Loving What You Hate

I purposely got to the gym later in the morning so I could avoid the crowds. Today, I got to use my favorite cross-trainer. And even though my right foot still goes numb during the last 2-3 minutes, I'm okay with it. My legs and butt are a bit sore though, especially the quads directly above my knees. I've cut back a lot on my cardio so this surprises me. You'd think that less exercise means less soreness. (I even stretched yesterday!) I still have mild vertigo, and a bum right shoulder. The body doesn't seem able to rid itself of these minor disturbances. Instead, it's just incorporating these nuisances into what has become "normal". I guess that's what "aging" is all about? We all age differently, but a lot of it is in our minds. 

My upper back is a tad sore today. It's been two days since I did a Pull Workout but something's different. I'm not usually sore! I've saved today for Cardio. I still hate doing it, but since I've resigned myself to being bad at it (with the hyper-extending knees, loose ankles, shin splints and flat feet) I'm actually better at it. And for it. My blood pressure is lower, and my weight is relatively stable. I see a few regulars like WTC finishing up their workouts, but mostly I'm interested in doing some quick core, and then back on the elliptical so I can be out of here.

My tail bone is much happier now that I've relinquished knee-ins and sit ups, and anything else that causes friction burns. Because I have my hands under my butt when I do scissors, there's no problem rubbing the skin off my back side. Whew! I keep the alternating bicycle movement and crunches, but since I'm wearing shorts, I'm not in the mood to skin my knees doing Bird Dog Planks, or even Side Planks. There's only a few people here and I'm enjoying that. However, halfway through my elliptical session, I have to turn up my iPod to drown out the whining din coming from the right of me. I can't see anyone, but I'm pretty damn sure it's The Mayor chatting up someone on a recumbent bike (I honestly don't know how people can consider that exercise). Ugh. Eventually, he leaves the cardio platform to chat down in the free weight area. (Honestly, I think he'd die if he couldn't spend half his workout talking.)

I'm so drenched I feel like I've just crawled out of the pool. I feel weirdly clean, like everything bad has been purged from my system just by sweating and breathing hard. It's totally awesome! I wipe  sweat running down my face with my hoodie, but I don't need to blow my nose. Weird. Normally I have to blow the sweat out from inside my nasal passages as well. I feel so good that I can actually match my earlier rep count for hammer grip pull ups. That hasn't happened in a really long time! I feel good and I'd like it to last just a little bit longer. So I do most of my Mat Stretch. It's a way to keep the endorphins flowing, and the music pumping.

I'd like to film my Mat Stretch just to check my forms, but I already feel as if some people "hate me" so the last thing I want to do is be obvious about filming selfies. I guess that's the one of the disadvantages to not having a gym buddy. Oh well...

Tomorrow I'll whack the machine. Maybe I'll give the "repaired" machine another go for a few rounds. It's another form of HIT cardio. I also like to think that it helps sharpen reflexive coordination, and strength. Impact movements are suppose to encourage the body to restore calcium to the bones. Maybe this'll keep me from breaking a hip, or an arm. Regardless, it's fun and that's all that matters. The gym scale tells me an unexpected 107.8 lbs. Super weird. I've only sucked down half my water bottle though. I'm sure it'll say something different tomorrow...

Thursday Cardio Day
7.24 miles

35 xtrainer
Calories 163
Miles 4.29
Average Heart Rate 150

HGPU 31
Push Ups 50
Scissors 50
Bicycle 50
Crunches 50

35 elliptical
Program 3
Calories 333
Miles 2.95
Average Heart Rate 142

HGPU 31

Unexpected

This morning was a bit busier than I'm used to: had to get online at 8 am to register my son for an after-school activity. There's only 10 kids allowed per class, and we can only do the Wednesday Archery class for two reasons: my son has kung fu on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and the Monday and Tuesday classes are taught by my son's Health teacher. And my son has definite opinions about this teacher. So it's the Wednesday class. Archery is very popular, but there's only one level in the Fall. By the Spring, there'll be an Intermediate class and a Beginner. My son has been shooting bows and arrows since he was 4 years old, but I figure taking a course won't hurt him any. I expect him to fulfill the Archery Merit Badge coursework at one of the Scout camps next summer.

If he doesn't get into the course, I may sign him up for a new Jr Lifeguard class at the swim school. It's pricey, but open to 12-15 year olds, and I think a great skill for my son to learn. There's a Scout Lifeguard badge as well. I hear it's quite rigorous, but my son is an awesome swimmer. It's the one physical activity he does better than anyone else I've ever seen at his age.

I had a Visual Field test for my glaucoma this morning, but I tossed my gym bag into the car just in case I had time. As it turns out, I had time! I'm a bit worried about the VF test though. My right eye has been a bit gloppy lately, and that might be some sort of allergic reaction to pollen or stuff. More worrisome was that I didn't see a lot of flashes with the right eye, but the ones I did see seemed to either trail light (WTH?), or were unexpectedly bright. I've never seen the lights flash that bright during a test. My left eye was more difficult to test because it's not the dominant eye. (If you shoot, you know what eye dominance means.) Even with an eye patch, I had a very distracting gray visual disturbance in my field of vision. It's my right eye seeing the eye patch over it. Ugh. I have an appointment next month to check my IOPs, and to discuss today's test. Oh boy.

I get to the gym, strip off my street wear and don gym gear. I almost never go anywhere in gym clothes. Just too damn self-conscious. Maybe my age is showing? I start off cold with numb fingers because of the air conditioning, but after 35 minutes on the cross-trainer, I'm thoroughly warmed up. Much better! I knock out my pull ups and push ups. There's a gal on the Smith. I'd rather focus on my recalcitrant shoulders anyway, so my hoodie goes over the Adjustable Inclined Bench, and I've grabbed a bunch of DBs. I happen to see the fellow from yesterday at the Squat rack just a few feet away. Of course, I go over to apologize. (He's wearing a WTC T-shirt. He had on a different one yesterday.) WTC's genuinely surprised, and very gracious. What a nice guy! I can tell that The Mayor is staring from several yards away. Whatever. I'll probably never speak to this guy again anyway. But he is cute. Young, but cute. And he wipes down the equipment when he's done!

My right shoulder only complains when I move the DBs from front raises to overhead presses. It doesn't get better as I go heavier. (I can't be here all day — my son will no doubt still be asleep when I get home, with just minutes to spare before his dental appointment.) I switch to heavier weights and lateral movements. This always leaves me a little breathless. The Smith is free so I go there for some quick super-high rep sets. I just want 3 sets of 25 reps, at 80 lbs. It's not that much weight. It's not even that many reps. But the 3rd set seems exponentially harder than the first two.

There's a kid on the V-bar press down cable station. His grossly overweight dad is coaching him. I can't really watch. I still want to do a last movement for triceps, so Rip Skulls it is. I like using the breaker benches because they offer a place to put your feet if your legs are too short for feet to rest comfortably on the floor. Keeping your feet on the bench itself, with knees bent, is very unstable. I tend to keep my body very rigid, and my feet firmly planted wherever they are. Halfway through my first set of Rip Skulls, I have the dreadful sensation of a cramp forming. In my right hamstring. Ugh!

I have to straighten the leg out to prevent the spasm. It's difficult and distracting enough to ruin the set. I still want to do two more full sets so I have to figure out how to do this movement without using my legs to anchor myself for the pullover portion. (40 lbs is a bit over a third of my body weight.) It's a lot harder to do this while keeping the right leg loose. But it can be done. I don't have time for more cardio. That's tomorrow. Instead, a quick Mat stretch to loosen the hammies and shoulders. Then off to shower and change. I'm totally surprised by the gym scale: 108.8 lbs.

