My Dream Abs

I've been dreaming of nicely sculpted abs, not the six-pack kind that Janet Jackson has, but a flat, bulge-free set that I once had...uhmm maybe ten or so years ago. "5'3" tall and 100 pounds, what more do you ask? " some of my friends say. I am skinny, yes. But I am skinny fat. I don't know what my body fat percentage now, and I am afraid to find out. I know that I am not fit.

When I was in San Diego, I used to exercise consistently and work with a trainer. I didn't watch what I eat, but I didn't really pig out or stuff food in my face like there was no tomorrow. Since I moved here to Chicago, my lifestyle has become dormant. Don't get me wrong, I am not inherently lazy. My job entails me to walk, stand on my feet, and move around all day. I don't get short of breath doing all these through the entire 13 hours that I am at work, but at the end of the day the exhaustion consumes me. I always feel like I have no energy left to exercise during my days off.

The climate here in Chicago didn't help either. This past summer, I was able to haul my butt out of my apartment to walk by the lake or play tennis with Vince or Lea. But when winter came, I just hibernated, afraid to brave the snow. Ok, the gym is only five blocks away, but are you going to make me walk five blocks of snow just to get there? That's a lot of work!!! Uhmm, ok, maybe I am lazy. :)

I had a wake up call when I read Star's entry on being losyang (a woman with unkempt appearance). She hit the nail on that first paragraph that said "I don't want to be losyang in body." And to make matters worse, the other night, I tried to slip into one of my favorite jeans (the pair that made me look tall and slim) and realized that I had to suck my tummy in just so I could zip them. And when the zipper finally closed, I couldn't breathe comfortably. I felt like my circulation was getting cut off and I was starting to get lightheaded. Can you imagine if I passed out because of the tight pair of jeans? That would have been an embarrassment in the ED. Hehehe, dx: syncopal episode secondary to tight jeans.

Because of this, my dream of flat abs started to form. And how will I make this dream a reality? First I'll take baby steps: I'll pop in my trusted Tae-Bo video in my DVD player and start working out. I'll also make use of my dusty dumbbells for strength training. At least once a week, I'll unfurl my old yoga mat and do either yoga poses or Pilates mat. And when I gather enough strength, I'll dig out that forgotten Bally's membership card and walk those five blocks to the gym. I don't know how long it will take, but my dream abs will be mine. And I will once again fit into my favorite pair of jeans.