Anxiety Relief

I stay up late and don't get enough sleep. I don't make the most nutritious eating choices over the weekend. Procrastination is my middle and last name. I sound like a teenager. What I have is anxiety. The impending biopsy next month only makes it worse. The closest I get to meditation is my time at the gym so I go 4 to 5 days a week. I'm calm enough to refocus my energies once I've done cardio and weights. Or even just some cardio. Gym time allows my mind to go blank and be focused purely in the moment. When I leave, I feel like a normal human being.

Non-medical anxiety relief is based on exercise, meditation, restful sleep, deep breathing (doesn't that fall under meditation?), eating healthy (ditching junk food), and avoidance of caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol. Aromatherapy and chamomile tea are also recommended. I found a room spray with the unlikely mix of frankincense and myrrh that is soothing and relaxing. (My husband wrinkles his nose and says it smells like something burnt.) Normally, room sprays are ghastly concoctions of cinnamon or pine or overwhelmingly floral. Like heavy perfumes, those fragrances give me a headache.

Escapism is another favorite remedy for anxiety, although relief is only temporary. I'm taking my son to see Zombieland 2 tomorrow. Schools are closed due to local elections although teachers must still report to work. I'd hoped to see Joker or Maleficent, but I'm good with Zombieland too. We saw the first movie and it was entertaining, especially Woody Harrelson. Who knew that the slow-witted goofball from Cheers would become such a badass?!


Today, I do my standard 30 plus minutes of cardio, some pull-ups, some ab work, and then wander the free weight area looking for an available bench. It's godawful crowded today with newbies, and regulars once MIA now making a return like prodigal sons. Ugh. I can't get on the Smith because the Chatty Guys Club is holding court there. I do a few sets at the Breaker Inclined Bench instead. I do manage to snag an adjustable bench for my DB supersets. But I ding my left pinky with the opposing DB during the 3rd set of Lateral Raises. The finger goes numb, which makes it hard to maintain a full grip on the DB. I still manage to finish all four sets, but the 3rd set was marred with several pauses. Well, at least I didn't draw blood like I did once with the Lat Pulldown Bar. Rip Skulls were fine. My second round of cardio was fine. The Mat Stretch was a bit tricky because of all the ladders and drop cloths laying about.

Gym Owner started painting the gym over the weekend and the cardio platform seems couched in shadow because of the new gray paint. A lot of the equipment is gray so everything blends together in a weird sort of camouflage. The whole gym appears darker with the same lighting. I'm not sure if that's the desired effect. I didn't mind the peachy-tan color before, but I don't miss the brick red accent walls. Tomorrow I plan to just do a bit of cardio, vote and then take my son to the movies. Maybe not quite in that order... polls open at 6 am.

Sunny Crowded Monday Push

30 elliptical + 5cd
Program 3
Miles 2.87
Calories 320
HR 143-191 (90)

Cage Stretch
HGPU 25

Elbow Plank 60s
Crunches 60/60
Bicycles 60
Horizontal Scissors 60
Side Planks 2 x 60s
Bird Dogs 2 x 60s

Breaker Inclined Bench
Bar (45) x 15
55 x 16
65 x 15, 20, 20

DB Laterals s/s Rev Inclined Flys
20 lbs x 12/20 reps x 4 sets

Rip Skulls
40 x 12, 12, 10

20 elliptical + 5 cd
Program 3
Calories 236
Miles 2.09
HR 147-184 (137)

Mat Stretch