Suck it up – the search for a flat stomach during the holidays

LMQC Boomer Blogger Alan Sivell suggests an alternative to just “sucking it up” this holiday season – and by that, we mean he’s got a five-step plan for a smaller belly by New Year’s Day.

By Alan Sivell

My dad always used to tell me to stand up straight. Look people in the eye.

And suck in your gut.

Especially this time of year.

With the holidays offering a whole lot of favorite food traditions, sucking in your stomach seems to be more of a necessity than other times. After all, we’re in the danger zone, as far as temptation goes.

The road to ruin is paved with delicious treats

Starting with Halloween leftovers (I have NEVER under bought) and continuing right on through to Super Bowl Sunday, lifting food to the mouth can sometimes outweigh lifting weights in the gym.

My father’s first two directives stand the test of time. But there are a number of medical professionals who say that holding in our tummies can be causing us problems. One being the ability to stand up straight.

Julie Wiebe is a physical therapy professor at the University of Michigan-Flint. She says trying to achieve a flat stomach by holding it in can affect your posture, bowel movements, urination and sex.

Apparently, there are some 70 different muscles that make up our core that are needed to help us breathe and stand up straight. And if we are “stomach gripping,” as the professionals call it, our bodies can’t always do what they are supposed to do such as stabilizing the spine and pelvis.

Not to mention … it’s harder to breathe.

The futile search for the perfect six-pack

Tired of all the “bowl full of jelly jokes”? Alan may have a solution for you.

The magazines in the supermarket checkout aisle have long teased easy ways to 6-pack abs. And the advertising world and the fitness industrial complex constantly feature incredibly flat stomachs we couldn’t have achieved in grade school.

Experts say the core is important, but can cause problems if you’re fanatical about it. MOST people are not going to have sculpted abs, even if they are fit.

Check out Alan’s check-list

So to avoid having to suck in my gut this holiday season, I’m going to be making a list and checking it more than twice.

1. Exercise. No matter what, I will not skip my exercise routine, even if I might have to alter it to accommodate the holiday schedule.
2. No grazing. At an open spread, I will put a few treats on a small plate.
3. Sit down. I will consciously look for a place to sit and savor each bite.
4. Stop eating. I will stop eating what I don’t love. Some holiday specialties look much better than they taste. Not everybody bakes like Grandma.
5. Weigh in. This may be the hardest item on the list. I sometimes skip this duty for a week or two when I don’t want to see bad news. But it is an important barometer, especially during this time of year.

My recommendation is to make your own list. Now. So you can be mindful as your traverse this dangerous time of year. So you don’t need to suck in your gut. So you can stand up straight.

The road to ruin is paved with delicious treats

The futile search for the perfect six-pack

Tired of all the “bowl full of jelly jokes”? Alan may have a solution for you.

Check out Alan’s check-list

1. Exercise. No matter what, I will not skip my exercise routine, even if I might have to alter it to accommodate the holiday schedule. 2. No grazing. At an open spread, I will put a few treats on a small plate. 3. Sit down. I will consciously look for a place to sit and savor each bite. 4. Stop eating. I will stop eating what I don’t love. Some holiday specialties look much better than they taste. Not everybody bakes like Grandma. 5. Weigh in. This may be the hardest item on the list. I sometimes skip this duty for a week or two when I don’t want to see bad news. But it is an important barometer, especially during this time of year.