Training myself.

Kind of a goofy pic. Just wanting to document my arm/shoulder development.

Training myself and making only a tiny bit of progress. But progress nevertheless.

Back, side, glutes Still training myself.

Arm. Training myself. No professional help yet.

Training myself.

Torso

Torso. Still trying to train myself without the help of a professional trainer.

Blurry blue bikini

Blurry pink bikini

Not too bad but still training myself and I want better (leaner, tighter, more toned and more muscle).

My son was VERY sick with pneumonia, a fever (103) and coughing. I, of course, caught it from him. As I made my way into the bathroom one early morn (2am to be exact), I passed out. I dropped hard onto the tile floor hitting my head, my knee, my elbow, my back and my butt and wacked my head either on the edge of the tub or the tile floor with such force that I cracked my head open. Blood seemed to be everywhere. I ended up with a stapled 3 gash in my head, whiplash, an egg on my knee (which was THE MOST PAINFULL!!! The pain radiated all the way down my leg to my shin and calf and up into my thigh. My adrenalin had kicked in and I was shaking uncontrollably for hours. Not only was I sore and ached all over from the fall, I had a fever and a miserable cough. My butt injury combined with my knee injury made it hard to walk or sit, I had a stiff neck (from the whiplash) and I missed work and my workouts as a result.

I am "chunkier" here than I want to be. Still trying to train myself and not fully understanding the meaning or definition of "clean" eating. Nor did I realize there was such a science to it.

One (1) week into training with Phil Valenti from here on BB.com.

One week into training with Phil Valenti from here on BB.com

Still about 1 week into online training with Phil Valenti from here on BB.com.

About 2 weeks into my online training with Phil Valenti from here on BB.com

One month into my online training with Phil Valenti from here on bb.com. I'm definitely leaner and more toned. Still not where I want to be but improving nevertheless.

Again, the crud is on the mirror, NOT me!

Definitely getting leaner, tighter and more toned with the help of online trainer Phil Valenti from here on bb.com. Btw, the crud on my belly is on the mirror, NOT me. It's an antique mirror and the silver is pitted. lol

After online training with Phil Valenti from here on BB.com for slightly more than 2 months.

Definitely making progress

Yes, that is a bruise on my thigh. A customer ran into me at work and slammed me into the corner of my desk.

Merry Christmas progress pics

I injured my shoulders/delts in Nov '07 while bench pressing weight that was too heavy for me and NOT stopping even though it hurt. I thought I was builing muscle but continuing to do so only injured me more (ignorance on my part). I now have, what I believe, is cronic shoulder bursitis. The pain is 24/7 and, at times, makes me want to chop my arms off for relief. The pain wakes me at night and I am unable to sleep comfortably in any position, especially on my side. Even a cortizone shot hasn't helped. I take Vicodin (at night only) so I can sleep thru the pain. This is how far I have been able to get with my arms, shoulders, delts despite the injury. I wanted to improve. Now, I hope I can maintain it.

I'm trying!!!!

Just got home from work and felt like flexin' for the camera :)

Again, I know it's blurry and again...it's 2am! Trying to show my developing delts and shoulders in the 3 wks that I've been back to full training.

Yes, yes, yes....I know it's blurry. It's the best I could do at 2am - lol. I have been on the "injured" list for some time (since Nov '07). I am just trying to show my progress in the short amount of time that I've been "back" (about 3 weeks).

I have been waaaaay too busy this summer to take many progress pics. This is just a quick snap with my cell. I'm trying to concentrate on diet, cardio, calves and abs during these summer months as adhering to a weightlifting regiment isn't working for me. I"m only getting maybe 2-3 days of lifting in but I will get back to lifting 4-5x/wk come September 1st.

Me in something other than my underwear. lol

I've been concentrating on cardio, calves and abs this summer and not lifting as much as I would both like and should be. However, I have noticed, as a result of all the cardio I've been doing that I've become VERY toned and my LEGS!!, of all body parts!!, have really developed a lot. This is monumental for me as my legs and glutes are very stubborn. Even my hammies are getting HUGE!! Well, huge for ME! lol

This is after 2 months of doing just cardio, abs and calves. I slacked on my lifting for the summer. I just have too much going on during the summer months to continue my routine as it was. Now that September is almost here, I'm looking forward to getting back into it. I STILL want a PT though. I know I would do well with one. I'm dedicated, committed, anxious and have a good base to start with (except for my dang bad shoulder).

