Not quite enough time

The dog trainer came to the house at 9:30 to pick up the runaway to give him a playdate with calmer dogs. It's a bit reminiscent of (well, I was going to use Cesar Milan but I'm reading controversial things about the former Dog Whisperer) the calm pack approach to fearful dogs.

This meant I didn't get to the gym until late morning. There's a different crowd by that point. Unfortunately, that includes The Mayor who only got louder as he inched closer. I cut my workout short. Not just because I don't like being around someone so boisterous that I can't help but hear them through my headphones, but because I had things to do before the runaway dog returned.

The other dog stayed home, keeping guard in the living room window. He's normally the more outgoing of the two, but lately he's been acting spooked. Hopefully, we'll figure this out. He has his playdate training session next week. Meanwhile, I got them licensed by the county so I could apply for Bark Park passes. The pups need a safe enclosed area to run around like looneys and it's not my unfenced yard.

Intervals on the elliptical went well considering my quads are the teensiest bit sore. Most of my effort went into shoulder stretches and warmups, although I did a set of pushups as well. I stopped myself at 25, not because I got tired, but because I figured that was probably enough. Not the best form with feet shoulders width apart and my elbows splayed out, but my face is grazing the floormat and at least my elbows don't click or hurt in this position.

After the Zumba class, there's a yoga stretch class in the Aerobic room so I do my core exercises in the tiny mat space by the storage room. I'm never tempted to join this class or any class. Because I'd rather do my own thing at my own pace. With my music on and no one talking. I skip Rip Skulls and V-bar Tricep Press Downs. I skip the 2nd cardio session. And I skip Mat Stretches. Because I still have things to do... but at least I got my shoulders worked out.

Another Friday Shoulders Plus

30 + 5 cd elliptical
Program Intervals
Miles 2.93
Calories 329
HR 143-198 (105, 86, 95)

Cage Stretch
Mid-Band Pulls 15
High-Band Pulls 15

Elbow Plank 60s
Crunches 60/60
Bicycles 60
Bird Dogs 2 x 60s
Slow Push Ups 25

T, Y & I Raises Inclined Bench
5 lbs x 15 reps x 3 sets

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

Dithering Thursday

I had my annual exam yesterday. My blood pressure was a surprisingly good 110/60 although the pulse was a bit high at 69, but I attribute that to being ravenously hungry and having only had a cup of hot green tea for breakfast. The bloodwork results came in today and they are also unremarkable. My total cholesterol has dropped slightly so that's even better, and although it's technically borderline high, the ratio of HDL to LDL is good. So no need to worry, unless you're one of those who believe that LDLs need to be lower. But some studies indicate that very low levels of cholesterol are associated with a higher cancer risk. So there's that.

The doc also looked at my bruised and battered big toe. She said it was healing properly in spite of looking liked it'd been mashed under heavy equipment. A few hours later, the "dog sitter/animal control officer for the next town over" came by to meet my pups. The calmer, more adventurous one barked and growled nonstop at her. The shy runaway was torn between hiding in the bedroom and checking her out, especially since she came with dog treats. Eventually, we were able to walk both pups together up and down my neighborhood. We are making progress with these two traumatized pups.

Meanwhile, I haven't decided exactly what sort of workout I want to do when I arrive at the gym. I get on the elliptical for 35 minutes and learn how much I hate the updated version of the note app on my phone. It's too easy to trash the note with just an errant slip of the finger. I've given up on all the gym workout apps because they're either too complicated or require me to bring reading glasses to my workouts. It takes less time and seems more efficient to copy and paste portions of note entries from past workouts. Who wants to scroll through a catalog of exercises every time you want to modify the workout?!

When I'm done with the elliptical, core and hammer grip pullups, I check to see if the StepMill is free. It isn't. Although the gym has two, one of them is moderately broken. It says it's working, but the steps don't move unless you're 6'6 and over 220 lbs and can force the treads down. The gym staff knows but can't do anything until the service tech arrives. One of these days... Instead, I hop on the Expresso Bike and play around on Dragon Island. My score is relatively low for 20 minutes, and I'm not even close to busting a sweat. Probably because I spent a lot of time just chasing coins and speed multipliers instead of going immediately to the treasure chest origination spot. Oh well.

