Obtaining a strong lean core is the goal most people set for themselves; however the breaking of these two rules can ruin your chances over almost any other factor. These go much deeper than cautioning what foods to avoid, or how much time you need to spend doing cardio. These factors are far more detrimental, and actually more common than you may think. Achieve power over these and you will be on the right path to success, otherwise you’ll join the many others who are trapped in the endless cycle that is “Achieving Six Pack Abs.”
Commandment 1: Do Not Starve Yourself.
Abs are muscles, and like any other muscle they need nutrients. If you are restricting the amount of nutrients, or calories, you’re getting in a day - all in an effort to “expose” your abs - then you’re going about it all wrong.
This mindset leads to eating disorders. Avoiding food for the purpose of a lower body fat will have you in a constant state of paranoia when you actually do eat. You’ll look at all food as an enemy and eventually you will either eat very little, vomit up what you’ve eaten, or won’t eat at all. This is where people get into serious trouble. We need to eat, our bodies cannot function without energy, and energy comes from food. If you’re goal in life is to have no body fat, and in the process you are starving yourself and robbing yourself of good health, you need to re evaluate your life choices.
Commandment 2: Do Not Be Concerned With How Long It Takes.
It may take a few months; it may take a few years. Take the course day by day, and don’t get caught up with the effort or the length of time required to achieve it. When you get bogged down on the effort required, or find yourself constantly monitoring how you look in the mirror, you can develop a condition that is very real and very corrosive to your overall well being; this condition is Body Dysmorphia. Body Dysmorphia is a condition where you cannot see yourself for how you truly are and only see, or focus, on a flaw that only you can see and it may only be minor. A lot of people suffer from this condition when they constantly “check themselves out” in the mirror. We all know someone who says they’re ugly when they’re obviously not, and they say they’re fat when they’re as thin as a rail. Focusing your awareness on the state of your abdominal muscles will blind you from perceiving the progress you truly are making. The best piece of advice is to trust the process, yes you need to diet and yes you need to exercise.
We’ve touched on this subject here:
Aside from that you don’t need to check your abs every 20 minutes to see if they’re there.
So, trust the process, and don’t starve yourself. These two rules will allow you to avoid the trap that has made many fall victim. It will not be easy, and it will not be fast, but with the right effort and focus on discipline and consistency with your diet and exercise you will see results.
- Food For Thought
- Motivation
- Six Pack
- Weight Loss
