I'm noticing much more definition in my arms lately, even when I'm not actively flexing - which is really exciting to me. So I'm finally starting to deserve my name ;P I think really uping the protein intake has been key to that success. I'm a major adherent to the whole foods, macronutrient focused way of getting in what the body needs, so downing so much additional protein with meals and in the form of shakes did not really come naturally to me. But if it means I get muscles, I can chug!

I've been thinking about something today thought and I see it reflected in a lot of what other BodySpace folks are saying. Lifting weights isn't just about fitness for me. It's therapy. There are so many emotions that I can process and release by pushing myself in the gym - anger, hurt, sadness, uncertainty. I don't even have to think about what I'm feeling, I just transform it into that force that is me crushing a dumbbell. I think that's another reason why this really is a lifestyle. Not just because of what you do, but what you gain from doing it goes beyond the physical and into the emotional.

Looking back, I realize that the last year has been one of the most stressful and painful experiences that I've had to go through. And yet, because of my lifting, it hasn't felt like it. I mean, there are times when it's felt like hell, but training has kept me aloft. I found a passion that carries me through the tough times and that I'm going to be enjoying for the rest of my life.

Progress pictures are coming this weekend! Got a new pair of workout shorts and not only are they motivating me to lean out a bit more on my legs, but they look damn good already!