HumpDay Blues

I'm tired enough that I consider baling on this morning's workout and postponing it until tomorrow. Tomorrow it will be warmer, and probably raining. Which means if I'm going to get any yard work done, it has to be today. I go to the gym but I get a late start because everything is taking me longer to do. I still finish my regular routine, although I can't quite make the same number of reps for pull-ups.

I get on the step machine and feel frustrated by its insistence on slowing to 52 steps per minute. After 45 seconds of this nonsense, I click the plus button and increase the speed to level 7 just to get the machine to hit 60-62 steps per minute. Much better. But I still might bale on tomorrow's workout... 

I have a dermatology appointment later. This "cold rash" isn't getting any better, and the polar vortex has only made it feel worse. My ob-gyn (saw him for an annual) doesn't think it's a cold rash at all but a vascular issue since the skin there is much colder than the surrounding area. But I reason that the back of thighs and glutes usually feel colder than legs because of subcutaneous fat. My ob-gyn disagreed. (Seriously, aren't your glutes usually colder than your quads?) I hate doc appointments: they take up so much time and interrupt the rhythm of a productive day...

29 March 2021
Polar Vortex Wednesday Morning

Precor elliptical
Program 2
Time: 30 min + 5 min cd (5868)
Distance: 2.92
Cal: 328
Avg Hr 162, 190-84, 93

HGPU 21

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 30
Air Squats 25
Mild Mat stretch w 3 Eye Yoga

HGPU 20

Matrix StepMill (L)
Manual 10 min
Speed 6, 7 (52-62)
Steps 603
Floors 37
Calories 87
Heart Rate 149

Spring Chores

I hate it when the alarm interrupts a really vivid dream, especially one that doesn't make any sense. I woke up and didn't know what day it was, just that it was really cold! Tomorrow should be warmer but with that warmth comes rain. It's deceptively sunny today, with a raw wind that makes your hands chafe if you're not wearing gloves. I always wear gloves, except of course, when attending to the dogs at the Bark Park... And the dogs are extra frisky today with a lot of running and barking and snarling, because they play like wolves.

The gym isn't very crowded although I see Lazy Pedals draped over the elliptical. Because I'm skipping pull-ups (can't do them two days in a row or else my elbows will complain bitterly), and the step machine, I have time to push some weights. I repeat last week's combination of Skull Crushers and Rip Skulls, alternating between the two, but keeping the same number of reps and sets. 

My lower back has been a tad wonky today, perhaps from the Spring housecleaning I initiated yesterday. Lotsa sorting, tossing, carrying out trash, boxing and bagging things up. Still more to do today. I'm tempted to start clearing the yard but it's really windy and cold. Unfortunately, once it warms up it'll be raining which is also not great for clearing the yard... I need a new wheelbarrow or to somehow remove the rusted bolts holding the broken wood handles and frame to the perfectly fine plastic tub. There's barberry and wild raspberry vines everywhere and I'm not holding them, even with gloved hands, to drag them out to the swamp. Where's my WD-40?

29 March 2021
Polar Vortex Tuesday Morning

Precor elliptical
Program 1
Time: 30 min + 5 min cd (5752)
Distance: 2.88
Cal: 322
Avg Hr n/a

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 30
Air Squats 25
Mild Mat stretch w 3 Eye Yoga

Skull Crushers & Rip Skulls (alternating sets)
30 lbs x 12 reps x 6 sets total
 

Another Polar Vortex

There was a dusting of snow on my car windows this morning when I warmed it up. Not happy about 18F but the polar vortex will leave and temps might hit 60 by Thursday. Crazy weather! I'm debating with myself about buying more black oil sunflower seed for the bird feeder. I don't think I need to invest in the 25 lb bag though since I don't feed the songbirds once the temps warm up consistently. Seeing a lot of robins, and hearing pairs of cooing mourning doves. Chickadees and song sparrows and woodpeckers still flitting about the hedges...

I read a few articles extolling the benefits of doing squats. I've seen enough out-of-shape old people who can't get themselves out of a chair without using the armrests to know the importance of keeping those quads and glutes conditioned. I'm hoping that between the elliptical, air squats and the step machine, I've got this covered, although Landmine Squats are intriguing. But I'm not entirely certain my gym has one of those devices to lock an Oly bar into.

My cardio was decent today although I had trouble getting warm, and got momentarily distracted when my hair clipped slid and made my hair feel wobbly as I pedaled. Had to fix that! Everything else was routine, and happy to get my pull-ups done. Tomorrow I'll skip the step machine and push some weights around for a few minutes...

