Cloudy and Hot

The gym was oddly empty this morning and one of the doors was askew, as if it'd been knocked off its hinges a bit. The weather has been overcast every morning with high humidity and the promise of rain. But no rain. The sun blazes out by mid-afternoon and all the lawns are patchy brown except where the septic systems leach life-giving waters. Kids start showing up later in the morning.

I pedal my 35 minutes but I'm tired and achy. I'm no longer suffering from sharp twinges to the hip hinge, instead there's a blunted ache sometimes. I wonder if I should be looking at the psoas muscles? 

I didn't sleep well last night so I might start taking a low dose (3 mg)  of melatonin again, about an hour before I want to sleep. School starts next week, the weather is unbearably hot and dry and yet humid, and I'm researching colleges while my son and husband work on the Eagle Scout project that needs to be completed before he turns 18 and ages out. 

Also, I've discovered a weird purple spot on my dog's tongue. It looks like he ate a ballpoint pen, but it's been several days and ink would've dissipated by now. He doesn't have any Chow in him so it's not that (Chow's are notorious for their blue-black tongues; my last dog was a Chow-mix with blue spots on his). It doesn't look like a bruise either, but the texture is somewhat depressed from the normal surface of the rest of the tongue. I'm resisting taking him to the vet because that'll involve medicating him the night before and the morning of and the techs usually muzzle him just in case, so that's really not going to work...

B has returned to the gym after a month away. I though maybe she finally got that wonky shoulder fixed. Instead, it turns out she got Covid. She's recovered but complaining about having lost all her hard gains. Yeah, she does look scrawny. Very tan but no muscles...

I don't think the astaxanthin is working for me anymore. It's apparently not working for my brother either. His IOPs rose to 17 and his doc scheduled SLTs (selective laser trabeculoplasty) for his eyes. But he's apparently allergic to the topical anesthesia and suffered from extreme bouts of nausea. I've had SLTs done twice in both eyes. When it works, you don't have to take drops anymore. But my pressures have only dropped a few points, not enough to be considered truly successful. And numerous things can cause pressures to rise, like weightlifting or low lights. (Not sure if sneezing or taking a poop also count towards exertions that might raise eye pressure!)

B is chatting with a bunch of regulars in the free weight area. Of course she is because she loves being the center of attention, especially at the gym. The flat breaker bench I normally use has two Olympic bars on it: one on each bar holder (upper and lower). I don't know why and I don't care as long as I can use a bench that has the support bars for me to put my feet on. I push my feet out further to prevent me from clenching my right hamstring during Rip Skulls. And I give myself a bit more time between sets just so I can finish all my sets with full reps. A thumbless grip for the warmup set relieves pressure in my wrists. But adding just a few pounds to the BB makes me nervous so I switch back to a full grip.

The dogs don't get to the park until 11 and they're disappointed that no one is there. It's hot and dusty and after a few laps, they both look bored. Tomorrow there might be someone to play with. I'll try to get them there earlier.

30 Aug 2022
Cloudy Tuesday

Precor elliptical #1
Program 1
Time: 30 min + 5 min cd (5652)
Distance: 2.85
Cal: 317
Avg Hr: 142, 189-84

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
Upper body stretch
Eye yoga

Skull Crushers / Rip Skulls
30 lbs x 15 reps each x 2 sets total
32.5 x 12 x 6

Pizza Pounds

I ate too much pizza for supper last night and today I'm paying the price. I feel bloated, probably from all the salt and grease. But pizza with meatballs, olives, mushrooms, fresh garlic and onions is something we don't eat very often. It didn't help that my son and I also had bagels with lox and cheese spread for lunch. I've told myself I need to eat better, and less. Because I'm tired of my clothes being too tight. But tasty food is so tempting!

I get to the gym later than I'd like but there are few cars in the parking lot. Maybe because this is the last week of summer before school officially starts? Yes, the kids are MIA! However, the 3x a week Body Pump class is right on schedule so after pedaling the elliptical, I grab a mat and stretch out in the Functional Gym area. 

Of course, I stop off at the Stretch Cage and do a set of pull-ups. The short, fat sweaty guy has already dripped all over the floor there and I'm a bit skeeved out. But I'm able to knock out my reps anyway. I'm quite pleased that no one is in the Functional Gym space. Don't know if they've come and gone or just skipping today or this week. I don't care as long as they're not in my way.

Matching
plate cover!

 

When I'm done, I have enough time to do another set of pull-ups before showering and changing. Regardless of weather, my dogs still expect to get to the park so they can run at full tilt like loonies. If they're lucky, there will be other dogs to play with. If not, they'll just harass each other.

