Zhin Nian Kwai Luh (Happy New Year)

Today is the first day of the 15-day Lunar Spring festival, otherwise known as Chinese New Year. In Mandarin, this can be expressed verbally as "Zhin Nian Kwai Luh" (literally translated as new year happy). There are other expressions but this is the easiest to remember and pronounce. It is also the Year of the Horse which promises to be a very excitin, but not necessarily in a good way. More of a runaway gallop. Reminds me of that old curse, "May you live in interesting times."

I'm glad today is Friday and the last day this week for the Shred Program 'cuz dang, I'm tired. So tired that I really didn't want to do the 20 minutes of HIIT, but I did it. Normally cardio gets easier as the week ends, but not with this program. I struggle to keep my pace up during the runs. The rest periods seem too short for me to adequately catch my breath. But I finish and the mileage is the same as the last time I did this. It only feels like I'm struggling.

For the first two circuit rounds I can use the Smith machine for squats. I don't up my weights for anything, using only the 25 lb DBs for lunges and calf raises because my hands are tiring of holding the DBs by the 15th rep. At least lunges don't make my glutes sore anymore. The only increase I make is upping the reps for calf raises, and crunches. And knee to elbow crunches. Bleah. I get back on the elliptical for 5 slow minutes and then a 5 minute "run". I watch as my pace starts to drop by minute 3, and I kick myself into gear again to bring my pace back up for the last minute. I hate finishing a loser. I use my cell to snap a quick photo of all my elliptical mileage but I'm not quick enough for this one and all I get is the screen saying "Pedal Faster". But I've managed to scribble the mileage down on my workout sheet so all is not lost.

The Smith is in use and I don't have time to wrestle with the Squat rack on the other side of the room, so I just do Body Weight Squats for the next two circuits, dropping butt to heels and swinging my arms up over my head in a silent clap. Sweat is dripping off my nose and blurring the ink as I jot down my reps. It's just easier to log this particular workout this way instead of using the Jefit phone app. I'm not sure why I upped my crunches to 40 reps except that I don't like the way my abs look. When I'm done with the entire program, I decide to do another 20 minutes of LISS on the elliptical just for fun while I read email. Then a quick stretch at the Cage. Finally, because I know I can, I hoist myself up inside the Cage and do a dozen neutral grip pull ups, my chin just kissing the edge of the top of the Cage rack. Now I'm done. Whew!

I take a few selfies to compare with previous selfies. The only difference is that I'm wearing shorts today, but those big thighs make me look totally different. I've done a side by side comparison to show how just a pair of black yoga pants makes everything look so different. The gym scale reads 112.4 lbs. I'm getting used to the heavier reading. My home scale tells me 109.8 lbs and still 20.6% BF. Although I'd like it to be lower, I'm happy it's not higher!

Because my son misbehaved at school, we took away his electronic privileges for 3 days. No iPad, no computer games, no TV unless it's something an adult is watching. So we've played Monopoly Empire for the past few nights. He got the game for his birthday from the only girl invited to his swim party. (She had a good time anyway.) We've never had a board game night before but it's been so much fun we just might keep it as a tradition even when my son gets his privileges back.

Happy New Year of the Horse. There's a video below that roughly explains the holiday. Yes, it's a spoof.

Week Two Day Four (B) Lower 
20 min cardio 1 min walk / 1 min run = 1.65 miles
This circuit done twice without rest:
20 reps Squats @ 60 lbs
15 reps (each leg) DB Lunges holding pair of 25 lb DBs
40 reps Calf Raises holding pair of 25 lb DBs
40 Crunches
40 Crunches Knees to Elbows
10 min cardio 5 min walk / 5 min run = 0.80 miles
This circuit done twice without rest:
20 reps Body Weight Squats
15 reps (each leg) DB Lunges holding pair of 25 lb DBs
40 reps Calf Raises holding pair of 25 lb DBs
40 Crunches
40 Crunches Knees to Elbows
20 min cardio LISS= 1.20 miles
Cage Stretch
12 neutral grip Pull Ups (chin & chest to ceiling of Cage)

Week Two Day Four Active Rest Hah!

My husband bought a whole box of hand-warmer packets some months ago. I've been cracking a packet open each morning to keep in my gloves while I walk the dog, and they're still hot enough to use while I stand at the bus stop waiting for my son to come home 8 hrs later. If I'm lucky, they'll continue to generate enough heat for the dog's evening walk as well. Today's an "active rest" day according to the Shred Program. Ha!

Distance / Calories / Time Elapsed

I got to the gym and hopped on the elliptical for 20 minutes, pedaling at a leisurely 180 Strides Per Minute. The mileage is nearly identical to 20 minutes of HIIT where I'm running like heck for a minute and then walking to catch my breath. Because these new ellipticals have more resistance on their glide motion, there's no way I'll be able to match the mileage I used to get, but at least they don't give me blisters. After a quick Cage Stretch, I wrap my hands and put all my gear under the Nexersys. I'm a creature of habit so I punch in 9 rounds of Beginner Follow Me. My accuracy is probably the best it's ever been so it's a good thing that I've started doing a few rounds on the Intermediate level which continues to flummox me. Eventually I'll get the hang of it. When I finally remember all the combinations and what I can use to substitute for them!

My accuracy and strikes are lower than last week which is a bummer, but the program isn't predictable. I missed a few punches and kicks for the first two rounds because the program is much quicker in calling the combinations. I'm also leery of doing the Upper Cut punch because there's a danger of crunching your wrist. Elbow jabs are safely replaced with lead and power hooks. When I'm done I notice an odd screw among my things. It seems to have fallen out of the machine. Uh oh. Punching and kicking too hard? I hand it off to a gal at the front desk before I drop onto the Mat for a quick stretch. Then I clamber back onto the elliptical for a slow 15 minutes of LISS.

The gym scale reads 112.4 lbs. I've been trying to watch my salt intake. Today my home scale reads 110.2 lbs and a Body Fat of 20.6%. Yesterday it was 21.1% and I'm going to attribute it to water weight which can really mess with muscle and fat readings. What I can't deny is that I'm still softer than I was last spring and summer when it averaged 19%. I can see it in the mirror, in photos and my BF was lower according to my home scale. I'm not sure if I'm ever going to reach my goal of 16% BF and if I ever get there, how long will I be able to sustain it? I know I'm not a naturally lean person. But it'll be interesting to try.

Active Rest Day

20 min moderate cardio = 1.69 miles
Cage Stretch
Nexersys: 9 rounds Follow Me Beginner
  Accuracy 95% / Strikes 105% / Average Power 131% 
Nexersys: 3 rounds Follow Me Intermediate
  Accuracy 48% / Strikes 86% / Average Power 91% 

15 min LISS cardio = 0.91 miles

photos posted for actual stats:

Follow Me Beginner Female

Follow Me Intermediate Female

Week Two Day Three Hump

Distance / Calories / Time Elapsed

I know my eating habits are counter-productive to my goals so today I'm going to take my diet much more seriously. Never mind that Chinese New Year starts this Friday, because no one up here celebrates, not even the local Asian restaurants. It'll be the Year of the Horse. I weighed myself this morning because the unexpected 2-hour school delay gave me enough time. 111.6 lbs and my BF creeping back up to 21.1%. Not good at all.

I get to the gym at 11 am instead of 9 because of the school delay. There's barely a 1/4 inch of fine slippery powder on the ground so I'm not quite sure what weather the school district was expecting. I feel tired even though I slept in so I'm really dreading the 20 minutes of HIIT. But I still do it as best as I can, logging a bit over a mile and a half. Today I remember to search for the yoga blocks before starting my routine and that eats into my time. I have to ask the front desk to find them for me as they are hidden away inside a closet inside the fully-attended yoga class.

