Exercise to Cure What Ails You

Mondays are always hard, especially if you've adopted the "slug lifestyle" during the weekend. No exercise; too much salty, fatty food; too much wine and/or beer; not enough sleep. It's not like we're in our twenties anymore and can get away with those sort of indulgences without paying the price. But the great thing about routines is that it becomes habit. So my gym gear is packed and my clothes all laid out Sunday night, just as I set up my son's lunch and snacks, and lay out his clothes. He gets on the school bus, and I go to the gym. Very simple. Simple is good.

I do my 45 min and get a respectable 5.10 miles. I'm always worse at the beginning of the week cardio-wise. This persistent, deep, wet cough isn't reassuring me either. I have an annual exam scheduled in a few weeks and I'm definitely mentioning it to my doc if I still have it. The Smith is busy so I do my Cage stretches and kicks first. I feel pretty good in spite of my cough and benching heavy is on the agenda today. If I can get B to spot me. If she ever stops chatting. (sigh)

Today's Total Workout:
45 min cardio = 5.10 miles
Cage stretch & kicks
Smith Bench Press: 12 @ bar / 12 @ 95 / 3 x 8 @ 145 / 15 @ 105 / 30 @ 95 lbs
Front & Lateral Dumbbell Raise Supersets: 12 @ 15 lbs / 3 x 12 @ 20 lbs
Lateral Dumbbell Raises: 3 x 12 @ 20 lbs
Tricep Dumbbell Extension: 3 x 12 @ 20 lbs
Flat Bench Twisting Sit Ups: about 150 (as many as I can do while the Train song Drive By plays)
Lower Ab Kick Outs: about 125
Tricep Press Downs: 12 @ 30 / 3 x 12 @ 40 lbs
Mat stretch

145 lbs doesn't feel that heavy. Elbows are what bother me when I press. Of course. Joints are my weakest link. But triceps and pecs don't feel worked enough, hence the ridiculous amount of reps I"ll do at the end. The last time I remember my pecs being sore was after I'd done 51 push ups and that was months ago. Probably means I should go back to do doing pushups again after my mat stretch. Maybe Thursday.

I add a small ab exercise to the end of my mat stretch where I lay on the mat with my head and shoulders curled forward while I press one bent knee to my chest, alternating each leg about 10 times. I've triple-folded my towel for my tailbone when I do situps now, but the lacy edge of my cotton panties is chafing my skin when I do the kick outs. That'll teach me to wear vaguely fancy underwear.

The scale reads a blistering 109.4 lbs, but I'm always heavier on Mondays than Fridays. Most of it is water weight from eating things like meatball and garlic pizza, and pastrami reuben sandwiches. Well, I'm not competing, as much as I want to look like it. But I still turn a lot of heads at the gym, the supermarket, and even the Grange Fair this weekend. B is envious that I can lift so much, so she worked in with me when I benched. She tells me she needs someone to push her. I kick my own butt (in my head) but she needs external incentives. That's okay. I'm trying harder to be a nice person. Really.