Over the weekend, I catch a video of Dana Linn Bailey working out at the Alphaland gym in Texas. She's got an enviable physique and even though I'll never approach anything remotely close to that, I still pay attention to a few of the shoulder exercises she performs. I might change the position of my hands and keep straighter elbows for my warmup set of lateral DB raises. I've been using the thumbs up position for lateral raises to relieve joint stress, but for a light warmup set, I could try the thumbs down/straight arm position again. Cuz I'd really like to have nice delts instead of just big triceps and biceps... Yeah, a portion of that is now fat (because I've packed on some) but even at a lighter weight, I've always had big arms.

24 Aug 2022
Late Monday

Precor elliptical #1
Program 3
Time: 30 min + 5 min cd (5646)
Distance: 2.86
Cal: 318
Avg Hr: 136, 196-121

HGPU 23

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
Upper body stretch
Eye yoga

HGPU 21

Twinge Left

I got to the gym earlier than yesterday and there weren't a lot of people there. Good news. It's been a good news bad news kind of workout. My left hip seems to be more sensitive than ever and is twinging a lot more today. The shoulder less so. Or at least the left one. The right shoulder is a tad sore. Ugh. And as I'm pedaling on the elliptical, I suffer no twinges whatsoever, but the glute starts to throb where the hamstring originates. Hmmm.

I know that there's a Body Pump class scheduled for 9:30 in the Aerobics Room so I don't bother going there even though I'd be done with my core and stretches before then. Because there's always folks and equipment being set up prior to the class, and endless chatting. There are two kids in the Functional Gym Space, and eventually Floppy Girl (she's actually middle-aged but calling her Floppy Woman just doesn't ring) also shows up. Kids because they look like they're my son's age. So, essentially children.

The fat sweaty short guy is in the Stretch Cage when I finish cardio on the elliptical. Well, I can hit that after core, when I'm headed to the free weight area. So far nothing in my routine has caused me any distress. It's only mundane actions, like walking across the gym that sporadically has me wince although the twinge seems muted now. Weird, right?

I'm nervous about making my discomfort worse and almost bail on the DB shoulder routine, then talk myself into seeing just how the warm up set goes. It's fine. Increasing the DB weight is also fine. I get as far as I did last week, using the bar for inclined presses and 25 lb DBs for reverse inclined flys. But only 2 sets. With the 20 lb DBs, I felt stress in my lower back while doing the reverse flys. Oddly, I didn't have this issue with the 25s but I didn't want to push my luck. Small adjustments in body position can mean the difference between a productive workout and injury.

The two kids from the Functional gym space show up to push some weights. There's a smattering of adults who are either too lazy or too preoccupied to follow gym etiquette and leave benches oddly positioned and plates still on the bar. Which means there's confusion as to whether a station is actually available for use. A regular chatters with a middle-age newbie. I disdain most newbies. They tend to do their workouts right up against the DB rack so no one else can access any equipment...

Meanwhile, a new article states that cardio is not enough to preserve health into longevity. Strength training is also crucial. Well, duh. Click here to read that pearl of wisdom, and yes, I've used the "gift" option so you shouldn't need a subscription to read the article. 

24 Aug 2022
Twinge Left Friday

Precor elliptical #1
Program 2
Time: 30 min + 5 min cd (5740)
Distance: 2.89
Cal: 323
Avg Hr: 140, 212-83

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
Upper body stretch
Eye yoga

HGPU 23

DB Incl Press s/s Lat Raise s/s Rev Inc Fly (lower back @ 20+ lbs)
10 lbs x 25/15/20 reps warm up
15 x 20/15/25 reps x 1
20/15/20 lbs x 20/15/25 reps x 1
45 (oly bar)/15/25 x 25/15/25 x 2

Sleeplessness Makes You Mean

I got to the gym at the time I'd normally be leaving during the school year... that is to say, around 9 AM. Not horribly crowded either. But my left shoulder has been suffering from odd, sporadic twinges in the front delt. And perhaps sympathetically, something's gone awry with my left front hip. It doesn't hurt all the time, but if I step funny, then a sharp zap! I haven't figured out exactly how to avoid this unpleasantness so I've been walking rather cautiously, feeling as if I've got to tiptoe on eggshells. And when I forget, then whammo!

There's someone on elliptical #1 and I don't feel like dealing with the other machines in that line-up. Which means I use the cross-trainer instead, hoping that the arm motions will help loosen up the shoulders. No pull-ups today, and the chatty regulars in the Functional Gym area have moved on to the Expresso bikes so I don't have to listen to them trying not to flirt with each other. There are fewer kids here today and I wonder if school's started yet (it hasn't). I read about how lack of sleep not only makes one grumpy, but also less generous. Yeah, I can definitely see that. (Click here to read the article.)

After core and stretches, I wander to the back of the gym where the free weights are. Doing triceps has me worried about exacerbating my wonky shoulder. If it's not one thing, it's something else with these super-sensitive joints. I'm slow today. And tired. And the elbows are sore and the left shoulder still twinges. It's not the shoulder with the slight labral tear either. So it's something new. Ugh. 

