Wall Squats are No Joke

I didn't go to the gym yesterday so I braced myself to do an actual four sets of 2-minute Wall Squats with just 2 minutes of rest between. The sets get progressively harder. By the third set my hands are feeling cold. I give myself an extra minute of rest before the fourth set, but I still need to straighten for a split second during the last 30 seconds of the last set. Actually, I needed to straighten up several times before the 2-minute buzzer sounded. By then, my hands and forearms had become so cold they were numb.

Today, I make it to the gym and my favorite elliptical. My quads, however, feel like lead. I'm surprised because they're not sore from yesterday. I am tired though from a lack of adequate sleep hours. I went to bed at 12:20 which should provide plenty of rest when the alarm sounds at 7:30, but the husband stumbled into bed at 2:20 and knocked things off his night table. Which is not a pleasant way to wake up in the middle of the night. Interrupted sleep sucks and although I had a wonderfully pleasant Christmas, I cannot wait until he goes back to work and is gone for the entire week. Then, only weekends become sleepless. Even though his drunken screaming and yelling are directed at whatever show or movies he's watching, I find it extremely stressful. As does everyone else in the house. The dogs hide. My son puts his headphones on and retreats to his bedroom.

I just manage to hit 2.9 miles on the elliptical. The Fitbit registers steps and calculates calories, but thinks I've only done 31 minutes instead of 35 on the machine. But at least it seems to keep count of my steps. Tuesday totaled over 12,750 because I went shopping after the gym. Since I don't always carry my phone with me, the phone's health app is less accurate with tracking my movements. With a wearable, I don't have to manually input the step tally from the elliptical. It's very convenient.

Today, my step tally is less (10,700) and my blood pressure seems to be holding steady. It's still too high, and I'm fixated on taking readings every day just to keep check. (It's the only way I can calm myself about impending hypertensive doom.) Something about hitting my 60s has really decimated my metabolism, cholesterol and blood pressure. I'm still 10 lbs heavier than I'd like to be, but now I'm reading justifications for being a bit fatter than optimal, especially as a "senior" person. Gosh, I don't feel like I should be calling myself a senior citizen, and technically, I've got another year and a quarter before I hit the dreaded 65. Of course AARP will call you a senior once you hit 50 (because they're all about the marketing revenue) and my town gives you discounts at age 60. Some museums consider 62 old enough and I've taken advantage of that.

The gym fills up with teenagers by early afternoon. I get my two sets of pull-ups, and all my core exercises. Except I skip the Wall Squats. And Walking Lunges have me drenched in sweat after traversing the Aerobics Room. I'm really tired by the time I get home. I should go to the gym tomorrow, but I'm not sure I can do 35 minutes of cardio on the elliptical. I should do another round of Wall Squats (every other day) because I'm compelled to do everything I can to bring my BP down before next Wednesday's appointment. 

Slicing the Christmas steak

My husband seems enamored of highly seasoned, high-fat foods. Like wings. Pork buns. Soup dumplings. Rib steaks. I have a recipe for a wine-braised brisket for the New Year so I went grocery shopping after the gym today. Got everything except fresh thyme, which I seriously didn't think was going to be a problem. I do have a lot of the dried herb though so I'm not that worried.

28 December 2023 11:43-1:10 pm
Balmy Rainy Thursday & I have a vague headache

Precor elliptical #1
Program 1
Time: 30+5 (5816)
Distance: 2.90
Cal: 325
Avg Hr: NA
Fitbit: 162 max

HGPU 17

20 Hip Bridges
Piriformis/Hip/Pencil Stretch
DeadBugs 20 x 5 alt/ss = 100
20 Hip Bridges & 10 one-leg bridges
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 stretch w side bends & twists
Walking lunges 41 steps total (made me sweaty!)
Neck stretch / Eye yoga 

HGPU 15

********************************************************

27 December 2023 10:57 AM
Wednesday

(I can feel my BP is too high: right ear congested, throat, not quite a headache)

Recommended: 4 sets of 2-min WS with 2 min rest between sets.
I’ll have to work up to that!

