If My Glutes Could Talk...

It's been a week or so since I've blogged about the ole fitness adventure, so tonight, let's talk about my booty.

Just what you all wanted!

I bring up my glutes because, OY! They are hurting today. Yesterday, M. the Reasonable had me do a new exercise, in which he put a 60-pound barbell on the floor and I had to move it across the room by squatting, picking up one end, rotating it, and then squatting again to gently set it down. Back up, rinse, repeat. Across the room and back. It was intense--in a good way.

My workouts with M. are going very well. He makes me work, and he does not let good form slide. During yesterday's glute-a-thon exercise (we also did some heavy-duty work on my back, shoulders and triceps), I looked at the weight I was moving, smiled and said, "Sixty pounds. That's how much I've lost, you know." He grinned back at me. "I can't believe I was carrying this around on my heart, my ankles, my...everything. And now I have to work to lift it off the ground."

This week, I've been less plagued by anxiety (actually, I've been quite chipper), and I've had some good runs, though on Tuesday, my left foot started to hurt. Paranoid about injury, I immediately sought M.'s advice on Wednesday, and he showed me some stretches I can do. It's still giving me some issues, but when I ran on the treadmill today, I notice the pain lessened when I ran (but was worse when I walked, go figure). Either the running motion helps stretch the sore muscles, or my foot was going numb.

Not exactly what I want to deal with a week shy of my first 5K, but I refuse to let it get me down.

Overall, I've lost about twelve pounds since I've started working with M., bringing me back to 161.6 pounds (as of Monday, anyway) and closer to getting back to the 150s. I got to 158 with G. the Meanie and I'm looking forward to forever bidding adieu to the 160s over the next couple of weeks.

Tomorrow, it's back to the gym for my weekly assignment. It involves lots of squats and lunges, as well as some intervals on the treadmill. My glutes are weeping just thinking about it, but I did it twice last week and know I can power through tomorrow, too. Saturday is my rest day and then it's back to the running on Sunday.

So we're plugging along. I'm seeing huge differences in my body--slightly leaner, muscles coming back, and even my Burpees are getting better, miracle of miracles (I did 12 yesterday with M. and I could actually jump back, instead of having to step back. Yay me!). My skinny jeans are baggy, my size 10s fit comfortably again, and my pajamas are falling down on me.

Honestly, training is the best thing I've ever done for myself--it seems to be the motivation I need to stay healthy and strong, and the guidance is great. I've been really lucky, first with G. and now with M., having trainers with styles that I work well with.