This is different, not inside the shoulder joint but where the pectoralis minor inserts underneath. So, it might not be a delt injury after all. When I get home, I slather my shoulder and armpit with Penetrex cream. I'm disappointed in the over-packaging: a round metal tin opens to reveal a much smaller plastic jar sitting atop a foam disc. My old jar held 4 oz. This one is half as much but I bought it locally at a shop instead of Amazon. I could just order it directly from the company itself... 

25 Aug 2022
Late Morning Thursday

LF cross-trainer #3
Program manual level 1
Time: 20 min + 5 min cd
Distance: 2.83
Cal:203
Avg Hr: 134-124

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
Upper body stretch
Air Squats 25
Eye yoga

Skull Crushers / Rip Skulls
30 lbs x 12 reps each x 2 sets total
32.5 x 12 x 4 (twinges left shoulder)

At Least I Voted Yesterday

Yesterday there were special mid-term primary elections held. I had initially thought to vote on the way to the gym, but of course, I had a lot of things to do. And voting took more time than I expected if only because all the standard voting places had been changed to other places. (And no, I don't know why.) And of course, voters who used a particular school now had to find the back building of a giant Catholic church in the next town. 

Easy enough, except that specific building isn't accessible from the main road, and there weren't enough signs directing voters properly. It took me over a half hour just to find the right building. Another few minutes to verify my status as a registered voter, and then a few seconds for the one decision to make on the ballot. I get my "I Voted" sticker and leave so I can take the dogs to the park.

Today I get to the gym later than I'd like. My lower back hurts, my glutes are intermittently sore, and oddly, my right thumb feels sprained. I think I woke up with it sprained. But it's not really sprained because eventually the tenderness goes away, but not before I pedal 35 minutes on the elliptical while wondering if and how this is going to impact pull-ups. 

There are a lot of kids at the gym, including one working the front desk when I arrive. School starts in two weeks in my town, and probably next week for this town. I wonder if the kid at the front has naturally curly hair or if he's done something to make the front look like a poodle while the sides are short and slicked back. Of course, I'm not going to ask him!

I'm too late to use the Aerobics Room so I find a spot in the Functional Gym area. I hate exercising there because ultimately it's too crowded. I don't mind people. I do mind people who have conversations over you when you're laying on the ground, as if you were a piece of equipment. There are a few regulars who are habitual offenders, and today I decided to actually say out loud what's on my mind. Not really loudly, considering the music in the background. (I'm also wearing earbuds and I can't turn my tunes up loud enough to drown out the inane conversations I'm hearing.) But loud enough. I'm not sure if they actually heard me as I didn't look at them or direct my speech to them, but I did curse a lot and state that speaking over people is ridiculously rude. WTF. They move to the side to chatter. I guess they heard me. 

Sometimes I feel people underestimate me because I'm a small Asian woman. I might be an introvert but that doesn't mean invisible. If you piss me off, watch out. I don't even have to say anything. You'll just know. I haven't been in a great mood lately. Not enough sleep. And really, not enough exercise, and too many people getting in my way. I do my routine, and another set of pull-ups. And then, I get on the stair machine and do 10 more minutes. An Asian girl I've never seen before shows up, spends a minute stretching her legs on the railing below the cardio platform, and the rest of the time staring at her phone. When I leave, she's still on her phone. Great workout! Chances are good I'll never see her again.

Tomorrow I should do the DB shoulder routine and maybe add some tiny plates to the Olympic bar for inclined presses... But I'm not using those spring clips because I don't need to sprain my hands for real.

24 Aug 2022
Tired & Sore Wednesday

Precor elliptical #1
Program 1
Time: 30 min + 5 min cd (5536)
Distance: 2.82
Cal: 311
Avg Hr: 136, 182-82

HGPU 23

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
Upper body stretch
Eye yoga

HGPU 19+ 2 halves

Matrix StepMill (R)
Manual 10 min
Speed 6 (52-55)
Steps 542
Floors 33
Cal 79
Hr 136

Dark and Grumpy Monday

The forecast is for torrential rain but reality is disappointing. The sky is gray and temps are lower but it's not raining when I get to the gym. Still, the gym is crowded and I'm tired and not a little sore. Instead of using the elliptical, I opt to do 20 minutes on the stair machine. I barely break a sweat. I can't do pull-ups right afterward because a fat sweaty guy is using the stretch cage. The Body Pump class is about to begin (so no Aerobics Room) and there are folks in the only other stretch area... Ugh.

I do manage to find a spot to stretch and do core exercises. But I have to move twice to get out of the way of other people. I really really hate people who like to chat over people on the floor. WTF? Gives new meaning to the term "speaking over someone." Seriously, WTF?! The Stretch Cage is empty when I return to it so I knock just one set. I don't have time to do a second set as I'd still like to take the dogs to the park before the storm is forecast to arrive. 