10:59 Wall Squats 120s
11:03 WS 120s
11:08 WS 120s lightheaded 3 m rest
11:12 WS 120 w 4 split sec breaks and hands are cold and numb

The Joy of Fitness Toys

We had a delicious prime rib supper last night, made better by the fact that the meat was purchased on sale for $4.99/lb. That's ridiculously cheap for beef. The artery-clogging aspect of the meal (steak, asparagus, baked potato, sauteed mushrooms) was only made apparent when I started cleaning up afterward. The amount of tallow scraped off the plates and pans could've made several candles. But of course, the best part of the holidays is the gift giving. I asked for and received a way to track my heart rate by way of a Fitbit 6. I got my husband an air fryer. And we used the Instant Pot for the first time a few days ago (I'd bought that some years ago). The only kitchen machine we still haven't unboxed is a Cuisinart food processor we got for trading in a 3-pot slow cooker from my in-laws. Gosh, that was years and years ago!

A few days earlier, I had purchased a blood pressure monitor for home use because I've been concerned about my rising BP, and the fact that my brother (who also has glaucoma) is on medication for hypertension. Never mind that he has a stressful job and other health issues. Hypertension runs in my family and several deaths have been attributed to strokes due to high blood pressure, including a cousin who was just 2 years older than me but passed away before she turned 50. I had to download an app for my phone and take readings at different times of day. No matter when, even though readings might vary by 20mm Hg, it's indisputable that I have hypertension. 

I don't think I have a venous malformation, but a doctor (who did an MRI) once told me that there were an unusual amount of tangled blood vessels on the right side of my neck. It's a reason I don't do overhead presses: my right ear clogs up and that shoulder goes numb. So I'm wary about problems with blood vessels and increased blood pressure. It's not true that hypertension is silent: I can feel that my BP is too high. I intermittently have a vague headache and a congested feeling that's hard to describe. During a routine colonoscopy this past summer, my pressures was a whopping 170/110. That's definitively hypertension stage 2.

I made an appt with my primary care physician for next week. Meanwhile, I need to be more consistent with my exercise. Over the weekend, I reread the article about Wall Squats and managed to do the recommended 4 sets for 2 minutes apiece. What I hadn't managed was the mere 2 minute rest between sets. But, having not done any cardio earlier in the day, I found the 120 second sets to be much easier than the single 90 second set at the gym.

I charged the Fitbit and put it on yesterday. I want it primarily to check my heart rate since the cardio machines are notoriously unreliable. Reviews suggest that the Fitbits are also unreliable, but I've managed to cross-check the heart rate data from it with the blood pressure monitor and so far so good. What I didn't realize was that the Fitbit could automatically deduce that I had gotten on the elliptical. There are discrepancies: I was on it for 35 minutes and it read 33 minutes. But it added most of those steps to my daily count and monitored my heart rate. When the elliptical tells me my HR is racing along at 190, the Fitbit says 150. When the elliptical dips to 87, the Fitbit says the HR is steady at 135. I'll trust the wearable. 

I particularly like being able to watch my HR in the phone app while I'm exercising and comparing it to the machine monitor. There's is a slight lag with other info, like my time on the elliptical and all my "steps" but eventually, it all updated. That data actually surprised me. It's definitely a new toy. I occasionally flip my wrist just to see what my HR is at the moment while I'm doing different things. Or not doing anything at all. 

Because I have more melanin than a white person, I wear the sensor on the inside of my arm where the skin is lighter. I can see at a glance, and also in the app if I keep it open on my phone, what my HR is while I'm doing different exercises. Air squats gets my heart racing the way that push-ups don't. The only thing that requires more exertion is the cardio, as it should.

It's a bit depressing knowing that genetics can be so overwhelming that no amount of diet and exercise will keep you from having to take medications. Not that I won't try. I don't think I can do the intermittent fasting though. Well, maybe on off days? But on days I don't go to the gym, I could do the four sets of Wall Squats. I have a week to see if any of it makes any difference. Meanwhile, I went to the gym today and the parking lot was crowded because school is closed for the week and there are several movies playing in the cinema next door. It's noon when I enter and 2 pm by the time I've showered and changed to leave. The gym was crowded with teens draped all over the free weights and machines and I tell myself that I need to start earlier this week. 

I need more sleep!