28 March 2021
Polar Vortex Morning

Precor elliptical
Program 3
Time: 30 min + 5 min cd (5606)
Distance: 2.84
Cal: 315
Avg Hr n/a

HGPU 22

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 30
Air Squats 25
Mild Mat stretch w 3 Eye Yoga

HGPU 22

Matrix StepMill (L)
Manual 10 min
Speed 6 (52-60)
Step 523
Floors 32
Calories 76
HR: 149

Caveat Tomato Juice

The parking lot has lines painted to designate car spaces, with narrower slots close to the storefronts, with the exception of handicap spots. So I'm surprised when I leave the gym to discover a freaking huge Suburban awkwardly parked next to my Subaru. I'm in a normal spot. The Suburban is in a spot for a smaller car, as evidenced by the fact that the driver side of the "car" has overlapped its allotted space. It wasn't there when I drove up this morning. There are plenty of other spots, but somehow this driver felt the need to park their oversized vehicle in an economy car spot. Why? Too far from the gym to park a few spots further? Good grief. Maybe they should get more exercise...

My sciatica doesn't bother me today although my lower back twinged while I was on the elliptical but it only lasted for a minute or so. Overall, cardio was good although not as good as yesterday (less steps) but a great warm up. And as always, I was worried about whether I'd be able to do a decent amount of pull-ups before and after core. It's apparently only a problem in my head, not my body... 

I skipped the step machine today and replaced those 10 minutes with triceps. At first I start with Skull Crushers, a basic movement. My left elbow wasn't happy until I rotated my forearm slightly. The entire exercise felt incomplete. Just goes to show you how ingrained the Rip Skull movement is in me. I decided to alternate between the two and kept the weight at 30 instead of increasing to 35. It's more and yet less, so it could work in the long run. 

I can't test my blood cholesterol myself so I'll just have to wait until next year's annual to see if my experiment with a daily 8 oz intake of tomato (or V-8 juice, which is 90% tomato juice) has worked to lower my triglycerides and blood pressure. My husband drank it for a week and had to quit because it had a significant effect on his bowels at the most inconvenient times: while at construction worksites! It doesn't have quite as dramatic an effect on me, but there is an effect. 

However, if you search the internet for tomato juice benefits and caveats, most "health" sites only warn against high sodium (I buy the "low-sodium" versions) and potential stomach irritation due to acidity. You actually have to type in "tomato juice laxative effect" in order to find articles that extol this benefit. It would've been good to have known this before starting because you can't derive this from the label. That only shows a scant 2 gm of dietary fiber (not a huge amount) with no other indication of digestive effects for an 8-oz serving. But, I'm getting a good dose of vitamin C and lycopene, and my stomach hasn't been too bothered by acidity, so I'm not about to stop...

25 March 2021
Rainy Friday Morning

Precor elliptical
Program 2
Time: 30 min + 5 min cd (5838)
Distance: 2.91
Cal: 327
Avg Hr 158, 75, 83-203

HGPU 22

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 30
Air Squats 25
Mild Mat stretch w 3 Eye Yoga

HGPU 22

Skull Crushers
30 lbs x 12 x 3
alternate each set with...
Rip Skulls
30 x 12 x 3

Threat of Snow?

It's raining with temps reaching only to the mid-40s. Sadly, the frogs have stopped chirping but several "worms" of robins have been spotted flitting between hedges and ground. Large purple crocus buds have emerged outside the house so it must be Spring! There is a threat of snow but that's further north, in the Catskills so I'm not worried.

Because it's raining, there are no other dogs at the park today but my pups still had time to run about. And because I did pull-ups yesterday, I didn't do them today. But I did everything else: cardio, core, step climber. It wasn't horribly crowded at the gym and at first I felt really cold. And then quite suddenly, about 10 minutes in, I got really warm, which meant I felt faster. And indeed, I got decent mileage with Program 1, a course I normally struggle with because of all the flat troughs. Just as I started the core/stretch section of my workout, my earbuds told me they were out of power. Luckily, I always keep charged AirPods in my gear bag...

My sciatica has switched legs and now the left side is a bit twingey. I have no explanation for it, but think that instead of giving up Rip Skulls, maybe I'll have to cut the movement back to plain ol' Skull Crushers. I'll miss the overhead stretch but it'll probably be easier on my spine. If the gym's not too crowded tomorrow, I'll try adding the DB shoulder routine back. But Friday's are iffy because it'll either be empty or really crowded.

24 March 2021
Rainy Thursday Morning

Precor elliptical
Program 1
Time: 30 min + 5 min cd (5944)
Distance: 2.94
Cal: 331
Avg HR: n/a

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 30
Air Squats 25
Mild Mat stretch w 3 Eye Yoga

Matrix StepMill (L)
Manual 10 min
Speed 6 (52-60)
Step 534
Floors 33
Calories 78
HR: 141

Blustery

So the drain guy and I got our wires crossed and he didn't come yesterday and I missed going to the gym because I was tired and worried about not giving the pups enough park time. Today I go to the gym and skip the step machine so I can leave early and have enough time to do everything I did yesterday.

Although I could've done better with my cardio (no, not really), I was happy with both sets of pull-ups. The rest of the routine was routine, and my sciatica has receded into the background noise. I confess that I popped a few ibuprofens and went back to sleep for an hour yesterday morning, and when I woke up, the leg felt a lot better.

