Live, from The Factory, a Muscle Girl progress report…

Okay, it’s not really live – that just sounds so much more dramatic. It is a progress report, though. Of sorts…

It’s been quite a while since I announced that “Muscle Girl” was back in action, and yet I haven’t posted once since that earth-shattering proclamation! Kind of makes you think I’ve been slacking, doesn’t it? But the truth is – I haven’t been. I’ve actually been keeping a regular gym schedule for the past few months. Despite a fair amount of upheaval and disruption in my day-to-day life, I’ve actually made time for the gym – just not for blogging. Hey, somtimes a girl has no choice but to make choices.

It’s also been a long time since I’ve posted photos, and so, just to prove that yes, indeed, I have been indulging my gym rat tendencies, today I’m publishing some. Okay, I’m not ripped like I was when the photo for my avatar was taken (wow, that was over two years ago!), but I’m working on it. And with my current progress, I expect to be pretty much leaned out by the end of July. Of course, as I already pointed out, I’m two years older…and I’m not really sure what a 55-year old ripped belly is going to look like… but a girl can dream!

In any case, I’m proud of myself for the progress I’ve already made. It’s been a rough six months, but my lifting is pretty close to being at its old level, and even my cardio is almost back on track. My endurance is almost back to normal and I can spend half an hour on the stepmill followed by half an hour on the elliptical – working hard. I expect to start running again in two weeks, and once I am able to actually do unassisted pull-ups again, I will know I am really back (My trainer, Mike, will be a happy man, too. I suspect he’s getting tired of having to help lift me all the time!). But even without those milestones, I just plain feel good. And really, that’s all that matters.

A year ago, I would never have believed I would be saying this, but being healthy again? It is one of the best things that has ever happened to me.

Why yes, that IS a toilet in the background. (And untied laces in the foreground.)

It's been a long while, indeed, since I've posted pics from my favourite gym bathroom. Still love the industrial look. This is only one of two gyms where I work out. Most of my lifting is done with my long-time trainer, Michael, at Snap Fitness.

Slightly more sedate. Getting ready to do core and flex, post-cardio. Have you noticed my new theme of always have my reading glasses in hand? Yeah, just another reminder of the passing years...

And yes, that is a sweat-soaked shirt. Hard work. I'm earning my stripes, so to speak.