I'm hoping to avoid medication but I've researched what my brother has been prescribed. He says the calcium channel blocker gives him neuropathy and his feet go numb from it so he only takes it on alternate days. I look up amlodipine and don't see that side effect listed, but he cites a lone paper referencing a middle-aged white woman who suffered from numbness from this particular medication. Well, I suppose it's possible. And that would suck. He's only on one glaucoma medication and I'm on three. He only has it in one eye but has other health issues. We're related but our genetics aren't necessarily the same. After all, he's over 6 feet tall and I'm under 5, and we're only a year apart in age. 

26 December 2023 12:08-1:26
Balmy Overcast Tuesday
(after an artery-clogging Christmas supper)


Precor elliptical #1
Program 3
Time: 30+5 (5712)
Distance: 2.87
Cal: 321
Avg Hr: NA 161, 190-124
Fitbit: 161 max

HGPU 15

20 Hip Bridges
Piriformis/Hip/Pencil Stretch
DeadBugs 20 x 5 alt/ss = 100
20 Hip Bridges & 10 one-leg bridges
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 stretch w side bends & twists
Walking lunges 43 steps total
Neck stretch / Eye yoga
Wall Squat 90s

*********************************************************************

23 December 2023 2:00 pm
Christmas Eve Sunday

Omron BP 5250
148/107 pulse 58-64
Hypertension stage 2 ugh
(I can feel my BP is too high: right ear congested, throat, unease not quite a headache)

Recommended: 4 sets of 2-min WS with 2 min rest between sets.
I’ll have to work up to that!

2:00 Wall Squats 120 seconds
2:21 WS 120s
2:30 WS 120s
2:34 WS 120s

Post Solstice

Exit road outside the dog park

Yesterday was the Winter Solstice, so technically Winter has begun. It's certainly cold enough and after this past weekend's deluge, there's a lot of icy spots where the runoff has no where to go. The dog park itself is fine, comprised of a steeply angled slope. It's getting from the road to the gate that's a teensy bit treacherous. At least my dogs will enter and exit my car from either side. Older pups are set in their ways and are less flexible. I once had a dog who refused to acknowledge the existence of our second floor and its staircase because she had lived so long without it. It was literally invisible to her even though we and the other dog went up and down it daily.

It's nearly noon by the time I get to the gym, mostly because the long line moved soooo slowly at the CVS where I needed to pick up a Rx. Plus, I've also been making the trek to the post office to drop off my cards and bills instead of relying on the mail carrier who might or might not actually scoop up all my mail from the box.

The parking lot is crowded but the gym is not. There's a few seniors and a smattering of teens. (I'm assuming schools got a half day right before a major week off, because I don't remember anymore how the school holidays work.) I get to do all the routines on my list: cardio, pull-ups, core with push-ups, air squats, walking lunges, and wall squats. And then, because Christmas is Monday and it's one of the two days this gym is actually closed all day, I decided I should push some weights. The other day is Easter Sunday. Yes, the gym is open on Thanksgiving and New Year's, but limited hours for those true gym rats with lots of energy and anxiety. 

I barely make it to 2.9 for cardio and pull-ups are hard after the first dozen. Core is easier and my least favorite movements are still walking lunges and definitely wall squats. There's a few guys in the free weight area. I tap the volume louder on my tunes. I have to rest a bit longer between the second and third (last) set of the DB Shoulder routine, but I feel pretty good when I leave. And that's all that matters.

21 December 2023 11:53-1:44
Arctic Friday

Precor elliptical #1
Program 2
Time: 30+5 (5800)
Distance: 2.90
Cal: 325
Avg Hr: 149, 190-84

HGPU 17

20 Hip Bridges
Piriformis/Hip/Pencil Stretch
DeadBugs 20 x 5 alt/ss = 100
20 Hip Bridges & 10 one-leg bridges
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 stretch w side bends & twists
Walking lunges 42 steps total
Neck stretch / Eye yoga
Wall Squat 90s

Incl DB Press s/s Lateral Raises s/s Rev Incline Flys
10 lbs x 25/15/25 warm up
15 lbs x 25/15/25
20/15/20 x 25/15/25 x 3 sets

Crazy December

We drove up to Buffalo last Thursday and stopped in Herkimer to eat at a restaurant right on the Erie Canal. While it was extremely friendly with generous portions (an 8" personal pizza was literally twice that size), cut into squares (like Domino's?) and barely hinting of the fresh garlic described in the menu. The steak salad my husband ordered was quite fresh with nicely cooked but underseasoned meat. It's as if they're afraid of strong flavors, but they were all extremely nice.