I had already sucked down the 16 gm protein Ensure once I got to the gym parking lot because I was so hungry I couldn't focus. The rich milk chocolate flavor is pretty good. I like vanilla, but I'll give the strawberry a go as long as I can use coupons to keep the price down. This might be my new favorite breakfast in place of flavored yogurt which has too much sugar, and not enough protein. But I do appreciate the calcium...


Wednesday

30 xtrainer + 5cd
Calories 171
Miles 4.09
Average Heart Rate 148

HGPU 26
Push Ups 50

DB Front Raises s/s OHP
10lbs x 12reps each
15 x 12
20 x 12/8reps

DB Laterals s/s Rev Inclined Flyes
20/25lbs x 12/15reps x 3sets

Smith Flat Bench (for reps)
Bar(30lbs) x 15
80lbs x 25reps x 3sets

Rip Skulls
40lbs x 7 (right hamstring cramp)
40 x 12 x 2

HGPU 26

One More Week

School starts next Tuesday. We are not prepared. Yes, we have all the required supplies off the list, but there's been no word regarding important things. Like transportation. Normally we're told what bus will be coming to our road, and at what time. There's no information. Nothing about locker assignments either. And no way to access the school lunch program to check on fund balances. Ugh. It wasn't like this last year, but last year we had a great school principal. Who quit at the end of the school year to take a better paying job a few towns over. Not only more money, as if taxes weren't high enough, but he's been promised a career track no one would refuse: put in 5 years and become Superintendent of that system. Ugh. We have a new principal now, but everything's in disarray. The orchestra teacher quit as well. And one of the Assistant Vice Principals. WTF?!

I pick my son up unexpectedly early from a sleep over. He's so tired that he crashes as soon as his head hits his pillow. I drive to the school to pick up a supply, and to try and glean some information. Then off to the gym. The temperature's weirdly chilly for August. When it's 58°F, I put on flannel to walk the dog! And a fleece hoodie!

I get on one of the other cross-trainers and pedal for 30 minutes plus the 5 minute cool down. I just barely make 4 miles, but that's enough to make me happy. Gym Owner tells me he only received one replacement part from the Nexersys company, and still awaiting other parts. Hmmm... the fixed machine has a crisper screen today. Maybe someone made some adjustments? I might check it out again on Friday. Tomorrow I have a glaucoma visual field test in the morning, and my son has a dental check up in the afternoon. Then we have to pick up a friend of his for a play date at our house because the kid's mom is helping his sister move into her college. It's still unclear as to whether we have to drive him home, or if one of his folks will come pick him up...

I do a set of pull ups. My left elbow twinges on the inside. Ugh. I do a set of push ups. My head swims for the first 5 reps. I'm getting used to this. Ugh. There doesn't appear to be anyone on the Smith, but there's a pair of big plates on the bar. A guy I've seen sporadically is doing overhead presses at the adjacent station. I look around and then point to the Smith. He says he was using it, but I can use it instead. I realize later that I have no manners whatsoever because instead of saying Thanks, I just nod with a sort of Uh Huh. Like I'm a meathead. Ugh.

My lower back occasionally complains, but mostly I'm tired. Not really weak. I get my reps as long as I go slow. If I rush, I lose my concentration, and my form. Not good. After Smith RDLs, I do my three quick sets of RG BB Rows. The guy has moved on to DB presses in the DB area. And then he's gone. Oh well. I would've given the Smith back to him once I was done. The Mayor shows up and starts chatting with a woman I've seen occasionally. Lately he's been very blatant in chatting up young women. Today, the lady is older, maybe late 30s or early 40s, and has her own training routine. She's seriously fit. But I don't think she can do a pull up. 

I move on to the Seated Cable Rows. First the weak arm, the left arm. Then the right arm, the stronger arm. The difference in my grip strength becomes apparent as I add weight to the stack. At least I know when I'm about to fail, so the weight doesn't come slamming down. I hate that! My forearms are toast so I don't dare try to do any pull ups. Instead, I drop onto the Mat and do most of my stretch routine. Afterwards I feel sufficiently recovered to get a set in. And not fall on my face. Yaaay me!

Tuesday

30 xtrainer + 5cd
Calories 171
Miles 4.07
Average Heart Rate 140

HGPU 26
Push Ups 50

Smith RDLs
Bar x 12
80 x 12
100 x 12
120 x 12
140 x 12
150 x 12

Smith RG BB Rows
80 x 25
100 x 25
120 x 25

Seated 1Arm Cable Rows
30lbs x 12 reps ea
45 x 12
52.5 x 10, 2 left grip, 12 right
57.5 x 8 left, 12 right
60 x 5 left, 9 right

HGPU 26

Super Abbreviated

I'm in a rush to get my workout done today because I still had to get a gift card for the boy whose birthday party my son will be attending this afternoon. I'd been to two other stores but they didn't carry the right denomination for an iTunes card. Sorry, I'm not buying the kid a $100 gift card! I also have a $5.00 "extra bucks" coupon for CVS, and my son is out of milk. I know they carry essentials like milk, cereal and beer. (And when exactly did beer become an essential that drugstores carry?) So I can pretty much get milk for free when I pick up the gift card, because CVS has a much bigger selection than the other stores I've been to. But I have to get there first. And preferably before 1 pm when my son is suppose to be at his friend's house. They're going out on a motor boat on the big lake in town, on 598-acre Lake Mahopac. My son has never been on this lake although we drive by it nearly every day. (Our own Long Pond lake is tiny at 52 acres. As backup for the NYC reservoir system, only electric motors are allowed on it. People canoe, paddle boat or even swim across.)

The cross-trainer is in use. I jump on the elliptical instead and select Program 1. Afterwards, I only have 20 minutes so I need to plan wisely. Pull ups, push ups, and then all the major core exercises will have to do. It's surprising how long this all takes. I still need time to shower and change. The gym scale tells me 110.0 lbs and I'm good with that, because I haven't been very judicious with my eating all weekend.

I get home and my son is still asleep. I've let him sleep in all summer because I truly believe that he needs adequate sleep to grow, and for his brain cells to function properly. He never gets enough sleep during the school year. He's not a morning person, but it's now past noon. And even though I washed his sleeping bag and made him stuff it back into its sack, he forgets to put it in the car. He's not wearing swim clothes either. Well, at least he's wearing shorts and a long sleeve t-shirt. His friend's mother says he can borrow anything he forgot to bring. Well, okay... he's having a blast. It's still summer and the weather's beautiful outside.

There's a bevy of summer fruit at the grocers, and everyone in my family enjoys eating plums. Occasionally I'll buy the little round red ones but they're not as promising as the round dark purple ones, aka black plums. (Fresh fruit reminds me of my early childhood, spent shopping and cooking with my grandmother. My mother preferred food out of cans and boxes, like "fruit cocktail" and Mrs Paul's fish sticks.) Sometimes I see the pale heart-shaped green plums that, more often than not, are sour and crisp.

Last week I saw plums I didn't recognize: yellow with a red blush, colored like Rainier cherries or nectarines, and heart-shaped like those sour green plums. The cashier didn't know what to make of them either since they didn't bear any identifying stickers. She rang them up as red plums on sale for $1.49/lb. At home I do my online searches, and discover they are actually yellow plums, known for their crisp flesh and a sweetness I can only liken to yellow (Rainier) cherries. Wow. These are soooo good! But summer's coming to an end. I saw a thin brown hummingbird at our overgrown jewel weed patch. The hummingbirds are starting to migrate. The plants are taller than I am. Usually we don't have any at all because of the deer. This year we've had day lillies and jewel weed galore. Not sure where all the deer went. And leaves are starting to drop. Autumn is coming...

