Day 26

Today my mom and I met with a trainer at the gym. She was super cute, sweet and fun. Really liked her. She told me about a variety of classes I might enjoy to supplement my current workout. One of which she said was really intense, mainly for enhanced sports training, lots of plyometrics....but it was fun. She thought I'd like it. Hmmm....maybe. I really do want to try classes at some point. But nothing until after Phase 3.

Speaking of that, today was the last workout in Phase 1. Can't believe it's already 1/3 over! Now I'll get to start adding some cardio, which is good because I've kind of missed it. I feel a little guilty not doing it but I'm happy I stuck with the program and did as I was told because it's all part of a process, no matter how against the grain we think it might sound. I knew that Phase 1 was all about building muscle and I needed to concentrate on gaining instead of taking calories away with cardio. Incidentally, my weight went up two pounds. I went down to 109, now I'm back up to 111. A 2 pound gain would be pretty normal for where I'm at in my cycle right now. It will be very interesting to see where my weight is in another two weeks. Hopefully I won't go back down to 109!

I had the trainer show me how the assisted pull up machine worked since I'd never used one before and she showed me how I could use as much or as little help as I wanted, lifting my "98 pound body". I know she said it as a joke, maybe even a compliment, but it just reminds me how far I have to go. I am tired of being skinny. I asked my mom in the locker room if she thought I looked stupid lifting weights. I mean, considering I look 98lbs and all. She said, "NO!" - but obviously she's not going to tell me, yes, Charlotte, you do indeed look stupid. "Every time I see you walk by I marvel at your physique." And that really made me feel good. Even coming from my mom, who is biased and will tell me how beautiful I look even on my worst days.

I'm trying to gain weight and I've discovered how hard that actually is. People probably think gaining "weight" is pretty easy, a fun prospect even. Just gobble down cheeseburgers, fries, pasta, soda, cake, cookies and potato chips every day. But that's not going to help me put on the weight I want. And it's going to make me feel pretty lousy too. In truth, I think gaining weight is going to be just as hard as losing. It's funny to think that I am trying to gain weight, yet, there is still fat that I want to shed. It's pretty ridiculous actually, but we can't change how we are made. Women store fat in their hip, thigh and butt area to protect babies, to keep the human race alive, so it's only logical that it would be the last place you take it off. The body will fight to hang onto it. I just have to convince my body that I am done with the baby thing and it can let go of it now. I've done my part to populate the planet.

I have learned to be patient through this whole experience. And it's nice to know that while body building grows muscles and shapes a body into a pleasing composition, it also has many other benefits. I have learned discipline, consistency, determination, motivation, self-love and most importantly, patience. I really needed help with that one. That is a skill I'm sure will take me a lifetime to perfect. But for now, I think I am doing better than ever using the patience it will take to succeed. Once I finally accepted that nothing was going to give me the results I wanted quickly, I was able to fall into a steady groove that will take me all the way to success. I'm hoping that the 8 month time frame I have set for myself will be enough.

I've stuck to a high protein diet over the past 26 days, and have had no cheat meals, snacks, desserts, etc. of any kind during that time. There were moments when I felt weaker than I was in the beginning but I used a technique I found worked for me in those situations. When I feel an urge (like when contemplating ordering pizza) I use my inner voice and say "I know that pizza tastes good and I really want to eat it now, but will it help me get to my goal?" It has been a very successful tool.

Eventually, maybe at the end of Phase 3, I will have my body fat measured at the gym, to see how accurate my home measuring has been. I know they use calipers too, but I think they have many different spots on the body that they measure, not just above the iliac crest.

Anyway, I thought I'd share my workouts for the last two days:
(yesterday) Legs
extensions - 10 X 3 @ 80lbs (oooh burn!)
wide squat - 10 @ 60lbs/ 8 @ 70lbs/ 8 @ 70lbs
leg press - 10 X 3 @ 90lbs
single leg kettle bell deadlift - 10 X 3 @ 40lbs
lying leg curl - 10 @ 35lbs/ 8 @ 40 lbs/ 8 @ 35lbs
seated leg curl - 10 @ 25lbs/ 10 @ 25lbs/ 6 @ 35lbs

(today) Shoulders/Abs
seated db press - 10 @ 15lbs/ 6 @ 20lbs/ 10 @ 15lbs  - weight is per arm
rear delt cable flyes - 10 @ 45lbs/ 10 @ 45lbs/ 10 @ 30lbs
db front raise - 12 @ 8lbs/ 10 @ 10lbs/ 10 @ 10lbs/ 6 @ 8lbs - weight is per arm
seated arnold press - 10 X 3 @ 12lbs - weight is per arm
db lat raise - 10 X 3 @ 8lbs - weight is per arm
seated bent over delt raise - 10 X 3 @ 10lbs - weight is per arm
crunches - 10 X 3
roman chair - 10 X 3 (love this thing!)
oblique twist machine - 10 X 3 @ 30lbs - each side

And I tried the assisted pull up machine just to see what it was like. I had it set at 8 (which I think means that it is assisting with 80% of my body weight and I'm doing the rest) and it seemed like it was a good number to start. Something I would be able to do 3 sets of 10 reps with.