Driving back with our kid in tow on Friday, we stopped at Curly's Chicken House for an early supper. It's Friday and the staff is pushing the Fish Fry so we order that. It's delicious, fresh and generous. We get home late, I pick the dogs up the next day from the "pet resort" and we try to recover from the long drive.

I haven't been to the gym since last Wednesday so it's a been a week. The torrential downpour and high winds over Sunday night into Monday caused a lot of localized flooding and broken tree branches. Schools are closed, some roads are closed. I take the dogs to the park during a lull but I'm not going to the gym. It's nearly 60F, but temps drop to the 20s and everything wet starts to freeze. Roads are slick, and at the Bark Park, the mud is icy and treacherous. I'm giving some thought to getting a heated water bowl to keep in the shed there so the pups can have not frozen water. (There's an outlet inside the shed.)

Tuesday I'm running around with last minute errands and then we had plans to see the new Wonka movie with friends we haven't seen since the Eagle Scout Court of Honor we held last April. The film was enjoyable (Hugh Grant hilarious), and one scene was mildly reminiscent of the musical Oliver (Who Will Buy). I've posted a YouTube clip below if you don't remember that awesome scene...

I get to the gym and run through my routine: cardio, pull-ups, core. It's been a week and I'm feeling quite out of shape, probably from all the holiday snacking I've engaged in. Still, I manage not to totally embarrass myself (to myself) so I should be back tomorrow... 

20 December 2023 11:48-1:00
Arctic Wednesday (it’s been a week!)

Precor elliptical #2
Program 1
Time: 30+5 (5798)
Distance: 2.90
Cal: 325
Avg Hr: 153, 202-84

HGPU 17

20 Hip Bridges
Piriformis/Hip/Pencil Stretch
DeadBugs 20 x 5 alt/ss = 100
20 Hip Bridges & 10 one-leg bridges
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 stretch w side bends & twists
Walking lunges 44 steps total
Neck stretch / Eye yoga
Wall Squat 90s

Program 3 is Always Good for Distance

Yesterday was a long day and I didn't even go to the gym. The dogs went to the park and I had a little bit of time before my eye doc appointment, so a lot of household chores got done, like emptying ashes out of the wood stove, and sweeping up all the dog fur. Dogs aren't shedding as heavily, but that doesn't mean they've stopped. I can feel the welts forming on the side of my thighs in reaction to the cold and dry air of winter. It's not full-blown hives. Yet. But it's coming. And there's nothing that's been able to prevent it from happening. Not hydrocortisone. Not petroleum jelly. No amount of moisturizing or topical steroids has ever helped since this started happening.

My eye exam went well, with IOPs down for one eye (12!) and stable for the other (14). I have a new Visual Field test in 3 months, and then an appointment to discuss those results. It's a few hours later by the time I get done and I stop off at a local mall because it has both Spenser's and Hot Topic: shops that cater to culturally relevant social media T-shirts and hoodies. I can always find some Rick & Morty shirts that I haven't seen before, and more importantly, that my husband doesn't already own. 

I'm still buying him gifts even though the last 4 days have been depressing because he's literally spend the past 4 days drunk. Noisy drunk screaming at whatever show he's watching on his computer. Drunk arguing in his sleep. Drunk to the point I'm finding Corelle dinner plates in the trash and the fridge emptied of foods that should've lasted a week. Because drunks have no self-control, childish appetites and no memory of anything they've done. 

I treated myself by not going home immediately. Instead, I watched The Boy and the Heron and I had the theater to myself until 3 minutes before the 4:35 showing. I'd selected a centrally-located aisle seat. A young woman walks in and chooses a seat directly across the aisle from me. Apparently this is the best viewing spot. One minute before showtime, a weird guy stomps in muttering and plants himself directly behind me. Ugh. The entire theater is empty and he has to sit right behind me. And he keeps making weird noises. Five minutes into the film, I toss my coat and bag into the seat in front of me and move forward. Really happy the weird dude stayed put. 