Still not brave enough to start pushing some weights around yet. Maybe Friday. The drain guy shows up a little past 11 and tells me he doesn't think he should snake the pipes... They look funky, like maybe they're disintegrating from the inside out and snaking them could cause a horrible rupture. Ugh. I should probably get them replaced with plastic, so he's made the trip for naught. But he's nice and doesn't charge for the visit either. Whew. 

23 March 2021
Wednesday Morning

Precor elliptical
Program 3
Time: 30 min + 5 min cd (5680)
Distance: 2.86
Cal: 319
Avg HR: n/a

HGPU 22

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 30
Air Squats 25
Mild Mat stretch w 3 Eye Yoga

HGPU 21

Sunny Monday Morning

There is but a lone peeper in the pond behind my property. I'm glad he's survived the raucous croaking of wood frogs that have all but drowned out everything else at night. They sound like an odd duck symphony quacking in masse. Most other wetlands merrily trill with the shrill song of male peepers. Our property only appears to have but one and it's been this way for some years now. He seems lonely without the competing chirps of other males and I can only hope there are silent females answering his plaintiff call. But if there were, and they had laid their eggs, where are all their offspring? There used to be a lot more peepers singing behind my house and I don't know why we don't have them anymore.

You know it's spring when the night is alive with croaking so loud and overlapped that no one distinctive call is discernible. No low guttural bullfrog croaks yet. Those only happen during the summer and they are distinctive entities, because bullfrogs eat everything, including other frogs. Smart survivor frogs know to keep their distance!

My sciatica is better: I haven't lifted any weights. I hope to gingerly test my theory by doing a few sets of DB shoulder raises, probably on Wednesday. I'm also thinking of adding some Inclined DB presses to that mix for balance. Today, I squoze out one more rep on the second set of pull-ups. What a surprise. Yaaay me! 

The gym isn't actually crowded but there sure are a lot of big cars parked close to the gym this morning. I don't see Snow Bird, but Big Baldy is pedaling a stationary bike. A familiar Old Guy is already on one of the stair machines. The StepMill is so vexxing that I'm tempted to push the speed to 7 just see if that'll be closer to 60 steps per minute instead of the 52 it seems to be averaging (527 total steps divided by 10 min equals 52.7 steps per min). The machine sporadically darts up to 60, 57, 55 for a split second but inevitably settles at 52, all while the speed is set to 6.

I've finally remembered to call Electric Snake for my sluggish, soon-to-be-totally-clogged kitchen drain. It doesn't matter how much drain cleaner and hot water I pour down, a big pot of soapy water overwhelms the system and I have to walk away to let the drain trickle itself empty in an hour or so. No one has time like that! 

Anyway, Happy Spring and enjoy the sounds of frogs trilling...

21 March 2021
Monday Morning

Precor elliptical
Program 2
Time: 30 min + 5 min cd (5590)
Distance: 2.84
Cal: 315
Avg HR: 151, 84-188

HGPU 20

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 30
Air Squats 25
Mild Mat stretch w 3 Eye Yoga

HGPU 21

Matrix StepMill (L)
Manual 10 min
Speed 6 (52-60)
Step 527
Floors 33
Calories 77
HR: 141

Fog Then Summer Temps

There was a heavy fog warning in effect this morning but I don't think that's the reason why the gym was nearly empty. Chatter in the locker room mused about one too many slices of Irish soda bread and too many glasses of green brew. Yes, we had the traditional corned beef (boiled three times to lower the sodium content) but with pan-fried cabbage and carrots, and baked sweet potato slices topped with powdered ginger, garlic and salt. No green beer.

Still, I felt tired and sluggish when I got on the elliptical. I'd skipped yesterday's workout, took some ibuprofen and went back to bed. It seems to have helped some. My sciatica is only troublesome today when I sit in my car, because of course, it's my driving leg. The more I review my routine, the more I'm convinced that the Rip Skulls have aggravated my DB shoulder work back in and see if I get a flare up. There's probably no hope of me doing much Seated Cable Rows again either. (Sigh)

It feels as if everyone took off for a long weekend. The local HS by the gym wasn't open although school was biz as usual today in my town. Someone else is on the elliptical I like so I use the one at the far end. There is godawful loud chatter from the free weight area but there's only 3 people there, and only one of them is actually exercising. Somethings never change. 

I didn't get as many pull-ups as last time but still pretty good so I'm not too disappointed. The stair climber was as capricious as ever, briefly touching 60 Steps Per Minute for a few seconds before dropping down to 52 for most of the remaining time. I manage to match my reps for the second set of pull-ups so that makes me feel better. I did have to rub some Penetrex cream into my shoulders this morning before I dressed--might've slept weird on them as they were achy. As long as I'm not actually getting sick!

My son has had a sore throat for two days but no fever. He doesn't want to miss any school and fall behind in his classes so I haven't opened the At Home Covid test kits. Obviously, I don't think he has Covid. The school bus driver tells me that a lot of the drivers have sore throats as do a lot of the students. I'm thinking it's strep so we have an appointment later today to see the pediatrician. Untreated strep infections can lead to rheumatic fever which injures the heart and can lead to health complications later in life. I know because that's what happened to my mother when she was a child.