More of the same from today

More from Aug 27, 2008

Nothing horrible but nothing great either. I feel as though I've plateaued and NOTHING I do is helping. I've increased cardio and am true to my (clean) diet. Hmmm....gotta figure it out - it's very frustrating.

Sorry for the bed-head! lol

Leaning out nicely but I want more...and MORE MUSCLE, too!

Yes, I know it's blurry. I've def made progress in the last year but just can't seem to improve from here. It seems I'm just maintaining and I want MORE MUSCLE. Lifting heavy is a problem for me as I have a bad shoulder from a bench pressing injury last Oct 07 and I do NOT want to aggrevate it. I hope it doesn't mean this is the end of the road for me.

This is the result of all the cardio I do. My BF should be as non-existant as the soles of my sneakers! lol

I liked the way the morning sun was hitting me.

THANK YOU to DeborahAnn, Stevep78, SuperMaine and MsFitness for posting their ab exercises! I've made GREAT progress incorporating their ideas into my workout!

1 month post surgery. My bandages and brace were removed only hours before I took this pic. You can tell that I still can't stand fully erect and the swelling and bloating is visible (at least to me it is). The surgeon sewed my ab facsia REALLY TIGHT. Too tight for my liking...it's uncomfortable and I don't like the way it feels at all. I hope it loosens over time.

This pic is 1 month post surgery. I had a tennis ball size hole in the facsia of one of my ab muscles repaired (just below my ribcage on my right side). As a result, I then had a few extreme post-op problems (adverse reaction to the anesthesia and pain meds) sending me to the ER and Dr's ofc for 2 weeks leaving me drained and weak, bruised, bloated, swollen and sore. You can see I still have some swelling in the area below my belly button. I've lost some muscle and some tone but plan on getting it all back PLUS! :)

1 month post surgery. Still swollen, bloated, bruised and sore. I guess this will be a new "before" pic for me.

Today as compared to the same pic/pose in Feb, 2007. Even though I'm 1 month post op and haven't been able to train in that period of time, I'm still better today than I was back then :)

I'm 5 weeks post abdomen surgery in this pic taken this morning. My ab swelling and bloating is going down nicely. Although I've been unable to get back to weight training just yet (it still hurts too much), I've cut back somewhat on my daily calories and continue to eat clean every 2-3 hours. I've also continued my cardio (although I'm still too sore to push hard). I've lost some muscle and some tone :( but eating clean has made a HUUUUUGE difference in reducing my swelling, I'm sure!

I'm at the end of 3 weeks back to the gym after a 2 month layoff due to abdominal surgery. I plan to write a blog about my surgery. And the spots are on the mirror, not me!!

Two months post abdominal surgery and out of the gym during recovery. Gotta get my LEGS and GLUTES back!!!

This was around midnight after a night out with friends. Not the best time to take a progress pic but I wanted to see how I looked at the end of the day.

It was exactly 5 months ago that I had my abdominal surgery for a tennis ball size hole in my abdominal fascia (see my blog, if you like) and it's been 3 months that I've been back in the gym and able to do any kind of workout. My abs are not where I'd like them to be but they are coming along nicely.

Abs aren't where I want them but they're coming along. It's taken me awhile due to coming back from abdominal surgery in Nov, 2008 but I'm moving along now. Still tight and only a bit limited in what I can do but I'm working around that. Am using the Ab Ripper X workout from the P90X program. I hate it...but I love it!

I guess this doesn't show anything specific...just a general, overall pic.

I am not fat but I am chunkier than I want to be. I need to build more muscle and lose some BF.

Making a little bit of progress in losing some BF. I am anxious and I expect a lot from myself.

Kind of a goofy pic. Just wanting to document my arm/shoulder development.