When I get home, I take the dogs out for their evening walk, make their dinner, make dinner for me and the passed out husband. Because he'll want dinner when he wakes up, and after he stumbles off to bed, I'll rifle through the trash to rescue flatware, cups, dishes. I'm tired of being married to a 4-year old. And I've decided to spend as little time at home when he's like that. Dealing with thar is too stressful.

Today he appears to be sober. Appearances can be deceiving though. Dogs go to the park. I go to the gym. I'm late and the gym is a bit crowded. Well, at least I can get on an elliptical. Program 3 is good for distance because very little of the course is at low "altitude" and I find it easier to pedal hard and fast. Still, I'm surprised to make it to 2.93, especially since I didn't feel strong when I started. My shoulder and elbow/forearm right side are also bothering me. Maybe I slept on that side a bit weird? Pull-ups are good for the first dozen, and then lose strength, but I manage to get to 17. The free weight area isn't too crowded yet, but it will be as soon as the HS lets out, so I do weights and save the Aerobics Room for last. 

I'm in my car by the time I see teens in groups of twos and threes cross the parking lot and head toward the gym. Made it out just in time! 

13 December 2023 11:39-1:13
Chilly Wednesday

Precor elliptical #2
Program 3
Time: 30+5 (5876)
Distance: 2.93
Cal: 330
Avg Hr: 157, 209-81

HGPU 17

Skull crushers / RipSkulls
30 lbs x 12/12 reps x 3 sets

20 Hip Bridges
Piriformis/Hip/Pencil Stretch
DeadBugs 20 x 5 alt/ss = 100
20 Hip Bridges & 10 one-leg bridges
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 stretch w side bends & twists
Walking lunges 43 steps total
Neck stretch / Eye yoga
Wall Squat 90s

Weary Monday

Weekends are always stressful since the spouse is home and spends free time drinking and cursing out streaming movies and shows. It's a small house so I can hear this in every room and it's worse when I'm trying to sleep as I've not mastered the art of sleeping with earbuds. I got really depressed when I found out that he's home from now until after the Holidays. It's like there's no escape from the chaos; alcoholics tend to behave and think like bratty 4-year olds. I like my quiet time. I like watching movies and shows without having to pause every few minutes because someone has to announce another conspiracy theory they were just privy to. Or gruesome war strategies.

There's no one at the dog park today and it's I make it to the gym today and it's crowded with regulars and people I've never seen before. Colleges might be letting out for the Holidays...

I fully expect to tank my cardio, especially since the only available machine is sandwiched between machines 1 and 3. But I do sing to myself with my eyes closed, only peeking at the monitor to know when to reverse pedaling. I'm still shocked I made it to 2.9, but just barely. It's late so la Grande Dame is already in the Stretch Cage by the time I'm done, so I'll catch it one the way back. I'm tempted to do 10 minutes on the Stair machine, but think better of it. Core and some hip stretches are what's on the menu.

Everything feels okay, even Walking Lunges and Wall Squats. The Stretch Cage is vacant when I walk past to the locker room so of course I have to do a set of pull-ups. They feel pretty good until I get past a dozen, then they're progressively harder. The last one is only a partial rep, but truthfully, I always fare better right after cardio than after everything else. I finally got a hoodie that "fits" properly from Lands End. It's a tad big even though it's a size S women's, but it fits better than their current selection of kids hoodies where no matter the size, the arms are too narrow. How can you sell a size XL Husky hoodie with arms that fit a Medium? They used to fit proportionately, but their new supplier has cut corners... 

I have a glaucoma doc appt tomorrow afternoon. Not sure if I'll make it to the gym. But I just discovered that Hayao Mizayaki's The Boy and the Heron is playing locally, and tomorrow is $5 Tuesday, so perhaps I'll catch that show afterward. Since Mizayaki is 82 years old, this is probably his last film (renowned for their hand-drawn beauty). I'm tempted to avoid mentioning this to the spouse just so he doesn't ruin the experience. 

Last night I woke up to use the bathroom and when I returned to bed, the snoring was too loud for me to fall asleep again. The snoring is always worse when the drinking has been massively excessive. After an hour of sleeplessness, I took refuge in my kid's room, but he'll be back for the holidays by Friday. I guess I'll be on the sofa unless I can make the living room floor more comfortable... like indoor camping. I mean, we do have sleeping bags and foam cushion camping mats after all. And the dogs are very quiet at night.

