Healthy Living in Connecticut Blog

Well maybe not 10 pounds, but I definitely have been gaining some weight. Checking the body fat analyzer, my body fat is around 14 (which means around 12 or so), so this would mean I gained muscle. I am over 200 pounds for the first time in over a year.

I never thought I'd be happy to gain weight but this weight is necessary to build muscle. As long as I didn't gain fat, I'm happy! I am focusing on muscle growth and lifting 5 days a week. It can be a grueling schedule but I think the hard work will pay off.

I'm loving this challenge so far! Before doing this challenge, I thought that bodybuilders needed so much protein. I always thought protein powders were necessary for growth. And I thought I could build muscle without gaining weight.

I probably gained about 5 or 6 pounds so far, at least from the last time I checked. I know it's all muscle because the body fat stayed the same on the body fat analyzer at the gym. I'm seeing the difference and I feel stronger too. I still want to get larger triceps to fill the skin, but I am getting there!

I just finished week 3 of the Shred It vegan muscle building challenge. This is based on the Shred It book by Robert Cheeke.

Robert Cheeke has been a vegan for over 20 years, and judging by the photo on the cover of his book, you can tell he is not missing the protein that so many other weightlifters think they need.

I met with my personal trainer on Monday. He measured my body fat with the 3 site skin fold caliper test. This was the best reading yet, close to 11 percent! My weight has been holding steady for a few months now, which is what I want. I weigh on average between 191 to 195 pounds... just trying to build muscle!

My trainer gave me a new workout that focuses on building bigger muscles for my legs, exercises that should target the lower abs and other exercises that will continue to build muscle for my arms, chest and back. The areas that have the most fat on my body are my abdominal area (obviously) and my back. My chest, arms and legs have the least amount of fat.

I've been maintaining my weight for about three and a half years now. I think so many people are used to me at this weight, I thought I would remind people how far I've come.

The picture on the left I barely remember looking like. When I showed a doctor my before picture last week, her reaction was I look nothing like that. She never would have recognized me from my fat picture.