About Steps and Ice

Apparently we don't need to take 10,000 steps for optimal health. Half as much will do as well. What's 5000 steps? About 2 miles (even though twice as much translates to 5 miles which is more than expected). The "health app" on my phone tells me that I'm walking less than last year, which is true because I'm not longer walking the dogs up and down our road. Instead, I'm taking them to run through the dog park while I gingerly follow behind with poop bags in hand, careful to step only where I can see my footing. 

On average, I'm walking 2600 steps per day, which using an online step calculator, equals 1.26 miles. Not very much. Thank goodness I do cardio at the gym. That gets me to about 4 miles. If I do cardio. Which I don't always do. Because I don't always go to the gym. No wonder I'm packing on a few pounds! I probably need to up my cardio game, which means getting to the gym earlier than 1 pm. It's hard to get motivated once I'm back home with the pups. They're not the best eaters and often need to be hand-fed to ensure they've ingested enough meaningful calories. After some basic chores, I'm ready to spend a few hours at the gym but everything takes more time than I expect.

Today, I actually got to do cardio, core, and some weights. My son texts me that he's ready for pick-up as I'm pulling out of the gym parking lot so he'll have to wait 15 minutes. It's been so hot lately that I've reverted to spending the last 5 minutes of the shower under cold water. It's refreshing and helps to keep me from getting sweaty as I head to the car in the blazing heat. Generally, I dislike being cold but even the "cold only" tap isn't terribly icy. As for ice, new data now says icing an injury actually inhibits healing. That makes sense to me. Ice is only good for cooling you down (if you take it internally as in a cold beverage) and numbing the skin.

Push-ups feel easy today and Air-Squats aren't bad as long as I stay parallel and lean forward. If I drop my butt too far down, I have to lean back a bit more and that bothers my right knee. I'm more nervous about pull-ups but I manage a decent 17 reps before starting at the Seated Cable Rowing station. I feel as if I've cooled down too much as the 85 lb stack feels heavy. I get all my sets done and still have enough time to shower and change. 

The red swollen insect bites on my right arm and elbow are driving me crazy today. The ones on my legs have been mollified with massive amounts of over-the-counter itch (OTC hydrocortisone) cream and lots of rubbing. The other bites need stronger meds. Luckily, I've got an assortment of steroidal creams to resort to when the OTC doesn't work. Something's gotta work. And I'm now packing DEET when I go to the dog park.

7 July 2021
Blazing Wednesday

Precor elliptical
30 min + 5 cool down
Program 1
HR 138-188
Cal 322
Distance 2.88

Crunches 60
Piriformis Stretch
40 Dead Bugs
Plank 60s
Fire Hydrants 30 x 2
Bird Dogs 60s x 2
Push-Ups 25
Mat stretch w Seated Twist
Air Squats 25

HGPU 17

EZ Seated Cable Rows
70lbs x 15 reps
77.5 x 12
85 x 10, 10, 10
77.5 x 12
70 x 15