11 December 2023 11:49-1:12
Sleepless Monday

Precor elliptical #2
Program 2
Time: 30+5 (5768)
Distance: 2.90
Cal: 325
Avg Hr: 1 63, 194-144

Skip HGPU 17 Grande Dame

20 Hip Bridges
Piriformis/Hip/Pencil Stretch
DeadBugs 20 x 5 alt/ss = 100
20 Hip Bridges & 10 one-leg bridges
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 stretch w side bends & twists
Walking lunges 42 steps total
Neck stretch / Eye yoga
Wall Squat 90s

HGPU 17.5

Wake Up Tired? Go Exercise!

I woke up tired and sore today. I hope I'm not getting sick but having my lower lids burn a bit always makes me cautious. It's not quite as cold at the dog park but I'm still bundled up and again, no other pups for mine to play with. I get to the gym late because I'm dragging. I wasn't rested when the alarm sounded and I could've easily slept another 30 minutes. My forearms and shoulders are slightly sore from yesterday's workout. The worse thing I can do is wear myself out, so I adjust today's workout.

Cardio gets cut back 10 minutes and I change the program to Intervals. I add those 10 minutes back with the Stair machine, but pull-ups get interspersed between. The last thought I remember before hoisting myself up is that fatigue doesn't usually impact strength. Definitely cardio, but not strength. At least for me. Which means I'm still able to get my reps today.

The gym's not crowded with only a smattering of regulars, but I'm running late and the HS kids are starting to trickle in. I cut out most of the Core movements except for stretches, Dead Bugs, Bird Dog planks and push-ups. My legs are tired enough without Air Squats and Wall Squats! I don't feel too bad when I leave but by early evening, naps are looking like a good idea.

8 December 2023 11:47-1:11
Fatigue Friday
(abbreviated double cardio)

Precor elliptical #1
Program Intervals
Time: 20+5 (3564)
Distance: 2.02
Cal: 218
Avg Hr: 136, 194-83

HGPU 18

StepMill (L)
Manual 10 min
Speed 6 (52-57)
Steps 525
Floors 32
Cal 77
Hr 145

20 Hip Bridges
Piriformis/Hip/Pencil Stretch
DeadBugs 20 x 5 alt/ss = 100
20 Hip Bridges & 10 one-leg bridges
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
Neck stretch / Eye yoga

Mix It Up Thursday and a Surprise

There's no mention of the fact that today is Pearl Harbor Day. Maybe there's too much other bad news worldwide? It's also really really cold when I wake up. I wasn't expecting temps to be quite so cold but me and the pups went to the park anyway, knowing that no one else would be there. After 30 minutes, the dogs were genuinely interested in leaving, maybe because they always get a few chicken jerky bites when they get in the car. One of my pups starts drooling even before I get the canister out of my pocket.

I have a few errands to do before I make it to the gym and since it's Thursday, the parking lot is fairly empty. Plus, the weather looks really iffy with snow flurries and unfriendly overcast skies. The gym isn't crowded and I get on the elliptical of my choice. At some point I should do a few "runs" on other cardio machines; I just haven't figured out which ones yet. Again, I'm really happy to eke past the 2.9 mark so everything's gravy from here on.

Normally I'd either be at the Stretch Cage for pull-ups, or off to the Aerobics Room to do Core exercises. But I felt the need to mix things up where I can, and one of the things I can do is change the order of the exercises. (Because bodies acclimatize really well to routines!) So what happens if after cardio I push weights and do the core exercises at the end? This way I can end with Walking Lunges and Wall Squats! Of course, I worried how badly DB inclined bench reps would impact the push-ups that follow stretches and Dead Bugs.  Admittedly, it was harder this time. And the ending Wall Squats were almost unbearable, but I did manage to stay upright for the full 90 seconds. 

The DB shoulder workout was really good, mostly because I didn't pre-exhaust myself. Doing cardio first is a must though (I hate it so much I'm always tempted to skip it if it's not the absolute first item to knock off my exercise list). I see a bunch of semi-regulars, including a very athletic, tiny woman (I think she might be shorter than me but I have an oversized sense of my actual height, until I can't reach something even on my tiptoes) who impressed me by doing several small sets of chin-ups on the bar affixed to the combo cage next to the Smith machine. Awesome! She's quite a powerhouse. 