While I'm doing a second set of pullups, I see that the StepMill is unoccupied so I hop on that for another 20 minutes. Now I can work up a sweat. And stretch afterward.

Cardio Thursday

30 min elliptical + 5cd
Program 3
Miles 2.89
Calories 324
HR 155-198 (84, 87)

Cage Stretch
HGPU 23

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

20 Dragon Island Game
Points 151510
Calories 62
Miles 3.08
HR 118 avg (126)

HGPU 23

20:10 Step Mill
Level 4
Calories 111
Total steps 887
Floors 55
HR 113

Mat Stretch

How Much is Too Much

I'm the last person you should ask in regards to moderation. Not that I'm excessive with food and drink, or much of anything else. Except for maybe exercise. And even then, I don't think of myself as a binger. That's probably because I have three separate components to my routine: cardio, stretching, weight lifting. Each item by itself comprises an exercise routine, with stretching taking the least time. But as a whole, it might seem a bit much. Lately, I've been pulling back on the weight lifting because of the fear it will raise my IOPs and cause further damage to my retinas. It's glaucoma that moderates my exercise routine these days.

Some people find it easier to manage exercise by designating specific days and times for specific activities, i.e., morning run, weekend yoga, mid-afternoon weights. I find it easier, and more efficient to lump it all together. Because who knows if I'll have time tomorrow to do the thing I skipped today? For the past several weeks I've been sticking to cardio and core exercises, only recently adding weight lifting back to the routine. If the Nexersys kickboxing machines were functional, I'd add that back too.

I have the type of physiology that allows me to work out intensely for several hours. Later, of course, I'm bone-tired and don't really want to do much of anything. Today I decided to see how much strength I've lost in the weeks I've stopped doing a "push routine." Apparently, nothing at all. I wasn't moving very heavy weights to begin with and I'm able to pick up exactly where I left off. Yes, I have that type of physique. But I'm probably done with most of the heavier, iffier movements, like RDLs and Seated Cable Rows. Not that I can't do them. It's that I can do them, and I tend to go heavy. Because I can. And I shouldn't. Which makes it really hard to say No. Unless I just don't do them at all. Ugh.

I don't want to push my luck though. My doctor discontinued the Rhopressa eye drops because I developed an allergic reaction to them after several months: severely crusty eyes. (It's just as well that my health insurance declined to cover this drug, mistakingly lumping it with another glaucoma drug I'm already taking.) In the week that I discontinued those particular drops, my pressures dropped 1 point. I was disappointed that it was only 1 point, but my doctor said she was more relieved that my pressures didn't suddenly spike. Now she wants to see me in 6 weeks to see where my pressures are and to take a new Visual Field test. My eyes are no longer crusty but they're still tinged pink. I've seen worse: some glaucoma patients look as if their eyes are actually bleeding when taking this drug. Luckily that never happened to me!

I wish my toe looked better. It doesn't. And it's still sensitive, and occasionally itchy. While I'm 100% relieved that this nail stripe turned out to be a benign condition, I'm a bit impatient for the toe to finish healing. Meanwhile, I'm trying to address the bunion and hammertoes with daily stretching. I get to bend my toes backward and hold them that way for several seconds. I wear the flattest, widest shoes I own. Which means not wearing my favorite Ariat FatBaby boots because of the slightly raised heel. Next, I'll be attempting to pick up things with the afflicted foot, curling my toes backward in a clench. That sounds like so much fun. Not.

Tuesday Push

30 elliptical + 5cd

Program 2

Miles 2.87

Calories 321

HR 148-198 (85, 83)

Cage Stretch

Elbow Plank 60s

Horizontal Scissors 60

Crunches 60/60

Bicycles 60

Bird Dogs 2 x 60s

Slow Pushups 20

Smith Inclined Press

Bar (30) x 15

50 x 15

70 x 25, 25, 25

DB Laterals s/s Rev Inclined Flys

20 lbs x 12/20 reps x 3 sets

20/25 lbs x 12/20 x 3 sets

Rip Skulls

40 x 12, 10,

20 Step Mill

Level 4

Calories 127

Total steps 831

Floors 51

HR 124

Mat Stretch

Playing Not Playing

Having two skittish pups is exhausting and time-consuming, especially since I can't walk them simultaneously. Not yet anyway. Eventually, they'll calm down and learn their names as well as basic commands. Right now the only words they understand are "No!" and "In the House!" I'm not even sure if "Good boy" or "Good dog" is in their vocabulary yet. Patience and persistence will win out. Eventually.

