The payoff

Before (May 2009) After (August 2009)

When I started working with my personal trainer, and putting extra effort into strength training, I hoped to develop muscles and muscle definition, but I didn't expect to reduce my batwings - I figured that skin was stretched out for good. But when I compared before and after photos of my arm, it looks like the muscle definition has increased and the batwing area has decreased. I realize that my arm is bent at a different angle in these photos, but it looks a lot better to me now. I'm thrilled with this payoff for all my hard work!

Getting strong!

I had a personal training session last night. As usual, it was hard...not because the moves or weights were totally beyond my capacity (as they were when I started with my trainer 2 months ago), but because I'm getting stronger and Crystal is challenging me more. More weight, more repetitions, more exercises. On a machine where I could barely manage 6 repetitions with 10 lbs of weight, I can now do 12 repetitions with 40 lbs of weight - and do that three times - a total of 36 repetitions. I can actually see muscle definition now, in my legs but even more in my arms. Unfortunately the batwings remain and probably always will, but I can live with that. It would be nice to have arms (and other parts) like the woman in this photo, but she is a bodybuilder who makes a business out of muscles. I just want to be strong, and I'm getting there slowly but surely. The other day I had to pick up one of our puppies (part Rottweiler - weighs about 45 lbs) and didn't have to struggle to do it (other than dealing with his vigorous efforts to escape).