Sisters-in-Service
Are you a women veteran who feels unseen and unheard? Do you struggle with finding your purpose after service? Sisters-in-Service is a podcast that gives women veterans the platform to talk about those exact issues and more. Hear from other veterans, military spouses and Veteran Service Organizations (VSO) just like you that have overcome their transition from the military. Every Tuesday this podcast encourages women veterans to stand up and be counted because as a group we have a voice. From your host - Cat Corchado - The Voice Connecting Women Veterans
Sisters-in-Service
Sculpting Health Beyond the Six-Pack Ideal
Can everyone really achieve the elusive six-pack abs, or is it just a myth perpetuated by unrealistic fitness goals? Join me as I unravel the complexities behind sculpting those washboard abs and discuss why genetics may have a bigger say in the matter than you'd like to think. Through my personal journey, I'll shed light on how body composition, fat distribution, and muscle response to strength training differ for each individual. Discover why prioritizing overall health, core strength, and stability is more beneficial than chasing aesthetic ideals, and learn the pivotal role nutrition plays in maintaining muscle definition and a healthy lifestyle.
Looking for a way to stay fit that embraces who you are rather than demanding perfection? Allow me to introduce you to Small Space Pilates, where body positivity and personal progress take center stage. Whether you're a fitness newbie or prefer the comfort of working out at home, this chapter is designed to support and celebrate you at every step of your journey. With a no-perfection policy, I aim to create a welcoming environment that makes fitness accessible and enjoyable for all. Connect with me at Small Space Pilates, and let’s embark on a fitness journey that’s as unique as you are.
Welcome to Sisters in Service podcast. Most of you know me as a strong advocate for women veterans in being recognized not only as veterans, but also as women who are changing the world through our passion of serving even after service. This podcast is my passion by telling all the stories of military brats, military spouses, active duty and veterans, not to forget the veteran service organizations that help us along our transition journey. I want to thank you in advance for listening. I hope that you will join me. Every week, a new podcast and episode comes out every Tuesday, so I hope that you will join and I hope that you enjoy. This podcast is brought to you by Small Space Pilates. Are you ready to get fit and fabulous from the comfort of your own home? Look no further than Small Space Pilates. With live online Pilates and strength training classes, a video library and a no perfection allowed policy, you can achieve your fitness goals without ever leaving your house. Click on the link for your complimentary week and start your journey to feeling fabulous today. Hi everyone, yes, I'm back. This is Kat Corchato, your movement specialist, movement specialist, and today we're going to be talking a little bit about the coveted six pack, also known as washboard abs, and I want to also tell you that when I do these why Not? Wellness episodes, I'm dedicated to everyone feeling good in their bodies, but I'm also dedicated to being honest with you, using whatever expertise I have and I don't know everything, okay, I'm just going to put it out to you. I don't know everything. I know shocking right, but I also want to respect your unique journey.
Speaker 1:So sometimes you see someone with a six-pack, that washboard abs, and you're like, yes, that's what I want, that's what I'm going for. Maybe it's in your future and maybe it isn't. What do I mean by that? Well, did you know that the six-pack dream could be maybe hereditary? Yes, I have. In full honesty, I've never had a six-pack ever. I've had a four-pack, not a six-pack, because genetically it's not going to happen. My father didn't have washboard abs, my mother didn't have washboard abs. So if neither your mother or father, maybe grandmother, grandfather, I don't know how far back it can go there's a good chance that maybe you don't want to have washboard abs either. So achieving the six pack, or also known as washboard abs number one, is challenging already. But then you've got genetics. So the six pack is often seen as the pinnacle of fitness and success. It's a symbol of dedication, hard work and a healthy lifestyle.
Speaker 1:However, it's crucial to understand that, while we can all make significant improvements to our core strength and appearance which we should genetics plays a significant role in how our bodies store fat and develop muscle, influencing the visibility of abdominal muscles. Some individuals naturally store less fat around their abdomen. Yeah, men, okay, let's just put it out there why Men have more muscle mass. Women tend to put their body weight where they're mass. Women tend to put their body weight where they're here, from here down right, the abdomen, the hips, all of that, the bottom, you name it. And so, when these individuals have less fat around their middle, they also have muscle fibers that respond quickly to strength training, making it easier for them to achieve visible abs to strength training, making it easier for them to achieve visible abs. On the other hand, others might find it more challenging due to genetic factors that dictate a different body composition and fat distribution pattern. So let me say this let's say it's not in your maybe more, but at least one that is so easy for them to develop, so easy.
