On the road to abs
I started the fitness journey a year ago and it has sort of become a lifestyle. And over time, I have learnt to study how my body functions and what works for me. There were a lot of meal plans but I wanted something that was sustainable because I love food and some diet plans you see make you want to cry while hugging a bucket of ice cream.
So what did I discover and what did I do?
1. Eating later than 7 pm makes me add weight; so I stopped that and now my body is so used to it and if I try to eat after that time, I either throw up, purge or suffer from severe bloating.
2. Out of all the carbs in Nigeria, rice is the most popular and it is the one I eat the most. But I noticed if I eat rice for 3 days or more consecutively, I become really constipated and my tummy becomes really big; putting into consideration that I don't go to the toilet easily like most people. This applies to yam, bread and most carbs.
3. I also reduced my food portions which allowed my stomach shrink overtime. I am really not that patient to count my food calories but what I realised was I had been overfeeding myself and not even using up the energy created by the food. They just look for where to go in body. So instead of two portions of a regular meal, I did one.
4. The first week I tried the meal reduction, I felt different. I actually thought I was coming down with something. So, I took myself to the hospital, did all the tests but I was fine. Apparently my body was throwing a tantrum about not getting what it is used to. By the second week, we were fine.
5. I started out by going to the gym 3 times a week. I was doing just aerobics. You can't spot reduce fat which means you can't decide to loose fat just in your arms, tighs, tummy, etc. So overtime with my new feeding technique and gym time, I lost some kg and inches and I got to wear some clothes I had previously abandoned.
6. I got excited with the results and I decided to put in more effort. I increased my gym time to 5 times a week except I am really tired. I have also learnt to listen to my body and also differentiate when my body is throwing a tantrum and when it really means business.
7. I included weight training in my routine in addition to the aerobics, you know , to get the toned muscles and all. You don't want to get rid of all that fat and then look all flabby; just make it a complete package. You win at the end of the day because, you get toned, you improve on your strenght and you can lift things around the house that you would require help with normally.
8. It is easier for me to keep to healthy eating habits if I do my meal preparation for the week. That way, I know exactly what's in my food and I don't go around eating crap just so I don't die of hunger. I do have my cheat days when I indulge but I dont go overboard with it, everything in moderation.
9. I noticed that even with the new weight and body, I still had a bulging tummy. In as much as genetics has a lot to do with individual physique, you can try to improve yours which was what I did with the abs. I dislike abs execises but I still do them to firm up the muscles in the area but it does not reduce the bulge. So, what can reduce the bulge, you guessed right, your food. So I experimented with my diet for sometime and I got some results.
So what do I eat?
1. My new favourite carb is beans, so I make it in different ways so I don't get bored. I understand a lot of people have digestion issues with beans but I don't. It also fills me up faster and I don't get hunger signals from my brain.
2. Fruits, my favourite is pineapple but I had to include watermelon, pawpaw etc. This is also in moderation. In as much as fruits are natural, you don't want to go overboard with the sugar especially pineapples.
3. Vegetables - Overtime I learnt how to eat and make my own salad; also replacing cream with vinaigrette. The thing with salad is, I could eat a bowl and still feel very light and not add a single kg in 3 days but I cannot try that with the same bowl full of rice or yam or bread.
Vegetables - I do the cooked vegetables as well. I realised that they help with my bowel movement. So the efo riro, edi kaikong, okro etc. You have to watch the oil though. Your soups/ stews don't have to swim in oil. A little is enoguh for the nutritional value they give.