Monday

30 elliptical + 5cd
Program 1
Calories 330
Miles 2.93
Average Heart Rate 143

HGPU 26
Push Ups 50
Scissors 50
Bicycle 50
Crunches 50
Bird Dogs 2 x 60s
Side Planks 2 x 60s
Superman 2 x 30s

Always Keep A Spare

I didn't notice at first that the other Nexersys had a new arm. What I did notice was the old sweaty guy in a white t-shirt tentatively boxing the "right" machine while I was warming up on the cross trainer. Then I moved to the DB area to do those T, Y and I baby bell raises. Finally, some band stretches. I can feel the muscles in the center of my back, in between my shoulder blades squeeze together when I do this.

OMG, the "right" machine has a new Cross Arm! And a new Jab Arm as well. I keep myself at the "left" machine, the one with the non-responsive Jab Arm. After 5 rounds at Beginner Level, I'm curious to test out the new equipment. I punch in a round at Intermediate, but it's immediately apparent that the new parts have caveats. First, the screen seems dimmer. Maybe it's tilted at an angle for taller folks, but it's hard to see the Avatar because of the glare. The new upper arms are stiff and weirdly bouncy. They're also set for a taller opponent so I have to hit them at an angle in order for them to register. After a round, I opt to go back to the other machine, the machine with the broken Jab sensor. At least I can see the screen properly!

I want to do 15 rounds to test out whether imbibing a protein drink before coming here has any effect. Normally, I work out on just a cup of coffee. Okay, there's sugar and cream in the coffee. But I never have the luxury of time to make myself breakfast lately. Today, I'm starving before I leave the house so I slurp down an Ensure high protein (16 gms protein) drink with vitamins. I do feel fairly powerful, and I'm not actually hungry until I hit the locker room to shower. But mostly, whenever I hear that silly Hillywood Supernatural Parody song, I feel happy and silly. I love how music can do that — affect mood so completely, like a drug!


When I'm finally done, I do a few pull ups. I only get 26 reps. My left elbow seems sore. But at least I didn't hurt my ring finger and pinky knuckles today from a badly positioned punch. I'm learning to be more cognizant of my body placement, and my hand positioning. Today, I'm also glad I kept a spare pair of socks in my bag because I completely spaced when packing my gear this morning. So I had sneakers and no socks! But I keep a spare pair in my bag, and that finally came in handy. Finally!

I'm going to be sore. I already know it. No time to stretch out today. But it was worth it. Too many people neglect exercise that challenges their hand-eye coordination. (I'm not talking video games, although I remember I was quite the kickass when I played Tekken against my husband before we got married.) As we age, we lose strength and flexibility unless we work at it. And the same is true for reflexes. I don't play tennis, so the only thing I can think of that challenges a physical response to a visual cue is kickboxing the machine. That is a major full-body workout! Next week will be a challenge navigating workouts between the various doctor appointments for me and my son. It's the end of summer vacation. Booooo!

Friday

10 xtrainer
Calories 47
Miles 1.23

T, Y & I Raises
3lbs x 15
5lbs x 15

Mid Band Pulls 15
High Band Pulls 15

15r Nexersys Follow Me
5r Beginner old
1r Intermediate (new machine)
7r Intermediate old
2r Intermediate old

HGPU 26

I'm Secretly Competitive

I have limited time at the gym today and have to decide between Cardio or Pull Day. Either is fine with me, except I'm tired. Or maybe it's that I'm just not "feeling it" today. I've been lucky this week. I get to the gym late morning and can access the one cross-trainer that allows me to go to a zero resistance setting. It's also the one cross-trainer that has a low screen monitor so I can actually see over the machine while I'm pedaling. Of course, it's my favorite cross-trainer.

I didn't have time to stretch after my workout yesterday, and today I'm a bit sore. In weird places. Like my quads, and chest. I haven't really varied my workouts much, so this is surprising. Stretching makes all the difference! Having sore quads makes me think I'm not going to make my mileage quota today. But I'm wrong. Yes, I'm competitive. With myself. But secretly, I'm competitive with other women as well. Maybe it's not really a secret, but just the way we humans are? Women always compare themselves with other women. I assume men do the same.

While I'm on the Mat doing core stuff, I happen to look up and see a small, athletic blonde young woman doing pull ups. She's dragged a box platform to the center between the cable stations where there's an actual pull up station. She's short, but taller than I am. I know this because if I were to stand atop the platform, I still wouldn't be able to reach the bars. I only count 5 reps but I don't know how many she'd already done before I looked up. It's still more than I've seen any other woman here do.

There's a big guy on the Smith, and a different guy at the CF station so today's a Cardio Day. I'm fine with that. While I'm pedaling the elliptical, I see the short blonde at one of the Cybex machines. She has great triceps. People with nice arms have noticeable shape even with their arms dropped and relaxed. I suspect she's with her boyfriend, but I have trouble locating someone who would qualify. After the elliptical, when I know I've accumulated over 7 miles in cardio, I'm feeling pretty happy and do another stretch. Then another set of hammer grip pull ups. And instead of 26, I get to 31 reps. I don't feel my elbow or shoulder this time either. I'm pretty sure it's because there's another gal here who has muscles. Like a primal response to defending territory? Does it matter what the reasons are? 

There's two pairs of DBs at the edge of the big Mat. I drop my stuff at the other end, next to the wall. There's a large woman stretching on one of the side mats. I start my stretch routine. I don't want to be sore tomorrow when I whack the Nexersys. The blonde walks over to the DBs, lays down and does a set of DB skull crushers. Then she leaves, and a big muscle head drops onto the mat and picks up the bigger DBs and does a set. That's her boyfriend! He's a whole head taller than her, and twice as wide. I'm not quite sure, though, why she's the one dragging the giant back pack from station to station. It apparently has her and her boyfriend's stuff in it. Some things never change...

Thursday
Cardio Day 
7.21 miles

30 xtrainer + 5cd
Calories 163
Miles 4.27
Average Heart Rate 148

HGPU 26
Push Ups 60
Scissors 50
Bicycle 50
Crunches 50
Bird Dogs 2 x 60s
Side Planks 2 x 60s
Superman 2 x 30s

30 elliptical + 5cd
Program 3
Calories 331
Miles 2.94
Average Heart Rate

HGPU 31

Pushing the Push Day

I was up until 3 am because my husband was suppose to be back from Texas, but his flight got delayed and then he was stranded in Maryland. 3 am was the last time he texted me. I got up this morning and no word. Eventually I got myself to the gym and it was a rushed event, because I was meeting another Scout parent this afternoon. She's handing off her duties as Advancement Chair, and I've volunteered for the responsibilities. Because someone has to do it, and no one stepped up. In truth, we have a very small Troop. And we have a lot of older boys who have made Eagle, and will no longer be participating in future events. Which means their parents are most likely leaving as well. That's not always the case though. The Assistant Troop Master, and our Committee Chair were Scouts a long time ago. But they love it. And we're happy to have them provide leadership and organizational continuity. As school starts, so will recruitment efforts... Sigh.