Unusually, I'm still grumpy after my workout. Some dog friends are already at the park and my pups are happy to race through the clouds of dust that rise up from disintegrated wood chips (deposited by the Parks Department annually). Local tree companies dump their chips in a pile at the edge of the park and residents are welcome to take as much as they want, shoveling chips into the back of their pickups or filling trash cans. But it's been so dry that what should be soil is actually soft, silky, red dust. It gets into your eyes, nose and mouth and I can't imagine it's good to inhale. There's a little rain after the dogs come back from the park, but nothing that warrants a flash flood warning. The radar depicting heavy storm clouds isn't to be trusted...

22 Aug 2022
Tired & Sore Monday

Matrix StepMill (L)
Manual 20 min 16 sec
Speed 6 (52-57)
Steps 1101
Floors 68
Cal 162
Hr 140

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
Upper body stretch
Eye yoga

HGPU 23

Tired and Sore

I'm definitely not getting enough sleep even though I don't have to meet the school bus. But if I want to get to the gym at a reasonable hour and then take the dogs to the park, I still have to get up early. My shoulders and glutes are slightly sore from yesterday. My abs more so. But I still do the routine cardio first, core and stretching, with sets of pull-ups. Because I don't work out on weekends. But I might trim my hedges...

I've recently discovered that a favorite comedy troupe from ages ago has rebooted on Amazon Prime. And I've been happily bingeing episodes until way past my bedtime. The Kids in the Hall pulls no punches. There's full frontal male nudity. And the original cast hasn't necessarily aged well with graying or missing hair, flabby butts and big bellies. But they are still weirdly hilarious. I haven't finished this season's run so I don't know if they've retained Mark McKinney's Chicken Lady (viewable on YouTube) or not... that's a genuinely disturbing character.

19 Aug 2022
Tired & Sore Friday

Precor elliptical #1
Program 3
Time: 30 min + 5 min cd (5678)
Distance: 2.86
Cal: 319
Avg Hr: 134, 184-82

HGPU 23

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
Upper body stretch
Eye yoga

HGPU 21

Better Karma

I got out of the house later than I wanted but I still got to the gym and did the workout I had planned. I still can't quite make it to 2.9 on the elliptical. I'm a bit sore and a lot tired. I'm too late to use the Aerobics Room but there's not a lot of people in the "functional gym" area. I'm surprised to see teen boys here at this time. It's not really early but it isn't noon either.

Today is the day I test myself on the Inclined Breaker Bench for inclined presses, with just the bar. I haven't use one in a long time so there's some concern although I have pressed more than 45 lbs. But in moving from 20 lb DBs to 25s, there's a fear that my wee hands can go numb and I don't want a hunk of iron crashing down on my head. It's a legit concern!

Since I'm planning on taking the dogs to the park around 11, I have time to knock out sets at the higher weight. The bar feels a little awkward at first but moving it gets easier for each set. I stick with 15 lbs for DB Laterals because those delicate elbow can't handle anything heavier. Sets of 25 reps tells me I can handle more weight on the Olympic bar so I'll add 5 lbs to each side next time. However, I don't want to wrestle with those awful spring collars though. My hands are too small to work them, and the Rogue collars I own are kind of overkill for a couple of tiny plates. I'm already pulling 25s on the reverse inclined flys so 55 lbs should be okay on the press. At least I hope so.

Yesterday evening, I got another Amazon delivery but it wasn't the 2-item re-order I was expecting. Instead, it was the missing original 3-item order. Yaaay! Was it stuck in the back of the truck when the driver dropped off the wrong package? Too weird! I'm waiting to see if the re-order shows up in the next few days. I'll send that one back because I don't need duplicate items. Perhaps it's the good karma earned from hand-delivering the package that I got in error to its rightful address? Regardless, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

18 Aug 2022
Good Karma Thursday

Precor elliptical #1
Program 2
Time: 30 min + 5 min cd (5742)
Distance: 2.89
Cal: 323
Avg Hr: 143, 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 25
Air Squats 25
Upper body stretch

DB Incl Press s/s Lat Raise s/s Rev Inc Fly
10 lbs x 25/15/20 reps warm up
15 lbs x 20/15/25 reps x 1
20/15/20 lbs x 20/15/25 reps x 1
45 (Olympic bar)/15/25 x 25/15/20 reps x 3 sets

MIx It Up

I had to get more calming meds for the dog with the digestive woes before taking him to his late day appointment yesterday. Which meant my morning gym session wasn't happening. Today, I compromise and do a combination workout with the standard 35 minutes of cardio, plus the standard core and stretching, but only one set of pull-ups because I'm sneaking the tricep workout in as well. And the gym is crowded today! Is it because it's Wednesday, or because there's the slight threat of rain? Who knows? There are more kids as well, which is surprising considering it's not noon. 