I feel a little awkward using the yoga blocks because they're not very wide but at least I can keep my feet flat. 95 lbs isn't enough weight for me to bridge my back so this'll do. 95 lbs also feels a bit heavier than I remember but I can get 20 reps, so not a big deal. I keep my One-Arm DB Rows at 35 lbs because I have to slow down after rep 15. Today I stick to the 15 lb DBs for the Military Press because they are so much harder than the solid 30 lb BB I used on Monday. Then I run over to the rack and grab the 40 lb BB for curls. DB Kickbacks are last and I debate whether using a 20 is going to ruin my ability to knock out 20 reps on the Bench. Oh, WTH...

After two rounds I run back to the cardio area and get on an elliptical for 5 minutes of LISS and then 5 minutes of all-out exertion. I grab the two yoga blocks I've stashed and head to a free bench, plop on a pair of 25s and get my 20 reps. By the last go-round, I'm having trouble with the last rep and have to rack my bar, take three breaths and then, because I'm annoyed with myself, knock out three more reps instead of one. When I'm done, I grab my hoodie and trudge back to the elliptical for another 10 minutes of LISS. The last thing I do is a partial Mat Stretch.

It's late enough that the locker room is mostly empty and I'm glad. The gym scale reads 113.4 lbs and since I've finished 3/4 of my water, I'm not surprised. My face is puffy and sweaty but I take a few selfies anyway. I don't like how full and bloated my belly feels, reminiscent of PMS. Heck, it just might be the "menopause version" of PMS.

Week Two Day Three Hump Day (A) Upper

20 min cardio 1 min Walk / 1 min Run = 1.66 miles
This circuit done twice with no rest between sets
20 reps @ 95 lbs Bench Press
20 reps @ 35 lbs One-Arm DB Rows
20 reps @ 15 lbs (each) DB Military Press
20 reps @ 40 lbs BB Curl
20 reps @ 20 lbs DB Tricep Kickbacks

10 min cardio 5 min Walk / 5 min Run = 0.78 miles
This circuit done twice with no rest between sets
20 reps @ 95 lbs Bench Press (last set only got to 19, took 3 breaths then pressed 3 more reps)
20 reps @ 35 lbs One-Arm DB Rows
20 reps @ 15 lbs (each) DB Military Press
20 reps @ 40 lbs BB Curl
20 reps @ 20 lbs DB Tricep Kickbacks

10 min cardio LISS = 0.61 miles
Mat Stretch with 2 x 12 Dive Bomber Push Ups

Week Two Day Two (B) Lower

I was dismayed this morning to see that it was 4°F outside when I took the dog out, already missing the balmy mid-30s of yesterday. Today, we'll be lucky if it climbs past 20. I like getting to the gym early but this new short workout has me colliding with the various classes. It's a tiny locker room and a dozen women chatting and blow-drying their hair makes for an unnerving cacophony. Everyday I'm thankful for my iPod and headphones.

Distance / Calories / Time Elapsed

The 20 minutes of HIIT doesn't feel any easier and this is the 2nd day of the 2nd week. I'm still glad when it's done and I can run over to the Smith machine for some light squats. It dawns on me this morning that I can bench more than I can squat for reps. LOL! Never saw that coming. As if this program wasn't hard enough, I still decide to up my DB weight from last week, making the DB Lunges even harder today. Well, at least I don't think they'll make me sore this week. But it's hard to hang on to the 25 lb DBs. My small hands are tiring even as I cup them to my hips. The Calf Raises aren't much of an issue and I change my foot position every ten reps just for variety. Crunches are easy, and the Elbow to Knee Crunches are still hard and make my neck ache. I knock out the two sets of this circuit without any problems and then jog back to do another 10 minutes of cardio. Again this is really hard, but it's me pushing myself to pedal as fast as I can so that I'm gasping for breath when I'm done.

When I return to the free weight area I see that the Smith is occupied. I toy briefly with the idea of holding DBs while doing body weight squats but I can't really hang on to them. Instead, I just do 20 body weight squats as fast as I can, swinging my hands up in front of me as I rise and dropping down, butt to heels. Then I grab the 25 lb DBs for lunges and calf raises. There's no resting between sets but I do manage to swig water and jot my weights down via pen and paper. If I don't remember to drink then I find myself getting a bit lightheaded and that's so not cool. By the 4th total set I've decided to go for broke with the crunches and do 40 reps. I'm done in 55 minutes! But, maybe a bit more cardio. As I head up to the cardio platform, I see R stretching his shoulders on the railing.

Last time I spoke to him I forgot to ask him what his new son's name was. Caleb Quinn he tells me. I tease him about the song Mighty Quinn. He doesn't know it but shows me a photo on his cell of a sleeping newborn with a full head of jet black hair. He's still in awe. "I love my wife but it's just unbelievable how much more I love my son," he gushes. I tease him about taking enough photos, and especially video because they change so fast, change so much. He jokes back that as the middle child, he always felt neglected. I don't tell him that my son, an only child, still wishes he had siblings. 

I've decided to do another 10 minutes of cardio, but I don't think I can stand to do LISS, especially not with the new songs I've added to my cardio mix: Counting Stars (OneRepublic), Demons (Imagine Dragons) [see below] and Love Me Again (John Newman). Afterwards, I stretch out at the Cage and then head to the locker room. It's crowded and loud. Ugh. The gym scale barely reads any difference from yesterday at 114.6 lbs and I chalk it up to the salty garlic-stuffed olives, and the parmesan-laced meatballs and sauce I made for dinner last night. What I mean is Water Weight. Of course, some of that is undoubtedly Fat.

When I get home, I take some unpleasant measurements as well. Yep, I'm bigger. Hips, waist, chest/back. I suspect that without adhering strictly to the Shred Diet, this program isn't going to do much for me. I'm doing less abs and less back than I normally would. My body appears to be highly adaptive, which is great. But a bit frustrating.

Week Two Day Two (B) Lower

20 min elliptical 1 min Walk / 1 min Run = 1.65 miles 
The following done twice as a circuit without rest
20 Smith Squats @ 60 lbs
15 DB Lunges (each leg) @ 25 lb DB (+5)
30 Calf Raises holding pair of 25 lb DBs (+5)
30 Crunches
30 Crunches Knee to Elbows

10 min elliptical 5 min Walk / 5 min Run = 0.82 miles 
The following done twice as a circuit without rest
20 Body Weight Squats Heels to Butt
15 DB Lunges (each leg) @ 25 lb DB
30 Calf Raises holding pair of 25 lb DBs
30 Crunches / 2nd set 40 Crunches (+10 reps)
30 Crunches Knee to Elbows / 2nd set 40 Crunches Knee to Elbows (+10 reps)

10 min elliptical Moderate Pace = 0.84 miles
Cage Stretch 

Week Two Day One

We had a great weekend once we got past the final exam my son had to take for his Chinese language class. Now there's three weeks of recess before the Spring term starts in late February so we're all quite excited about being able to sleep in on weekends. My son's birthday party at his swim school was greatly enjoyed by all participants. I was the only one freaking out because the school never called to confirm our setup, their coffee maker failed (again! this happened at another birthday party we attended here) so one of our guests graciously ran out to buy a "box of joe" from Dunkin' Donuts, and two guests who RSVPed that they were coming never showed up. Nor did they send any word that they were cancelling. One parent never RSVPed at all after two emails and a mailed invitation. Yep, strike them all off next year's guest list. I don't care if you can't make it, just let me know so that my son isn't left to wonder why his friends aren't here.

The pizza was excellent, the mint chocolate chip ice cream cake delicious, with just a bit leftover to bring home. Consumed as dinner. Today I'm making my son's favorite eat-out meal for his post birthday dinner: spaghetti and meatballs. Real meatballs, not the turkey meatballs I normally make. Restaurants seem to serve only one large meatball in a kid's meal. I asked my son how many meatballs he wanted, and his eyes grew big. "You mean I can have more than one?" This is very exciting news.