When I got back from the gym today, I nearly backed right into my husband's car because I couldn't see it in the driveway. He'd parked halfway on the lawn on the passenger side of our narrow one-lane, downward-sloping driveway. I can't see over my right shoulder backing up — the headrest gets in the way. Usually, peering out of my side window allows me to back in straight. But of course, I wasn't expecting his "invisible" car to be there. Luckily I was inching back but still. There's that sudden thunk when you hit something solid, and the Sirius Radio antenna goes flying off the dashboard into the passenger seat! No damage to either car though... thank goodness! I didn't get his text about catching the 8 am flight until just now, nearly 11 hours later. Technology is great. When it works.

I do my 30 plus minutes on the cross-trainer, and then a few pull ups. My left elbow complains. It was achy this morning when I woke up. As was my right shoulder. I rubbed the offending spots with Penetrex creme and felt better. It's not a cure though. On the Mat, all I do is a few push ups, and then a quick lower back stretch. I count 5 dizzying reps before my head settles down. Doing push ups while the world is spinning doesn't feel all that great, but at least it doesn't last.

The Smith is free and the small flat bench is nearby. I hadn't really planned to do Flat Benching, but I don't really have the time-luxury of dragging inclined benches over from the DB area. The first few sets feel okay, except for my left palm. I have tiny bony hands. Eventually, the weight of the bar plus becomes quite painful. I am wearing padded lifting gloves! These tiny hands, and my shallow, delicate joints are the weak links in my training. But there's little I can do except to work around them. The last heavy set doesn't feel as easy. I don't push past 10 reps because I'm worried that those last two reps will cause the shoulder to twinge. I hate being fearful, but I'd rather be safe than miserable.  I feel out of shape though because the high rep sets are kicking my butt. As in causing me to pause at rep 10, 15 and 20 before finishing. For both sets. Ugh. I've been better at this.

When people get too close I tend to mutter under my breath. Yes, I have personal space issues! Small people tend to get defensive because bigger people tend to intrude. Especially guys. The Mayor is here today, running between doing Rip Skulls and something at the Squat Rack that isn't squats. I click the volume up to drown out his raspy voice. I'm at the DB area to do my quick supersets for delts. There are a few young men I don't recognize. Or maybe they used to be boys before the summer, and now they've hit puberty? Kids become teenagers become men so quickly! I know this just from watching my son change right before my eyes...

I'm not game for dealing with my bluetooth headphone collar rolling up into my face, so no Rip Skulls for me today. Instead, I wander back to the cable stations. Someone has left the V-bar in place there. Yaaay me! I only do 3 sets of cable press downs, and stop at 40 lbs. When I go heavier, I lose my form and this puts too much pressure on that pesky labral shoulder tear. Done! Whew!

Tomorrow I'll shoot for a Pull Day, but I'm just as happy doing cardio and body weight stuff. Seriously.

Wednesday

30 x-trainer + 5cd
Calories 163
Miles 4.31

HGPU 26
Push Ups 50

Smith Flat Bench
Bar x 15
80 x 12
100 x 12
120 x 10
90 x 25
80 x 25

DB Laterals s/s Rev Incl Flyes
20/25 x 12/15reps x 3

Triceps Press Down V Bar
20lbs x 15
30 x 12
40 x 12

It's The Busiest Time of the Year

I'd like to say my vertigo is gone, but it's not. But it's a lot better. Still, I need to actually get my butt out of bed earlier than 9 am, because I need the mornings to get things done. By the time the dog is dealt with, and I've got myself together, it's nearly 11. Since my son and I are meeting friends at the movies later to see The Hitman's Bodyguard, I really need to rush.

I skipped the gym yesterday because there was just no time to work out, and go shopping for snacks to bring to the park for our informal Solar Eclipse picnic. Boys enjoyed themselves — I sent an email advising their parents to load them with water pistols and swim clothes. This way they could cool themselves off while running through the park. Every now and then we'd don our solar safe glasses and peak at the sun. It looked like a glowing orange fingernail. The light got weirdly gray. Temps dropped noticeably from 85 to 70F. Birds and insects got quiet. Is this what it's like on a planet further away from the sun?

The day before, my son and I went to the 17th Annual Daniel Ninham Pow Wow and met up with friends. We walked around, looked at shops, saw the Bird of Prey show and a lot of colorfully dressed folks dancing in the blistering sun. We ate Fry Bread and Corn Cakes. They weren't as good as last year, maybe because it was the end of the day. The day before that, we went to a Scout in my son's Troop's Eagle Scout Court of Honor. Then we went to the Scout Shop to buy Scouting stuff... it's been a super busy long weekend. And school is only a few weeks away now. Schedules came out this morning so we parents are all scrambling to see what classes our sons share. See who we can rely on for backup in case of missed homework or projects.

Luckily, my favorite cross-trainer is free so I'm able to pedal happily for 35 minutes. My right foot is still going numb during the last 5 minutes, but I've gotten used to that. The attachment point for my Achilles tendon, at the top of my heels, is sometimes sore but only when I'm pedaling. It usually goes away after the first 10-15 minutes. I do a set of pull ups, and the only thing that bothers me today is my inner left elbow. Ugh. Golfer's Elbow. Aka medial epicondylitis. Best treatment for it? Rest, ice, stretching and physical therapy. Ugh. If I restricted myself to just a dozen pull ups, it might go away. Or it won't, and I'll just lose my ability to do them...

I'm in a rush. I knock out push ups, but have to close my eyes for the first three reps because I'm dizzy enough to feel queasy. Then everything settles and I can finish. I do scissors, cross-body bicycles and crunches to avoid chafing my tailbone with movements like lower ab knee-ins or sit ups. I'm just not built for certain exercises.

There's a woman at the Smith so I don't bother with any Push Day movements. I don't have time. All the ellipticals are free though. I barely have time for 30 minutes plus the 5 minute cool down, but that's what I want to do. Done! Another set of pull ups. Then off to shower and change and rush home to grab my son so I can drive back to the same parking lot. Because the movie theater is two doors down from the gym.

My son has just gotten up. I make him put on shorts and a t-shirt, otherwise he'd be wearing his flannel cargo pants and a long sleeve shirt. We both chug down some chilled Ensure protein shakes. We get to the movies just as the last trailer is ending. Whew!

This is a fun fun fun movie. Box office receipts show this moving top grossing this past opening weekend, with the critic's favored Lucky Logan coming in a paltry 3rd place. Yes, it was savaged by the critics but we've learned that critics live on another planet. (I've read reviews where I'm convinced we were watching different movies.) If they hate the movie, chances are good that the movie is something we'll enjoy. (This is no more so evident in the Oscar-winning La La Land. I don't know anyone who watched it, much less liked it. I started streaming it and fell asleep. And normally I love musicals. I also got really bored with Lost in Translation. Yeah yeah, Sofia Coppola and Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansonn. But soooo boring.) Okay, I admit it. I've probably got more in common with teenage boys when it comes to clothes and movies than with women my own age. Oh well...

Back to The Hitman's Bodyguard. It moves really fast so there's no drag, no down time, no wasted dialogue. It doesn't feel like 2 hours. Familiar songs are interjected for humor. And it's wickedly funny, from the verbal sparring between the two main characters, to the flash back encounters. The chase scenes are awesome, and crazy enough for us to wonder about upcoming video games. It's shot beautifully. Not as sleek as Baby Driver, but it also didn't take 10 years to make. If you loved DeadPool, then you're going to love this. Because, you know, Ryan Reynolds...


