wakes up and be back home before they know I’ve gone, but to drive to the gym and do my weight training, I need at least 1.5hrs including the drive there and back. Yes, I could have done some weight training at home, but with two toddlers under the weather, cuddles in bed with them would always be more appealing and I am human after all!!!
2. Food: I have still managed to eat a high protein, low carb and sugar diet with just one cheat meal per week, even with family visiting. Even more incredible, I managed to abstain from alcohol with the exception of my fitmammies day out. In the last few days, however, I have hit a wall. I haven’t completely indulged, and I don’t know whether it is the past few weeks of sleepless nights, intense training and diet, or the fact that there is just so much nice food and drink around at the minute, but I have allowed myself the odd treat.

Results after a further two weeks:

Not much difference, in the last two weeks, in fact, if anything it has possibly been a backwards step as the week 6 pictures, I feel were when I’d reached my best.

My feelings: This was purely an experiment to show what I could achieve by remaining 100% focused for a full two months. This was against everything I tell the mums I train. I encourage eating well and exercising regularly to stay fit and healthy. What I don’t encourage is living in a way which isn’t sustainable or realistic with their lifestyles. When you have sleepless nights and busy days, it is very difficult to maintain an eating and training regime as strict as I did for the first 7 weeks. I don’t encourage it, because it is more likely to result in the feeling of failure when you do hit a wall. I do however believe that there is a time and a place in your life to try to be your best……the winter months, running up to Christmas as a mother of two toddlers is not it!!!!

So Mammies, my conclusion is: keep up the regular training, choosing exercise you enjoy. Try to eat clean 80% of the time and enjoy precious family time with treats in moderation; and right now in your life, enjoy being the best ‘you’, you can be!!!!