I Can See Biceps!

Hey loveys,
I sit here writing from my couch sipping a peppermint tea, thanking GOD I'm no longer outside in the crappy weather that is happening in Toronto right now. It's raining... bleh. But it's taking away all of the snow I suppose - there's always a silver lining.
Today marks my 1-week mark since starting with Optimal Body Fitness and my personal trainer Deanna. I have actually noticed some changes happening in my body already... When hoping in the shower this morning I noticed my tummy didn't really stick out AS MUCH as it used to (it still does a little bit). I also noticed that my bum is quickly rising and isn't folding over my leg as much.. and I noticed that my biceps are growing.
When I was at the studio right before training, I shamelessly took a picture in the mirror of my bicep so I could compare it to prior photos. I'm going to share this with you, so don't laugh. There is full disclosure in this blog so ..... here it is.

Yes, my face is funny.. it's just a natural reaction to me flexing my arm like that. Lol. But yay! You can see a bicep there! Jon, the founder of Optimal Body Fitness actually mentioned that he can already tell my back is a lot more toned and it's getting leaner than it was when I started. I can't take a photo of my back, so you guys will just have to trust me on that one.
To be 100% honest with you - this past week has been HARD. I've never had a personal trainer tracking my progress before, and holding me accountable to making the most healthy decisions possible. However, with that being said, I know that if it's not hard, then it's not working. I've been sore since last Friday. My foam roller is turning into my new bestie (I think I'm going to have to take it home over Christmas) and I'm drinking way more water than I ever have in my life. I've been learning so much about diet and nutritional timing. I mentioned mixing spinach with my Sun Warrior Raw Vanilla Protein and it turns out that you shouldn't eat fiber after a workout. You want the protein to go directly to the muscles after a workout and fiber actually slows down the digestion of the protein which causes it to get to your muscles slower.
I KNOW - mind blown. I had no idea. So instead of spinach after my workout, I had a protein shake and sweet potato. BOOM!

Chopin Vodka is made with
potatoes! Opt for it over a vodka
made from wheat.

Another big reason I have a massive girl crush on my trainer is because she understands that it's the holiday season so sometimes we won't make the best choices. I mentioned that I have a Christmas party to attend tomorrow night so I asked in a very innocent manner "Sooo..... if I were to have a couple, you know, adult beverages... which would be my best option?". Her response initially was WATER! Haha, but I told her how I'm a big fan of Vodka/Soda. She educated me that most vodka is made from wheat which means it has gluten in it. She said it would be best if I could buy vodka made from potatoes so I can at least avoid the gluten that way. She said a dark red wine like Pinot Noir would be best. She also said if I'm drinking I have to be really conscious about making REALLY good food choices after the fact.
Well shit. I suck at that.
So I'm going to have to have food prepared for me for when my night is over tomorrow. It's all about planning I'm coming to realize! I'm kind of nervous to go home at Christmas because there is going to be A LOT of temptation but I'm going to be as strong as I can be... and I'll message Deanna whenever I want something I'm not supposed to have. Turns out the threat of burpees is super influential when it comes to putting bad things in your body or not.
I know a lot of you tend to relax and take it easy over the holidays and I totally agree with you, however try not to let yourself fall completely off the bandwagon over the holidays. Try and squeeze in workouts when you can and try to make the healthier food choice, remember to drink tons of water and herbal teas and try to limit the alcohol consumption. The holidays are definitely a time to relax, but don't lose everything you've worked hard for this year in 1 week of holidays!
How do you plan to stay on track over the holiday season?