I'm a bit late and not in the mood to deal with the cackling women who gather early in the Aerobics Room for their Body Pump class. There are two people using the equipment in the Functional Gym area and they are chatting loudly, but I can drown them out with my tunes. Thank goodness for headphones and iPods. 

The free weight area is mostly empty so I'm able to use the bench I want for Skull Crushers and Rip Skulls. I take my time, careful to note how the overhead stretch causes me to clench the right glute and hamstring as I brace myself. I have to consciously relax those muscles to prevent a hamstring spasm (it's happened to me more than once) or to aggravate the latent sciatica waiting to happen. I'm glad not to go heavier as the elbows twinge sporadically. I'm at my limit for weight and reps, but slowing my pace means I can add the third set.

The pup with the digestive woes got checked out and didn't have any apparent parasites or fever (infection). So he got prescribed mostly probiotics and some metronidazole, an anti-inflammatory that is also antimicrobial and anti-protozoan. Because dogs eat all sorts of stuff that's not good for them. Unfortunately, this drug can have side effects like nausea and loss of appetite, probably due to the bitter metallic taste it can leave in the mouth. My vet has given us a few cans of the Science Diet i/d food for digestive woes. The afflicted pup eats less than half the can. The other pup, smaller and pickier with food, readily scarfs up leftovers.

17 Aug 2022
Mixed Bag Wednesday

Precor elliptical #1
Program 1
Time: 30 min + 5 min cd (5718)
Distance: 2.87
Cal: 320
Avg Hr: 134, 202-84

HGPU 23

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
Eye yoga
Upper body stretch

Skull Crushers / Rip Skulls
30 lbs x 12 reps each x 2 sets total
32.5 x 12 x 6

Disappointment Monday

I got to the gym and finished my workout. So I should be happy about that at least. Even if I didn't quite get to 2.9 miles on the elliptical, I did 35 minutes and two sets of pull-ups, and the core and stretches. I even added ten minutes of additional cardio vial stair machine. But I haven't had enough sleep. Dining out this weekend means I've ingested too much salt and fat as well. So I feel fat and sluggish regardless of how I've exercised.

Dogs that one of my dogs doesn't get along with are loose in the dog park and have no intention of leaving. While one of my pups is free to run around the main enclosure with other pup pals, his brother who has been suffering from digestive woes, is confined to the "playground" obstacle course. It's a decent size but not enough for him to get rid of his zoomies. We can't stay too long anyway since I have an appointment with the glaucoma doc for my son. It's basically a checkup to see if there should be any concern. 

Glaucoma is a hereditary issue for some in my family. But the trip is a waste of time because the health insurance company tells my eye doc that my son needs to pay towards his deductible instead of just the copay and the tests would cost several hundred dollars. Which is ridiculous because I have the very same tests done several times a year and I'm only asked for the copay. So we leave.

I finally hear from the veterinary office at the end of the day about a poop sample I dropped off last week. Last week's doc is now on vacation. No parasites but the covering vet can't issue the canine wonder drug Tylan powder without examining the afflicted pup. There's one appointment left for tomorrow with the vet who's retiring. Tomorrow's actually his last day! Well, at least I trust him. And this pup needs calming meds the night before and the morning off and he'll still be whining, crying and trying to jump out the window during the entire car ride. Soooo not looking forward to this.

I find a package at the front door but it's not addressed to me or anyone on my road. It belongs to a woman several streets away. At first I don't know who delivered it so I take it to UPS who promptly tells me that it's Amazon. There's nothing on the package that says Amazon. Porch pirates have taken their toll on branding and trust. Calling Amazon is an exercise in frustration because they appear to be short-staffed and the automated system offers unhelpful options. Eventually I speak with a human who tells me that they can reorder two of three of my lost items. Because I eventually get an email showing me that my "package has been delivered" except it's not my package. 

I have someone else's and no one can tell me where mine is. And Amazon can't replace the third item so they'll just refund me the cost. Except I really wanted the pound bag of Vanilla flavored Optimum Nutrition whey protein to add to my oatmeal. Amazon tells me to either keep, donate or discard the package I've received in error. But I'm inclined to take it to the house it was originally supposed to be delivered to. I only hope that whoever got my package will do the same. But people are lazy. And mega-corporations don't see doing the right thing as being cost-efficient. Better to just write it off as a loss. For the most part it keeps people happy... 

15 Aug 2022
Seasonable Monday

Precor elliptical #1
Program 3
Time: 30 min + 5 min cd (5692)
Distance: 2.87
Cal: 320
Avg Hr: 143, 188-99

HGPU 23

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
Eye yoga
Upper body stretch

Matrix StepMill (L)
Manual 10 min
Speed 6 (52-55)
Steps 538
Floors 33
Cal 79
Hr 135

HGPU 21

Productive and Pleasant

I got myself out of bed at a reasonable hour just so I could get my workout done in its entirety. Definitely worked up a sweat and a mild sense of satisfaction. The gym was moderately crowded for a Friday morning but people moved briskly and with purpose. The malingering only happens when teens arrive...