Meanwhile, we keep discovering all sorts of crazy new "foods," like freeze-dried avocados. I didn't think something with such a high fat content would handle that process very well, but then again, there's freeze-dried ice cream. The avocado comes in 3 "flavors" and has a texture just like freeze-dried ice cream, but with a savory taste. And where did I find this? At the Ocean State Job Lot, where weird foods get sold cheap. Other interesting items include oven-baked, crispy snack "toppings" of onions, beets or jalapenos. Personally, the jalapenos are my favorite and I can eat them right out of the bag. Yes, they're coated in flour before being cooked, but they're also spicy and addictive. And not quite so weird.

My hubs got these at the Stop&Shop

 
It's midday and temps are slated to hit near 70F today. The Ground Hog was wrong. It's definitely spring already (actually that happens this Sunday) even if temps drop into the 50s.

18 March 2021
Foggy Friday Morning

Precor elliptical
Program 1
Time: 30 min + 5 min cd (5656)
Distance: 2.85
Cal: 317
Avg HR: n/a

HGPU 20

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 30
Air Squats 25
Mild Mat stretch w 3 Eye Yoga

HGPU 20

Matrix StepMill (L)
Manual 10 min
Speed 6 (52-60)
Step 528
Floors 33
Calories 77
HR: 135

Is Spring Sprung?

Technically, next Sunday is the first day of Spring but with temps hitting 60+ degrees lately, and the cacophony of frogs croaking in all the surrounding wetlands, it certainly feels like Spring is already here. And now there's talk amongst the NY State senators about making Daylight Savings Time permanent. I'd rather they revert back to Standard Time and make that permanent. A lot of health professionals agree with me. This getting up while it's still dark feels like punishment after surviving the winter, being rewarded with ever increasing sunrises, only to be plunged back into darkness again.

I feel sluggish, sore and stiff. Not enough sleep and I'm tempted to crawl back into bed. Except I absolutely know that only my gym routine will alleviate the sciatic pain I've been waking up with. It doesn't last so by bedtime I'm in pain again. And it wakes me up before my alarm sounds in the morning. Unless this improves, I'll have to resort to ibuprofen and gabapentin at bedtime. 

I'm definitely rethinking the few weight training movements I've been doing. It would definitely suck if this sciatic flare-up is due to the Rip Skulls and dumbbell delt exercises. Maybe I should make that appointment with the orthopedic specialist? Anyway, I am happy that I managed to squeeze out one more rep on pull-ups in spite of everything, and that's a lovely feeling.

16 March 2021
Sciatic Wednesday Morning

Precor elliptical
Program 3
Time: 30 min + 5 min cd (5674)
Distance: 2.86
Cal: 319
Avg HR: 146, 192-86, 95

HGPU 22

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 30
Air Squats 25
Mild Mat stretch w 3 Eye Yoga

HGPU 20

Matrix StepMill (L)
Manual 10 min
Speed 6 (52-60)
Step 546
Floors 34
Calories 80
HR: 148

The Ides of March

Today is the Ides of March, made famous by Julius Caesar's assassination. Or maybe we should credit Shakespeare for that famously ominous portent? 

Yesterday's workout made my sciatica a little more tolerable today. I haven't resorted to taking ibuprofen yet! The gym was oddly empty and I had my choice of ellipticals! WooHoo! My heart rate seemed very high for most of the program, with the occasional dip, but I didn't really notice anything akin to a pounding heartbeat in my chest. My earbuds ran out of power 5 minutes before the program ended but I didn't want to get off the machine. There's no pause function so I let the earbuds give me a 2-minute warning twice and then they shut themselves off. Luckily, I keep my AirPods in my gear bag and swapped them once I finished cardio. They are not my first choice because they don't muffle enough outside noise and I can't turn my tunes up loud enough to drown anyone out. No pull-ups today and straight to the Aerobics Room. Those core exercises and stretches really alleviate the tightness in my hips and legs.

I'm tempted to do Rip Skulls but see that the steppers are both functional so I opt to spend my 10 minutes there. For the past several weeks, my exercise routine has worked fairly well in keeping my sciatica at bay, until I had to sit in front of my computer all day last Saturday. Pulling and pushing weights could aggravate already inflamed nerves so maybe this week I'll stick to cardio and core. There's always next week after all. At some point, when I get bored enough, I'll see how a wider grip affects my pull-ups. I worry that all it will do is exacerbate my tendency toward elbow tendonitis... It is nice to know though that there are measurable mental and physiological benefits to cardio exercise. Don't we all worry about aging well?

