The post about emerging muscles, a bracelet and garden berries

• Meanwhile, on the Gram yesterday...
• It's #coffeetime. I know you can't really tell by this picture, but yesterday while I was telling my dad and aunt about my strength training and Tony's focus on my shoulders, arms and core, my dad who was sitting beside me said I had shoulder muscle. I was wearing an off the shoulder top. So naturally I went to the bathroom to check it out. I've still got a long way to go, but I can definitely see a tiny bit of definition. All those pull-ups, pull downs, and dreaded push-ups are paying off. Tony reminded me yesterday that when I first started with him on June 11th, I couldn't do more than 3 knee push-ups and I couldn't go very low. Last week I did 30 as part of a circuit and they were all "pretty quality" ones (because I held my form for all of them). The goal is to have me doing proper military style push-ups by the time boxing training rolls around. I decided that Wednesdays should be my legit rest day. It's the day between Tony and I'm not going to lie. It feels like my abdomen is broken and my ass hurts. Gotta get back to the gym tomorrow so I have to feel good. He's going to kick my ass like he always does...

• Oi, today was painful. I've been hobbling around like an elderly woman. And no joke my abs are still broke:-( Spent the day out in Kitchener supporting a client. That usually means lots of sitting around which means my hamstrings are very achy. I wore my new Old Navy sandals that I bought the other day. They only cost $3. I ended up taking my clients to East Side Mario's for lunch. I got garden salad (sans croutons) with tomato soup. I should have gotten the all you can eat salad because once again, I was hungry when I left. Its wine time this evening with my sister. Before I go, I think I'm going to put on yoga pants and a hoodie. Feeling lazy, sore, and somewhat sloth like. I have to limit any cured meat and cheese tonight. I actually should eliminate it altogether. I need to feel good tomorrow. I have to get up at 4:30 in the morning to train with Tony. I need to be in tip top shape because I know he's going to work me hard...

• It's #winetime with this girl. Drinking some vino and modeling some kick ass #stelladotstyle. I love that necklace I'm wearing. It would look awesome with ripped jeans, a cool tank and a biker jacket. Or an evening gown. Very versatile and a definite statement piece. I may have to get it! Or borrow my sister's when I (hopefully) box in the charity gala next June:-) On a side note. We just ate all the cheese and cured meat. God help me tomorrow...

• The last post tonight because holy shit, it's after 11pm! I need to get home. But first I want to share #strawberrytime. Fresh berries from my sister's garden. Amy joined us and we're enjoying these very sweet strawberries. I also wanted to show my new Wishing Arrow Bracelet. I need to head home right now. My bed is calling me. Hoping to get 5 hours of sleep before having to meet Tony. I've missed you all today. Haven't looked at my home feed once...

The post about TRX, a shoe less Joe and saying goodbye to my aunt...

• Yesterday's Instagram in a nutshell...
• It's #coffeetime and I feel rough this morning. Wanted to sleep more but I can't. I have to meet my trainer in an hour. It's leg day. And although I love leg day. It's getting harder and harder. I usually train outside for leg day so there is that. I may have to drink sportive this morning. I feel groggy. So much to do today. Trainer, breakfast meeting with client, lunch meeting with client, paper work, appointment for my dad and dinner with him and my aunt. I won't get home till 9pm:-( Only 4 more work days till vacation...

• Who ever invented TRX is a sadist. Just saying. Although I smile on the outside, I cry for my abs deep in my soul. Today was a brutal but satisfying work out. Lots of heavy breathing and extreme sweating. My pony tail stuck to my neck. Although we did mostly legs, Tony had me do some upper body and of course the core. I really need a nap. But there is no rest for the wicked. Or is that weary? Maybe I'm a bit of both. Turkey sausage, coffee, shower. In that order. No clue what to wear today. Who called for rain? 

• Eating out gets real old after a while. Especially when you pay $14 for a teeny weeny salad at Shoeless Joe's. This is the southwestern chicken salad. It was just okay. I'm still fecken hungry though and could use some meat. I'm craving lots of meat. Right now a whole roasted chicken would go down real good...

