Amazing Abs, Quick and Easy!

I’m sitting here with about 5 different fitness magazines in front of me, and these are the captions that are plastered on the front page:  “Get a tight butt in minutes!”, “Amazing Abs, quick and easy!”, “Simple Stick-To-It Tips”,  “Burn Fat Fast”, “Strip Body Fat Fast”, “Firm, Flat Abs in just one month!”

I get that the editors place these captions on the front, to entice the reader to purchase the magazine. We as the readers do so, because on some level we believe that we can have flat abs fast and a tight butt in minutes. I wonder why the captions don’t read, “Amazing Abs, but you’ll have to cut out all sugar, and limit your carbs to healthy, clean, complex carbs, as well as hit the gym on a consistent basis so that you can build more lean muscle mass that will aid in burning calories at rest, so that your body fat percentage goes down, so we can actually see the muscle underneath all that fat”! I guess that’s a little too long to fit on the front of a magazine.

I suppose they could tell the truth and say, “Amazing Abs in 6 months to a year– Possible with a lot of hard work, consistency and determination”!  That’s a little shorter. Or to make it even more succinct, how about, “Amazing Abs, Damn Hard Work, But Possible”! There, I like that one the best! The truth is, getting fit, having a lean body that sports visible abs, and a tight butt is a lot of work. It really does take being consistent in your training and especially in your nutrition.  However, that being said, it is entirely possible if that is something that you really, really want. Sure, there will be days when you feel like throwing in the towel and giving into your every pleasure (I’m talking chocolate and fries here!!), but your main work is to build a fitness journey around being consistent.  If you consistently sit on the couch and eat crap food, and periodically throw in some exercise and spinach, then you will not reach your fitness goals.

If you consistently make your way to the gym, and aim at eating clean, and then periodically skip a workout or have a piece of cake, you will reach your fitness goals.  It is not easy, quick, and fast, but it is possible!  Now go out there, make a plan, and be consistent!

Tracy Steen
BCRPA Certified Personal Trainer
MA Psychology/Counseling