Bridal Biceps

I love the names of exercise programs geared toward brides: Wedding workout, Buff Brides, The Healthy Bride's Bootcamp. I'm thinking of starting my own: Bridal Biceps.

While dress shopping, I tried on one backless, too-big dress that made my back look scrawny. Then, the following photo inspired me. I already work out some, but not on a regular basis. I was goofing around at the bridal salon and asked Tracy to take my picture while I flexed my muscles. She shot a detail of the dress, not my arms, but I did get a good look at what my back looks like while flexing. Holy cow, I like it!

(Well, actually the first thought I had was, man, that mole is big and promptly had my doctor remove it.)

Since Mr. Fried Rice is obsessive about his working out, I thought I'd join him. While he was lifting his more than 200 pounds of weights, I brought my little 7- and 10-pounders down to the garage to join him. Mr. Fried Rice never passes up an opportunity to play photographer, so here's some "before" pics taken in January, 2008. (I don't know why I'm working out in my engagement ring or the diamond necklace in these photos, that is not normal.)


Not a whole heck of a lot of muscle going on there. I had a vision of me standing there at the ceremony, all gussied up in my dress, holding Mr. Fried Rice's hands during the ceremony -- and my arms looking like a coupla puffy corn dogs and my back looking like a Pilsbury biscuit. I need some definition!

So we got another bar for me and started bench pressing with 40 pounds. Then 45 pounds, all the while doing my little 10-pound curls.

Fast forward eight months of two or three workouts a week and it was time for Mr. Fried Rice to play photographer again. I was surprised the camera doesn't capture the muscle I see in person, but I'm still pleased with the results:

(Why blogger insists I be upside down in this picture, I will never know)

The last one is my favorite. Look at those back muscles. Now of course, I'm not going to be carrying around 10-pound weights during the ceremony, so the results might be a bit subdued. I might have to have the photographer get a few shots of me showing off those arms.

Oh, and of course, Mr. Fried Rice went crazy with the camera. I had to post this last photo, probably the best stick-your-arm-out-with-the-camera-in-it-and-hope photo I've ever seen.