I get to the gym and sit in the parking lot sipping coffee (I had the foresight to pour into a travel cup) while reading emails on my phone. I'm not motivated to leave the warmth of the car even though the weather is mild for a New York winter. Eventually, I get on an elliptical and pedal for 35 minutes, program 1, my least favorite of the four I will actually consider. There are other programs, but they're categorized as Weight Loss or Fat Burning and require that you keep your heart rate in an antiquated version of "the zone." Even if I tried, I would fail miserably every time because my HR seems independent of my pedaling efforts. This zone is based on age, no matter your fitness level, so being in the zone (a ridiculously low number) doesn't afford me any cardiac benefits as far as I can tell. Here's a standard guideline from heart.org.

I knock out my standard hammer grip pull-ups, stretch and do basic core exercises. I'm not even tempted to do a Push Day routine and I scan the gym for other available cardio equipment. The StepMills are both occupied. The cross-trainers are too. I don't really want to pedal the elliptical again, and the recumbent bike is for the ancient and medically incapacitated. Even the Expresso Bikes are busy. I'm stuck with the Octane. I adjust the lateral motion to spare my knees. And I only pedal 17 minutes. Even with my "good sneakers" on, the 6.5 2E NB that actually fit, this movement causes discomfort and eventually pain in the pinky toe of my afflicted foot. I guess I wouldn't have this problem if I had just stuck to the Monday routine: Inclined Bench Press, DB Laterals superset with DB Reverse Inclined Flys, Rip Skulls. But I'm not in the mood...

Actually, I'm tired and don't want to push myself too hard. Lifting weights is a stressor that leaves me feeling great, and exhausted. Lots of people seem to be coughing and I don't want to catch a respiratory infection. Yes, I take 2 tsp of Sambucol black elderberry syrup every morning, but I'm still cautious. I can still catch the flu, or whatever else is out there, even having been vaccinated.

The only place I challenge myself is at the Stretch Cage for a second time. I've already done a set of pull-ups. This time I place my hands further apart but still maintain a neutral grip. I can get a dozen before I'm not able to get my face to the bar. I have no idea if I've even gotten my chin there because of how the Stretch Cage is angled. Maybe tomorrow I'll do a push routine. At least I feel better about my hammer grip pull-ups, having researched their benefits: works both lats and biceps. Of course, normal wide-grip pull-ups have other benefits: works lats and all the small surrounding shoulder muscles. Those would be the same muscles I target with the Reverse DB Inclined Flys, so I don't think I'm missing that much.

Wednesday, I have a dog trainer coming to meet the pups. Maybe I can get the runaway dog to stop pooping in the house.

Minimal Monday

30 min elliptical + 5cd
Program 1
Miles 2.92
Calories 328
HR 144-189 (77, 88)

Cage Stretch
HGPU 23

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

15 Octane +2 CD
Manual lateral 3
Calories 106
Miles 1.03
Total steps 2076 / 34 floors
HR 101-147

Wide HGPU 13
Mat Stretch

Can't Resist the Lure

Gym rats are creatures of habit. I get to the gym and I'm a little bored with just doing cardio and core. But I'm also a bit out of shape, having taken a hiatus from lifting weights for a few weeks. I can't even do pull-ups today because I did them yesterday. I do a few pushups slowly, but having my left elbow click no matter what angle I position my arms is annoying. Eventually, the click will become painful so I stop after an easy dozen. At least I haven't lost that ability yet.

My glutes and hamstrings are slightly sore from yesterday's jaunt on the StepMill where I played with different foot positions as I climbed. Which means I'm not doing that today. Instead, after Intervals and core work, I focus on shoulders. I haven't done these in at least a week or two and the idea of moving some weight is exciting. I can't resist. But I do make sure to warm up the shoulder joints adequately with band pulls, and the "T, Y & I Raises" on an inclined bench.

