Lifting and Clean Eating, Part I; Where It All Began

A little over a year ago is when I decided to start eating cleaning and working out. Before then, I just didn't really care! I did a few weights here and there but my main focus was on cardio.

Well, I found myself getting rather bored of just cardio while trying to figure out what weight I wanted to try and maintain, etc. I got really skinny but none the less, I knew that would be unrealistic to maintain and I didn?t want to get any smaller.

At my skinniest (and need I say whitest? : ) don't pay attention to the date either, it's wrong):

Erik suggested I start lifting more and I felt like being challenged, as I had come to love eating healthy and the feeling of working out. So, at that point I started to lift regularly and include more complex carbs and protein into my diet (both important things when building muscle).

Let me tell you, at first I hated lifting! But, I pressed on and grew to really love it.  I can now look back and see how far I really came both mentally and physically.

Here's February ?09 when I could barely get a set of 12 reps benching the bar (45 lbs).

And later ? after benching my max thus far, 135 lbs.

My husband and personal trainer:
 
"Happiness is not a destination. It is a method of life."
- Burton Hill-