Tuesday
6.96 total cardio miles
109.6 lbs

30 min x-trainer + 5cd
Calories 159
Miles 4.08
Average Heart Rate 155

HGPU 26
Push Ups 50
Scissors 50
Cross Body Bicycle 50
Crunches 50

30 min elliptical + 5cd
Program 1
Calories 321
Miles 2.88
Average Heart Rate 144

HGPU 26

Raining Outside Means Crowded Inside

Weird weather, what with the upcoming storms and all. But it promises to be sunny and hot on Sunday into Monday, which is all that matters since I plan to take my son to the InterTribal Pow Wow on Sunday, and that's all outdoors. And of course, Monday is the great Eclipse of 2017. We'll only be able to view a partial (72%) eclipse from our location, but that's still worth a Boy Scout patch.

Today it's warm and rainy. There's not much air movement so this is downright unpleasant, and very conducive to mold. There's a shocking amount of people in the gym. Fridays are usually quiet, but not today. I do my 10 minutes on a cross-trainer to get warm, then run through the shoulder routine with baby DBs, and then the green stretchy silicone band. The other kickboxing machine still has a broken Cross arm that hangs down, but at least the screen is on, which means the machine is on. I still opt to use the machine on the Left, the one that doesn't allow me to Log On, or use the Advance Level. Because I can actually see the screen on this machine. Taller people don't have this issue though.

It seems odd that the Right machine is on, with the broken Cross arm. I don't think anything has been fixed. Still, I'm happy that the machine I'm using still has a working sensor in its Cross arm. Again, the only sensor that's broken on this unit, is the Jab arm. So it doesn't register Jabs, Lead Hooks, or Lead Elbows. Oh well...

I do 7 Beginner level rounds, and then my hubs texts me. More people have been let go at his company. One was someone he was relying on for production work. Ugh. I'm just as stressed about the layoffs as he is. Today is also my husband's 50th birthday, but he can't take any time off. When he takes vacation, there is no one to cover his work, so he has twice as much work when he returns. Well, at least he got to "relax" out at Boy Scout Camp last week. I'm taking him out to a fancy local steakhouse tonight. And making my son wear a button-down shirt (under protest).

I'm well into my 3rd round at the Intermediate level and I'm breathing hard when I get a very disturbing sensation in the middle of my chest. Not quite like I'd had the wind knocked out of me, because I could breathe just fine. But pressure on my chest, like when I swallow too quickly and my esophagus spasms. I'm prone to hiccups and other annoying but benign muscle freakouts. This is something totally new: the sensation of a lump in the chest. It's disturbing enough for me to actually check my pulse, and wonder if something crazy is going on with my heart and that flaky mitral valve. I'm not dizzy or suffering from any other weird symptoms. I proceed with the rest of my rounds cautiously, wondering if I'm over-reacting. I don't want to be part of the statistic about people who ignore their symptoms and wind up dead at home!

I don't feel weak. And I'm already sweaty. It takes a good 20 minutes before the "lump" in my chest has dissipated. I feel okay mostly, so there's no reason not to proceed with the rest of my routine. I knock out a bunch of pull ups. This time I make it to 28 before my left forearm and elbow complain. Then I do most of a Mat Stretch. Stretching prevents soreness! I can honestly say that I'm not usually sore the next day from any of my workouts. Maybe I should try harder?

I did step on my scale at home this morning before coming to the gym. At least the numbers are creeping in the right direction, even if this seems to be the most painfully slow trek ever. But I'm not going to complain at 108.4 lbs and 15.4% BF. Not at my goal weight and body fat level yet. Of course, the closer you get, the harder it is to reach. That's just life.

Friday

10 min x-trainer
Calories
Miles 1.19

T, Y & I Raises
3lbs x 15
5lbs x 15

Mid Band Pulls 15
High Band Pulls 15

Nexersys Follow Me
7r Beginner
7r Intermediate

HGPU 28

Little Things

Yesterday, my son and I went to a beach in Connecticut with friends. We saw a lot of nature, from oversized seagull chicks bullying their parents for meals, to horseshoe crabs and snails in the surf. No lifeguards on duty, but the Nature Center happened to be open and we visited that as well. It was a beautiful day and we got there at low tide so we could walk several yards out onto the sandbars. I don't remember getting sunburned as a child, but everyone says the sun seems stronger these days. I slather on SPF 30 because it's the lightest sunscreen we have. My son's lotions are more along the lines of SPF 50 and 75 even though he tans nicely. But neither of us want to get burned.

I'm not really in the mood to work out today. Laziness. I missed yesterday and the inertia drags on. The gym parking lot is peculiarly empty. Everyone must be on vacation. Camps usually only run for 8 weeks, and there's two more weeks of summer before school starts. Still, the cross-trainer I favor is occupied so I get on one near the front door. I know I'm not going to make my best mileage. I also know that today is a cardio day.

After a set of pull ups, I do some ab core work, and push ups. I got a little dizzy this morning but that seems to have passed. Neither the pull ups or push ups bother me too much. Yaaaay! I see a few regulars, like The Mayor in his bright melon T-shirt. He doesn't have anyone to chat with today so he's unusually quiet. I head up to the ellipticals where I have my choice of machines, and I choose Program 3. Coincidentally, I've loaded an MP3 version of the Hillywood Supernatural Parody song onto my iPod. It's so happy and upbeat that it makes a perfect addition to the workout mix. I truly like it a million times better than the original Taylor Swift song. So much so that I start mouthing the lyrics as I'm pedaling as fast as I can go. It's exhilarating. I feel really happy.


I do another set of pull ups, and then a quick stretch. I have to pick up my husband's dry cleaning clear on the other side of town before rushing home to unload my car, and then drive my son to an afternoon play date. Ugh. The other mom is cleaning her kitchen as we chat so she's not offended as I start browsing my phone. On a muscle-head site I frequent, I see a video post of a body builder who is about my size. She's always very chirpy and happy. Today she's happy about doing pull ups, and her video shows her doing 5. I notice that she also keeps her elbows bent. And suddenly I'm really happy again. I feel vindicated, and legitimized. Weird, right? Especially when comments to her post say things like, "Kudos to you. Not many women can do pull ups so effortlessly." Ha! She got 5. I know it's stupid and petty of me, but damn, that feels good.

Tomorrow is Whack the Machine Day. Both machines appear to be plugged in, but one still has a broken Cross arm. Hmmmm...

Thursday Cardio Day
6.9 miles

30 min x-trainer + 5cd
Calories 171
Miles 3.92
Average Heart Rate 141

HGPU 26
Push Ups 50
Lateral Scissors 50
Cross Body Bicycle 50
Crunches 50
Bird Dogs 2 x 60s
Side Planks 2 x 60s
Push Ups 50

30 min elliptical + 5cd
Program 3
Miles 2.98
Calories 338
Average Heart Rate 150

HGPU 26

Priority Adjustment

This vertigo thing is getting old. The weather's been unpredictable and temperamental, with intermittent rain and blazing sunshine. I get out of the house with just enough time to do a bare necessities workout, and still have time to hit the grocery store. Because I promised my son I'd take him to the movies. To meet up with some of his friends. Who also want to see this movie. My son doesn't really care about the movie. He just wants to hang out with friends. His friends, on the other hand, are huge history buffs. Especially military history. So we're seeing Dunkirk.

I get to the gym at just the right time. There's hardly anyone there! My head still feels oddly sensitive, and bending down too quickly makes the earth move. But not in a good way. I'm a little surprised that I make better mileage today than I did yesterday. Weird. My right shoulder is a little achy today. Pull ups might be an issue. Looking up is an issue. Ugh. Pull ups really only bother my left elbow. I skip everything else to use the Smith. No push ups. No crunches. No core.