The morning air was wet in a weird wintry mix kind of way. At 27°F the precipitation should either have been sleet or snow. Instead it was a fine mist of rain. Luckily there's enough residual salt on the roads that they're powdery white, and so no icy roads. By the time I got home from the gym it was 36°F and warm enough for me to drive with my window half open and the heat turned off. Crowds ebb and flowed through the gym. I got on an elliptical for the first 20 minute session. It was hard to start so my first minute was Walking, followed by trying to get my pace up over 220 SPM. I wasn't sore over the weekend so upping my weights was the right thing to do for Friday's B program. I decide that I ought to up my weights on the A program as well.

I put a pair of 25s on the bar and knock out 20 reps with my knees up and my feet on the bench. I hate being unstable but I can only find one yoga block and I need two in order to have my feet "flat on the ground". There's a class in session so I don't want to look for yoga blocks in there either. I strip the bar and run over to the DB area to do One Arm Rows. Last week I used a 30 lb DB. Today I grab the 35. I can get 20 reps, but it's a lot more work. Today I'm lucky in that no one seems to be using the solid BBs so I grab the 30 lb one and do 20 Military Presses. I don't know why, but pressing the BB overhead is easier than doing this movement with DBs. Then I swap the 30 for a 40 in order to do curls. Those go well and I'm running back to the DB area to do Tricep Kickbacks. Last week I used the 15 lb DB so I start with that weight again. I'm a bit worried that I won't be able to knock out my bench press which comes immediately afterwards.

10 minutes LISS recumbent bike

I shouldn't've worried. 95 lbs isn't all that heavy although I find it really annoying that my knees start to shake during the last few reps. I wonder if everyone else can see how much my legs are trembling. DB Rows, Military Press, BB Curls, DB Kickbacks but this time I use the 20 lb DB. Then I run back to the cardio area and hop on an elliptical for 10 minutes. I suck down as much water as I can before the next 5 minutes where I'm pedaling hard and trying to inhale as deeply as possible. I know my mileage isn't as good as last Fridays even though I'm no longer sore. Bench press is next but suddenly the free weight area is full of bodies. I can't really wait around for a free bench so I drop onto the nearby Mats and do 20 push ups before jogging across the gym to the DB area. I can access all the other equipment just fine, but again when I need to bench for the 4th time, there are no free benches. Another set of push ups. I don't know if it's equivalent to benching 95 lbs. I suspect it's not.

Afterwards I do a quick Cage Stretch and then decide to do 10 minutes of LISS. Now all the ellipticals are occupied so I plant my butt on one of the recumbent LifeFitness bikes and pedal lazily while checking email. I know the scale won't be my friend today after this weekend of salty, fatty foods, but I convince myself that it's mostly water weight when the scale reads 114.8 lbs. Wow, that's big. I don't even think I actually look that big. I'll just keep an eye on it during the week because I always eat better on the days I work out.

Week Two Day One (A) Program
20 min Precor elliptical 1 min Walk / 1 min Run = 1.67 miles
Each circuit done twice without rest
Bench: 20 reps @ 95 lbs (+10 lbs)
One-Arm DB Row: 20 reps (each arm) @ 35 lbs (+5)
BB Military Press: 20 reps @ 30 lbs
BB Curl: 20 reps @ 40 lbs
DB Tricep Kickback: 20 reps (each arm) @ 15 lbs / 2nd round @ 20 lbs (+5)

10 min Precor elliptical 5 min Walk / 5 min Run = 0.78 miles
Each circuit done twice without rest 
20 Push Ups
One-Arm DB Row: 20 reps (each arm) @ 35 lbs
BB Military Press: 20 reps @ 30 lbs
BB Curl: 20 reps @ 40 lbs
DB Tricep Kickback: 20 reps (each arm) @ 20 lbs

Cage Stretch
10 min LifeFitness recumbent bike = 0.88 miles

Surviving Day Five

I am totally guilty of dreading Day Five because it's program B which means Lower Body, and I'm still sore from Tuesday. It's been been three days although I did start getting sore right after the workout, which is kind of odd. Not that I ever let DOMS get in the way of anything! Since I've been driving my son to the bus stop in the mornings (because 7°F is still too cold to stand around), I've been getting to the gym early enough to claim one of the four new Precors. They're slightly harder to use as there is more resistance to the lowest setting than on the old models so I have to adjust my expectations. With the Shred Program, I'm just happy to actually finish.

I really hate it when people leave their old tissues or paper towels on the machines. I find a crumpled wad in the cell phone holder and fish it out with a pristine napkin between my fingers. People are so gross. Then I wrap the bottom of my phone in a napkin and plop it into the holder. 20 minutes of alternately running and walking is really hard. Today I feel even more inefficient in my pacing style than I have all week, and wonder if I'm just paying the price for having fun whacking the Nexersys. I log 1.89 miles. (It's not until I can compare my notes with the rest of the week that I realize I'm actually improving. Sure as hell doesn't feel like it.)

Again, the hardest thing about this program is being able to run from station to station without anyone getting in your way. The first two rounds of the circuit (Squats, DB Lunges, Standing DB Calf Raises, Crunches, Crunches Elbows to Knees) goes fairly smoothly. I up my weights on the Squat and the DB movements even though I'm sore because I don't have a good reason not to. Maybe I won't be as sore. Or maybe I'm just a glutton for punishment. Then I race back to the ellipticals for 5 boring minutes where I'm trying hard to slow my pace (95 SPM), and then a frantic 5 additional minutes where I'm having a really hard time keeping my pace above 200.

When I get to the Squat rack, there's a 25 lb plate on each side of the bar. I ask outloud if anyone's using this. All I see is a skinny middle-age guy with his back to me stretching. So I strip the bar, toss my plates on and start to position myself. Then the guy comes over all crabby about how he was using the bar. I tell him I asked out loud. He says he was standing right there. I look at him, don't say what I'm thinking which is Well, then you ought to be facing your station or keeping an eye on it. Instead, I tell him I just got this one set and I'll be done. It doesn't take me long to do 20 reps. Luckily, by the time I come back for the final round, he's somewhere else, making a mess. And I say this because he's racked his weights haphazardly, like someone who doesn't understand big weights on the bottom, little weights on top. Jeeze!

When I'm finally done with the last set of elbow to knee crunches, I lay on the mat with my hands on my face panting. After a minute I'm good and decide to do a brief Cage Stretch. While I'm there, I start to feel recovered so I clamber up inside the Cage to do Neutral Grip Pull Ups. Because I'm set a bit inside the Cage, my face won't really clear the top so I pull myself up arcing my back so that my chest touches the bars where my hands are and my legs are just dangling straight down. It feels kind of cool and badass so I'm happy. Then I wander back to the Mat to stretch out a bit more. I'm surprised to see B there. She tells me she's spent so much time talking that she doesn't know whether she's coming or going. Okaaaay.

The locker room is so crowded when I walk in, I almost turn around and walk out. Eventually the women stop gabbing, zip up their coats and gab outside. The gym scale reads 112.8 lbs. Not good but not bad. I've been making a point of drinking my water during my workouts, like between sets or during the Walk phases of the HIIT cardio. I'm planning on being a total slug this weekend. Except for my son's birthday party on Sunday. I still need to confirm with his swim school (swim party), compose the Goody Bags, and design and make Thank You cards to go inside.

Week One Day Five Program B (Lower)
20 min elliptical 1 min Run / 1 min Walk = 1.89 miles
The following circuit done twice without rest:
Smith Machine Squats: 20 reps @ 60 lbs (+10)
DB Lunges 15 reps (each leg) @ 20 lb DBs (+5)
DB Standing Calf Raises 30 reps @ 20 lb DBs (+5)
Crunches: 30
Crunches Elbows to Knees: 30
10 min elliptical 5 min LISS / 5 min Run = 0.81 miles
The following circuit done twice without rest:
Smith Machine Squats: 20 reps @ 60 lbs (+10)
DB Lunges 15 reps (each leg) @ 20 lb DBs (+5)
DB Standing Calf Raises 30 reps @ 20 lb DBs (+5)
Crunches: 30
Crunches Elbows to Knees: 30

Cage Stretch (partial) with 12 Neutral Close Grip Pull Ups (chest to bar)
Mat Stretch (partial) with 2 x 12 DBPUs, splits, upper & lower back stretches

Day Four Active Rest

Not really sure what an active rest is suppose to be, but it's not suppose to be sitting on your butt. I went to the gym, got on the Precor elliptical and pedaled for 20 minutes. My glutes and hamstrings are still sore from Tuesday so I was feeling a bit slow out of the gate. After 20 minutes of ever increasing my pace (starting at 160 SPMs and peaking at 240), I'm feeling a bit warmer but somewhat unfocused. Usually my head is clearer. I only log in 2 miles so I know I'm in a fog of sorts.