Suddenly it's really crowded in the DB area with newbies and regulars alike. I hate crowds. B plants herself right in front of me while chatting with her muscley friend. Not sure if this is the guy she calls J. I'd already completed 3 supersets during the time she spent talking with Lazy Pedals and I don't really have anything to say to her, especially when I'm in the middle of a workout. I don't even nod at her. She did try to chat me up in the locker room earlier when she asked if my power had gone out. It had but we have a generator. She muttered that it wasn't worth starting it up. Um, okay. The power went out around 4:30 AM. I state that our generator kicks on automatically and she says, "I need to get that." But I'm not interested in wasting my time talking when I need to get started and claim an elliptical, preferably one that doesn't clunk.

I still need to warm up with another session of cardio so back to the elliptical. Then a good stretch before running off to investigate better, longer-lasting dog chewables. Bully sticks are expensive and didn't get past the 30-minute mark before being totally consumed. I buy a type of Benebone called the Pawplexer, which is designed to hold a small chewable stick (not rawhide) inside while also being chewable itself. It seems to work.

Friday Shoulders Plus

30 + 5 cd elliptical
Program Intervals
Miles 2.93
Calories 329
HR 141-200 (114, 92, 80)

Cage Stretch
Mid-Band Pulls 15
High-Band Pulls 15

Elbow Plank 60s
Crunches 60/60
Horizontal Scissors 60
Bicycles 60
Bird Dogs 2 x 60s
Slow Push Ups 15 (left elbow clicking)

T, Y & I Raises Inclined Bench
5 lbs x 15 reps x 3 sets

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

20 elliptical + 5cd
Program 3
Miles 2.05
Calories 228
HR 150-194 (80, 84)

Stretch

Stepping Up, with Heavy Feet

I left the house without much of a plan other than to do some cardio and core at the gym. I'm still nervous leaving the pups home alone. One has starting nibbling the holiday lights we have hanging in the window that serves as a type of nightlight for the livingroom. Those got tossed in the trash immediately. Mostly the dogs are good and just sleep on the sofa.

I did bring brand new expensive (for me) sneakers to test out: Brooks Adrenaline 13 size 7 extra wide. Brooks seems to cut their sneakers narrower than New Balance. I've got some decently comfortable NB 6.5 2E sneakers, but I need a second pair to alternate with. I've already tried on and returned 4 different pairs of sneakers. What surprises me about these sneakers is how heavy they are. Seriously. Really heavy. Like work boots. Glad I'm not actually running in these!

They are also oddly shaped with a protruding sole under the heel. There is adequate padding under the foot, but I'm not sure why the tongue needs so much, or any at all. It makes for a tight fit to the top of the foot. But the heel is loose, and that's probably because I have small boney feet with tiny heels. Manufacturers infer that buyers of wide shoes have fat feet. A lot of us, especially Asians and Native Americans, have wide feet that taper into narrow little heels. I could try padding it with heel strips but I've never found that to work well.

On the elliptical, the shoes are comfortable enough so that my pinky toe doesn't go numb and my hammertoes don't spasm. I have to be mindful not to trip over my own feet though because they ARE a half size too long. I knock out my pull-ups and core. After the StepMill, I think about trying a wider grip on the HGPU but the Stretch Cage is occupied. I hate waiting around so I just go straight to the Mat Stretch.

I've dropped all my holiday and post-biopsy weight in a week, but not in a healthy way. Still, it's nice to not have such uncomfortably tight clothes! It's hard to eat properly when your spouse has a completely different eating philosophy and practice -- the sharing of food is communal and social. Navigating this terrain is fraught with difficulties. I can't digest certain foods, especially fats, and he's on a keto-type diet that has him eating a lot of grease, protein, and salads drenched in dressing but shunning breads and grains. I like an egg on an English muffin or curried lentils over rice. Pasta and pizza are not off the table! Yeah, we're still figuring this out.