M and another guy are at the adjacent MaxRack station, doing weird twisting pull ups that move their legs across their torso. I guess it's a core or ab movement. Sort of like Grandpa Spider. I think they're called Windmills. Except all the online examples I've seen show a person hanging, not with bent pull up arms. That's probably ridiculously hard. I'm not even vaguely tempted to try it.

Windmill without bent arms

I focus to make my movements slow and deliberate. My lower spine isn't really happy with the RDLs today. I actually lose count during my last set, but I'm too tired to repeat it. Even the three sets of RG BB Rows have me gasping a little. I don't have time for another round of cardio. Or anything really, other than a good stretch and a few pull ups.

Once I get home, I make myself a 1/4 cup of oatmeal with 1/2 cup of water and a pinch of salt. Nuke for 2 minutes. Then add 1/2 cup frozen blueberries. They cool the oatmeal right down and I can add the scoop of vanilla ice cream flavored whey protein without worrying about the oatmeal becoming all gross and rubbery. It's surprisingly good, and filling. Now I'm not tempted to eat any of the candy the boys will be inhaling at the movie theater!

Tuesday / Pull Day

30 min x-trainer + 5cd
Calories 164
Miles 4.35
Average Heart Rate 154

HGPU 26

Smith RDLs
Bar (30lbs) x 12
80 x 12
100 x 12
120 x 12
140 x 12
150 x 11

Smith RG BB Rows
80 x 25
100 x 25
120 x 25

HGPU 26

Just Give Me Water

When I was a child, I would never drink plain tap water. That was something you used to clean your hands and body, soak dishes in, dissolve dirt and grease at the laundromat. You used it to revive plants, and pets. But actually drink it? I didn't like the smell of pipes or disinfectant. Perhaps I'm just that perennially picky kid? Beverages had palatable tastes mostly, and some had texture. Like orange juice, milk and hot cocoa. I didn't learn to appreciate the texture and taste of water until I was much much older. Our water comes from a shallow well outside our house. It's hard, mineralized water that tastes good, and destroys plumbing and laundry. We have an RO filter on our drinking water, because it IS a shallow well, as in maybe 30 feet deep. The neighbor across from us had to drill a new well that was closer to 700 feet. We sit on wetlands, He doesn't. We have underground streams criss-crossing under our property. He probably doesn't.

I drink a good liter or more of this water every day that I work out. When I get home I drink more, but sometimes I want something different. This summer, my son and I sampled the various flavored seltzers and tea-lemonade combinations. I'm always so shocked by how much added sugar each bottle contains that I find myself buying the Diet version. I figure sucralose is better than aspartame. But when we get home and pour a glass, I find that the beverage does just the opposite of quenching my thirst. Instead, it makes my mouth feel just slightly dry. Just enough for me to want to swallow another mouthful. It's insidious like that. Diet drinks make you want to drink more, just to rid your tongue of that vague after-taste. My hubs tells me that I'm too sensitive. Perhaps. Just give me water.

Today is promising. No vertigo when I wake up, but my head feels fuzzy and tender all the same. I can feel heat and pain for a minute or two, emanating from inside my right ear, under my cheekbone. Then it's gone. I'm on the edge of dizziness. It's better than actually being dizzy, but not by much. Today's an abbreviated workout so I'll have time to take my photo show down so I know my priorities. First there's cardio. Because if I don't get anything else done, cardio will be the most important. Especially for someone with mitral valve prolapse, as per all the online literature.

I'm hesitant at the Stretch Cage because looking up makes me dizzy. Today it's not so bad. What makes me a little ill actually, is doing push ups! Okay, that's new, and unpleasant enough to quell any desire to do more sets. I'd been toying with the idea of doing some push up variations, like T-push ups but not today! Since the big adjustable inclined bench is near the Smith, that's what I use. Benching doesn't make me want to hurl, but I have no desire to do flat benching. (The Smith feels a little sticky in the glide track.) Inclined Benching is just fine today since I don't push nearly as much weight on this movement. I've skipped shoulder warm ups but they don't feel bad.

I can't actually see myself doing Inclined DB Flyes, which feels kind of weird. Again, I'm just doing it for the stretch, and I keep my elbows bent at least 30°. Bent elbows are safer elbows for someone with joint issues. Then my routine DB Lateral Raises superset with Reverse Inclined Flyes. Finish with Rip Skulls. Again, I'm having trouble keeping the Skull Candy neck yoke from rolling up into my chin during the pullover phase of this particular type of skull crusher. Ugh. I look at the clock. No time for more cardio or anything else. Maybe tomorrow...

Monday / Push Day

30 min x-trainer + 5cd
Calories 160
Miles 4.12
Average Heart Rate 145

HGPU 26
Push Ups 50
Lower Ab Scissors 50
Cross Body Bicycle 50
Crunches 50

Smith Inclined Press
Bar (30) x 15
50 x 13
70 x 13
80 x 12
90 x 12
60 x 25
50 x 25

DB Inclined Flyes
10lbs x 12
15lbs x 12
20lbs x

DB Laterals s/s Rev Incl Flyes
20/25lbs x 12/15reps x 3 sets

Rip Skulls
40lbs x 12reps x 3sets

Maybe It's a Migraine?

I wasn't horribly dizzy when I got up this morning. But I was a bit queasy. And that sensation lingers even now, hours later. In the interim, I've had a cup of tea, fed and walked the dog, gone to the gym to do 14 rounds whacking the kickboxing machine, did one set of pull ups (and got dizzy looking up at the bars), changed and showered, went grocery shopping, took the dog out again, started laundry, sorted mail, and started researching the symptoms and duration for migraines. It's the queasiness that makes me wonder if it's a migraine. Although this type of headache is only suppose to last for 4-72 hours, and mine seems to have occurred over a period of weeks. But I've had days without vertigo. The persistent nausea is new. But I did change my diet so I can't rule that out as a cause either.

The other symptom that makes me suspect migraine, is that my scalp is ridiculously sensitive. To the point where I can't clip my hair up because that hurts too much. And wearing reading glasses atop my head feels heavy. I've never had that issue before. I've even had to loosen my braid because of the pulling sensation on my scalp. Weird, right? I've only had one confirmed case of a migraine before, and that was a peculiar ocular migraine where I suddenly experienced a bizarre, geometric black and white border of shapes (like trapezoids) framing my vision. It happened while I was pumping gas. My boyfriend (now my hubs) was in the passenger seat. I told him that I felt weird so he took over driving. Later I started to feel very queasy and had to lay down. But it was over in a few hours. And that was almost 20 years ago. (My mother used to claim migraines all the time, but I don't know that she was ever officially diagnosed since she avoided the medical profession. And with good reason. She was the type of personality that invited unwanted male attention, even from doctors. I've no doubt that my mother suffered from all sorts of abuse.)

Yesterday I bought some green tea with matcha and sipped a cup into the late afternoon. I'm sure it's why I had trouble sleeping last night as I was awake until 2 am. The packaging of the Lipton brand doesn't provide a caffeine amount, which was disappointing. This morning I had a choice of brewing an entire pot of fresh coffee, resorting to instant coffee (like Starbucks Via or Cafe Bustelo instant espresso), or testing a cup of Yogi brand energy tea. The latter's package states it contains roughly the equivalent amount of caffeine as a cup of coffee. Because I don't need to add sugar or creamer to it, the food app states I've had zero calories for breakfast. I'm also not hungry.