A quick Cage stretch and then I wrap my hands so I can punch the Nexersys. As I did last week, I plan to do 9 rounds Beginner and then 3 rounds Intermediate. I don't want to forget everything I figured out so I have to keep practicing! I'm not sure if it's the Shred Program and my uncharacteristic soreness that makes me less focused than usual but I'm punching and kicking too hard which results in a lower accuracy rating. Several of my blows don't register at all. I need to slow down and draw out my punches so that they're more of a hard push than an actual jab-cross. The Beginner Follow Me summary shows me greater power and lower accuracy. It's frustrating.

I'm a bit nervous with the Intermediate Follow Me program and miss several combinations in Round One, but eventually I regain my focus, pulling my punches and concentrating on accuracy. By Round Three I feel like I've finally figured it out. Next week I'll add a few more rounds to the Intermediate level. I'm really not looking forward to tomorrow's Shred Day Five program but maybe I'll be able to work through all this soreness. I've almost emptied my water bottle so I'm not surprised that the gym scale reads 113.0 lbs. I'm having lunch with friends from a recently-dissolved photography club at the local seafood joint. Well, my diet won't be completely blown, but it'll sure taste good.

Day Four: Active Rest
20 min elliptical = 2.02 miles
Cage Stretch
Nexersys:
9 rounds Beginner Follow Me Female
  Accuracy 83% / Strikes 105% / Average Power 131%
3 rounds Intermediate Follow Me Female
  Accuracy 57% / Strikes 95% / Average Power 89%

photos posted with actual stats:

Shred Program Day Three

I knew it was cold outside. I just wasn't expecting it to be -7°F. I also expected the 2 hour school delay because that always happens after a snowfall. At least that gives me time to clean my car off and shovel what my husband didn't get to before he left for work. I let my car run for a good hour before shifting it into gear. It's an old car. Last time it got this cold the door locks wouldn't work so I'm surprised they work today. Must be the extreme dryness in the air.

I get to the gym after 11 am and it's not very crowded. Good! Today I get to repeat Program A (Upper Body) but at least I know what I'm doing this time. Because my glutes and hams are uncharacteristically sore from yesterday's Lower Body (B) program, doing HIIT is much more daunting. I think it was all the lunges even though I didn't use much weight. Still, I'm surprised when I actually log slightly more mileage.

Readings are blurry because if you stop
moving to take the photo, the screen goes
blank and tells you to peddle faster.

The only part of this program I really really like is benching. Today I up my weight to 85 lbs. I don't have time to find blocks to put under my feet so lately, I just put my feet up on the bench with my knees bent. Since it's not nearly the max weight I can press, I figure I'm stable enough. It's only when I get to my last set that I feel my legs trembling a little. Still, I know I can do more than the 20 reps even at set 4 so I'm thinking of upping this weight yet again next week. Maybe to 90 lbs because I'm not sure if I can get 4 sets of 20 at 95 and I hate having to drop back. If I can get 4 sets at 90 next Monday, then Wednesday I'll definitely move the weight up again. It's a plan at least.

One-Arm DB rows seem a tad easy at 30 lbs so the 2nd go-round I up the weight to 35 lbs. It's not hard until I get to rep 18. Someone is using the 30 lb BB so I opt to use a pair of 15 lb DBs for the Military Press. The first set is okay, but the 2nd set requires a pause at rep 15. This happens after the 10 minute cardio interval as well: 3rd round good, 4th round not so good. This must be the weight I need to be at. At least I like how my shoulders look when I'm doing the movement.

Because there is only one 30 lb BB, I grab the 40 lb BB to do Curls. I can do 20 reps, but the very last set of program is a bit daunting. Still, I finish. The 15 lb DB seems light for Tricep Kickbacks but I'm not sure I can get 20 reps with 20 lbs. Next time I should grab 2.5 lbs in magnets for this movement. I take a brief break to say Hi to R and ask about his new baby. He seems a little spacey so I'm guessing he's not getting much sleep. The baby was a sunny-side up breech delivered C-section over a week ago but happy and healthy. I tell R I'm extremely happy for him and then I'm back to my break-neck routine. The second round of cardio, although only 10 minutes, is much much harder than it's been. The first 5 minutes of LISS are boring, but I have trouble keeping my pace anywhere near 200 Strides Per Minuate with the next 5 continuous minutes of High Intensity. Mostly I'm panting furiously at 185 SPM.

Afterwards I drop onto the Mat and do most of my Mat stretch routine. Dive Bomber Push Ups seem easy. The plank is hard. I see D in the locker room and we compare notes about the Intermediate Level Avatar on the Nexersys. She's also found and downloaded the manual for guidance, and tells me that I should adjust the pads so that they're lower for elbow strikes. I demur, telling her that then the pads would be too low for everyone else cause I probably wouldn't adjust them back. The gym scale reads 112.6 lbs but I've managed to drink most of my water bottles. This morning, because I had time, I managed to weigh myself at home. An even 110 lbs. The BF reading is still 20.8% but at least it's not crept back to 21.5%.

Day Three (A) Upper

20 min Precor elliptical: 1 min walk / 1 min run  = 1.84 miles
This circuit down twice without rest:
Bench Press: 20 reps @ 85 lbs +10 lbs
One-Arm DB Rows: 20 reps each arm @ 30 lbs (2nd round 20 @ 35 lbs) +5 lbs
DB Overhead Press: 20 @ 15 lbs (each arm)
BB Curl: 20 @ 40 lbs +10 lbs
DB Tricep Kickback: 20 reps (each arm) @ 15 lbs

10 min Precor elliptical: 5 min walk / 5 min run  = 0.84 miles
This circuit down twice without rest:
Bench Press: 20 reps @ 85 lbs
One-Arm DB Rows: 20 reps each arm @ 35 lbs
DB Overhead Press: 20 @ 15 lbs (each arm)
BB Curl: 20 @ 40 lbs
DB Tricep Kickback: 20 reps (each arm) @ 15 lbs

Mat Stretch with 2 x 12 DBPUs, 60-second plank, splits, upper and lower back stretches

Shred Program Day Two

It's easier to put pen to paper
than to enter it in my cell.

I knew the school district would mandate an early dismissal today due to impending weather. We're suppose to get 4-8 inches with lots of wind and poor visibility. It was also 13°F outside, so I tossed my gym gear into the car and drove my son to the school bus stop. Too cold to stand at an unprotected road with the wind whipping off the lake. Today I actually timed my workout and mostly knew what I was suppose to be doing (unlike yesterday). Today half the Precors were free. Yay! I punch in 20 minutes so I can use the cool down period to switch from Strides Per Minute to Distance on the display screen. One minute run, one minute walk for 20 minutes. I'm okay with it, and notice that only during the last 4 minutes am I able to ramp my pacing beyond 220 SPM. I'm just slow to warm up, and I know it.

Then I jump off the machine (there's no time to wipe down the machine, but I'm wearing lifting gloves and my hoodie fully zipped up so I don't think I've left anything gross on the elliptical) and run over to the Smith machine, toss a pair of 10s on the bar and do 20 squats. I decide on a pair of 10s because I know I can get 25 with just the bar, but knees won't allow me to go Butt to Heels with more weight. I definitely feel the squats in my quads. I need to strip the weights and move over to the DBs in order to perform DB Lunges. My knees hate lunges so I only grab a pair of 15s. I'm careful not to drop too low because that would cause my leading knee to overhang my foot, which is bad. I'm still breathing hard when I hold the DBs to my hips and knock out a set of Calf Raises. These feel kind of silly, but it's in the program so WTH.