Minimal Thursday New Sneakers

30 min elliptical + 5cd
Program 3
Miles 2.91
Calories 327
HR 163-196 (86)

Cage Stretch
HGPU 23

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

20 Step Mill
Level 4
Calories 127
Total steps 834
Floors 52
HR 140

Mat Stretch

Patience Rewarded

Not enough sleep. I'd like to sleep in but I have to get the child up to meet the school bus. There are mid-term exams this week and the school schedule is truncated. Yesterday, I went to the gym wondering how the rescue pup would fare all alone. He just slept on the sofa. Today, we have him and his brother and I'm nervous about leaving them home alone again. It's important to spend a lot of time with them, especially the returned prodigal son. He's really skinny with a few little cuts to his face and paws but only one burr stuck to his tail. Impressive for a dog who ran amuck through the neighborhood for 5 days, including a snow and sleet storm and frigid night temperatures. 

How is he home? Well, it wasn't the traps which he deftly avoided. It was my son and I taking the other pup for a walk. We heard barking and howling but it's hard to recognize a dog you've only known for 6 hours when it's pitch black dark outside. We saw glowing green eyes down the road. I brought the brown pup back into the house. My son waited in the road while the runaway ran halfway up to him, then turned and fled. A few minutes later we saw him loping across our yard, nose to the ground. We had just walked through there a half hour prior. I figured, finally he'll get caught in the giant box trap behind my house! But instead, I heard loud howling. He was sitting there outside the front door, still wary and nervous. 

He could see the brown pup through the bars of the child gate we had reinstalled. And then, with a few soft words and a lot of patience with me holding the storm door open while in a crouch, he walked inside. He's endlessly thirsty and hungry, and of course, his sibling won't let him eat all the food he wants. Suddenly the brown pup has become competitive for food and attention and water. I bought another Martingale collar and affixed it to the runaway this morning. I'm having a harder time with proper harnesses. Brown pup chewed and broke the clip to the harness he was wearing. White pup originally escaped by slipping backward out of said harness. But I like the handle on the harness for extra control of these crazy pups. 

The dog catcher (wildlife control experts contracted by our town) waived their fee even though they'd been out to our property to set traps and check on those traps several times a day for the past 4 days. Instead, they told me to apply the money I would've paid them to another person (the animal control expert in the next town) for pup training. These are good people! The trainer is the gal who told me about Martingale collars. Other people prefer a slip lead which is like a noose that tightens if the pup pulls too hard. I went to the store and looked at a few but I didn't find them reassuring. 

Back to the gym tomorrow. I'll probably just do some cardio and core. Because I'm exhausted without having done much exercise at all. 

Not What I Planned

I made it to the gym today for a quick workout before my eye doctor appointment. The good news is that off the Rhopressa, my eye IOPs didn't spike. Instead, they dropped a point. Not great, but not bad either. My eyes are definitely not as crusty, dry or itchy. The doc also recommended an OTC for dry-eye relief I'd never considered before: Similasan dry-eye homeopathic drops. It contains a minute amount of belladonna, but she assured me that since my cataract surgeries I no longer have to worry about narrow angles, which means that pupil dilation is not a concern anymore.

I go back in six weeks, once the Rhopressa has totally cleared my system, to see how my pressures are. Then I'll have a visual field (VF) test to see if I've lost any more vision. Meanwhile, I'm unsure whether to continue with just this bare-bones routine or not. It's very quick, at least for me. But not very satisfying.

I dropped a few pounds over the long weekend, but not because I was good with my exercise and eating. It was more that I didn't eat or sleep because I was fraught with worry. We suffered horrendous windstorms at the end of last week, and in the midst of it, one of the rescue dogs we adopted slipped out of his harness just as I was at the front door. Then he ran away. He's been roaming the neighborhood and I've gotten calls from a few neighbors. I called the people I know who catch dogs professionally and they have set baited traps. The dog has been sighted in and out of my yard, and down the road and back. He's survived the winter storm we just had as well as absolutely frigid 4F nights.