By the time I get home, it's well past 3 pm and I'm ravenous. But first things first. By the time I get around to making oatmeal with frozen blueberries and a scoop of whey powder, I'm past being hungry. I also suck down the latest Abbott Laboratories Ensure "high protein" drink (16 grams protein). I had a coupon for it so it was only 99¢ per serving. I'm amused that they've changed their high protein formula YET again. The last version was over 330 calories with a nasty, gooey texture meant to put weight on frail elderly folks. Oil ranked high on the ingredient list. I haven't seen it lately — good riddance!

I do wish they would bring back their original high protein formula which contained 24 grams of protein in a fairly innocuous vanilla or Dutch chocolate base, and only 220 calories. Meanwhile, the Abbott Laboratories EAS brand (for muscleheads) is disgusting. Still, in a pinch, I'll chow down a Quest bar because it doesn't taste bad (neutral flavors like Wildberry, Almond Coconut and Banana Nut), has 20 gms protein, and doesn't leave an aftertaste (if you buy the right flavor). I am, however, extremely amused by all the companies jumping on the high protein band-wagon. Even venerables like Stonyfield, and Chobani have twice as much sugar as protein in their "good for you" shakes. Yeah, right. Not falling for that. Bad enough there's Gatorade Recover Shake (20 gms protein/20 gms sugar), and Under Armour BodyArmor which is just basically sugar. Drinking orange juice is a better deal.

Dead machine to the right

My workout was good today. The gym was very quiet. I was quite surprised to see several college women in the free weight area. The old men didn't show up until past noon. There is only one kickboxing machine up and running now. I'm pleasantly surprised that the Cross arm has a working sensor in it today! So the only thing that doesn't register is the Jab arm, which also means it doesn't register Lead Hook and Lead Elbows. A gal at the front desk tells me that the other machine is down because they're waiting for parts. Seriously? I've got my fingers crossed. Or, it's just something Gym Owner tells his staff. Hard to know. I see him training various different clients, but not on a regular basis. In my mind, all the women want muscles like mine. Or at least the ability to do a pull up.

Friday

10 min elliptical
Calories 91
Miles 0.82

T, Y & I Raises
3lbs x 15
5lbs x 15

Mid Band Pulls x 15
High Band Pulls x 15

Nexersys Follow Me
7r Beginner
7r Intermediate

HGPU 26

Is It BPPV?

I woke up feeling pretty good this morning. I like to stretch while laying in bed, and then made the unfortunate decision to roll over onto my right side. Normally, I avoid doing this because my right shoulder hates it. My regret stemmed not from the shoulder, though, but the instant wave of nausea and dizziness. Vertigo in spades. Ugh. It takes me a long time to get through the morning routine, but eventually I make it to the gym. I find that regardless of how bad the vertigo is, I always feel better after a workout.

A friend suggested that I might have BPPV, aka Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo, a condition caused by dislodged calcium carbonite crystals that migrate into the inner ear canals where they're not suppose to be. We apparently have these mineral deposits (otoconia) embedded in another part of the ear structure (utricle) that enables us to determine acceleration. Well, that's nice, except when I need housekeeping to tidy up the mess inside my ears so that I can bend over without throwing up.

There's a recommended manual treatment called the Epley Manuever. It looks simple enough, if I can actually not fall off my bed or otherwise get sick. It's recommended that I see a healthcare provider who is versed in this, but of course, I don't really trust doctors much these days not to send me out for a series of tests, x-rays and MRIs to rule out everything except what might be the most obvious. Of course, I was feeling better until this morning so maybe I can wait this out...

I hate feeling fuzzy-headed though. My sis has been raving about yerba maté tea as a substitute for morning coffee, which she can't tolerate. She says it makes her feel extremely focused, but not jittery. I want to try it, but of course, I can't find it in my supermarket and the health food store closed last December. Maybe Amazon carries it? There's over a dozen listings, so I'll have to rely on customer reviews. Because how else can I make a decision?

Since today is Cardio Day, I spend 30+ minutes on the cross-trainer, then hop off and try the Espresso bike simulator. It's not a comfortable fit, especially since I can barely steer with the tips of my fingers. But 2.4 miles seems like a program I can do. It's fun. Sweat is dripping off my nose by the time I cross the finish line. Then a few pull ups, some push ups, crunches, and then the elliptical. Because the Step Mill is busy, and I think the erg rower gives me a sore tail bone. There are other cardio machines that I mostly don't fit into without feeling a lower back ache. And the reclining bike is just silly. I tried it. You can log in 5 miles with minimal effort! Pointless.

The Mayor is wearing an uncharacteristic black T-shirt today. Normally he dons pastels like blue, orange, pink or red. But yesterday he was wearing the same pale melon color as another fellow, and that probably really bothered him. Today he also spends 20 minutes gabbing with three other men while his teenage son flits from machine to machine.

I need to grab some groceries before I head home. The gym scale tells me 109.2 lbs, so that's going in the right direction, although it seems to have taken me all damn week to get there. Once I get home, the dog needs tending to, and groceries need to be put away, laundry started, mail sorted. I'd already planned to make oatmeal cooked in milk, with blueberries and a scoop of vanilla protein powder. I actually read this idea on T-Nation.com. This is the first article that stated, add frozen blueberries to cool off the oatmeal before adding the protein powder. Everyone else says it's fine to cook powder, but I find it turns food un-appetizingly gummy. The food makes me happy. But I'm still a bit queasy afterwards, and my head still feels funny. Ugh.

I wonder if whacking the Nexersys will make things better or worse tomorrow. We're down to one machine, as the one with the broken arm seems to have been disconnected. Hmmmm...

Thursday
8.94 cardio miles

30 min x-trainer + 5cd
Calories 170
Miles 3.72
Average Heart Rate 144

Espresso bike
2.36 miles
Evening Bliss course
13:40 min

HGPU 26
Push Ups 50
Crunches 3 x 50

30 min elliptical + 5cd
Program 3
Calories 319
Miles 2.86
Average Heart Rate 143

HGPU 26

Almost Better

The downside to doing an intense cardio workout the day before a "heavy lifting" day, is that you're too tired to actually do any heavy lifting. The tree guy showed up around 9 am and was done with his assessment in a few minutes. $500 to take both trees down, and only an additional $700 to take the sides and tops off the hedges along our road. Mind you, those hedges are a good 12 feet tall and will require a chainsaw and bucket truck. I'd like the hedges to be around 6 feet tall. Still, that's $1200 I'd rather not spend, but those trees have to come down, and preferably not in a wind storm.

My vertigo is persistent, but not debilitating. More of an annoyance today. I'm actually able to get decent mileage on the cross-trainer, in spite of some mild stiffness in my thighs. Afterwards, I do a set of pull ups. The vertigo doesn't really bother me until I dismount. Ugh. I'm skipping core today, and I see that the Smith is vacant. I get a little dizzy bending down to reach the bar for RDLs. It's distracting enough to interfere with my form, and on the heavier sets, I actually feel my lower back on the right side. I'm not exactly tired though. More like empty. And slightly fuzzy-headed. Ugh. I'll have to settle for sets of 5 reps at my max weight. Better than nothing. Better than hurting myself.

Because I can feel my lower back complain when I do RG BB Rows, I'm a bit worried and I stand a bit straighter than I'd like. I get my reps. There are only two seated cable stations, and both are occupied. Of course, only one guy is actually doing seated cable rows. The other guy, an older, taller man who approaches all his sets rather painfully, is just sitting there looking at his phone. Still, I hate to interrupt people, because maybe he's between sets? Regardless, I skip One-Seated Cable Rows today. I don't want to get on the elliptical either. But the Step Mill is empty. There's only two of them, and they tend to be quite popular. I'm only game for 15 minutes.

