Post-Turkey Perspective

Because we got home around 1 am last night (from my brother's house in NJ), having thoroughly stuffed ourselves on turkey, ham, sweet potatoes, bread stuffing, spinach dip, lobster dip, mashed potatoes, salad, baby carrots, blueberry pie, a raspberry sherbet & 7Up punch beverage, mushroom gravy, cranberry apple chutney, assorted sushi rolls, and chocolate mousse cake, it was unlikely that I'd make it to the gym this morning. However, there are some things so ingrained into our lives that habit would be an extreme understatement. So, I went to the gym. I was about 45 minutes later than usual, but still, I was there. As were others on a lovely, sunny Black Friday morning.

There were a few diehards on the treadmills but the ellipticals were all vacant so I got on my favorite Precor and did my 45 minutes. I'm happy with the 4.98 miles and try to keep reminding myself that today is Friday, Back and Biceps Day. The Cable stations are all full of overly beefy dudes I don't recognize so I do Cage Stretch & Kicks while I'm still warm and sweaty. I won't lie: I'm damn tired, not having gone to sleep until 2 am, but it's Friday. It's the last workout day this week. I'm good at justifying why I'm here.

At past Thanksgivings, my identical twin first cousins had been looking a bit chunky for a while but are now in competition for losing weight and getting fit. One showed us his iPhone app that detailed his 5 miles of running 3 times a week. It takes him about an hour, and he's cut out red meat. His brother maintains that he's lost weight just by not eating meat without exercising, and that of course, he's the better looking twin anyway. It was a great family reunion, and a chance for my son to reacquaint himself with 2nd cousins he barely ever sees. For him, it was like having instant siblings.

Today's Total Workout:
45 min cardio = 4.98 miles
Cage Stretch & Kicks
Seated Cable Rows: 12 @ 90 / 12 @ 105 / 3 x 8 @ 120 lbs
Lower Back Extensions: 2 x 25 @ 90 lbs
Lat Pull Downs: 12 @ 90 / 4 x 12 @ 105 lbs
Bent-Over Barbell Rows: 15 @ 65 lbs / 5 x 15 @ 70 lbs
   (this again, is a 60 lb bar with pairs of 2.5 lb magnetic discs stuck to each end)
Lower Back Extensions (again!): 2 x 25 @ 95 lbs
   (usually I use the 7.5 lb brick but I couldn't find it today)
Seated Alternating Hammer Curls: 3 x 12 @ 20 lbs
   (these seem easier now! damn, I'm gonna have to up the weight! )
Torso Twists: 2 x 25 @ 50 lbs
Reverse Grip Barbell Curls: 3 x 20 @ 40 lbs
   (the heavier weight seems to be improving my "golfer's elbow")
Mat Stretch (no Twisted Triangle pose today!) 

I don't see R or B today and M is just leaving as I arrived this morning. I glance up at the clock and realize that I really have to skidaddle as I have a turkey to put in the oven (the problem with eating out for a long weekend holiday is that there are no leftovers to make into meals) and my son has an orthodontist appointment to fix a broken wire on his braces. The scale reads 111.4 lbs and although it's a lot for a Friday, it's not a lot considering last night's complete pig out. It's really not that much when I go home and look up how much I weighed this time last year: 117 lbs. And last year, I actually didn't go to the gym that Thursday or Friday afterward.