15 March 2021
Sciatic Ides Tuesday Morning

Precor elliptical
Program 2
Time: 30 min + 5 min cd (5844)
Distance: 2.92
Cal: 328
HR: 157-200, 90


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 30
Air Squats 25
Mild Mat stretch w 3 Eye Yoga


Matrix StepMill (L)
Manual 10 min
Speed 6 (52-60)
Step 547
Floors 34
Calories 80
HR: 139

In Spite Of

I'm actually pretty sore today and maybe it's from the St. Pat's parade route that we walked twice yesterday (once to get to our start point from where we parked, and then the actual parade route which ended at the shopping center with the big parking lot), or the spontaneous dancing my hubs and I broke into at a steakhouse that featured live music but no actual steak on the menu, or the fact that my sciatica reared its super ugly head after spending all day Saturday backing up my laptop onto a brand new 14Tb external hard drive. Because Winter Storm Quinlan made going anywhere impossible and lasted all freaking day. (But the step counter on my phone was happy for once.)

The sciatica runs the entire length of my leg from lower back all the way to my pinky toe but I've resisted the urge to pop a few ibuprofens. I think movement helps and there was a lot of that yesterday, but I still hobbled out of bed this morning wondering if this was going to feel worse before getting better. Sitting in the car was very unpleasant. And I got a slow start on the elliptical probably because we lost an hour of sleep yesterday due to that idiotic Daylight Savings Time so it was dark when the alarm went off. I am not and never will be a "morning person."

But as I warmed up, I got faster and there was less discomfort. I got a respectable number of pull-up reps and the core routine felt reassuringly routine. I got another set of pull-ups afterward, but one of the step machines suffered a program malfunction rendering it unusable, and an old guy beat me to the other one by a mere moment. Ugh. If it's not fixed by tomorrow, I'll have to figure out what other cardio machine I can use that won't aggravate my tender sciatic nerves. 

I'm done and the day is bright and shiny even if it is 35F outside. Dogs are ecstatic at the park because both cold temps and snow energize them and there are other happy puppers to zoom with. Temps promise to rise into the mid-50s and maybe hit 70 by Friday. Wow, what a tease! 'Cuz it's still March and snow's always possible in April.

14 March 2021
Sciatic Birthday Morning

Precor elliptical
Program 1
Time: 30 min + 5 min cd (5560)
Distance: 2.82
Cal: 312
HR: n/a

HGPU 21

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 30
Air Squats 25
Mild Mat stretch w 3 Eye Yoga

HGPU 19

Priorities

Today was an abbreviated workout because I just couldn't fit everything I needed/wanted to do in the time I had. I like to take advantage of sales and coupons when they're valid so I needed to grocery shop before Sunday. Tomorrow's not viable with the advent of Winter Storm Quinlan. Normally I'd go after taking pups to the park, but I was meeting a friend for a celebratory joint birthday lunch, and possibly picking my son up after school because the "late bus" schedule is so understaffed that he wouldn't get home until damn near supper time. I brought home half the short-rib grilled cheese sandwich and my son promptly inhaled it. (He had gotten a ride from another parent so he got home before I did.) I did eat all the sweet potato fries though...

The gym parking lot was crowded when I arrived a bit before 7. But the gym itself wasn't bad with a smattering of old and middle-aged members. The seniors are an odd bunch, especially some of the women. I overheard one telling another that her cat was a Maine Coon, which, as explained to her by her vet, happened when a racoon raped a cat and created kittens. No, no, no! Yes, she truly believes this. Another woman didn't like to stretch in the Aerobics Room because there might be cameras watching her. And what would these non-existent cameras see? An old woman trying to touch her toes? Hardly blackmail material...

I was able to ramp up my intensity during the last 15 minutes of Program 3 on the elliptical, so I was very happy to pass 2.9 miles. Again, there was a cluster of chattering dudes at ellipticals one and two but they were quieter today. Thankful there were no pull-ups scheduled as the bottom of my forearm near the elbow is sporadically tender. Pushing too hard would result in "golfer's elbow" and no body needs that type of aggravated
inflammation.

I don't even have time for the Step Mill today. Well, there's a parade we're supposed to march in on Sunday, so I'm sure I'll be making up my steps there.

11 March 2021
Pre-Quinlan Friday Morning

Precor elliptical
Program 3
Time: 30 min + 5 min cd (5908)
Distance: 2.93
Cal: 330
HR: n/a

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 30
Air Squats 25
Mild Mat stretch w 3 Eye Yoga

Between Storms

I'm a little sore from shoveling wet snow last night but with temps hitting the mid-40s today, all the roadways and sidewalks are clear. It snowed for a long time yesterday and although there was little real accumulation (1-3 inches), the roads were a slippery mushy mess and with the exception of taking my kid to the school bus stop and the dogs to the park, I stayed home. Today the sun is bright and wet snow pummels us as we drive or walk anywhere there are trees overhead. Of course, everything not pavement is still covered in the slushy white stuff!

