A couple months back, I had some health issues which kick-started a journey I didn’t expect to ever start. A journey I only mildly acknowledge I needed to take. A journey that is transforming my body, which is something I didn’t even anticipate at first! Silly me!

Note: all of the pictures here are from last weekend, not of my booty!

There is a sort of part 1 to this piece on my new body. A mix of explanations on what happened and what I started doing. I’m super serious there, when I say that I lost weight unintentionally!

So now, I thought it would be fun to share the other changes I didn’t anticipate. The additional things that surprised me, the things that I stupidly didn’t realize that would follow.

A work in progress!

Let’s just remember first that this is a process, a work in progress!

It seems I was really out of shape and didn’t realize it. To be honest, I probably knew it, but didn’t want to acknowledge it.

Now? I know the journey is just starting but there has been significant progress already.

Workout wise, There are some that killed me when I tried them and are now easy. I used to be dying after 15-20 minutes and now some days, I’m trying to find something to add to my workout after 45 minutes. However some other days, 30 minutes are more than enough!

Plus my new body is also a work in progress. The main thing here is that I don’t really yet see, the whole changes. My partner is amazed by the whole. Some of my girlfriends have been amazed too. Yet I don’t often see it. I can tell my clothes are too big, I can tell some are even ridiculously big. But when I look into the mirror, I don’t really see a huge difference. As you’ll maybe read below, I do see the local changes but in truth, not the big picture. Not yet at least.

So indeed, sometimes I feel like I’m in a movie and my brain has been transferred to a new body and I see it for the first time. It is a mesmerizing feeling. I look at my arms or my thighs, I twist or I bend and I see a muscle contracting that wasn’t there before. OK, it probably was there before! It just looked nothing like now.

When working out, I crunch and I feel the muscles that I’m crunching. I’m starting to know which ones are the most engaged. That amazes me! I now understand some of the exercises so much better and I also understand when I do them wrong.

When I bend, my movements have a wider range of motion. It’s not just that I’m getting (a little bit) more flexible, it is also because there are less cushions getting in the way, or at least the cushions are thiner.

Some daily lives actions have become easier too. Rushing up the stairs for example, or carrying my suitcase or grocery bags. These just feel lighter nowadays! Minty doesn’t feel any lighter yet, so indeed this is still a work in progress!

In just a couple months, there has been significant changes and progress and it is extremely satisfying. As mentioned at the beginning there has also been things I didn’t anticipate and things that I’m kind of amazed off.

Exercising was draining me, now it is energizing me

In the past, when I was working out, I was, simply put, exhausted afterward. Or at least, very tired. Exercising was something I was only doing when I had time to rest afterward.

Now? Exercising is energizing me. I still need to catch my breath after some HIIT training of course, but just for a short period. And then on with life!

It’s mind-blowing! Well, it is to me.

Rest day make the next workout so much better

When I go see my dad, I don’t get to work out. When I’m there, I ride my bike, I sand or do other work in the garage (which often feels like a good workout!)… I also walk a lot.

When I get back, my workouts are soooo good! It made me understand the benefit or a weekly rest day. A rest day doesn’t mean doing absolutely nothing, but it certainly means not pushing like the other days. I’m still in the process of finding what works best for me.

My skin is glowing but my boobs are sagging

Increased blood flow and intense sweeting sessions probably have to be thanked for my glowy skin! It isn’t just on my face either. I find my skin softer overall. Yes, I like it!!

I should however confirm that I have been taking care of myself and my skin a little better. So that must have helped too.

However, I should definitively confirm that the skin on my boobs hasn’t yet managed to keep up with the shrinking process! It isn’t a desperate situation yet. 😉

My bones are hurting sometimes

I used to have more booty and more cushiony areas to sit on, to lay on and rest, no matter what the surface was, no matter the position. Now, it feels like some of my bones are slightly more exposed and some positions are not as comfortable as they used to. For example, lying on the side, on the ground, make my hip complain. My knees do not like to cuddle with each others either! It’s weird!

Standing better

Slouching often feels uncomfortable nowadays. Not always yet, but I’ve started to stand better, taller, straighter. It used to require more effort and now it’s the other way around. Yes, standing straight is becomming more comfortable than slouching! Not always, but I suspect it will be in a not so distant future.

I have more energy but I’m also so much more tired

When I’m up, I’m super up! But when I’m down? I need to sleep right then! There is nothing else I can do.

It’s a pretty great feeling actually. I really do have much more energy during the day. Everybody seems to say something along these lines when they start working out. And I’m certainly having the same experience. I do have more clarity too, more focus. But that could be partly thanks to my vitamins.

When the evening comes? It’s a whole different story. I crash hard!

Not sure how this will evolve. We shall see.

I sleep so much better but not always

There are 2 different things at play here. Being much more tired, in a good way, i.e. not because of stress, makes me sleep so well.

However, as mentioned above, some positions are not as comfortable as they used and that includes in bed! Changing sleeping positions is super hard. If you are used to sleep on your side and have ever tried to become a back sleeper, you know!

I realized I’m going to have to buy a new mattress too. It was something we planned with the move anyhow, as our mattress is pretty old but this is becoming a requirement because of my body transformation too.

I have nothing left to wear!

I know, I know, all women say that, all the time! But hear me out! I had to sort off my trousers the other day and I am left with one pair of jeans which are slowly becoming too big too, one pair of hiking trousers, and my yoga / exercise pants because they have a tight at the waist. That is it. I’m in trouble!

For now I wear my jeans when I have to go to the office (which I don’t do too often!). It’s fine most of the time. I dressed them up the other day for a special meeting. But it’s going to be a problem when IRL meetings become a thing again.

I sorted out skirts as well and I have one left that doesn’t fall down to my knees on its own.

The clothes I have painfully sewed are too big too and that’s a bummer!

It’s far from over

The process is far from over but I’m super pleased with the progress.

I can tell I’m already stronger… but clearly not strong enough yet! I tried lifting Minty the other day, to put it on its rear stand, the same way my brother did and… I couldn’t. Minty stayed glued to the floor!

Now, just to circle back to my first piece on this process, I should mention that here I focused on the changes that can be directly attributed to my new workout routine. But I also changed a lot of things diet wise and have mostly sticked to such changes. Because this process isn’t just about being stronger, it is also about being healthier. This part of the work is also in progress, and is full of trials and errors. I must admit I haven’t found the right balance yet.

Overall, this year continues to be transformative and I’m grateful for such changes and welcome them with strong opened arms!

I’ve mentioned this before but I should mention it again… Thanks Pamela! It is almost all thanks to you!