The Mayor has his son with him today. They're flat benching and doing a few other things. This is probably the most work (and least kibbitzing) I've ever seen The Mayor do. My son is at Scout Camp with my hubs, working on his Cooking, Rifle and First Aid merit badges. At the last minute, he added the Chess merit badge as well. My hubs texts me photos intermittently since cell service is spotty. I'm glad they seem to be having a good time.

I do another set of pull ups, and then a quick stretch on the Mats. The gym scale reads 110.2 lbs. I know I'm carrying more body fat than I'd like. Still, I'm surprised that the scale has stubbornly not budged. My theory is that the MyFitnessPal app assumes I'm the average, small, middle-age woman. I had to punch in my age, height and weight, and what my weight goal is. I don't add any exercises to the daily meal planner because that just raises the allowed amount you can eat. I've kept my own calorie intake within guidelines, and I suspect that if I was the average 23% body fat instead of under 20%, I'd actually be losing weight. But I'm just guessing. I probably need to cut more of my fat intake. Ugh. That gets painful. And boring.

Yesterday I read that Glen Campbell had passed away from Alzheimer's disease. I remember watching his Good Time Hour when I was a kid. My parents had a few of his albums, but also listened to Johnny Cash (one of my grandmother's favorites), Johnny Mathis, Frankie Lyman and a lot of musical soundtracks. Yes, I know all the words to West Side Story, and the Man of LaMancha.


Wednesday
(Day after Intervals)

30 min x-trainer + 5cd
Calories 162
Miles 4.23
Average Heart Rate 157

HGPU 26

Smith RDLs
Bar (30lbs) x 15
80 x 12
100 x 12
120 x 12
140 x 12 (this is really hard today)
Happy if I get 5
150 x 5 x 3

Smith RG BB Rows
80lbs x 25reps
100 x 25
120 x 25

15 min Step Mill
Steps 766
Floors 47
Calories 113

HGPU 26

Still Dizzy

Again, I don't get up as early as I should to make the most efficient use of my morning. I'm not really a morning person. My head still feels odd, and although my vertigo feels milder, it is still there. I'm medically paranoid enough to wonder if I don't have tiny tumors growing inside my inner ear canals. Lately I've been digging tiny growths out of my skin, like the "sand grain size" bump embedded in my palm. It didn't bleed because it was in the top layers of skin, but the resulting wound stung when I applied antiseptic to it. It wasn't a callous or a pimple. I'm not sure what it was. There's no scar and no indication that it'll return, so that's good.

I get a few chores out of the way before I head to the gym. It's noon by the time I get done with my first cardio session, and in spite of my feet going numb, I feel okay. Still a bit dizzy when I bend over though. And horribly dizzy when I have to look up at the Stretch Cage roof to grab the bars for pull ups. Ugh. Today is a Cardio Day. Just because.

I'm not sure if I'm making it to the gym tomorrow since I've had to call a tree service to come look at two partially dead trees behind my house. They're small, but the tops are dead. As in white, barkless, leafless. They waver in the wind, and if they fall the wrong way, they'll hit my bedroom roof. Not what I want. I don't even care if they cut the trees in half and leave 5 foot stumps, because those won't fall over. But the tree service can't bring a truck back behind my house, into the wetlands. It'll all have to be done by hand, with ropes, ladders and a couple of guys. I know how it has to be done. I just can't do it myself.

There are too many people on the Mats today, and I stalk off to the classroom to see if it's empty. Yaay! It is, and there's at least one other person in there doing some sort of gliding calisthenics. I do push ups, and try some new things. Like the Superman pose. It's not hard, but it helps to see yourself in the mirror. There's no mirror where the big Mats are. But the classroom has two full mirrored walls. I also try lower ab scissors, and another movement that brings your leg straight across up and across your hip. Kind of a waist-trimming exercise. I could use a trimmer waist since I'm built like a fireplug. Later, though, I'm dismayed to find that I've bruised my tail bone area again, and scraped the skin off. Of course, I only realize this once I'm in the shower. Sigh.

I go back outside to the general gym area and up to the cardio platform. The ellipticals are all vacant. I haven't done Intervals in months and I feel guilty. The program is so exhausting that I flicker back and forth between Intervals and a milder program. But of course, I tell myself that I can always just rest longer and make other adjustments during the session. Nothing is set in stone! That's the only way I can convince myself to actually start the Intervals program. For 30 minutes. And a 5 minute cool down.

Unlike tabata HIIT, I don't actually max myself out during the Up phase. Well, at least not until 20 minutes into it. Because afterwards, it takes me a lot longer than 3 minutes to recover when I go "all out". Instead, I strive for anything over 200 Strides Per Minute and I'm usually at 220-230. Max today was 254. I've gone as fast as 270, but that's when I do Intervals on a regular, weekly basis. On the Down phase, I'm trotting along at 110-120 SPMs.

There are some people at the gym whom I just absolutely despise. A stocky man gets on the elliptical next to me. A Staffer has just wiped it down. He drapes himself over the control panel, resting his elbows and entire upper body while he pedals. Done after 20 minutes, and he dismounts without wiping anything down. He walks like an ex-jock with a bad back, except those glory days were probably 20 years ago. Nasty. And no excuses for being an ass.

I'm totally drenched by the time I exit the machine. I can still manage pull ups though. But the vertigo hasn't really subsided, and it takes me a few moments to stabilize my head before I can reach up. Ugh. When I finish, I have to wait a few seconds before I can leave the Cage because I'm dizzy. Double ugh.

The gym scale rewards me with the good news: 110.4 lbs today. Whew! Water weight begone! But of course, I'm having leftover pastrami for lunch when I get home. There's a lot of salt in deli meats. However, I made myself a pot of 3-ingredient turkey chili last night, and I'm quite happy with how it tastes, and the nutritional breakdown. It's just ground turkey (1.3 lbs), 1 can of beans (these happen to be pink beans), and 1 can (14 oz) of Delmonte diced tomatoes with green chilis. Of course, you need to use a little oil to brown the turkey, and add additional spices like onions, garlic, chili powder, and a dusting of cayenne. No rice. I do add a slice of leftover deli Swiss cheese on top to mitigate the heat.

My vertigo makes me wonder if there are other issues at hand, and I suddenly remember that I have MVP, mitral valve prolapse. Not that I've ever truly forgotten, but it's always been a non-issue except when I have a dental cleaning. The mitral valve is the valve that regulates blood from the Left Atrium to the Left Ventricle, pushing oxygenated blood to the rest of the body. It was diagnosed over 20 years ago by my primary care physician when she heard the tell-tale systolic click of the valve flap. A later echocardiogram confirmed it.

There is some association between having this condition and other heritable traits, such as connective tissue disorders. Well, in spite of my flexibility, and genetic skin condition, at least I don't have EDS (Ehlers Danlos Syndrome), a connective tissue disorder suffered by my husband's niece. (They're not blood relations so I don't worry about it occurring in my son.) The poor girl is barely in her 20s now, valiantly trying to finish college in spite of needing to use a wheelchair, and suffering from a host of ailments not excluding extreme fatigue, fainting, and difficulty healing. My ailments are minuscule compared to hers.

Tuesday
7.27 miles (yaaay me!)

30 min x-trainer + 5cd
Calories 162
Miles 4.22
Average Heart Rate 154

HGPU 26
Knee-Ins 50
Leg Cross-Overs 15 ea side
Lower Ab Scissors 50
Push Ups 50
Superman 2 x 30s

30 min elliptical + 5cd
Intervals
Calories 346
Miles 3.05
Average Heart Rate 147

HGPU 26