My knee is still tender and my legs and feet have been sporadically on the verge of spasms when I wake in the morning. Stretching in bed is now a habit I've had to avoid. I don't believe it's a potassium imbalance (a popular muscle cramp remedy is to eat bananas). So of course, my hypochondriac self runs wild with all sorts of neurological disorders which I force myself to ignore. Today, my right shoulder and elbow are sore and my finger tips go numb as I pedal. I hate when that happens and usually it doesn't happen very often. Maybe I've lost some conditioning by cutting my cardio down by just ten minutes. I hope not.

The rest of my workout feels very routine, including doing all the DB shoulder sets. I'm toying with increasing the weight for the last set, maybe using the 45 lb Olympic bar for Inclined Presses and 25 lb DBs for the Reverse Inclined Flys. But of course, I'd cut the reps. Maybe I'll just try it next week and see how it feels.

12 Aug 2022
Cool Pleasant Friday

Precor elliptical #1
Program 2
Time: 30 min + 5 min cd (5744)
Distance: 2.89
Cal: 323
Avg Hr: 144, 200-101

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
Eye yoga
Upper body stretch

DB Incl Press s/s Lat Raise s/s Rev Inc Fly
10 lbs x 25/15/20 reps warm up
15 x 20/15/25 reps x 1
20/15/20 lbs x 20/15/25 reps x 3 sets

Cooler but Not Better

I got a late start this morning and that's thrown everything else off. Two out of four ellipticals are occupied so I use the cross-trainer today for 20 plus minutes. My left knee has been a bit wonky and I have to be careful how I move. Temps have been cooler and that's a relief but I barely sweat in the gym. Pull-ups feel harder, maybe because I skipped yesterday. (My son had the opportunity to get his Senior portrait done at the HS this week instead of at the studio in Connecticut.)

The workout was okay. I've definitely done better. I know I have to return to the 35 minute cardio sessions. Twenty-five minutes is okay but not really great. But it'd be easier if I got better sleep. Read some interesting articles about how night owls are predisposed to depression and shorter life spans. Another article states that the microbiome of the gut can influence our health (and lifespan) by virtue of increased Reactive Oxidative Species. This can be countered with appropriate anti-oxidants. To read about it, click here.

11 Aug 2022
Cooler Thursday

LF cross-trainer #3
Program manual level 1
Time: 20 min + 5 min cd
Distance: 2.81
Cal:199
Avg Hr: 134

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 25
Upper body stretch
Air Squats 25
Eye yoga

HGPU 20

Insidious Heat

I'm not used to continuous heat and humidity. It's ruining my sleep, making my days less productive, and maybe interfering with my workouts. The gym a/c feels great when I first enter and I'm able to keep my hoodie on for the first 10 minutes of cardio. After that, the gym feels warm. But not hot. I'm still only pedaling for 25 minutes instead of 35, and today I'm not adding back with the stair machine. I'm running a tad late and I have a knot under my shoulder blade (and a stiff neck), so I'm feeling less than chipper. 

I read an article about knots but it doesn't really tell me anything I don't already know: no one really knows why they occur but solutions range from doing nothing (eventually they'll go away by themselves) to active intervention such as foam rolling, massage, dry needling (is that like acupuncture?), or using something like a tennis ball to apply focused pressure. I prefer my wooden knot roller. It looks like a double doorknob and works great to press out trigger points (knots). I just need a hard surface to lean against that won't be damaged, so not my drywall interior walls. More like the metal front door... I've not seen this particular style of knot killer in a long time. I bought this one years ago (I've always been very knotty) in a health food store in the City... I'm sure the store's no longer there.

I cut the air squats and eye yoga from my routine because bodies are starting to enter the Aerobics Room for their 9:30 Body Pump class. The free weight area isn't crowded yet. My right elbow isn't happy about the skull crushers or rip skulls so I'm extra cautious. I'm also acutely aware of my leg and foot placement because the rip skulls cause my torso to arch, putting stress on my lower back and consequently, the sciatic nerves. Mostly it's the right leg that's sensitive to this one particular movement.

Even though temps are in the 90s, the pups still want to romp in the park. It's more than just being able to run through the cool shaded dirt and sniff rocks and trees. There's also the chance that other dogs will be there to play with. Most dogs are very social. Just like people. While I keep conversation minimal at the gym, I have no problem chatting with other dog parents. And if no one else is there, I can always read stuff on my phone.