#transformationTuesday

• Today my client told me she wished she had thick thighs like me. I laughed and said, "fat"? She said, "not fat, strong. You've strong legs with muscle". She's a size zero Barbie girl. It's funny that I spent my whole high school life wishing I was like her. And here she is a new high school graduate wishing she had my legs. My message to her. Love yourself just as you are and get working. She can definitely have stronger legs if she works for them. Nothing comes easy. The picture on the left is from the summer of 2011. My summer of clarity where I finally decided to change my life for good. I wasn't my heaviest there. I was holding steady at 300 pounds. That was the summer where I had my A-Ha moment and I was finally able to focus on my health. It only took 41 years to get to that point but better late than never...

• Got to spend the evening with these two. This is the 20th picture we took. My aunt cracks me up. She's like Chandler from Friends. Every time I said "ok smile" she'd say, "I'm smiling". Every picture looks exactly like this one. She's fecken adorable. We had a nice evening. We went to, wait for it, Swiss Chalet for dinner:-) Loved listening to their stories about growing up in Antigonish. I also told my aunt about my boxing aspirations. She asked me a whole bunch of questions and wanted to know all about my trainer, then said, "are you really going to hit somebody Leigh Anne"? Then my dad said that I exercise too much and don't eat enough, again:-) 
• My aunt told me that I had really pretty legs and both she and my dad kept asking me if I was cold. They thought I should be because my legs were "naked". I said goodbye to my aunt and she thanked me for taking such good care of my dad. She's headed to Ottawa on Saturday for her granddaughter's wedding. She'll spend a week there before heading back home. Every time I leave my dad he asks me if I'll be coming back soon. That always gives me a lump in my throat...

The post about a lot of stairs, a nutritionist appointment and more shopping...

• Monday's happenings on Instagram...
• It's #coffeetime and I slept in till 5:30. It's all good though. I just need to be out the door by 7:30 for my run. I'm meeting with a client in west Toronto for 11am. Then I gotta head east for 3pm. I'll swing into Starbucks in between appts to do paperwork. I can stick to the Gardiner Expressway and it should be okay. With the Pan Am Games going on, driving through the city mid-day is a headache. I won't be going right downtown unless I have to. One more work week and I'm off for 2 weeks. I have to do some planning for a group I'm facilitating in August, write 3 reports and do July expenditures. And I have to visit with all my clients. It's gonna be a busy week...

• I had a good challenging run this morning. I ran 2.5k to the Wentworth stairs. I climbed all 525 steps without a break. I ran down the stairs, then ran 2.5k back home. Next time I'll do the stairs 2 times and work my way up to more. I've never done those stairs before and I surprised myself. I remember a time we went camping before Julien was born. I was about 300 pounds and there were stairs to the beach. It was about 100 feet of stairs and I had to take several breaks while walking up them because I was so winded. Today I climbed the mountain without taking a break. At least once a day I surprise myself at what I can do now vs then. I'm excited to see what I'll be able to do 6 months down the road...

• Ate dinner with a client at the Chicago Eatery on Pape Avenue. The most interesting Cobb salad I've ever had. It had Stilton cheese and pickled tomatoes. And in retrospect (the next day), it had no chicken. I got ripped off! I'm such a liar. I've been eating cheese sporadically. I've an appointment with a nutritionist next Monday for sports nutrition. Time to reign in the eating. I'm excited to bring my strength training to the next level. I may have to ditch the wine. GASP!!!! But I wanna become a lean mean fighting machine. So sacrifices must be made. My client is so cute. He's not eaten at many sit down restaurants. His meal was presented like mine and he photographed it every way you could imagine then didn't want to eat it. That made me smile big. My side is sweet potato fries...

• I wasn't going to have#winetime tonight but I came home and no one is here. So I figured, why not? I've got a mountain of laundry to sort and start. Then I have to prep my post workout food for tomorrow morning. So that just tells you I've no time for wine. Busy day today. But I was able to squeeze in a bit of shopping. Ducked into Old Navy for a half hour. Got some hot pink shorts, 3 tops and sandals for $30. Good deals. Also got Julien's schol uniform tops for $5 each. Score! 
• My outfit today cost $17.50. I know you can't tell by the photo, but I'm wearing light pink pants (that aren't stained). Ten bucks at Reitman's. The coral top was $7.50 from Reitman's and the black tank was gifted by the Marilyn Denis Show and is from H&M. Wore black strappy flat sandals today. Although I hate shopping I can never pass up a good deal. I never pay full price for anything. That's not actually true. I have paid full price for Julien's things. Hoping the humidity let's up. I'm sick of wearing my hair up. What's the use of having long hair if you can't wear it down?