I put the DBs back in the rack and race over to the Mats. It's full of chatty people but I find a small section by the stairs to do crunches. These are easy but since I have to do 4 sets in total, I only do 30 because I don't know how I'll feel later on. The last exercise, crunches elbows to knees, is much harder. Still, I can manage 30, but my neck isn't really happy about it. This is a circuit, so I race back to the Smith and start again with 20 reps of Squats, then DB Lunges, DB Calf Raises and back again to the Mat to do crunches. Then back to the Cardio platform where I hop onto a different Precor elliptical to do 10 minutes: 5 minutes LISS, followed by 5 minutes of High Intensity. Now back to two rounds of the circuit again. In total, it's 4 sets of 20-30 reps per exercise.

The Squats are harder now and I have to pause for breath at the 15th rep of the last set. I'm starting to feel the Lunges too. My left knee's not happy but really, it's my butt that's starting to get sore. I'm thinking I need to stand on a platform to get a nice stretch while doing the Calf Raises. At least with just 30 lbs (total) I don't think my calves will get any bigger. Whew. After crunches, I stand up and touch my elbows to the ground between my feet just to stretch. I see B on the Mat and I'm surprised because I never see her on the Mats. She's got a 10 lb plate that she's using for weighted crunches. I tell her I'm done (because I am and my workout's only taken 60 minutes) and ask her how she is. She starts to complain about the snow and how she doesn't know if she'll be here tomorrow unless her husband shovels her out. I can't even imagine not shoveling myself out of my driveway because I've done it for 20 years, years before I met my husband.

The gym scale reads 112.6 lbs. The one thing I don't like about this program is that I barely get a chance to drink any water because I'm running from exercise to exercise. The program is suppose to take 45 minutes, but that's if you have the gym to yourself and everything set up, if you don't bother racking any of your weights and no one's in your way. I figure 60 minutes is good. Tomorrow is Program A again. I like the Upper Body program better, except for the Military Press but since I'm not using a lot of weight I figure I'm not going to do myself any harm. I'm actually a tad sore from yesterday, just a little in the delts. Yep, gonna up most of the weights tomorrow and that makes me happy. But not as happy as the prospect of whacking the Nexersys on my "active rest day," Thursday.

The Diet that accompanies this Program seems too extreme for me to stick to for 21 days. The last time I ate only meat and salad, granted I was in my 20s, I felt hungry all the time, and I got really mean. No one needs that. So I've modified my eating in the spirit of the Program but I'm not completely cutting out fats although I'm cutting back on carbs, but not cutting them out. I have my regular oatmeal with an egg and blueberries this morning, with a cup of coffee. I swap the teaspoon of sugar for some sucralose but I don't like the way it tastes. 2 teaspoons of sugar a day isn't going to make much difference.

Day Two (B) Lower
20 min elliptical 1 min On / 1 min Off = 1.61 miles

The following done circuit fashion with no rest between sets:
Smith machine squats: 20 reps @ 50 lbs
DB Lunges: 15 reps each leg @ 15 lb DBs (one in each arm)
DB Standing Calf Raises: 30 reps with 15 lb DBs (one in each arm)
Crunches: 30
Crunches elbows to knees: 30
repeat above circuit once more

10 min elliptical: 5 min LISS, 5 min High Intensity = .77 miles

The following done circuit fashion with no rest between sets:
Smith machine squats: 20 reps @ 50 lbs
DB Lunges: 15 reps each leg @ 15 lb DBs (one in each arm)
DB Standing Calf Raises: 30 reps with 15 lb DBs (one in each arm)
Crunches: 30
Crunches elbows to knees: 30
repeat above circuit once more

21-Day Shred program Day One

I found a program I think I can do because it's only three weeks long, and only requires four days at the gym, allowing me to reserve my weekends. I never go to the gym on weekends! It's a bit daunting at first because there's no rest time built in, which is actually a good thing. I'm less confident about the "diet" part since it seems to be a standard high protein, lots of veggies and a bit of fruit diet. Oh, and a ton of supplements, which I will not be taking. Today I decided to ease into the program by still eating my breakfast oatmeal with egg. My compromise was to omit the teaspoon of sugar and add a scoop of whey powder after the oatmeal had cooked.

I just don't like this brand of protein (ON Gold Standard 100% Natural Whey). It has no taste (suppose to be strawberry) and gets a bit rubbery in heat. I had to add more water to dissolve the graininess but the oatmeal still didn't taste very good. Today is a school holiday so I have my son in tow as well. It's a good thing this program is suppose to take just 45 minutes. It doesn't actually because it doesn't take into account the need to move from one station to another, to blot the sweat from your face or to take a swig of water. Still, it's a quick moving program and does get your heart racing.

First I need to do 20 minutes of HIIT but since it's a holiday, the cardio area is ridiculously crowded and all the ellipticals are occupied. However, some of the LifeFitness recumbent bikes are free so I get on one, pulling the seat all the way forward. I punch in Manual mode for 15 minutes, assuming that the cool down will be a standard 5 minutes. But it's not. It's only 3 minutes. Ugh. I'll have to make that up later even though I can hit the Add Time button, it only adds 15 second increments and I'm not satisfied that this is really 20 minutes of HIIT. I don't like the bikes, don't like how I seem to be sliding forward while I pedal. I'm constantly trying to straighten up my back, and I find it unpleasant to breathe hard in the sitting position (as if my ribs are cramped).

The program calls for 20 reps each of five exercises in quick succession: bench, one-arm DB row (20 reps each arm), standing military press, BB curl and DB Kickbacks. Unfortunately I'm not really sure how much weight to use so I'm kind of winging it today. I know I can easily do 50 reps with just an Olympic bar so I toss a pair of 10s on. 20 reps is easy but I'll have to adjust the weight next time. I don't really know what size DB to use for One-Arm rows for 20 reps so I pick 25 lbs arbitrarily. I can do 20 although it's making me flush and sweaty. Next session I'll see how 30 lbs feels. The Standing Military Press is something I don't normally do so safe to say, I go really light with this movement: only a 30 lb BB. Sadly, I can easily knock out 20 barbell curls at the same weight, but I've been doing curls a lot longer. 15 lbs is light for Tricep Kickbacks but figure that after 4 sets of 20, I'll probably feel them.

I goof in my workout by moving back to the bike to do the 10 minutes HIIT when in reality the program calls for two rounds of this circuit before doing more cardio. To make up for this, I do another round of weights, then a quick 5 minute round of HIIT on the finally available Precor elliptical. Then two more rounds of the weight circuit. I up my bench weight to 75 lbs which is still too easy for 20 reps (next time I'll do 85 lbs), but keep everything else the same.

Except the Military Press and Standing Curl. I couldn't get the 30 lb BB for the 2nd round (some guy seemed to be using it as a back-scratcher) and resorted to the 20 lb BB. What I should've done was grabbed the 15 lb DBs but honestly, I'm literally running back and forth all over the gym doing this routine. For the 3rd and 4th sets though, I got the 30 lb BB. Hard for the Military Press, too easy for the BB Curl. I'll adjust for the next Upper Body (A) Session which will be Thursday. Tomorrow is Lower Body (B) and promises to be interesting because I'll be doing movements I don't normally do. Like DB Lunges, and DB Calf Raises. I'd skip the Calf Raises if I had a suitable substitute. My calves are big enough as they are. Afterwards I do a quick Cage Stretch and a brief Mat Stretch. I probably shouldn't count those in my workout time.

The gym scale reads a hefty 113.8 lbs but I'm carrying a lot of water weight because my face is very puffy. Yesterday's dinner and lunch was dumplings liberally dotted with spicy rooster (sriracha chili) sauce and soy-roasted duck my husband bought from the Asian food market. I'm not worried. I've barely drunk half my water and I'm not really hungry after my workout. Other than my shoulders, the rest of me feels okay. The program calls for Lower Body tomorrow, Upper Body (like today) on Wednesday, active rest on Thursday, and Lower Body again on Friday. I'm thinking the Nexersys looks good for Thursday. Gotta have something to look forward to!