I also got a Martingale collar for his brother who remains in the house and being part retriever, is a tiny bit calmer. I can walk the remaining pup but only by simultaneously hanging onto his harness handle AND the leash attached to the collar. He's a handful and he's the calmer dog. At least he feels safe in the oversized crate and will sleep in it at night with the door closed and latched. I'm told the other dog, the runaway, is allergic to being confined. Not sure what I'll do once we get him home...

All this is a major lesson in zen patience because the worst thing you can do is chase after a dog who's afraid of people. I've heard countless stories of well-meaning rescue groups hunting, tracking, chasing runaway dogs, only to drive them into busy thoroughfares with the ultimate horrifying result of the dog being hit and killed by a car.

Bare Minimum Tuesday Lifting Hiatus

30 min elliptical + 5cd
Program 2
Miles 2.85
Calories 314
HR 145-196 (129, 97, 91)

Cage Stretch

Crunches 60/60
Bicycles 60
Elbow Plank 60s
Bird Dogs 2 x 60s

Bare Minimum Workout

Everyone is different, so everyone's absolute bare minimum workout will be different. Here's mine. I'm able to do what's basically a warmup (for me), but it's enough to get horribly sweaty, with time to shower and leave. Because I have things to do before the dogs arrive this evening! Also, I might not get to the gym for a few days depending on how the dogs adapt to their new lives here with us. Fingers crossed!

Bare Minimum Thursday Lifting Hiatus

30 min elliptical + 5cd
Program 1
Miles 2.88
Calories 322
HR 163-199 (130, 94)

Cage Stretch

Elbow Plank 60s
Leg horizontal scissors 60
Crunches 60/60
Bicycles 60
Side Planks 2 x 60s
Bird Dogs 2 x 60s

Resisting Temptation

I saw my eye doctor yesterday and my IOPs were 3 points higher than last time. My eyes have also been dry, itchy and crusty. Ick. The doc suggested I stop taking the Rhopressa eye drops and return next week to see if my pressures are lower and if the allergic reaction I'm having subsides. I'm pretty sure I need to drop my weightlifting routine as well. I've gotten cocky and in my haste to regain some semblance of fitness after my toenail biopsy, I've pushed a little harder with the weights. Which would be fine for someone who doesn't have glaucoma. However, that's not me.

Today I got to the gym an hour later than usual because I went to the Home Depot to shop for storage bins for all the dog food I've recently acquired. I suspect I've got enough to last several months, as long as I can keep it from going stale (once opened) and safe from rodents. Very few stores are open at 7 AM. Luckily, Home Depot is one of them. The gym is a lot more crowded at 8 AM and I don't get my favorite elliptical, the one with the smooth glide motion. Intervals seem appropriate for today. While I'm pedaling, I get several texts, photos and videos of the dogs I'm adopting. They're in transit first to Seoul and then to the US. They look anxious, confused and concerned. I'm glad they have each other for comfort.

Normally I'd do a Pull Day and part of me thinks I can just do light weights. But it's hard not to feel ridiculous pulling easy weights when you know you can pull so much heavier. The temptation is too great and I've had trouble resisting before. I'm much safer creating a plan just to do cardio until my next appointment. Or cardio, core, pullups and stretching.

I'm bored so during my third pullup set, I decide to widen my grip. It's harder than it sounds if only because I have no control over how far I can place my hands in the hammer grip position, i.e., I can only place them where there are bars to grip. I'm not brave enough to go two full spaces out, one space to the left and one to the right, making it symmetrical. Instead, I only go out one space to the left. Because the Stretch Cage has a curved roof, the bars are a shorter distance the further out they go. My left arm has less distance to bridge and it's a lop-sided pullup. But it doesn't feel all that hard or different from a normal one. Next time I'll actually move out a space on both sides so my hand position will be wider than my shoulders. This will make it more difficult, but like I said, just doing cardio is boring.

Meanwhile, I did manage to stream Joker. What an intensely disturbing movie. And yeah, Joaquin Phoenix is amazing. Amazingly creepy. I'm going to have to watch it a second time now that I've viewed some videos discussing the jokes and easter eggs. I've pasted them here and you can make up your own mind. But first, that iconic staircase dance:




And now, two interesting and insightful commentary videos. Only have time or patience for one? View the one directly below by Eman's Movie Reviews.




