Lori Wengle's blog

Everyone wants to know the keys to obtaining fabulous abs. It’s a question I get at least once a day from my clients. Well flat abs has more to do with what you eat and the exercises you perform. Fitness experts themselves vary in their methods. Well here is what I learned about obtaining flat abs through trial and error on myself.

I am now proud of my abs! I still do not have a 6 pack but I am OK with that! Your genes have a lot to do with how your abs looks.

Nutrition

Everyone wants to eat something good; maybe a childhood favorite like macaroni and cheese or a dessert that is usually a no-no. Sometimes just knowing you should not have something makes you want it even more.

Like a cappuccino, this can be as much as 600 calories. Try a fat-free, sugar free version which uses skim milk and sugar free syrup or use the Pay Forward Program.

If you know you may be tempted at a restaurant, social gathering, and vacation here is what you and do to pay it forward.

1. Decide what you want (make it good)

Although exercise is usually deemed the most important part of looking and feeling good, nutrition is 75% of the game! I try not to preach too much of nutrition because most of my clients know what to eat but they chose not to eat what they should. I tell my clients to eat clean, fresh fruits, veggies, lean meats, complex carbs and good fats. My meals are broken into 5-6 small meals so I never feel hungry. If I get hungry I tend to binge because I waited too long in between meals.

Eating healthy can be one of the hardest life changes that you will encounter. Eating healthy takes preparation and pre-planning which in today’s world can be quite difficult.

My clients ask me, should I buy no fat cheese? I say no way, you need some fat in your diet, just keep it under 20%. Then I tell them to cut out the sugar! I think they would rather cut out the fat instead.

American’s are still obsessed with sugar and believe that if they eat a low to no fat diet they will become svelte. Well a low fat diet is good, but not the key.

As a personal trainer, I wanted to give my clients a healthy gift that would improve their 2010! For the holidays, I treated my boot camp clients to an evening without children, husbands or chores; we hit the Howell Fitness Center for a private Hot Yoga Class. Just Breathe is located inside the Howell Fitness Center and Rachelle Cleary (Yep, also of Cleary's Pub in Downtown Howell) is the owner and was our Yogi that evening.

In 2003, after losing 107 pounds, I began my quest for fitness. My husband bought me a membership to a fitness center (I asked him for it! Guys, do not buy your wife a gym membership unless she asks). I joined a class put on by a personal trainer. It was OK and I did learn some things, but four Saturdays of 90-minute classes really did not do the trick.

Then, I listened to my daughter, who was 12 and found another trainer. Mistake No. 1 — I hired that trainer without checking into her credentials more.

The solution to obesity is stop worrying about the fat! The solution to obesity is to increase muscle. Here are examples that will provide you with the knowledge to train your muscles almost anywhere and with any schedule.

In the ’70s and ’80s when I was overweight/obese, PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome) and other disorders were not known about. By 12 years old, I started my period and by 13 I did not see it again until I was 19 and then it stopped again. Every time I would get down to 185-190 pounds, my period would begin again; once I gained the weight back, it stopped.

My symptoms were insulin resistance; the yellow ring around my neck was tough as a kid. I was teased unmercifully for having a dirty neck, I scrubbed it, my Mom would put cold cream on it and still it would not go away.

Every year thousands upon thousands of American’s make New Year resolutions to stop a particular behavior. If you are like me, you mean well, and really dream of being good! If I make a New Year’s resolution such as “I am going to not eat chocolate any more,” or “I will stick to my diet all year to lose weight,” I blow it immediately! My favorite is “I am going to work out for one hour a day, no matter what.”

So I began to think about it and say, why don’t I succeed at this? I want to be good; I want to achieve my goals. Why don’t I — as Nike says — “Just Do It”?