9 Aug 2022
Hotter Humid Tuesday

Precor elliptical #1
Program 1
Time: 20 min + 5 min cd (4114)
Distance: 2
Cal: 230
Avg Hr: 140, 196-118

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
Upper body stretch

Skull Crushers / Rip Skulls
30 lbs x 12 reps each x 2 sets total
32.5 x 12 x 4

Easing Back Into the Routine

I don't appreciate hot humid weather. It makes me cranky and very unmotivated. It also makes it difficult to sleep. Lately I've been dozing in the living room where the air is cooler and dryer due to our one wall a/c unit. The bedroom has a fan but that doesn't help with stifling humidity that makes me feel like I'm drowning. Not at all restful! Summer camp is over and I can actually get to the gym at a reasonable time. Today I'm there before 8 am, which means that I can do core and stretching in the Aerobics Room. Too bad it's not ice cold. The near constant 90 plus weather is taxing everyone's a/c system. The gym's not really crowded though, so I'm pleased.

I keep cardio short but add back those 10 minutes at the end when I climb onto the Step Machine. It's not horrible. I missed Friday's workout and make up the pull-ups today. I had fully planned to come to the gym, was dressed in workout clothes, had my gym bag in the car, but said car was making an unexpected screeching noise when I dropped my son off at his last day of camp. I had also noticed fluid in the driveway but I didn't know what kind (not oil or antifreeze). For all I knew, it might've been condensation dripping off the car from all the humidity. 

The local Valvoline checked my car and discovered a leak in the rusty power steering line. "Buy some power steering fluid," they advised as they topped off the reservoir. The pump wasn't damaged but would be if I let the fluid run dry. And the car would be impossible to steer. Those Valvoline guys have helped me out a bunch of times (for no fee) but they don't do repairs like that. My husband says it's because I'm a "girl" and he's probably right. But I'm also too paranoid to let this go for very long and got a same-day appointment at the dealership repair shop. It took forever... or several hours. And it cost a lot of money (mostly for labor). But all the rusty lines got replaced. Subarus are still notorious for rusting. Living on wetlands doesn't help. 

Tomorrow I'll go back to 30 minutes of cardio. It'll probably hurt. Maybe get some triceps work done. I read somewhere that overhead tricep extensions generate better results than push-downs (due to the stress on the long head of the triceps). I don't do either of those, but the alternating skull crushers and rip skulls are my best choices so far. I do have to be cautious with my feet positioning as the rip skulls tend to stress my lower back a tad and the resulting sciatic discomfort makes me feel like I'm getting old. Egads!

8 Aug 2022
Hot Humid Monday

Precor elliptical #1
Program 3
Time: 20 min + 5 min cd (4052)
Distance: 2.05
Cal: 228
Avg Hr: 150, 194-84

HGPU 23

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
Upper body stretch
Eye yoga x 3

HGPU 20

Matrix StepMill (L)
Manual 10 min
Speed 6 (52-55)
Steps 542
Floors 33
Cal 79
Hr 145

Hot and Humid Again

Today's another hot and humid day but I want to get my workout done before taking pups to the park, where no doubt, they'll have missed the morning crew of dogs. Lately it's been so hot that no run really runs around much. My dogs zoom through the tree-shaded park for a few minutes, eager to sniff every rock and branch before settling down, one in the cool dirt and the other panting on the picnic table. Eventually we leave and return to the welcoming cool of our house. Thank goodness for air conditioning.

A blast of cold air greets me when I open the door to the gym. But I still get hot and sweaty after 25 minutes of cardio. Again, there's almost no one in the functional training area which makes me happy. I can do core and stretching in peace. By 10:15 though, I see kids trickling in and headed to the free weight area. I hurry to get my DB shoulder workout done. I see a couple of regulars and some new ones, a few middle-aged men with lots of tats and one with a mohawk. Okay, I honestly haven't seen that on a fellow since I left my job in the city over ten years ago. The fact that he's kind of old surprises me for no reason...

I was a tad concerned about doing weights today after working triceps yesterday, but I realize that I'm not pushing all that hard and my concern is silly. Back in the day, when I was younger and had more time, I used to do multiple sets of multiple exercises per body part. It's not that I couldn't now, but that I have other obligations and besides, I can't wait until all the kids go back to school. However, I will sorely miss mine when he leaves for college after this year.

4 Aug 2022
Hot Humid Thursday

Precor elliptical #1
Program 2
Time: 20 min + 5 min cd (4232)
Distance: 2.10
Cal: 237
Avg Hr: 152, 192-90

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 25
Air Squats 25
Upper body stretch
Eye yoga

DB Incl Press s/s Lat Raise s/s Rev Inc Fly
10 lbs x 25/15/20 reps warm up
15 x 20/15/25 reps x 1
20/15/20 lbs x 20/15/25 reps x 3 sets

Hurrah for A/C

I skipped yesterday's workout because phone calls are best done first thing in the morning, and I've come to dislike afternoons with kids at the gym. I'm greeted with a pleasant blast of cold air this morning. Yaay for air conditioning! I fully plan to bring the pups to the park after 11 today, when most of the morning group has gone. I'm just not in the mood to deal with potential issues between my big dog and one of the other pups who seems to invite trouble by side-eyeing everyone. Articles about canine behavior call it the "whale eye." It's a sign of anxiety and potential distress that can lead to aggressive actions by other pups.