Speaker 1:Is it your legs? Is it your arms, especially for women? A woman with great arms. It's beautiful, maybe she has great abs, maybe it's not a six pack, but we all have that one muscle that not only do we love to work it, it just pops. We do a little bit and boom, there it is. We also have that one muscle that we hate to work. Okay, you know what mine is Biceps. Hello bicep, I don't care if I have one pound, five pounds, 50 pounds On rep number two. My biceps are going. Excuse me, can we stop doing this? I hate working biceps. What's my favorite muscle to work? Triceps. So just keep that in mind.
Speaker 1:So I truly believe that everyone has the right to feel good in their body. You've heard me say this, but we also have to believe in setting realistic, achievable goals that lead to long-term health and happiness. So, in other words, why don't we try getting healthy? And then, if you happen to get six pack or washboard abs, yay, it's never going to happen for me, but I'm okay with it. Going to happen for me, but I'm okay with it.
Speaker 1:So here's how we can work towards your core strength goals, keeping your unique genetic makeup in mind. So, of course, your personalized fitness plan. We all want to get strong. We all want core strength. If we do not want it. We should have core strength. Why? Because it helps protect your spine, helps protect your back, so just keep that in mind. But there's also a variety of exercises that can be tailored to your body type and fitness level. We start small, we build up from there.
Speaker 1:This approach goes beyond the pursuit of abs and aims to improve overall strength, stability and health. Makes sense, right? All right, here's one. You guys, I know you're going to I can see your eyes rolling as soon as I say it Nutrition. That works for you. I know, get the eye roll out, get it out, I get it, I get it.
Speaker 1:It's important to have goals, but it's equally important to set ones that are healthy and attainable for you. One of them is nutrition. So understanding that nutrition plays a crucial role in revealing muscle definition is what makes it easy to craft a meal plan that supports your body composition goals while fueling your workouts and recovery fuel. So a lot of people think, oh, I just want to eat, or I'll just eat a little bit. Think of food as fuel for your body. Now I'm going to pull away for a little bit. We all have vehicles, for the most part, right? I don't care how nice your vehicle is, if it has no gas in it, it's going nowhere. So your body is a vehicle. I am a vintage purple Porsche, high maintenance. I'm okay with that, but I treat it with care, which is how we should treat our bodies.
Speaker 1:Also in nutrition, it's not about good food, bad food. I hate that analogy oh, this is good, this is bad. No, there's no such thing as good and bad food. There's food that's more nutritionally dense and food not so nutritionally dense, such as nutritionally dense an apple, not so nutritionally dense a cookie. See where I'm getting at. They both can work for you. Do I eat cookies? Yes, I do. Do I have ice cream? Yes, I do. Do I have cake and donuts? Yes, I do. However, I don't have them all the time. I don't have them every day. So don't think of I can't have this, but I have to have this, or I have to always eat salads and not have this. It's called balance for a reason.
Speaker 1:Now, if you're not sure what that balance is for you, then maybe you need a nutritionist or a dietician. It's a good place to start. Maybe you just need some ideas. Maybe you need a whole plan, but you have to decide that for yourself, and I think it's also important to know that before you ever go there, look at what you're eating or not eating, write down everything. Take one day and write down everything you put in your mouth, including gum, and look at it at the end of the day before you go to bed. Where can you tweak things? What I mean by tweaking?
Speaker 1:If you find that you're eating a bag of chips every day at lunch or after lunch or during the afternoon when you're getting sleepy, that might be a good place to start sleepy. That might be a good place to start. So if you're having it every day, if you're like me, if you take something away from me and then I can't have it, I'm like a child. It's the one thing I want. Start with one day and say, okay, this day I'm not going to have the chips, and then keep working towards that, not saying you can never have chips Just right now. Say you know what? I'm going to cut back on the number of bags of chips I'm eating per week, and then every two weeks, and then every three weeks and then every month. You can still have chips, though.
