First sign of definition!!

[Reenzo]

Hi fellow Rebels!

 

I have been here (mostly lurking) for about a year, got some real inspiration, started exercising with a good plan (I thought), and then got sidelined by injury (right shoulder & knee) around August. 

 

<boooo>

 

Then comes my birthday & anniversery (trip to New Orleans), Haloween and the rest of the end of year holidays and my daughter's 4th birthday.  (bump bump buuuuuummm)

 

After ballooning up to my heaviest & largest girthy stomach (daddy, you have a big belly!) I went to the doc and got into physical therapy (hopefully to avoid surgery).

At the same time I took to heart one of Steve's past articles on what to do when you get hurt.

 

Short answer, I started (slowly this time) working on my core.

 

a) the most unattractive part of my body

the part of me I could work out without stressing my shoulder or knee

c) if you can't try a couple crunches or leg lifts.....well basically I had had enough of myself

 

So I started around the end of February.

2 x 10 crunches sitting on an exercise ball (maybe sit-ups, not really sure where the line between crunch and sit-up is)

2 x 10 leg lifts

2 x 10 side-leg lifts to work on my obliques (they tend to "puff out" [really cute, let me tell you] when I do the leg lifts, so I thought maybe they needed some extra attention).

30 seconds between sets, timed on a stop watch

 

3-4 times per week (and this part is important for me) including weekends.

 

It has definitely NOT been perfect attendence!  I miss a couple days in a row sometimes, and even had one week with just one day exercising.

 

But I AM making progress. I am now up to 3 x 15 reps AND

(druuuummm rooolll please)

Yesterday (Saturday) I took my shirt off in front of my bathroom mirror getting ready to shower, honestly not even thinking about working out or flexing or whatever, and was shocked to see a big ole' divot of muscle right on the side of my abs making a triangle between my ribcage!!!  (and THEN I flexed and it went even deeper!)

 

That is a sight I have not seen since the the early 00's! 

(of course I have now been in front of the mirror like six times since then)

 

Just thought I'd share.  :-)

 

Happy Rebellion to you All!

[elecz]

Nice progress! those small things are the fuel to keep going!

[Eboncat]

So awesome! Keep it up!