Less impressive was the pretty teen girl who pulled off her sweatshirt to move tiny plastic baby bells in her sports bra and leggings. Well, it was getting late and the HS kids are trickling in... 

I tend to read a lot of news and articles online and they invariably have links to other articles, or TikTok or Instagram accounts. Maybe it's because I've got an ad blocker and most of the cookies have been disabled, but the TikTok links never work. I always get dropped into whatever the latest post is, and going back to the original link and re-clicking just brings me to a totally different video. Instagram is slightly better. But imagine my surprise when I click a link to view an image and I get dumped into an image of a familiar face. 

OMG! I know her! And she's fulfilling apparently a lifelong goal of competing and placing in an over-50 fitness pageant. She looks fabulous, with a smooth even tan and sleek lines. Although not very muscular, she doesn't exhibit that horrible gauntness that plague some competitors and her skin looks great. Even better is that she did not succumb to stuffing her chest. (Women's fitness is rife with fake boobs.) Kudos to her for achieving that dream!

I admit I'm a tiny bit jealous. In my 50s, competing in the Masters Class meant going against women who were over 35. Uh, no 53 year old wants to stand onstage with a 39 year old. I gave up my dream of competing once I realized that losing a lot of my body fat left me with lots of thin wrinkly belly skin and an even more horrendous saggy butt. You can't hide any of this in a bikini onstage. My ultra dry skin has little elasticity and there's no remedying those defects. I've seen women compete like that and it's not good. 

Plus, I'd never be able to achieve any semblance of a smooth tan because my skin is so patchy and scaly. Now that I'm packing more weight, my butt isn't saggy and wrinkled, but I admit I should drop a few pounds. Of course, these days I'm more concerned with how long I can go without a new bout of sciatica, because it tends to come out of nowhere... it's why I've decided not to get that second Shingrix shot.

7 December 2023 11:34-1:23
22°F Thursday Pearl Harbor Day & I’m mixing it up

Precor elliptical #1
Program 1
Time: 30+5 (5846)
Distance: 2.91
Cal: 326
Avg Hr: 156, 203-81

Incl DB Press s/s Lateral Raises s/s Rev Incline Flys
10 lbs x 25/15/25 warm up
15 lbs x 25/15/25
20/15/20 x 25/15/25 x 3 sets

20 Hip Bridges
Piriformis/Hip/Pencil Stretch
DeadBugs 20 x 5 alt/ss = 100
20 Hip Bridges & 10 one-leg bridges
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 stretch w side bends & twists
Walking lunges 42 steps total
Neck stretch / Eye yoga
Wall Squat 90s that hurt!

In Spite Of

I took yesterday off to run errands, figuring I'd work out today, and Thursday, and maybe Friday. Tomorrow I promised a friend I'd take her to her colonoscopy appointment, and then pick her up later in recovery. She said she tested positive with Cologuard. That happened to me, and it was a false negative. She said it's been 14 years, so might as well do the exam. I'm not going to argue with her. I'll probably go to a local store and see if I can find something to get my kid for Christmas. At this age, he says he doesn't really want or need anything.

I'm pedaling away on the elliptical when text messages appear on my phone. I don't actually look at them until I switch from backward to forward in the program. The phone doesn't always recognize my red, sweaty face and I fumble with the phone while trying to maintain my speed. It's hard to type replies and not lose my balance. Finally, the 35 minutes are done and I'm pleasantly surprised that I'm still able to hit 2.9. I'm even happier to finish pull-ups immediately after! Yaaay me!

It turns out that my kid will need a ride home from school much sooner than we had planned. His last final is next Thursday and apparently the school policy is that students must vacate the premises within 24-hours after their last final. His friends (and potential carpool home) don't finish until the 19th, which means we'll have to go fetch him nearly a week sooner than expected. It's all good though. My pups miss him. We did have a scare when we heard a dog in the afternoon play group tested positive for giardia, a nasty parasite. I got my pups tested and they're negative, as are other pups who frequent the park. Whew!