Want to kill more time. Watch the next video which rehashes some old info but adds a few new items...



Cardio Wednesday Lifting Hiatus

30 min elliptical + 5cd
Program Intervals
Miles 2.91
Calories 326
HR 141-205 (88)

Elbow Plank 60s
Leg horizontal scissors 60
Crunches 60/60
Bicycles 60
Side Planks 2 x 60s
Bird Dogs 2 x 60s

Cage Stretch
HGPU 22

20 Step Mill
Level 4
Calories 130
Total steps 856
Floors 53
HR 138-250 (125)

HGPU 22

20 min elliptical + 5cd
Program 3
Miles 2.04
Calories 226
HR 143-190 (85)

HGPU wider 20 left

Mat Stretch

Another Monday

Yesterday I got to sleep in, so I had over 8 hours under my sleep belt. Today, not nearly as much. In the parking lot, I make a half-hearted attempt to nap for a few minutes before heading into the gym. But apparently, I'm too vigilant to doze off in a car, even one that is locked and heated, and even though I've set my phone for a 10-minute alarm. I just can't do it.

My glutes and hamstrings are still sore from Friday's Walking Lunges so I have my doubts about any decent mileage on the elliptical today. However, it's not as bad as I had feared. I even get a decent amount of reps for pullups. The smaller adjustable bench is in the Smith station and the station is empty. Hurrah for me! I do my sets then look around to see who and what's in the DB area. Someone is on the one other adjustable bench there so I drag my bench through the maze of barbells and racks to plant it in the obvious vacant spot in front of the DB racks.

A big, tall Latina is doing deadlifts in the Squat rack. I recently overheard her say that she'd changed her routine to lift heavy and felt so much better about herself. Her glutes and quads have put on size and she's starting to develop shoulders and arms. Once she fills out, she'll be a proper Amazon. But right before she pulls the bar, she emits a small squeak that's downright cute, like a puppy. I tend not to make any noise at all, but my heavy lift days are long over. My compromise is to do medium weights and a lot of them. My OCD kicks in and I wind up moving displaced DBs so that everything is in sequential order. Newbies are reracking their weights, but not properly. Ugh.

I see a lot of regulars mixed in with the new faces. The Heron stalks up to the cross-trainer. Two chubby middle-aged women chat throughout the entirety of their 20 minutes on the ellipticals. I'm hoping that 6 supersets of DB shoulder work is enough to make a difference that I can see. One of these days...

My recovering toe is still ugly. It actually might be uglier in spite of or maybe because of the stretching and massaging I put it through every day. Tomorrow I have a checkup with my glaucoma doc but there's enough time to get some cardio in before I need to be there. I also need to stop off at the pet supply store since the rescue informs me that what they're feeding the pups isn't what I actually have at home. Ugh. I suspect they're just using what they get donated or can buy for a reasonable price because why else would they use a mix of Hill's Science Diet for Large Breeds, Fresh Market now, and Royal Canin. (They've already told me they don't think Science Diet is a very good brand!) Since the pups are traveling halfway around the world, they'll be super stressed. Feeding them the same foods should help them settle a little easier. Fingers crossed!

Meanwhile, I read about a protein called Sestrin (an exercise by-product?) which purports to improve the endurance and metabolic changes that exercise provokes. Looking for fitness in a pill? Naw. I doubt it can calm anxiety and clear your mind the way actual exercise can.

Another Monday Push

30 elliptical + 5cd

Program 1

Miles 2.87

Calories 320

HR 157-199 (111, 89)

Cage Stretch

HGPU 23

Elbow Plank 60s

Horizontal Scissors 60

Crunches 60/60

Bicycles 60

Side Planks 2 x 60s

Bird Dogs 2 x 60s

Smith Inclined Press

Bar (30) x 15

50 x 15

70 x 25, 25, 25

DB Laterals s/s Rev Inclined Flys

20 lbs x 12/20 reps x 3 sets

20/25 lbs x 12/20 x 3 sets

Rip Skulls

40 x 12, 12, 12

20 Step Mill

Level 4

Calories 130

Total steps 853

Floors 53

HR 141

Mat Stretch