The Exercise Paradox

I had every intention of going to bed at 11 last night but ultimately, I closed my eyes around 12:40 AM. It was too warm outside and I had two fans going just in the bedroom alone. The soothing lull of peepers and birds put me to sleep and when the alarm went off at 7, I rolled over and shut it off. I have an alarm set at 7:30 anyway, and as long as the dogs get to the park by 8, we're good. I get a text at 7:30 from another dog park pal and we're there in 20 minutes... just enough time to have a few sips of reheated coffee and administering my eye drops. Even though it's 72F, the dogs run and chase each other in spurts, cool off by laying in the dirt, slop water out of the bowl.

I am wicked tired. My triceps don't hurt though, and I really have to think about them to register the slightest soreness. And of course, the more consistently I exercise, the better my cardio and strength endurance will be. But it'll come with a price: I'll be chronically tired, my back will develop little knots under the shoulder blades, but maybe I'll be able to go to sleep earlier? I know I should be getting more sleep not just for health reasons, but also to help with a slowing metabolism. (I'm still trying to lose the 10 lbs I gained AFTER the pandemic!) So, the more I exercise, the worst I'll feel, but the stronger I'll be. But will I be healthier? I have no idea!

The gym is virtually empty when I arrive. More people show up during lunch. It's hot outside and there's a/c inside, but I'm drenched when I'm done with cardio. I'm actually pleasantly surprised that I get as many reps as I do with pull-ups, mostly because I'm a bit sore from the past two days. The rest of my workout goes better than I expect, with planks at 90 seconds as well as wall squats. Okay, not quite the 2 minutes I got on Tuesday, but better than the original 60 seconds. I got bored and videoed myself doing air squats. I admit I never quite know what to do with my hands and arms... but I'm wearing fairly comfy clothes.

I have every intention of attempting a second set of pull-ups when I walk back out to the gym. I see a very tall thin grey-haired man wiping down the stretch cage. I don't know if he's just getting started or finishing up, and he's taking such a long time that after a moment, I give up and head into the locker room. Today is has a Heat Advisory warning that has been extended to tomorrow evening. I have no plans to do much once I leave the gym because I don't want to start sweating. Sorting and cleaning can wait until next week when temps drop and the rains finally come, maybe as soon as tomorrow. 

Seamless toe socks

It's so hot I'm once again wearing a dress. It's very comfortable except it has no pockets. I found a stash of old socks that I bought from Land's End years ago, when their seamless toe socks had interesting patterns. Unfortunately, these patterns weren't printed into the fabric, but were stitched/embroidered onto the socks. Sooo, if you are bothered by toe seams (like I am), you might also be bothered by all the extra threads inside the socks from the patterns. I tend to wear my socks inside out and just fold the cuffs back down so they don't look weird at the ankles. Now LE just sells solid-color seamless toe socks that don't fit as well and are kind of boring...

I have a glaucoma follow-up appointment on Monday and there's not enough time to go to the gym beforehand and take the dogs to the park. The dogs take priority. I'm hoping my eye pressures will have dropped after the SLT procedures done in July. It's certainly costing me enough (co-pays equaling several hundred dollars each). If my IOPs have not dropped, I may have to look at additional medications or more invasive surgical procedures... Ugh.

7 Sept 2023 11:23-12:48
Deserted Thursday

Precor elliptical #1
Program 3
Time: 30 + 5 (5562)
Distance: 2.83
Cal: 313
Avg Hr: 143, 190-85

HGPU 17

20 Hip Bridges
Crunches 60
Piriformis/Hip/Pencil Stretch
60 Dead Bugs
20 Hip Bridges
Elbow Plank 90s
Quick Child’s Pose
Cat stretch 12
Fire Hydrants 30 x 2
Child’s Pose / Cobra Pose
Bird Dog Planks 60s x 2
Push-Ups 25
Air Squats 25
Upper body stretch
Eye yoga
Wall Squats 90s

  Skip HGPU 15 occupied