The gym is more crowded than I expected for a Tuesday. The holiday lights atop the mirrored walls in the Aerobics Room are off so the room doesn't feel quite as festive. A woman is already there, doing some floor exercises. I do my own thing as usual. I don't miss crunches, especially since the 5 sets of Dead Bugs remains challenging. The only exercise more dreaded are Walking Lunges. I make the Wall Squats bearable by glancing at email as a distraction. I wonder if these will ever become easier? And when they do, what then?

Because I'm not sure whether I'll be at the gym for two or just one more day this week, I decide to add triceps today. I could do pull-ups Thursday and still be okay with DB Shoulders on Friday. It's a given that any day I come to the gym, I do cardio and core. It might not always be 35 minutes on the elliptical, but it's likely since the Expresso Bike or the Step Machine or even the Octane just isn't the same intensity, and I can only handle 25 minutes on the LF Cross-trainer before my feet go numb. Numbness is never a good thing so I avoid anything that's going to cause that.

5 December 2023 11:27-1:11
Chilly Tuesday w/ Interruptions

Precor elliptical #1
Program 3
Time: 30+5 (5810)
Distance: 2.90
Cal: 325
Avg Hr: 141, 194-83

HGPU 18

20 Hip Bridges
Piriformis/Hip/Pencil Stretch
DeadBugs 20 x 5 alt/ss = 100
20 Hip Bridges & 10 one-leg bridges
Elbow Plank 60s
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 stretch w side bends & twists
Walking lunges 42 steps total
Neck stretch / Eye yoga
Wall Squat 90s

Skull crushers / RipSkulls
30 lbs x 12/12 reps x 3 sets

Toes Are Distracting

Lately, I've been distracted by the sensation of my big toe rubbing against it's neighbor, the index toe. This, in spite of the roominess of my shoes! The bunion toe is shifting ever so slightly, and this is causing me some discomfort. At least the remaining toes (the hammers) haven't started cramping yet. I don't want my toes to cross but I'm at a loss as to what I should do. I've worn those odd toe separator socks and they're not very comfortable after a length of time. Maybe I could stand it for an hour, but not for an entire night.

I'm wearing an old pair of leather Saucony sneakers because the weather is iffy and I've a bunch of errands to do before I get to the gym. Lately, I haven't wanted to lose momentum by changing my shoes once I stash all my gear in the locker. So, I've been wearing my gym shoes about town and only change into regular footwear after I've showered and put street clothes on. The parking lot is crowded but the gym isn't. Probably everyone going to the cinema next door even though it's not a holiday weekend. But it IS December! I bought a wreath to put on the front door, but I still need to dig out our miniature tree and decorate it. Then I can put the air fryer I bought my husband on the table next to it. It actually might be bigger than the tree though... Hmmm.

My delts and triceps are oddly sore today considering I didn't do anything particularly athletic yesterday. What I did do was find a sunny spot in my kitchen and plant myself in a chair to catch up on some reading. After a while, my back got upset with me and my shoulders knotted up. I have no idea why the upper arms are sore though. It makes pull-ups a wee bit harder today, and normally I feel like a badass when I get it done. Today, I'm just happy to finish without too much kipping.

I do everything in my Core routine except for the now deleted crunches. The Dead Bugs go by so quickly that I'm questioning myself as to whether I'm really doing the last alternate side set, but I know I've already done two same-side sets so this must be the fifth set... I'm such a space case! I take shorter steps for Walking Lunges, which results in more steps across the Aerobics Room. That makes it harder. Grrr... But I managed to stay upright for the full 90 seconds of Wall Squats today, so I'm satisfied.

There's hardly anyone in the free weight area but I decide to just do the combo tricep workout: Skull Crushers and Rip Skulls, six sets in total. Done. Now, on to the next errand on my list today...

1 December 2023 11:33-1:13
Busy Friday

Precor elliptical #1
Program 2
Time: 30+5 (5822)
Distance: 2.91
Cal: 326
Avg Hr: 158, 192-90

HGPU 18

20 Hip Bridges
Piriformis/Hip/Pencil Stretch
DeadBugs 20 x 5 alt/ss = 100
20 Hip Bridges & 10 one-leg bridges
Elbow Plank 60s
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 stretch w side bends & twists
Walking lunges 43 steps total
Neck stretch / Eye yoga
Wall Squat 90s

Skull crushers / RipSkulls
30 lbs x 12/12 reps x 3 sets