Formulating a Plan of Sorts

The power went out just as I got back from the school bus stop. It was a bit drizzly, but the wind has been gusting up to 50 mph. Yesterday there were entire fleets of bucket trucks all along the major roadways. I just assumed they were taking advantage of the nice weather. But perhaps they were just trying to get ahead of this nameless weather system? I leave for the gym just as the power flickers back on. I made my son put on a raincoat, and later, when he returns from school, he's actually thankful that I made him wear it. Because it's raining sheets. And he laughs about the other kids who are ill-prepared, because what 12-yr old really wants to listen to his mom anyway? Well, mine does.

Again, I can't get on the cross-trainer I favor because someone else is using it. Ugh. I get on the same one I used yesterday. It feels even harder to pedal today. Part of me decides that it's just not worth the aggravation, so I'm perfectly content to actually log in less mileage today. Except I log in more. Not a lot more, but definitely more. Weird. My legs feel like tired lumber. Great day for RDLs. It's crowded too, because it's raining outside, and because I'm here earlier than usual. I do a set of pull ups and then head directly for the Smith.

Today is the 2nd day I've decided not to wear my wedding band while working out. It feels weird. But I still have the hairline cut on the inside of my ring finger, and I don't want to make it worse. Yesterday I forgot to put the ring back on until much later in the day. I can't wear gloves when I use the Versa Gripps (VGs) because my hands are just too small. The gloves I use for pull ups and stretching are slowly disintegrating. The thicker blue gloves I use for lifting have better padding, but the fingers are too big and cause painful chafing when I do pull ups... Sigh. It's always something. (I have discovered that Suave makes a lovely inexpensive skin cream that's not sticky. Yaaay! It won't dissolve scaly skin, but it's nice for after doing the dishes, and general moisturizing.)

Even though I don't feel as if I can, I actually do make all my sets for the RDLs. And all my reps for the RG BB Rows. Where I slack is at the One-Arm DB Rows, because my elbows feel a bit off. And since this isn't an elbow workout, I figure 3 decent sets at a moderate weight is good enough. The Mayor and Big Mustache seem to turn up the volume when they start chatting at the next bench over. I turn up my tunes. Because I'm so not interested in what they have to scream at each other.

A trainer I've never seen before is guiding a middle-age man through some exercises on the Stretch Mats. I don't want to disturb or distract them so I wander into the big mirrored classroom. But it's a thousand degrees in there, as if they'd just had a Hot Yoga class. Yes, there was a yoga class in there, but it was regular, normal yoga. I try a few Pistol Squats to see if I can still do them. I can, but normally I'd do this after cardio when the legs are more warmed up, so I worry about pulling something. I feel the strain in my front thighs and wonder if my quads are going to get bigger because of this? I hope not. They're already too big. I used to be able to do 6-10 in a session so I'd have to work up to that number again if I wanted. But again, I'd like my pants to fit properly, and Pistol Squats or Squats of any kind are not going to help me.

What's going to help is cutting calories. Fat and carbs most likely. It's not going to be fun, but I'd feel a lot better about myself if I dropped a few pounds of fat. I look at myself in the mirror, and come to the same conclusion as yesterday. Damn, I'm big. I bet I'm scary too. Not a bad thing...

Tuesday

35 xtrainer
Calories 154
Miles 3.91
Average Heart Rate 141

HGPU 26

Smith RDLs
Bar (30) x 15
80 x 12
120 x 12
140 x 12
160 x 8 x 3

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

DB 1-Arm Rows
45lbs x 12reps x 3 sets

Pistol Squats 2 ea leg