Hmmm…I’m gaining muscle?!? « Wheres My Damn Answer Weblog

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Hmmm…I’m gaining muscle?!?

February 29, 2008 by jodycakes

Author - Jody Flood

I have decided to make a healthy start in my life this year. I am working out with a personal trainer and it is really doing a number on my head. I didn’t realize how emotional I would become about the process of fitness…

Originally, I wrote down that I wanted to weigh 160-165 by July 15th - that’s my “fighting weight” so to speak. I only say this, so that I can preface the emotional part of the process…I have been training for approximately 5 weeks at A Private Fitness Studio in Santa Clarita, CA - www.aprivatefitnessstudio.com - Cal, my trainer, weighed me, did my body fat, did all my measurements on Day 1 and then did a check with me at the beginning of this week…

I stressed over the figures last weekend to the point of obsession…I knew that I hadn’t done all my extra cardio - I knew that I had eaten larger portions than I vowed to do and the guilt…ah, the guilt…washed over me like acid rain.

Anyhow, Monday a.m. came and I walked into the fitness studio, with a funeral dirge playing in my own head. I removed my shoes and stood on the scale and glanced downward. In shock and horror, I couldn’t believe my eyes - I had actually stayed the same!

Now, I know that we are all much more educated these days about fitness - weight loss - etc…but the hard reality hurt my feelings of “all the hard work” I was putting in, all the “sacrifices” I was making (getting up at the crack of dawn, not eating bad carbs after 4 PM, doing CARDIO - ICK).

Then he pulled out the tape measure and begin to do my neck…pencil to paper…and an “uh-huh” uttered from him…on to my shoulders…his eyebrows raise…sliding down to my waist…YIKES, and further on down.

The GREAT news is that I have lost a total of 2.5 inches!!! And it is from the most important parts - shoulders, waist & hips!

I am thrilled with that and have vowed to go back to my goal board and change the WEIGHT part to a specific Dress Size instead…what a JOY!

Posted in Mirror Mirror on the Wall | Tagged body image, fitness, muscle strength, personal trainer, weight gain, working out | 4 Comments

4 Responses to “Hmmm…I’m gaining muscle?!?”

on February 29, 2008 at 11:18 pm1 Kristy Nuttall

I SO know that feeling. Dress sizes are much better … unless you are shopping on Robertson Blvd.
on March 1, 2008 at 2:27 am2 Sharron

The best part about gaining muscle is that your body uses up more calories just to maintain itself…so you are burning extra calories just “being” than you were before when the muscle was fat!!! Whoopee!!!
on March 2, 2008 at 9:04 pm3 Cathy Wohlberg - Craig

With 2008 in full swing it is time to get back on track - Where the time goes is beyond me, summer will be here before you know it and I love MUFFIN TOPS but not around my waist!! I am about 10lbs from my fighting weight and I hate these last few - Crazy as it sounds it was almost easier to lose the first 50….One day and meal at a time…
on April 29, 2008 at 12:07 pm4 Rusty - Fitness Tips

Cathy,

The last 5-10 pounds are by far the hardest to lose! I train people to get down to low body fat levels and what I have them do is diet hard for 3 weeks alternated by one week at maintenance level. If you go much more than 3 weeks at a low calorie, low carb level your metabolism will slow down.

The week at maintenance level will “reset” your metabolism. Then when you go back to low calorie, you will lose weight again. Give it a try…it works well!