Day 1,054 - So, Core Work is Important. (Duh.)

If you know anything at all about me, you know how much I loathe doing any core work of any kind.

Ever.

Because I can't stand the loose skin on my midsection.  Broken record here, sorry!

But here's the thing.  And this is kinda hard for me to admit.  Mkay?

(Gritted teeth.)  I kinda wish I had started doing it a long time ago. Cue bile forming in my mouth.

Ugh, that was so awful for me to write.  Leaves a VERY bitter taste in my mouth, or on my fingers as I typed it out, whichever.

Here is why I'm saying (READ: FORCING MYSELF TO ADMIT) this: because I've been seeing some slight, ever so tiny, definition in my body.  Well, certain parts of my body.  Like my arms and my upper back, for some example.  Some days, if I suck in my breath and my gut enough, I can see my rib cage.  Sort of.  Tiny bit more muscular and toned. TINY.  I do like to go heavy with those weights, you know.  ;-)

Speaking of which, I am thinking of upping the weights again, which means going to Modell's or Dick's to get a pair of 20s.  That kinda scares the bejesus out of me, because man, that sounds heavy, yo!  But I think it's time to up the ante somewhat.  This will help for my lower body also when I do squats, lunges and dips.

I can see some definition in my arms, and I'm only just starting to see some in my quads.  I have to be looking at myself at a certain angle in the mirror to see it in my outer thighs and my hamstrings.  I do not see any definition in my inner thighs, unfortunately.  Damn loose skin.

But here's my point.  I've been doing heavy weight work since January.  If I had just concentrated a little more on my core, MAYBE - huge maybe - it would look a little different now.

I'll never know now.  I should've done something, even if it was like 50 crunches a day or every other day.  Shoulda, coulda, woulda.

So this explains the reason why I've been participating in that #PlankADay trend on Twitter.  It's a quick way to work the entire abdominal section without doing crunches or what have you.  Today, I held the full form plank for 1 minute, 33 seconds.  Trying to build up to that elusive 2 minute plank.

I've also been sneaking in crunches at work, as you know.  Today, I've managed to sneak in 200 total side bends (100 on each oblique) sets of knee repeaters, and 100 crunches.  This morning before work, I busted out 100 full body crunches.  Knee repeaters are a good standing exercise, and I kinda don't mind them.  They work your lower abs if I'm not mistaken.

My point is who knows how much different the loose skin in that area would be.  Not that I think that doing crunches and planks will shrink or tighten the loose skin because I'm convinced that it won't at all, but at the very least, my abs would be stronger.  And that's not a bad thing at all.  So hopefully in 6 months, I'll see somewhat of a difference.

I realize that drinking water and moisturizing your skin may help in this situation.  I don't think you guys realize just how much water I drink everyday.  I get in a gallon - sometimes more - of water EVERY SINGLE DAY.  And every time I get out of the shower, after towel drying, it's head to toe in lotion.  Most days I shower twice a day because because I can't leave the house until I've showered in the morning, and I normally work out in the evening.    So I do all those things, know about those things, have been doing those things since high school, and don't really see that much of a difference.   Shrug.

Bikram was on the menu for tonight, but I changed my mind at the last minute.  I had my yoga stuff packed and everything, but doing Bikram 3 days in a row suddenly became very unappealing to me.  So I did a short but effective workout at home tonight.  I started with 27 minutes on the inclined treadmill, then 15 minutes of heavy strength.  Lunges, dips, squats, side lunges, military press, hammer curls, upright rows, lat rows, and delt flys.  I burned 310 calories.

Solid day in the books, even though I felt a little snacky.  No, I did not give in to those cravings.  Tracked everything, got in the requirements, and stayed within my points.

Oh, and um, please to excuse the frizzy, crazy cat lady hair again.  All that sweat apparently worked its way straight through all the hair product I pump into my curls everyday to avoid said frizz.  :-)

Work your abs no matter where you are in your weight loss.  Even if you have to start small.

You'll be glad you did.  Take it from me.

Good choices!