This post might make a few of you laugh. As you all know, the holiday season is one of the most difficultyl tempting periods. I have worked extremely hard for the most part now for almost a year to keep fatty and greasy foods completely out of my diet. Walking a lot most days of the week has become a routine, since I depend on public transportation to get around. And it was just a couple months ago that I began working on my abs seriously.
So on Thanksgiving Day, I found it extremely hard to resist some of the foods that I typically wouldn't eat under normal circumstances. I was at my older sister and her husband's house, and in African culture, it's pretty much considered disrespectful to refuse to eat food that is put before you on the table, even if it's stuff you've normally been avoiding for health reasons. Thus, my brother-in-law's aunt brought this big container of deliciously-looking small, deep fried doughnuts and another container of beans that I just couldn't resist. I had already successfully resisted eating the apple pie and ice cream that my sister and her husband had offered me earlier.
lLike most people would do, I persuaded myself that eating those doughnuts and beans just for one day won't have much of an effect. The stuff tasted so good and before I knew it, I couldn't stop eating. The most difficult aspect of it all is that a lot of African traditional dishes are made with palm oil...so you guys can imagine. By the next two days, I looked at my stomach and my six-pack was pretty much gone. It appeared as if belly fat had taken over a lot of the spot. My stomach, which is normally very flat, suddenly looked bigger. That bothered me a whole lot.
And so just this week, I made it a priority to burn those calories. I hit the elliptical for two days back to back for about 12-13 minutes and started working on my abs again seriously...doing about 3 sets of 20 reps on a weight of 90. I still didn't think I had seen much improvement in my stomach area. Yesterday after working out, I walked a couple more miles.
Then suddenly, just this morning, it now seems to me as if all is back as normal as far as the six-pack goes. What a lesson I have learned the hard way. It's interesting...I look at a lot of the personal trainers at my gym for example, and many of them eat frequently at Popeyes KFC, Olive Garden and other places where they cook very greasy foods. Disciplining one's self like that is hard to do, but I'm trying to do my best.
So on Thanksgiving Day, I found it extremely hard to resist some of the foods that I typically wouldn't eat under normal circumstances. I was at my older sister and her husband's house, and in African culture, it's pretty much considered disrespectful to refuse to eat food that is put before you on the table, even if it's stuff you've normally been avoiding for health reasons. Thus, my brother-in-law's aunt brought this big container of deliciously-looking small, deep fried doughnuts and another container of beans that I just couldn't resist. I had already successfully resisted eating the apple pie and ice cream that my sister and her husband had offered me earlier.
lLike most people would do, I persuaded myself that eating those doughnuts and beans just for one day won't have much of an effect. The stuff tasted so good and before I knew it, I couldn't stop eating. The most difficult aspect of it all is that a lot of African traditional dishes are made with palm oil...so you guys can imagine. By the next two days, I looked at my stomach and my six-pack was pretty much gone. It appeared as if belly fat had taken over a lot of the spot. My stomach, which is normally very flat, suddenly looked bigger. That bothered me a whole lot.
And so just this week, I made it a priority to burn those calories. I hit the elliptical for two days back to back for about 12-13 minutes and started working on my abs again seriously...doing about 3 sets of 20 reps on a weight of 90. I still didn't think I had seen much improvement in my stomach area. Yesterday after working out, I walked a couple more miles.
Then suddenly, just this morning, it now seems to me as if all is back as normal as far as the six-pack goes. What a lesson I have learned the hard way. It's interesting...I look at a lot of the personal trainers at my gym for example, and many of them eat frequently at Popeyes KFC, Olive Garden and other places where they cook very greasy foods. Disciplining one's self like that is hard to do, but I'm trying to do my best.