At the gym, I'm not surprised I can hear Lazy Pedals and Middle-Aged Guy on the first two ellipticals even before I'm within 20 feet of them. Luckily, they're done just a few minutes after I start pedaling Program 2. I feel cold, stiff, and tired and I have my hoodie up over my head, my sleeves past my palms because the metal handle is frigid to hold. My right leg aches ever so slightly from sciatica, but after the cardio is over, it's the left glute that's sore. It's all sciatic pain but mild enough to be ignored.

The right shoulder twinges when I move the wrong way and that makes me more nervous as I approach the Stretch Cage for pull-ups. Happily, the hammer grip position doesn't exacerbate the old labial tear in the rotator cuff. Shoveling snow isn't great for shoulders. Or backs. But I did want to do a few sets of a DB shoulder workout since I won't have time tomorrow. (Planning to have lunch with a friend to celebrate our birthdays next week. I've lived in this town for 30 years and there's still a few restaurants I've never visited. Tomorrow I'm going to finally check out The Carriage House. Heard the food was good but the service uneven. We'll see.) 

I read an article yesterday claiming that slightly rotating one's hands during DB Lateral Raises spares the shoulders. Instead of hands positioned with the pinkies up (like pouring a pitcher), have the hands tilt thumbs up. I'm not sure if this really works, but I find myself in this position today without really having to think about it.Weird, right?

I'll still make it to the gym tomorrow though just to get my cardio and core exercises done. And the pups will still go to the park. And there's a new storm headed our way by Friday evening, already named Winter Storm Quinlan by the weather folk... Saturday might be messy. But Sunday our Scout troop is marching in the St. Pat's parade, so I hope the weather's good by then.

10 March 2021
Post Storm Thursday Morning

Precor elliptical
Program 2
Time: 30 min + 5 min cd (5706)
Distance: 2.87
Cal: 320
HR: n/a

HGPU 22

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 30
Air Squats 25
Mild Mat stretch w 3 Eye Yoga

HGPU 20?

DB Laterals s/s Rev Incl Flyes
10 lbs x 15/20 reps
15 x 15/22 reps
15/20 lbs x 15/20 reps x 3 sets

Bluster

I got to the gym at a quarter past noon and saw more regulars. Everyone is back to their old routines! I'm a bit surprised to see The Mayor and Square Jaw gabbing away on the cross-trainer. It must be the end of their workout because after a few minutes, I don't hear them above my tunes as I pedal on elliptical number one. Mind you, there's several cross-trainers and an Erg rower between me and them and I could still hear them yakking with my music on. There are definitely some people I don't miss.

I drank 8 oz of V8 juice and a cup of coffee before I left the house. I'm not sure if that's why I was able to do so well with program 1. Normally, it's quite the slog but today I've nearly made it to 3 miles. WooHoo! Of course, all that effort takes a toll and I'm not really recovered enough for Rip Skulls. But I want to get them done before the HS kids arrive so I do them before hitting the Aerobics Room for core and stretches.

Tomorrow promises to be messy outside. Not even sure the pups will get to the park. Schools have used up their snow days so if the buses don't run, we'll be remote. That'll probably make for a better workout on Thursday though, so no worries...

8 March 2021
Blustery Tuesday at Noon

Precor elliptical
Program 1
Time: 30 min + 5 min cd (5992)
Distance: 2.96
Cal: 334
HR: 157-200, 93

Rip Skulls
30 lbs x 15
35 x 12, 11, 10

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 30
Air Squats 25
Mild Mat stretch w 3 Eye Yoga

Matrix StepMill (L)
Manual 10 min
Speed 6 (52-55)
Step 531
Floors 33
Calories 76
HR: 146

The Tomato Juice Experiment

Lately lycopene, that lovely nutrient associated with a tomato's red hue, has been in my news feed. Tomato comes up first on the list of daily foods to ingest, primarily because lycopene has been shown to lower triglycerides, lower blood pressure, and for men, lower the risk of prostate cancer. I could use something to lower my triglycerides! They're not horrible but they have been creeping up each year and it's best to catch these trends early. (Lower blood pressure wouldn't hurt either.)

Even T-Nation (the online muscle mag) has an article extolling the benefits of lycopene (click here to read it). Of course, tomatoes are part of the nightshade family (potatoes, eggplants, peppers) so if this causes inflammatory issues, then skip the tomato products (juice, paste, sauce, stewed) and consult your doc about supplements. Unfortunately, it's been explained that lycopene needs to be cooked to increase its bio-availability. 

While T-Nation likes to shill products and constantly recommends supplements, the meat of their articles contain useful information. (Yeah, I pretty much ignore their product recs.) The MIT Press Reader article (first paragraph above) suggests one to one and one half cup of tomato products daily to lower triglycerides. Okay, that's not too onerous. I can give that a shot. I just have to figure out what tomato products! I settle on low-sodium tomato juice because I can drink 8 oz of that daily without any issues (until I develop some weird allergy or intolerance). Eating oatmeal and prunes, and filtering my coffee has worked for lowering my cholesterol so let's see if tomatoes will help my triglycerides and blood pressure!

