…don’t sweat it because we have plenty of ideas on how you can keep them in shape.
THE FIRST TIME I SAW THE ACRONYM “ABT”,
I thought that it was the abreviation for the word “about”. Of course, I have since learnt that, in fitness parlance, it stands for “Abs, Butt and Thighs”—the very body parts with which I have had a life-long love/hate relationship.
You see, my father was a true mesomorph— athletic, muscular and generally lean, even when he wasn’t at his fittest. My mother, on the other hand, is a true endomorph—soft, rounded, cuddly and, even at her fittest, an hourglass.
Consequently, I am a mermaid of sorts—mesomorphic (muscular when I train enough and angular) from the waist up and endomorphic from the waist down (generally softer and rounded no matter how hard or effciently I work at whittling away the girth of my thighs).
So that’s why this month’s Focus on ABT and Body Image (pages 38 to 50) resonates with me. It wasn’t until I learnt about ‘body types’ that I learnt to appreciate my body more, mainly because I understood it better and have since adopted training and dietary habits accordingly.
And if working out on our ABT indoors becomes blah, this month’s issue of Shape has plenty of tips and ideas on how you can just cut loose and hit the great outdoors (Power Play, page 70 and Tone up from head to toe… outside! page 74).
In are machines for you (page 75) trainer Ben Yeoh explains how you can use your bodyweight to stay fit. Why not take these ideas outdoors, in the park with your kids, or where you can set a good example to others… show ‘em how easy—in the sense that it can be relatively fuss- and equipment-free—to stay fit?
Most importantly, have fun while you’re at it!
*For the full article please refer to Shape November 2011 Issue
