Work It

Since joining the gym near the first of November, I have gained about 6 pounds roughly. After some research on the internet, I did discover a study that suggested about a 3 pound gain in muscle a month, so guess I'm on target. I'm not as concerned with the weight as the way my body looks to me. I'm the one that has to be happy in it and with it. I can see the tone and definition in my chest and legs and some tightness in my biceps along with a little growth too, I think. My butt feels firmer but doesn't look like I want it to just yet. My belly roll is only slightly diminished, but I can feel the tightness in the muscle under it. It will take a while to whittle away the remaining fat. I have managed to get my BMI down to 17%, higher than the 10% of years gone by, but according to the charts, it puts me in the healthy and acceptable range for my age, height and build. Of course, I'd love to get back to the 10%, but if I can carve another 3 or 4 percentage points off of that number I'd be thrilled. I am still eating properly, watching my portions and calories, but I have added more lean protein to help build muscle mass. After a work out, I eat a can of Albacore tuna in water and a banana. Most of my meals, unless dining with my mother consist mostly of foods rich in fiber, like rice cakes, lots of fruit, and lean protein meats. Friends that haven't seen me in a few months are shocked at my "sudden" transformation. Of course, there isn't anything sudden about it. It has taken a lot of willpower, determination, backsliding, and experimentation to get this far. I realize the quest is far from over. Losing the weight was only half the battle. The toning and sculpting of muscle will take about as long, but I'm prepared. Truth be told, I love going to the gym. I like the lifting, the cardio, the sweating. I like the feeling of accomplishment as I leave. I like observing the others in the gym work toward their goals. I find it all very inspiring.  I know to reach my long term goal of looking like a shorter Colton Ford, may take a little longer, but I'm working on it. My short term goal is to have a flatter stomach and tighter, more rounded butt by May. It's doable. I just wanna look good in a thong or at the naked pool this summer!