21-Day Shred Program Day One (A):
20 min HIIT: 1 minutes On / 1 minute Off  (no idea what the mileage was on the LifeFitness recumbent bike)
Bench Press: 20 reps @ 65 lbs
One-Arm DB Rows: 20 @ 25 lbs
Standing Military BB Press: 20 @ 30 lbs
BB Curls: 20 @ 30 lbs
Tricep DB Kickbacks: 20 @ 15 lbs
10 min HIIT: 1 min On / 1 min Off (about 2 miles on the LifeFitness recumbent bike)
Bench Press: 20 reps @ 65 lbs
One-Arm DB Rows: 20 @ 25 lbs
Standing Military BB Press: 20 @ 20 lbs
BB Curls: 20 @ 20 lbs
Tricep DB Kickbacks: 20 @ 15 lbs
5 min HIIT: 1 min On / 1 min Off (Precor elliptical)
Bench Press: 2 x 20 reps @ 75 lbs (upping the weight to 85 lbs on Wed)
One-Arm DB Rows: 2 x 20 @ 25 lbs (upping the weight to 30 lbs next time)
Standing Military BB Press: 2 x 20 @ 30 lbs
BB Curls: 2 x 20 @ 30 lbs (upping the weight to 35 lbs next time)
Tricep DB Kickbacks: 2 x 20 @ 15 lbs
Cage Stretch
Abbreviated Mat Stretch

Bye Bye Old Friend

Last night I awoke to a fine filigree of pain encircling my torso, sharp and interlaced like I'd been caught in a razor-wire snare. It was reminiscent of when I'd injured my back years and years ago. I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep through it since it'd already woken me up. It's probably from the Ab Wheel. I'm just not built for that. I toss back 600 mg (3 caplets) of ibuprofen with some water and go back to bed. In the morning I'm groggy and tired, but neither my back or stomach hurt anymore.

The new Precors are installed by the time I arrive at the gym. There are four working ellipticals that stand much higher than the old ones. It takes me a while to figure out what buttons to push and when to push them because even though the console is bigger, the buttons are smaller and crowded. There are nice amenities like a bottle holder and a shelf under the console to hold stuff, but the machine itself is not as intuitive as its older counterpart.

It takes me a while to figure out how to enter the time and program I want to use for the HIIT today. I also learn that if I'm tracking my Strides Per Minute, the console does not automatically end with "total distance achieved" so after 20 minutes, I have no idea what my mileage is. This sucks. I punch in another 5 minutes to figure out the rest of the options. At least it still gives you an automatic 5 minute cool down period. I start a 21-day Shred program next week that calls for 20 minutes of HIIT (one minute on, one minute off), a lot of nonstop exercises, and then 10 minute dose of HIIT. I still have to try the other 3 ellipticals because even though they're all the same make and model, I've found that each machine will have a different feel to it. Some glide easier than others. I want an easy glider because that's less stressful on my knees and ankles.

After a Cage Stretch, I walk over to the front desk and ask P, the gym owner, to show me what the Knee, Hook and Uppercut are on the Nexersys. Apparently I can just shove my knee under the center pad upward. Cool! The Hook I got because half my Cross punches are Hooks anyway. But the Uppercut continues to baffle me. I'm not quite sure how to score with this blow because coming up on the center pad seems to put my wrists at a bad position. Now if it was an Uppercut to one of the upper pads, that'd be easy.

I go 9 rounds at the Beginner Level on the Avatar Follow Me program. Then I go 3 rounds on the Intermediate Level. I'm a bit confused as to whether all the punches are "across" punches. Apparently they are. So a Power (right hand) Cross goes across your body and hits the Left top pad. As does a Power Hook, and Power Elbow. And the Lead (Left hand) Jab also crosses your body to hit the Right upper pad, as does the Lead Hook and Lead Elbow. But Uppercuts are directed to the Center pad, as are the Power and Lead Body. But whereas the Body blows are straight on (and literally the most powerful), the Uppercuts arc up in front of you into the Center Pad. I'm terrible at this particular blow. I discover that I can fake the Elbow blows and use a Hook instead. I'm so short that I'm literally climbing onto the machine to hit the top pads with my elbow and that takes valuable time away from proper stance and positioning. The actual Nexersys website is useless for information regarding the blows and kicks, but I find a link that allows me to download an owner's manual. This gives me actual descriptions of each blow and kick so I'm quite happy with this discovery.

The doors to the gym are open so I don't get quite as hot and sweaty by the time I'm done. I take some time to do a full Mat Stretch. The Dive Bomber Push Ups feel easy today. That's odd, although I still don't like the 60-second plank. I don't even think about doing abs. The gym scale reads 113.4 lbs which is annoying. But I don't really feel big so it doesn't bother me. I'm more worried about whether I can do this 21-day Shred program. I'm not so worried about the exercises as much as the actual diet program which is mostly protein, veggies, a bit of fruit, and a lot of supplements. And I'm not buying supplements. This is gonna be hard. Sigh.

Last Day Cardio Friday
20 min new Precor: 15 min 1 min On / 1 min Off; 5 min 30 sec On / 30 sec Off
Cage Stretch with BW heel dips, calf raises and side kicks

Nexersys
  9 rounds Beginner Follow Me Avatar
  Accuracy 91%  / Strikes 103%  / Avg Power 125%

 3 rounds Intermediate Follow Me Avatar
  Accuracy 51%  / Strikes 89%  / Avg Power 92%


Mat Stretch with 2 x 12 DBPUs, 60 sec plank, splits, shoulder, upper back, lower back stretches

Cardio Week Day Four

I'll admit to being tired when I got up this morning, but my glutes aren't sore the way they used to be. For a change of pace, I put a spoonful of molasses in my oatmeal this morning but it didn't really alter the taste of the eggy cereal much. I may just dig out those frozen summer blueberries and toss those in instead. The ellipticals were all free when I got to the gym and I punched in 30 minutes, Interval 8, because I figure this might be the last time I do this for a while. It takes me a few minutes to get my pacing as I start off at a lethargic 160 Strides Per Minute and only gradually work my way up to the 190-210 SPMs that I enjoy. Again, I only manage 240-255 SPMs during the 5 minute cool down, and my mileage is eerily exactly the same as Tuesday: 4.29 miles. Very odd.

I'm drenched in sweat so I don't bother to take my hoodie off. I hate sweating all over everywhere I go. After a stretch at the Cage, I eye the new bench for decline push ups. The bench comes so far up my thigh, it's just about crotch level. Yes, I have short legs. Still, I put my feet up on the bench and see how push ups feel as I knock out 25. I think I'm too high because I don't like the way my head feels the blood rushing toward it. (Nope, never catch me doing a handstand either.) Not only do I suffer from probably-sinus related vertigo, but I'm wary of increased fluid pressures due to my glaucoma. The push ups themselves are fine and 25 is relatively easy.

Instead, I head over to the Mats at the other end of the gym. First I play with the Ab Wheel, trying to imitate the form I viewed in the instructional video, keeping my back rounded. This feels weird and I'm thinking this is really bad for my lower back. I'm a very flexible person but since I can't see my profile as I do this movement, I have no idea whether my lower back is neutral or tucked. I do three sets of 12, alternating with decline push ups (feet up on the 2nd step), but since I'm concerned that this is stressing my lower back too much, I decide that there are better ab exercises to do. The push ups are fine though and after a total of 100 reps, I feel a bit of a chest pump. Then I flop down on the Mat and do some crunches. Then I do a variation of crunches, trying to prepare myself for next week's routine. I'm so not looking forward to it, but I'll do it because it's only 3 weeks long.