Speaker 1:I'm just saying how about setting realistic expectations? Okay, we want to go from I really want to get in shape to doing all the things when we've never worked out a day in our life. We want to do the nutrition thing. We want to work out five days a week. We want to do cardio five days a week. We want to do all the things. Start off small, realistic. What can you realistically do fitness wise? And here's where I'm going to plug that 11 minutes If you've never worked out, 11 minutes is a great place to start. And also, what can I take out of my diet or maybe cut back on, just saying so, setting realistic expectations. How about celebrating your progress and the hard work you put in every day? That's what we don't do is celebrate the win. You started to work out. You worked out on the day you said you were going to work out. At the time you were going to go work out. You did the whole workout. That's a celebration, you guys. That's a celebration. Celebrate that.
Speaker 1:And I will tell you this there was a time when I was in the military that I smoked. I know, right, I get it 12 years. I smoked and I was dating someone who smoked, and that just doesn't work. You're trying to quit their smoking. It just doesn't work. And if you take something away from me, so I was addicted to nicotine and I didn't know it. I really didn't. I just thought, oh, cigarettes, okay, great. So I had to figure out a way that I could realistically have a plan where I could cut back on the number of cigarettes. So I cut back to the lowest tar and nicotine cigarette I could get. Then, after I got to that, I started cutting down on the number of cigarettes. So I got down to four cigarettes a day. And one day I said you know, I'm going to see if I can go without it. So you have to have a plan. Just don't go into it. Just don't say, yep, I'm going to do all the things. And also, if we need to have a chat, let's just have a chat, let's just talk. Maybe I can give you some quick, easy ideas of how to get started.
Speaker 1:So celebrate your progress and your hard work. How about celebrating all forms of progress? So the journey to better health and fitness is not just about how we look, but how we feel. Improve core strength, better posture, enhanced endurance, a positive mindset are all incredible achievements worth celebrating. I'll also tell you this.
Speaker 1:I always have people tell me well, I'm just not motivated. Motivation is not going to tap you on the shoulder and say hey, kat, motivation, let's go. You know where your motivation comes from. When someone anyone could be in the gym, could be in the supermarket comes up to you and says you know, I've been seeing you work out or I keep seeing you in the supermarket. You look great, what are you doing? Would that motivate you? It'd motivate me. Or a family member says what are you doing? You look great. Your significant other says, wow, your arms are looking amazing. Or maybe even your stomach is so flat. Look, it looks like you've got a six pack. I'm just putting it out there. So, whether or not a six pack is in the cards, your journey to a stronger, healthier you is something to be proud of.
Speaker 1:I'm not just about achieving a certain look Okay, cause Lord knows there's all kinds of things out there, the latest and the greatest. Don't, please don't go with any of those. I know it's very tempting to stay on course. I'm about supporting you in becoming the best version of yourself, respecting your body's capabilities and limitations and we all have them. I have them, you have them. I know this, but also understand there are other things you can do. Maybe you can't run, but you can walk really fast. You see what I mean. So are you ready to embrace this journey with a personalized, supportive approach?
Speaker 1:So having everyone feel good in their body is what I really focused on when I started my business, small Space Pilates, because I feel you have the right to feel good in your body and I know that I'm not everybody's flavor and that's okay. However, even if I'm not your flavor, let's have a conversation, let's chat. We can still chat, we can still be friends. Let's see how we can make it better for you, make it easier for you, make it less heavy for you. If you are my flavor, we can take it from there.
Speaker 1:If you're not sure of what your flavor is, or even whether or not you feel like you really want to work out, maybe you don't want to go to the gym, maybe you really wanted to stay at home, and that's what Small Space Pilates is about. I have a no perfection policy allowed, and that includes me, so let I have a no perfection policy allowed, and that includes me. So let's have a chat. So I hope you'll reach out to me, kat Corchado, your movement specialist kat at smallspacepilatescom, and let me know how your journey's going with that six pack, or, in my case, a four pack. Oh crap, maybe even a two pack. You got a two pack. Celebrate it. I'm celebrating my four pack. So until next time, bye, thank you you.