There's a lot of salt in 8 oz of regular tomato juice, roughly 600-650 mg of sodium depending on the brand. If you're using lycopene to lower your blood pressure, you don't want that! I'm salt-sensitive so I naturally want the low-sodium version, which I couldn't find at my grocery store, so I bought low sodium V-8. It's probably mostly tomato juice, but who knows in what percentage? When I got home, I did an online search and discovered that another shop carried the product I wanted. I don't normally go there so when I found what I wanted, I bought 4 bottles on the spot. Low-sodium tomato juice contains 160 mg. I could order it on Amazon, but frankly, I prefer to buy in person when possible.

Temps peaked at 65F today. The gym wasn't nearly as crowded this morning and Lazy Pedals and his pal Middle-Age Guy were kibbitzing while pedaling ellipticals one and two. I got on elliptical four and happily tuned them out. My earbuds only lasted that long and I had to swap them for my AirPods when I got to the Stretch Cage. It's not that I don't like them: they just don't get loud enough to drown out all the chatter around me. So yes, I prefer my old earbuds with the wire that loops behind my head and drapes over my hair clip holding my braid off my back and neck. 

I feel like I've reached my max on hammer grip pull-ups, but maybe I'll surprise myself. I'm actually surprised to get this many reps as it is! The rest of my routine is pretty routine, including the Step Mill. And I admit to being wary about Seated Cable Rows, especially since my sciatica has taken a huge backseat to the ever-present dull lower back ache. I'd rather have the back ache than the sciatic pain. At least I can sleep and sit and drive like a normal person now. And I'm not taking any ibuprofen, acetaminophen or gabapentin. My cold rash, however, doesn't seem to be responding to the new ointment (mometasone furoate), but maybe it's too early to tell just yet.

There are less people in the gym today but a lot of regulars. It feels like Spring, but we're under the threat of potential snow in a few days. Yep, that seems just like March in the northeast. I'm thinking of doing Rip Skulls tomorrow. While I was on the stair climber, I glanced down into the free weight area and saw a fellow doing what looked like modified skull crushers, but only part two somehow ending with the bar on his forehead. I'm used to seeing people do only part one. Rip Skulls seem to be both parts: 1) extend arms straight up with bar, bend at elbow and touch bar to forehead; 2) rotate extended arms over head and drop down slightly behind bench; pull bar with extended arms to full perpendicular position (position 1).

7 March 2021
Balmy Monday

Precor elliptical
Program 3
Time: 30 min + 5 min cd (5766)
Distance: 2.89
Cal: 323
HR: n/a

HGPU 22

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 30
Air Squats 25
Mild Mat stretch w 3 Eye Yoga

HGPU 21.5

Matrix StepMill (right)
Manual 10 min
Speed 6 (52-57)
Step 544
Floors 34
Calories 80
HR: n/a

Deceptively Sunny

The thermometer read 13F when I got up today and rose only 10 degrees more by the time I took the pups to the park. It's Friday and ridiculously crowded for the early morning, but perhaps folks just want to get this chore out of the way before the weekend begins? I'm cold and stiff and on the machine furthest from Lazy Pedals who is draped over his console while chatting animatedly with a fellow standing a mere foot away.

It takes me at least 15 minutes before I'm warm enough to discard my hoodie and build up a little speed. When I compare today's results to the same time and program I did during the afternoons  back in February, I can see little difference in mileage (2.93 vs. 2.94) or steps (5902 vs. 5894). It is odd though that I have slightly more steps with slightly less mileage, probably due to timing: did I speed up or slow down during peaks or troughs?

This of course makes me quite pleased with myself this morning until I find myself standing in the Stretch Cage, wondering if I'll be able to do more than a dozen reps. I just have to stop worrying and focus on counting! The faint but persistent low back ache is enough to dissuade me from attempting Seated Cable Rows today. Well, that and the fact that it's really crowded, and the teens haven't arrived yet!

I always feel better after stretching my hips and back in the Aerobics Room. And I'm careful never to skip push-ups, air squats or eye yoga. I get to the Stretch Cage and fidget for a minute or two before attempting my second set of pull-ups. Usually I have a preconceived number in my head that I'm striving to meet, but that can foul me up if I'm able to surpass it physically but not mentally. I've quit a set knowing I had another rep or two in me, but my head got to that number and pulled the plug even though the body was willing, and probably able. Mind games suck, especially with yourself. 

The Step Mills are vacant so I do 10 minutes. No Big Baldy. No Hurdle Stepper. From high up on the stair climber, I witness familiar faces expressing pleasant surprise at seeing each other. Lazy Pedals is chatting up a gal I haven't seen in some years. Like me, she's put on a bit of weight, but still retains muscles under the puffy flesh. I'm jealous of her delt caps, but I got better triceps. Recently I read about a study where a mere 3 seconds of concentrated effort was enough to improve muscular strength, but not muscle mass. Kind of reminds me of those popular isometric exercise routines from the 70s! Another article tells me the minimal amount of muscle-strengthening exercise I need to prolong my life: a scant 30-60 minutes a week! Whoa Nelly!