I'd like to leave but trudge back to the Precors becasue I still have to put in 20 minutes of LISS. I use the time to read emails, scan Feedly, and check out the online muscle forums. The pony-tailed dude next to me probably wonders why I even bothered to get on the elliptical as I'm only doing 45 SPMs. Sometimes I wonder that too. The gym scale says 112.6 lbs but I've only sucked down half my water, and I'm dripping wet before I even hit the shower.

I run into B who tells me that now not only is her lower back still injured with probably a pinched nerve, but now she can't turn her head and the pain is keeping her up at night. But she doesn't want to go to doctor. And she's not going for an MRI because she's too claustrophobic. Instead she's self-medicating her neck pain with NSAIDs and a muscle relaxer. "I don't want to take the pain killer the doc gave me. It's hydrocodone." "He gave you codeine and Tylenol for back pain?" I ask, but she's not internet-savvy so she can't really answer me. I tell her to find a good sports doctor but she won't. She'll just suffer and complain about it until her husband gets sick of it and makes an appointment for her. It's probably a generation thing since she's about 8 years older than me.

As I"m leaving the gym, I see P, the owner who promised to show me what the Intermediate Level entails at the Nexersys. "I'll show you tomorrow," he says. "But you're not usually here on Fridays." "Oh, we're getting some new equipment so I'll be here." I give him a quizzical look as he motions to the Cardio platform. "Swapping out those old Precors for new ones," he says. "Oh no! I hope I fit into the new ones!" "Well, they're still Precors," he says. Then I complain about the new benches being too high for me, and he says I should take the yoga blocks and put them under my feet. Again I give him a quizzical look. "They're stacked up in the class room. I'll show you tomorrow." Yeah, okay. I'm not happy with all these changes because new is not usually better. Perhaps it's best that I've changed my routine, but this is going to really suck if I can't use the ellipticals to do HIIT. I guess I'll find out tomorrow.

Day Four
35 min elliptical Interval 8 = 4.29 miles
Cage Stretch
25 decline push ups with feet up 23"
3 x 12 Ab Wheel super set with decline push ups
3 x 25 with feet up approx 14" (2 steps)
3 x 20 crunches
20 min elliptical LISS = 1.06 miles

Day Three and I'm Over the Hump. Not.

The fog was so thick as I drove to the gym, I began to wonder if I'd been transported to a chilly version of Venus. Zero visibility apparently shut down several airports this morning. I admit I was a bit worried that I would fail miserably at HIIT today, wondering if I was still recovering from yesterday's cardio exertions. I'm not sore. I'm not tired. But I could tell once I got on the elliptical, that the lungs and legs weren't really happy with me. At least I didn't have a wicked stitch in my side like yesterday. Felt like I'd been gripped by a giant lobster claw just off the right side center of my abs. Usually a stitch hits me under the rib cage so this was different. But instead of pausing or slowing down, I just try to "run" faster, hoping it'll go away on its own. It did, eventually.

I toyed with the idea of only doing 7 or 8 minutes of the 1-minute On/Off intervals today instead of 10, but once I got to 8, well, it's only 2 more minutes. The first two minutes were okay, with peaks at 260-275 Strides Per Minute. Troughs are a leisurely 70 SPMs while I'm trying frantically to catch my breath. But the next several minutes had my peaks drop dramatically from 255 to barely making 240 SPM. Wow, that was hard. Then I dropped to 30 seconds On/Off and I was able to recover enough to up my speed back to the 250-275 SPM range. Yay! Not sure how I'm going to fare doing 20 minutes of this if I start that new 21-Day shred program on Monday. Yikes!

The Cage Stretch feels good and I'm pleased that neither hammies or lower back seem inordinately stiff. I plop myself on the floor in front of the Nexersys and proceed to wrap my hands. Today I cut a patch of moleskin and stuck it to my scabbed knuckle for additional protection. Again I punch in 9 rounds for the Follow Me Avatar. The first round is a bust because the machine doesn't register several kicks and my accuracy rating falls abysmally. But I improve and figure out just where the sweet spot is that I need to whack with my foot in order to register a good power kick. Afterwards, even though I know I'm a little tired, I punch in 3 rounds of Sparring. I love it because you can punch and kick in any combination you like, as fast and pretty much as hard as you want. It's rare that the machine stops you with a Warning Buzzer, and then the next blow will reset it most of the time. I wail on the machine, landing twice as many blows and kicks as called for (hence why my Strike stats are over 200%). But I am tired and I conserve my energy by pulling a lot of my punches. I'm not completely sure, but I think today might be a high score for points for me. Again! Yay!

Ignore the last two rows:
only the first three rows show
stats from the Spar Round

Tomorrow I'll do my basic cardio workout, some push ups, sit ups, maybe check out the ab wheel again, and end it with another boring 20 minutes of LISS. The gym scale pops back up to 113 lbs but since I've sucked down everything except two mouthfuls of the entire water bottle, I'm not surprised. And it doesn't bother me because in the mirror I feel like I look better. Maybe it's in my head, but I feel leaner and lighter. And I'm much happier.

Wednesday Cardio Week Day Three

Precor elliptical: 5 min warm up (180 Strides Per Minute); 10 min HIIT (1 min On/ 1 min Off); 5 min HIIT (30 sec On / 30 sec Off) = 2.07 miles  Glad I survived that! Whew!

Cage Stretch with BW heel dips, calf raises and side kicks

Nexersys Boxing machine, Beginner Female
Follow Me Avatar, 9 rounds
  Accuracy 87%  /  Strikes 105%  / Avg Power 129% 
Increases in accuracy, strikes and power! Yay!

Sparring Avatar, 3 rounds
  Strikes 219%  / Avg Power 87%  / Poinsts 964
Increases in number of strikes, power and total points! Yay!

Day Two

I didn't exactly have a plan set in stone when I got to the gym this morning, as in I wasn't sure whether I was going to attempt to do another 15 minute HIIT session. Instead, when I mounted the Precor, I felt an urge to see whether I'd lost my endurance so I punched in 30 minutes (with an automatic 5 min cool down) and Interval 7. I have to admit that at first I was sorely disappointed in myself. The first 10 minutes were painfully hard. Troughs allowed me to barely reach 190 Strides Per Minute and the peaks, slid from 175 SPMs to barely 150 by the time the program ended. However, once the cool down initiated, I found myself able to maintain my pace at 220-235 SPMs for several minutes. THAT felt good! I've always known that it takes me a long time to warm up and here's my proof.

It's the 2nd day of not lifting weights so after stretching at the Cage, I knock out a quick 25 push ups. Then wander off to the sit up bench and knock out a 100 there, and another 100 doing knee-ins. I feel like playing with the push ups to see how hard they are with feet elevated but there's a couple of guys by that bench now. Instead I decide to get the Low Intensity Steady State (LISS) cardio out of the way but all the Precors are taken. The only thing that's empty is one of the LifeFitness cross-trainers. And if you don't pedal fast enough, it shuts itself off which forces one to move a lot quicker than one normally would for LISS. So today's LISS is more like a jog than a walk but I don't really care. Afterwards I claim a section of the Mat and do a set of push ups with my feet on the first step of the stairs that lead out back. Stair risers average 7 inches so the 2nd time I try this, I put my feet on the 2nd step. I'm too short to attempt using the 3rd step. After 3 sets of push ups (4 in total counting the earlier set), I'm game for an abbreviated Mat Stretch. The gym is getting crowded and I don't really want to be here any more.

What I do want is to sit in the sauna for a bit and try to scrub all the nasty winter skin off my shins. The gym scale reads 111.8 lb which really surprises me, but then I realize I've only drunk 1/3 of my water bottle today. I'm feeling a tad guilty about eating the 5 pieces of candy my son put on my plate last night as his version of selecting dessert. Tomorrow's going to be a HIIT cardio day, and another go at the Nexersys. My shoulders are actually a little sore from yesterday but they should be fine by tomorrow. Yay!