My cardio session is still a shorter 25 minutes, which is good enough to get warm and sweaty. Snow Bird beats me to the Stretch Cage so I skip the first set of pull-ups. (WTF? He used to come at 8:30 am and it's 9:35 now, so that's thrown me off schedule.) I do my core and stretches in the Functional Workout space by the entrance. There's only two people there today, both on the Hoist multi-station trainer. I'm shocked that there are no teenage girls doing squats or other power moves in front of the mirror here. Shocked but I don't miss them. Nope. Not at all.

The Stretch Cage is empty when I walk past to the free weight area, so naturally I get a set of pull-ups in. I feel oddly weak and tired. It's not a good feeling. There are only four or five people scattered throughout this section of the gym so I'm happy to have access to a bench and BBs. I only have to waste my time searching for the thin 1.25 magnetic discs to bring the BB to 32.5 lbs for sets 3 through 6. My arms feel unusually tired and I worry about dropping the BB on my face. So I stop at set 6 even though I'd gotten up to 8 last week. 

It's going to be very hot today (87F), and even hotter tomorrow (95F). There's a very good chance that the sun will shoot a massive solar blitz our way by then. But that won't stop the biting insects from attacking me through my clothes--my legs are covered in swollen bruises that look like I've been in a fight. Ugh. Have I mentioned how not fond of summer I am? And, even though it's been hot and humid, my skin threatens to crack and bleed if not properly moisturized. Such a damn princess! 

Today I tried the Ensure Max Protein Cherry Cheesecake flavor. It's very mild so not terribly cherry or cheesecake. Which is good. Although seniors (the market for this product) are known for lessened taste sensitivity, so I don't know what Abbott is thinking in creating this flavor. But it's 30 grams of lactose-free whey protein for less than $2.00 a serving if you buy it on sale, or with massive coupons. And most of the flavors are pretty good, like French vanilla.

3 Aug 2022
Hot Humid Wednesday

Precor elliptical #1
Program 1
Time: 20 min + 5 min cd (4134)
Distance: 2.0
Cal: 2317
Avg Hr: 146, 192-110

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
Upper body stretch
Eye yoga x 1

HGPU 22

Skull Crushers / Rip Skulls
30 lbs x 12 reps each x 2 sets total
32.5 x 12 x 4 sets total

Small Biz Headaches

I know enough about my father's restaurant business to know I never want to run or own one. Small businesses are rife with ample opportunities to fail including difficult customers, supply chain issues that impact products & services, and more importantly, equipment repair. This morning the gym doors are open, not unusual when temps are moderate (it's 72F). However, the a/c only works in the locker room and the Aerobics Room. The rest of the gym is humid and warm although some of the ceiling fans are rotating. Unfortunately, none of them are over the cardio machines. I wish the staff would put the big fans back at the ends of the cardio platform. I'm sure they're in storage somewhere ever since the pandemic nixed fans in public areas.

I do my 25 minutes, get all sweaty and red-faced (nothing unusual there), then try to cool down enough to manage some pull-ups. There are a lot of people in the functional exercise area, three are regulars and the other three are newbie kids who are playing follow the leader. At least no one steps on me while I'm sprawled on the mat doing dead bugs and planks, etc. I manage another set of pull-ups before heading back into the locker room. Thank goodness it's cool in there.

And at least the showers work. And all the stalls. But there's a constant problem with the sinks. The pandemic had the gym remove the center basin and faucet for "social distancing" so there's only two out of three to use. All three toilets also have automatic flush sensors. They usually work until the battery runs down. The faucets also have automatic sensors but these are more finicky and most of the time only one sink is functional. And when both work, the soap dispensers, also automatic, might decide not to cooperate. Lately, one of two paper towel dispensers has also decided to be finicky. Unfortunately, there's no manual override either. 

Meanwhile, I hear that the a/c units are being "worked on" and that the fans over the cardio platform have motor issues, whatever that means. The gym staff do a lot of the cleaning and repairs themselves but there are things that require professional services, and that tends to be expensive. Meanwhile, the gym has posted a notice in the locker room that they're looking to hire someone for the opening shift at 5 am. I see a lot of new faces behind the front desk, but the one big girl who had been there most of the spring is gone. Maybe she went back to school, or she got a better offer somewhere else. I'm asleep at 5 am, even on school days because the earliest bus comes at 6:30...

1 Aug 2022
Humid Monday

Precor elliptical #1
Program 3
Time: 20 min + 5 min cd (4114)
Distance: 2.07
Cal: 231
Avg Hr: 151, 204-84

HGPU 23

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
Upper body stretch
Eye yoga x 1

HGPU 22