4 March 2021
Crowded Arctic Friday

Precor elliptical
Program 2
Time: 30 min + 5 min cd (5902)
Distance: 2.93
Cal: 330
HR: n/a

HGPU 22

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 30
Air Squats 25
Mild Mat stretch w 3 Eye Yoga

HGPU 21

Matrix StepMill (left)
Manual 10 min
Speed 6 (52-57)
Step 545
Floors 34
Calories 80
HR: 150

Hump Day

Program 1 is my least favorite on the Precor elliptical so I'm not surprised at how stiff and tired I feel trying to build up speed while pedaling at "low altitudes" (gradient level 1-2). The steeper gradients (10-13) are easier to pedal although this is the level that is the most likely to cause my lower left back to spasm. Program 1 has one tall mountain but mostly low hills and a lot of flat ground. Add that it's early morning and I'm glad just to make it past 2.8 miles. The monitor says the HR is going crazy though. I don't feel it in my chest so other than writing it in my notes, I ignore it. I'm tired and I'm probably sore, but just too tired to actually notice.

I'm still a little breathless when I get to the Stretch Cage. And of course, I'm worried about how many pull-ups I'll be able to get, not that anybody except me really cares. Because it's morning and I still have to take the dogs to the park, I don't have time for pushing weights. After the basic core routine, I get another set of pull-ups (keeping an eye out for Snow Bird) and then ten minutes on the Step Mill. I haven't seen Big Baldy this week, but I am surprised to see Lazy Pedals on the stationery bike. There are more familiar faces entering the weight area and people are happily greeting each other like a family reunion.

There's also a couple of HS teens so I'm guessing they don't have morning classes. A lot of seniors arrange their classes so they can sleep in or do other things before school. I'm not sure I would've gone to the gym when I was a teen, but that was such a long time ago that girls weren't allowed access to the lone Universal machine with its burnt orange Naugahyde in the corner of the basketball court/gym. (Subsequently replaced by individual Nautilus machines and then Cybex stations.) Now, no one bats an eye if a gal picks up a DB or loads an Oly bar to do squats. Progress!

2 March 2021
Cloudy Wednesday Morning

Precor elliptical
Program 1
Time: 30 min + 5 min cd (5586)
Distance: 2.83
Cal: 314
HR: 151-203

HGPU 21

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 30
Air Squats 25
Mild Mat stretch w 3 Eye Yoga

HGPU 20

Matrix StepMill (left)
Manual 10:03 min
Speed 6 (52-57)
Step 543
Floors 33
Calories 79
HR: 151

March First

My dogs' theoretical birthdays are today and today they are 3 years old. So I took them to the park a bit earlier to let them run around more. Which meant I didn't go to the gym until quite a bit afterward. (Pups insist on being hand-fed, otherwise food just sits in the bowl, uneaten and eventually tossed. And they are not fat by any means.) I get to the gym around half past noon and the gym isn't too crowded. Mileage and step count are better than yesterday.

I check the clock and realize that if I go to the Aerobics Room, the free weight area will be swarmed with teens by the time I get out. Since I did pull-ups yesterday I don't need to do them today. And there's nothing that says I need to do core et al before pushing weights. There are a few kids already in the gym; they probably didn't have any late classes today. A big dude with impressive delts and tris is on the only adjustable bench in the DB area but there's no one at the Smith where the other adjustable bench is. Mine!

Today I ease back into shoulder work and do a few sets of dumbbell delts: lateral raises superset with reverse inclined flys. I'm too lazy to scroll through my notes to find the last entry for delts as it was probably some months ago. I just start at 10 lbs and move from there. Like the Rip Skulls, I haven't actually lost much strength and do sets with 15 and 20 lb DBs. I can probably move to 25s in another week or two if I stick to this. My sciatica isn't bothering me. (Except when I sit on something too hard or too soft and then my ankle hurts! Weird, I know.) But my lower back has a persistent dull ache.

There are a few kids in the Aerobics Room when I go in to do my routine mat exercises. When I leave, the free weight area is flooded with teens. Just as well that I have to leave (to get some grocery shopping done before taking my son to his kung fu class) without trudging up the Step Mill. There's always tomorrow morning. I have a follow up dermatology appointment in the afternoon, and yes, I still have that cold rash in spite of my liberal application of steroidal cream. Still, I'm rather bummed that my dermatologist is retiring this summer. He's literally the only doc I've ever met who also has IV (ichthyosis vulgaris). It's probably why he became a dermatologist.

1 March 2021
Cloudy Tuesday Afternoon

Precor elliptical
Program 3
Time: 30 min + 5 min cd (5818)
Distance: 2.91
Cal: 326
HR: 136-196, 81, 87

DB Laterals s/s Rev Inc Flys
10 lbs x 15/20 warm up
15 x 15/20
15/20 lbs x 15/20 reps x 3 sets

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 30
Air Squats 25
Mild Mat stretch w 3 Eye Yoga