Cardio Week Day Two:
35 min Precor Interval 7 = 4.29 miles Yay! 
Cage Stretch with BW heel dips, calf raises and side kicks
25 push ups
100 flat bench twisting sit ups
100 lower ab knee-in kick outs
20 min LifeFitness cross-trainer LISS = 1.19 miles
25 push ups
25 push ups feet elevated 7"
25 push ups feet elevated 14"
Mat Stretch with splits, hamstring, lower & upper back stretches

De-Load Day One

Over the weekend I read up on a new (to me anyway) 21-day program that's suppose to spare muscle but kickstart a shred. I don't need to be shredded, just a tad leaner. But nothing I've tried so far is getting me anywhere. I'm bigger and stronger, but I'm also fatter. Not my plan. I'm not ready to test out the 21-day program yet but this week I've scheduled cardio and then some. Because the 21-day program calls for an actual 20 minutes of HIIT, and I know for a fact I absolutely cannot do 20 minutes of that, I figure I'd give myself a head start.

Today I upped my HIIT by another 5 minutes. It was really really hard, leaving me panting and gasping for breath. That's 5 minutes for warm up (around 180-190 Strides Per Minute), then 1 minute going full tilt (250-279 SPMs), then 1 minute of gasping (70-80 SPMs). By the 7th minute, I was having trouble keeping myself over 250 SPMs, and by the 10 minute, I was happy just to stay at 250. Then I spent the next 5 minutes doing the Intervals at 30 seconds. After a minute to recover, I was once again able to kick up to 270 SPMs for the remaining 2 sets. My husband is giving the increased Interval durations a go but he's happier with 45 second intervals. I can't do math while I'm huffing and puffing and my phone is too inconvenient for me to hit the timer. I'll stick with full and half minutes.

The Cage Stretch feels nearly normal today. My right front hip only twinges occasionally. The hamstrings are okay, but the lower back is a tad stiff. Again, it feels like core stiffness. I toss out a few side kicks and stretch before wrapping my hands and stuffing them into gloves. Again, I only do 9 rounds on the Follow Me avatar program, and another 3 rounds for all out Sparring. When I'm done, I pull my hoodie back on and lay down on the Mat to stretch my lower back. Mo texts me and I'm surprised because I haven't seen her in months. She's sorry she missed me, perhaps tomorrow. I probably won't see her then either. Bt remarks in the locker room that I'm unusually focused, "I don't mean that in a bad way at all, but you're so focused you don't see anyone! That's good!" "Yeah, I got tunnel vision when I work out," I admit sheepishly because another lady tells me she saw me last week and I have no recollection of seeing her since before the holidays.

The frigid arctic air has wreaked havoc with my genetically tropical skin. As much as I hate the summer humidity and heat, my skin hates the dry winter air and now resembles ashy scales peeling off my arms and legs. After a quick shower, I sit in the sauna. A steam bath would be better but we only have a dry sauna. Still, it's enough to loosen the itchy tight layers and I again shower. My stomach growls. The gym scale reads 113.8 lbs which is slightly better than last week. I'll see what it says by week's end, and then I'll take my BF measurements again. It's been creeping up and the reading is alarming at 21.5%. It'll be a few months before I can get in to see my doc for a physical but by then I'll know whether what I'm doing now is working.

Cardio Day One
Elliptical: 5 min warm up, 10 min HIIT  1 minute on / 1 min off, 5 min HIIT 30 sec on / 30 sec off  = 2.1 miles

Cage Stretch with BW heel dips, calf raises and side kicks

Nexersys boxing Beginner Female
Follow Me Avatar: 9 rounds
  Accuracy 84% / Strikes 103% / Avg Power 128%
Sparring: 3 rounds
  Strikes 205%  / Avg Power 86%  / Points 928

Lower back and hamstring stretch

Cardio Friday

Although my lower torso appears to be ringed with an odd soreness, I still went to the gym today, but later than I had planned. Because I hadn't planned on the school district announcing a two-hour delay due to weather. Okay, it was snowing this morning. Not a lot. And it's warm enough for the road salts to work the way they're suppose to. There's a thick sheet of slippery ice under the soft wet melting snow on my lawn. I debate whether to salt or not because tomorrow's suppose to be near 50°F with rain which would be a waste. On the other hand, our property is a cold spot pocket on the side of a very steep hill. I decide not to salt. If it's icy tomorrow, I can salt then.

Today is a Cardio Day, pure and simple. I manage my 5 minutes warm up and then go full gallop for a minute, drop to a crawl for the next minute and repeat this for another three minutes. Then I change the intervals to 30 seconds because that's all I can manage by this point.

Sweat is running down my face when I'm done and I blot the elliptical clean with a paper towel spritzed with bleach water. I want to work up to doing a full ten minutes of 1 minute on and 1 minute off. Then I can attempt doing 90 second intervals and work up to 2 minute intervals. It's nice having a plan.

My lower back and abdominals are still oddly sore. My right hip is tight and that does impact my cardio slightly, slowing me a tad. I barely feel my glutes and hamstrings, but the base of my neck and traps are sore as well. I guess DOMS takes a full two days because I did the Back Workout on Wednesday. Part of me wonders if the Ab Wheel is to blame for some of this, but I don't know. There are too many variables to know.

I do as complete a Cage Stretch as I can manage. Bending over to touch my face to my knee is more difficult than it should be but I take it very slowly, easing into the stretch. This is lower back. But tossing out a side kick is fine. As is stretching my legs out to either side, putting my foot up over my head is fine. I sit down in front of the more popular Nexersys machine, strip off my hoodie, wrap my hands and stuff them into my stupid pink gloves. I've got to learn to wrap them better: I'm not sure why, but my knuckles are pink and raw when I'm done boxing. They aren't usually but today I'm pummeling the pads during the last 3 rounds of Sparring.

The Follow Me Avatar program is a lot of fun so I do 9 rounds at the Beginner Female level. Afterwards, I try to check out the Intermediate Level. It suggests punches and kicks that I'm familiar with, but when the program starts, it asks for combinations I don't know and am unsure how to execute. There's just no way I can knee the center pad because the center pad is about neck height for me. I'm just not tall enough. And there's no way to run the tutorial on just the Intermediate Avatar program. Instead the machine wants to run you through the entire litany of cardio, core, etc exercises and I don't have the patience for that. I ask one of the trainers at the front desk and he confesses to being baffled by it as well. Oh well... I punch in 3 rounds of Sparring Beginner Level Female and take out my frustrations on the machine. It's very satisfying. My lower back and right hip only seem to hinder me slightly when I use a right-side power move but the torquing hip action doesn't hurt. It's just stiff, and not quite as fast as I normally am.

Instead of heading immediately to the showers, I put my hoodie back on and drop myself onto a Mat. I want to stretch out my lower back, but I also want to assess just how limited my mobility is. It's definitely impeding my ability to drop my face on my shin, but otherwise, the rest of me is okay. My traps and shoulders are feeling a little stiff as well, but that's understandable. The gym scale again reads 114.0 lbs and that's oddly consistent. I know I don't weigh quite that much, but I do know I'm fatter. Definitely fatter. I can see the fat under my belly skin, pooling around my navel. Didn't used to have that. My upper arms look huge too. I'm so not happy about this, but I've also not made an appointment with my GP either. I know I'll have to submit fasting blood work beforehand and I hate doing anything without a cup of coffee. Next week I'll call. Next week I'm just going to do cardio anyway.

Cardio Friday

HIIT: 5 min warm up at 189 Strides Per Min, 5 min of 1 min on (220-260 SPM) / 1 min off (70-80 SPM), 5 min of 30 sec on / 30 sec off = 1.50 miles

Nexersys: 9 rounds Follow Me, Beginner Female
  Accuracy 84% / Strikes 107% / Avg Power 128%
accuracy decreased because the machine didn't register several power kicks

Nexersys: 3 rounds Sparring, Beginner Female
  Strikes 209% / Avg Power 95% / Points 937  
this might be a high score for points!

photos provided for actual stats:

9 rounds Follow Me Avatar, beginner female 

3 rounds Sparring Avatar, beginner female