I want to preface this post with reiterating how incredibly important it is to eat clean if you want to see aesthetic results. It’s nearly impossible to lean out without making nutritional changes. I have always eaten relatively clean and have had a flat stomach, but I never really had distinct, visible abs. I have been more than okay with that considering I value balance over achieving some insane body fat percentage. I am content with not being absolutely shredded because I don’t desire to make the sacrifices necessary to be that shredded. I care most about longevity, not as much aesthetics. That being said, everyone cares a little about aesthetics. Eventually, something in me wanted my body composition to resemble how hard I work in the gym.
I came across Kari Pearce’s Power Abs programs in December. For those of you who don’t know who Kari Pearce is, she is a high performing CrossFit athlete with rock solid abs. She’s quite the badass. I always saw her ab programs on social media and thought about trying them but usually decided against it. In December before Christmas, I decided to just do it. In the past, I have never really done consistent targeted core work. I noticed over time that my core wasn’t as strong as it could be and a strong core translates to not only my sport, but everyday life. So, I bought the Power Abs program and started it before Christmas. It was a 30 day program, so I did the full 30 days. Let’s say I got a little addicted to the 10 minute burn and I decided to do Power Abs 2.0. I did that for 30 days and then I decided to do Summer Power Abs. And this past month I just repeated power abs 1. This is a perfect example of how important I think consistency is – I couldn’t let myself stop after 30 days. I knew I would see better results if I continued doing the programs. I have included my transformation pictures to show how month to month you don’t see crazy changes, but when you compare the first and last picture, you can see a distinct difference. I only achieved this because I committed to doing it for four months. The aesthetic changes are of course amazing to see, but I’m more excited about how my stronger core translates to everything else. I have much less lower back pain, my lifts are much stronger, my running has improved, my performance on the field improved, etc. That to me is the most important part and it’s why I continued to do it for so long and plan on doing it for much longer. It wasn’t just about the aesthetics; it was about how a stronger core translated to the other aspects of my life. Again, I would not have achieved these results if I didn’t maintain my clean diet throughout these four months. I was not overly restrictive; I ate mostly whole, unprocessed foods while enjoying some of my favorite things in moderation like I always do. But the additional targeted core work has helped me look better, perform better, and feel more confident in my own skin.
So, if you’re looking to get a stronger core to help you in ALL aspects of life, I highly recommend the Pearce Power Abs programs! They are all five days a week for only ten minutes per day! Reach out to me if you try it and let me know what you think!
Until next time,
Just a Sprinkle of Jordan :)