This week, Justin and I decided to commence a bit of change in our lives. As of Monday, we are officially members of a gym again.
When Justin and I first started dating he had a gym buddy, and the two of them lifted weights/worked out regularly. After a while, I decided to take the plunge and join them. Eventually, I became Justin’s gym buddy. It was great: he knew how to use all of the machines and was able to teach me techniques I was unaware of. I had never set foot in a gym before working out with Justin: pathetic, right? Over time, I started feeling great: my arms, which had never been toned in my entire life, were finally showing some definition. Awesome!
Anyway, we haven’t been gym members for quite some time, and I think it shows. The phrase “if you don’t use it, you lose it” is totally, 100% true. I went from being toned and fit to being…blah? I haven’t gained weight since the wedding last year; I’ve actually lost some. However, I feel like I’m a great illustration of the fact that muscle takes up less space than fat. It drives me nuts when people say that “muscle weighs more than fat.” No…it doesn’t. A pound of fat and a pound of muscle weigh exactly the same: one pound. However, muscle takes up less space, so you can weigh more while looking thinner. Here: let me show you-
This picture was taken the day before our wedding. I weighed 5 pounds more than my current weight:
I love how my arms looked. I felt strong too; at that time I was also partaking in the 100 push up challenge. I could actually do 50 or more of them in a row (real ones, not the girly ones) at that point…which was a big accomplishment for me.
This is me today:
Although I still have the same general frame, I think you can tell a difference in the overall tone of my upper body. My shoulders are a bit softer/rounded, and my arms lack the definition they had a year ago. And as for pushups? I could probably struggle through about 20 of them tops…girly-style. Also, I may weigh 5 pounds less than I did at the wedding, but I absolutely think that I look thinner in the first photo. Is it a huge difference? Maybe not, but the fact that I can feel a difference is what matters. I’m hoping that by getting back into the gym routine, I’ll regain some body tone and feel more energized. I don’t want to lose any weight: I’d just like to trade in a couple of pounds of fat for muscle. Tighten up, if you will.
And thankfully I have something to work towards: Justin and I are leaving for our extremely belated honeymoon at the end of October, so it would be nice to feel extra hot by that time! Here’s hoping…
Do you have a gym membership? Do you feel better when you work out on a regular basis?
Love this post! You are totally right that toned and muscular looks better and since it has less mass, it weighs more than the same amount of fat. I’m also going to try this 100 push up challenge, thanks for linking!
Good luck with your new workout plans!
My husband and I did P90X prior to our wedding last year, and I felt AWESOME and strong. After a long break from doing anything athletic, I have started going back to the gym to lift and run. My building has a gym and all of the machines have TVs– if I can’t handle the gym under those circumstances, I don’t deserve to be in shape.
Good luck!! I so admire the people who have the dedication do work out consistently–my husband being one of them. I want to get to that point one day!
Touche!
Love this! I work out 6 days a week, and have had to completely readjust my thinking. I’d get upset when the scale wasn’t moving down (and even sometimes moving UP!) but what I didn’t realize or even think about was that I’m building MUSCLE and that’s replacing the fat and that the scale is not my friend 🙂
I agree – scales can be tricky. I find that I like them for the most part though. I kind of have a general weight range that I am used to being in, and I know I’ll fluctuate around it. I do like having the scale to kind of keep me in check though. I just try to keep in mind that yes, after a weekend of eating out once or twice, my weight is going to go up…but then it will naturally go back to normal when I resume regular meals during the week…
Great post, Katie! I’ve been back to working out regularly for about a month now, and while the numbers on the scale haven’t budged, I can see a difference. I would much rather look good than have some arbitrary number that “sounds” good!
I totally think that is what matters! I mean, how often does someone just flat out ask you “how much do you weigh?” It’s more about how you look/feeling confident about yourself. That sounds vain, but I hope you get my point.
Thank you for being a skinny girl willing share about your workout goals!
I’m not nearly as skinny as you, but I still feel like people have a tendency to roll their eyes when I mention I’ve gained weight, or would really like to get back into shape.
I’ve seen two pictures of me recently that made me realize that even though I’ve only gained 2 lbs, my body has gotten ridiculously flabby this summer and I’m frustrated.
Time to kick it into gear! I’ll be following you on this hoping for some motivation 🙂
I know exactly how you feel 🙂 – it’s hard sometimes when I mention that I want to start working out again and someone flippantly says something like, “you don’t need to work out.” Hm. I think it is important to be physically fit, so yes, I do. Skinny does not equal in shape. Sigh.
Isn’t it crazy to see pictures and realize that even if the weight is pretty much the same, you can look SO different without being toned? Depressing. I’m hoping that the new weight routine I’m starting will get me back where I was!
Good for you! Keep it up! I think staying motivated and finding time are the hardest part of keeping a good workout plan- but I think having Justin as a workout buddy will help in both of those areas. I just started back yesterday… I hate the beginning lol
Ugh – the beginning stinks! I was looking at the weights and remembering what I used to be able to press/lift/etc, and there was NO way that I could do that now. I’m pretty much starting back at the beginning like the first time!
Good for you! I need to get back into working out on more strength-type stuff and not just cardio, because it does take a huge difference!
i think you look good! but i know what you mean, i just got back in to working out too. when you don’t feel good about yourself it’s time to get back to working out again!