One month of lifting - with pics

Hello!

I dabbled with lifting from the beginning of this year but with no real dedication. I chose Stronglifts 5x5 as it's easy to use, has a handy app and I knew I needed direction. I loved it, did it for a couple of months whilst out of work and living at my parents however once. I got a job not only did I need to move as my job was in Central London and my flat didn't have the space for my weights but aloe I was working so I didn't have all day to fit in my workouts. I stopped lifiting. Six months later and I was feeling awful, not only had I lost the muscle I'd built but also I'd fallen into the trap of office cake eating ....we all know we do it to numb the working pain right?!

I knew I had to do something. I've always struggled with my weight, I'm a major comfort eater which started in my teen years. I've fluctuated between a size 18 - 8 in the last 10 years (I'm UK so I think that is US 14-4) serious yo yo dieter but mainly I've sat around a size 14 (18 us) for the last 7 years. Not where I want to be as I'm technically over a stone over weight (again uk measurement, 14lbs).

My work offer £500 towards an annual gym membership, not only that they do all the work and sort the paperwork and then take it out of your pay before your money hits your account. The gym was only going to cost me £11 a month! In Central London, this was an amazing deal. However the next step would actually be going in to the gym........and using the weights!! Before this point I'd been able to workout at home at my parents, no intimidation, no waiting for weights, no worrying about people looking and judging. This were the things that would eventually delay my joining for anther 4 months!

In the end it was a booked holiday that made me bite the bullet. My husband and I booked out holiday and I realised I would be miserable on the beach as I was, 4 months of saying and no exercise had left me very spongey and with very noticeable cellulite on my thighs.

I did it, I bit the bullet and joined, first step there! I was ecstatic that I'd made that leap. The gym is in my building so also I realised I could work out at lunch which meant. I could now go home after work and not beat myself up about the fact that I was too tired to workout! I could get it done and go home and chill! Yay!

Next step was actually going and working out in the free weights section as a *gasp* girl! Shouldn't have worried. Seriously my main regret has been that I didn't do it earlier. Absolutely no one cared that I was in the weights area doing my squats or deadlifts etc. In fact the PT's at my gym actually give random advice if they're in the area when you are to advise you on form etc...invaluable advice that. I really should have paid for! Now I know them all and have long conversations with them and other gym users, no judging, no perving...just people with common goals sharing ideas and information.

My biggest regret was not hitting the weights earlier.

Oh yeah, this whole post was to show you my results! Despite my story these results are exactly 1 month so they are just 28 days of Stronglifts.

Ok TL;DR I hit the weights and within 1 month got these amazing results!!!