Happy Winter Solstice Tuesday

It's still cold out but that's winter in the northeast. It's also the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year. 19F becomes mid-30s and the day is sunny and sometimes warm if you stand in the sun. Cardio is better today. Core feels routine and again I'm putting my hoodie back on to do push-ups and air squats. I also have the Aerobics Room to myself, unlike all the other mornings when either Floppy Girl or others are usually at the other end of the room.

Since I did pull-ups yesterday I skip them today. But it's apparently okay to do push-ups every day as long as the shoulders, elbow and wrist hold up. My joints are shallow and delicate. The right rotator feels okay today so I move ahead with the shoulder program. There are a lot of new faces in the free weight area. Ugh. I add another set to the last round and then I'm done. 

Daily oatmeal has gotten boring (so I eat less desirable foods, like a fried egg over brown rice yesterday, or egads, a liverwurst sandwich) and I'm sure my cholesterol levels will show this come my next annual physical. Maybe there's time to repair the damage? Normally, I flavor my oatmeal with walnuts and dried tart cherries. Sometimes I just add raisins and maple syrup, and usually an egg for body. But I just found an article that suggests a lot of alternative ways to spice up the grain. 

I actually might try substituting half the water with orange juice and sprinkle pomegranate arils on it. Or adding a teaspoon of turmeric. I hadn't actually thought to add cocoa powder but since I do that to coffee sometimes, I could be convinced to try this at least once. Chocolate oatmeal? All of these additions are also supposed to help lower cholesterol, but not as much as oatmeal itself due to the soluble fiber beta-glucan. Barley comes in second but I can't see eating barley for breakfast. Maybe lunch...

21 December 2021
Happy Winter Solstice Tuesday

Precor elliptical
Program 2
Time: 30 min + 5 min cd (5660)
Distance: 2.86
Cal: 319
HR: 145-222, 84

Crunches 60
Piriformis/Hip/Pencil Stretch
60 Dead Bugs
Elbow Plank 60s
Quick Child’s Pose
Cat stretch 12x
Fire Hydrants 25 x 2
Bird Dogs 60s x 2
Child’s Pose
Push-Ups 25
Air Squats 25
Mild Mat stretch w 3 Eye Yoga

DB Lateral Raises s/s Rev Incl Flys
   10 lbs x 15/20 reps x 1
   15 lbs x 15/20 reps, 15/25
   15/20 lbs x 15/25 reps x 3