Quads vs Jeans

"You either want quads or you want jeans you really can't have both"

I saw this quote on Instagram today and it fits perfectly with my blog for today.  I now know that I am not alone.  Over the past month or so I have had the bitter sweet opportunity to experience gains first-hand!

The first occasion was this summer, I wanted to slip into some fitted cargo shorts and couldn't even get them past my thighs.   When I couldn't fit the shorts, I was so excited becuase I had just gotten through complaining to the hubby about how slow my leg progress was...very ironic.

The second occasion was a pair of old jeans.  All of my usual jeans were starting to feel a bit more snug than usual (Most of my bottoms are fitted with stretch specifically because I was not genetically blessed with the traditional "black booty" if you know what I mean).  I grabbed an old pair from my mom's house that were skinny but were a larger size and wider leg openings...I was putting them on and as I got to the hopping portion to get my pants in the perfect spot..."riiiiip"  I stood there with the uh-oh-face looking at my husband.  "Did you hear that?!"  I looked behind me and sure enough, the pants were gonners.

The final straw was this past weekend.  Now granted, I have gotten to the point where I would much rather wear leggings, shorts or dresses just because my legs have started to get so uncomfortable in my other pants, but I could still wear them!  This weekend, I went through literally three pairs of jeans that could no longer fit past my thighs and if I could squeeze them past, they wouldn't sit on my waist.  I felt like I was sagging, but it tight pants lol you know how the guys are wearing them these days! p.s. that's not cool.

With my wardrobe options dwindling, I began to get a tad bit frustrated.  Then my husband had to remind me "Hey this is a good thing!  Gains baby, this is what you wanted remember?"  "yeah but these are nice jeans!"  I was a little annoyed but I had to snap out of it quick; hubby is absolutely right.  I have been putting in a lot of lower body work to see shape and definition reveal itself in my naturally slim frame. I still have bulking goals and growing out of pants is a victory that I will take!

What's pretty cool is that I'm not the only one experiencing "gain-syndrome".  There's so many ladies on social media that share my experience.

I'll go shopping soon to replace clothes that I've outgrown, including dresses and tops that now fit too tight around the arms.  I'll definitely be more strategic about what I purchase so I'll literally have room to grow.

-His Millennial Housewife

Personal Record: Chest

Today I hit a PR

I benched 95#, 12 times!!  So you say "what's the big deal?"  Only that I have been desperately trying to rep 95# for almost 6 months...maybe longer.  Yep, 85 was where I resided for what seemed like an eternity.  I wouldn't look forward to chest day partly because I knew bench press would be first.  Some days I would get up to 95 but it wouldn't last, I may have a good day but the next chest day would be like I never upped the weight.  I struggled mentally with every chest day, as it seemed that I was never making any lasting progress.

Thankfully, my husband kept pushing me to stick with it.  I would say

"is chest all that important in figure competitions?" 

He would answer with a yes-it's-all-about-symmetry-and-balance, answer

"OK well if it's important, it's not as important as legs and back, right?"

"Remember when you work chest, you're also incorporating other muscles that will show in competition, like shoulders and triceps"

  I always wanted to reason my way out of working chest but truth be told, I don't enjoy it because it's HARD and it's tough to see noticeable changes from it.  But then again, I didn't enjoy working legs for a long while, for the same reason and I am now a proud owner of rump, with some quads on the side!  :)

What am I saying?  Don't allow yourself to give up on something that's beneficial just because your feelings tell you that you're uncomfortable; or worse, because you don't SEE the results.  What's our motto?!  We walk by faith and not by sight.  Whip your body into shape...1 Corinthians 9:27 talks about disciplining your body and making it your slave.  If you can do that, day after day, workout after workout, you'll find yourself stronger and better.  You may notice changes in some places quicker than others but remember, who do you have to compare yourself to, but yourself?

Therefore, embrace the process and keep moving forward.  If we are doing what we know to do, walking in the light that we have; don't you think God is going to put some super on our natural?  Or in the very least, correct us in the areas that we need to adjust?  Of course He will!  But remember, gas never did any good in a parked car.

Selah

Remember, Lift On!
-HisMillenialHousewife

Philippians 3:12