Cardio Days Are For Resting

I'm still a bit sore, and even though I'm getting into bed earlier, I still feel tired when the alarm sounds. It's because I'm not a morning person. I have my best dreams, my deepest sleep right before sunrise. The lumpy mattress isn't helping and I've been researching possible replacements.

No way I'm spending 3 grand on a mattress! Best Buy below it.

This month's Consumer Reports recommends a Casper brand for those looking at foam mattresses. A Sleep Number comes up as a Best Buy for adjustable inflatable mattresses. Or, I could just buy a mattress topper. They're a lot cheaper, but again, there are so many different brands, and types of toppers that I'm a bit paralyzed with information overload. I'm worried about foam mattresses retaining heat, although that's not an issue in the winter. The summer, however, will cause problems especially since we don't air condition the bed rooms. Gel-infused foam mattresses aren't suppose to have this problem. I like the idea of a foam mattress, but worry that I'm too sensitive. I had a memory foam pillow once, and it gave me a headache. My best pillows are super soft and squishy. Both my son and husband prefer slightly firmer models. Hhhmmmm.

We can mail order a mattress, but then we'll need to hire someone to cart the old one away. It's a super heavy king mattress with handles that have long since ripped off. No flipping or turning this baby. I really need to try these things out, lay down on one for a good 15-20 minutes before I decide what to do. Because, like the Princess and the Pea, there'll be no sleep if there's a perceived pebble in the bed.

I get to the gym and it's nearly noon. The hubs had two phone conference calls while he was at the house, and then he had to leave for Boston. His car blocks mine in the narrow driveway. While I'm at the gym, I see the televised report of a gunman at a Florida airport. My husband's company does work at all the major airports. Luckily, my hubs isn't doing any work in Florida for now. Next week he's in Boston and then Houston. The world is full of crazy people.

I just want a quick workout so today is a "cardio day". All it really means is that after 30 minutes on the cross-trainer, I do my basic core movements, and then hit the elliptical for 30 minutes. I use to sandwich all my weightlifting workouts between cardio, but I'm trying to do more with less these days. The first set of pull ups feels hard enough that I consider making it my only set. I stop at 80 reps for push ups because I'm adding Dand push ups (Hindu). But only after I do knee-ins and crunches. I knock out 30 reps but I could probably have done more. Probably. The gym is mostly empty since the HS kids are back in school. There might be a few college boys around for another few weeks though.

Once on the elliptical, I select the Intervals routine just as I turn my head and inadvertently swallow wrong. Which leads to gag reflexes and lots of loud coughing. How embarrassing! I have to restart the routine and pretend everything is fine. Everything really is fine, but every now and then when I'm not paying attention, I feel as if my epiglottis gets lazy and lets saliva drip into my windpipe. I'm probably at greater risk of pneumonia when I become elderly. Not a cheerful thought.

I choose the Intervals program because I haven't done it in a very long time, and because I'm a glutton for punishment. My legs are sore but I push anyway. I think about the old lady in the locker room who told me I'd make a terrible Personal Trainer because my workouts are too tough and everyone would hate me. She's probably my age. AARP has stopped trying to recruit me, but I'm tired of getting junk mail suggesting I need hearing aids or chairs that help you stand up. Seriously.

I'm drenched when I'm done, but I feel really good. A good hard cardio session cures a lot of blues. I always like to stretch the legs a little after a hard cardio routine so I'm at the Stretch Cage. Well, I might as well see how many pull ups I can do. I have to pause at rep 15 because my body is swinging too much. But then I resume my pace and manage to get to 35 reps. And my elbow didn't complain a bit. Nice!

The real trick is keeping my weight down over the weekend when I don't usually go to the gym, AND my hubs is around with all his terrible eating habits. He's back tomorrow afternoon unless something happens that he needs to address. When he's home, we eat and drink too much because I don't want to be the nutrition police when all he wants to do is kick back and relax. Today the gym scale reads 110.2 lbs. Only 3 more pounds to go to get to where I want to be. But I doubt if I'll be 110.2 on Monday. Yep, two steps forward and one step back...

Friday Workout
6.23 miles total cardio

30 min x-trainer
Calories 144
Miles 3.55
Average Speed 7.08
Average Pace 8:08

HGPU 31
Knee-Ins 50
Push Ups 80
Crunches 3 x 50
Dand Push Ups 30

30 elliptical
Intervals
Calories 307
Miles 2.68

HGPU 35