Working with "Shy"

Tomorrow will be my 6th session with Shy, and I LOVE it. In the last 3 weeks or so I have learned so much about myself, and what I am capable of.

The routine that Shy set up for me is a series of 4 workouts that we rotate through. Each one is centered around a major lift--bench press, deadlift, military press (overhead press), or squat--and has 4-6 accessory exercises to go with it. It takes about an hour, maybe a little longer to go through it. If we get through it quick enough on the days we train together, he'll think of a few more exercises to torture me with. I can feel myself getting stronger with every workout.

So far working with him, I have figured out my one rep max on 3/4 of the exercises. The first week I blew my old squat record out of the water. Not only did I break through the wall where I had been stuck, but added at least 10lbs to my old record--I got 160lbs for 1 rep. I've learned proper form for deadlift, and my 1 rep max for that is also 160lbs. At 188lbs, I can squat and deadlift about 85% of my bodyweight!! There is something very exciting, almost on a primal level, about knowing that you have hidden strength that no one suspects. He seems to be gaining confidence working with me too. I've noticed that he is a lot more comfortable touching than he used to be. Last week there was actually a *situation* that I am not telling him about...yet. While we were doing bent over rows, he put his hands on my back, with his fingers kinda around my ribs. He was a fingertip away from his correction turning into an accidental grope!! If it happens again, I'll let him know, just so he doesn't inadvertently offend a future female client.

Shy also convinced me to clean my diet up a little, and sort of go on a cut, something that JC and Buff both tried to convince me to do, in their own way. I'm eating 2100 calories and drinking protein shakes daily. I didn't realize that since I had been working, I was probably only eating 1600-1800 calories most days.So for the last few weeks I have been drinking my "protein bomb" after my workout/before work, then around 3pm I have a protein bar. The pesky water weight I've been fighting seems to be coming off too, and I am optimistic that maybe I'll drop scale weight in the next week or so.

My March challenge for myself was to do 5 decline bench crunches. Friday I did 12, holding a 5lb medicine ball. My April challenge is going to be hanging leg raises. Maybe 10-12 with knees as high as I can.

Today a female trainer at the gym told me that she'd noticed me looking tighter in the last few weeks. That makes me smile. I'm actually looking forward to taking my April progress pics. I have a feeling they are going to look amazing.

Since my last post, so many things have happened!!

I have become a regular helper in Shy's muscle conditioning class. Other people taking the class have approached me and told me they are glad I am helping. I'm having so much fun with it that I have decided to make my assistant roll official--I am joining "fit crew". Fit crew is a volunteer program for people who already take free classes. Basically they wear a volunteer tshirt,  help encourage and make other participants more comfortable.

Shy and I have our first official training session together tomorrow. I was hoping to do it sooner, but his schedule was booked full of smart start clients. It's odd how well he and I have connected, it almost feels like me and JC. Turns out that I am Shy's first female client he's trained one on one!! This promotion to trainer has been so good for him, and he has grown so much in the last 6 weeks or so. Back in January he thought it was awkward to even mention chest to a woman, even to correct form. Now he laughs and jokes, talks about beautiful sculpted muscles...and isn't afraid to mention chest, thighs, hips, etc. The other night I sent him a facebook message just letting him know that he doesn't need to worry about anything being awkward while training me. It's doubtful that he could do anything to upset me, and even if he did, I would let him know first!


I've been shopping for clothes on a regular basis, and it feels really good! I'm wearing a size 12 now, and will probably be in a size 10 sometime this summer. Gradually I am phasing out all my huge, shapeless clothes for more form fitting things. The other day I bought a cheap smocked tank dress. It's red, t-shirt type material. Looks pretty good right now, but will look even better as my belly gets flatter. Also purchased, one pair of yoga shorts that I would not have been caught dead in a year ago, 2 cheap tank tops, and a replacement for my favorite size 20 black and white shirt...and everything is a size 12/14 from the juniors department!! Every shopping trip I have to remind myself that I am NOT plus-sized any longer, and I cannot shop in the women's department anymore :)

The mental changes continue... I continue to step on the scale daily, but seeing 3lbs of water weight doesn't ruin my day anymore. I KNOW that I have caused it by not drinking my water, or by eating that fast food meal. I'm enjoying doing girly things, and knowing I can STILL be badass. Heavy lifting is just going to make it even better :)