More Sleep, Less Cardio

The past few days have been delightful to be outdoors: cool in the morning, sunny in the afternoon, and not a rain cloud in sight. My sleep deficit also caught up with me, giving me a surreal feeling, slight vertigo and irritated eyes. I did errands and chores instead of driving to the gym, yanked bittersweet vines out of my hedges and was about to lop the tops off the privets when I was startled by a rather large bee. On the other side of my driveway, there's a large patch of orange jewel weeds that's abuzz with smaller bumblebees, ladybugs, flies (lots of flies!), and stinkbugs.

The bee in the hedges was twice the size, over an inch in length! Then I noticed the few pale white and yellow honeysuckle flowers entwined in the privets. So unexpected since these last bloomed back in June! It's September! Do they bloom twice in a summer? And what about the carpenter bees? They tend to be very large creatures... I went back inside my house and took a long nap with the dog on the sofa. So happy to read that one can remedy sleep debt (to a point) and that all is not lost with lost sleep!

I get to the gym today early enough to snag elliptical #1. Wind Breaker was on my heels and prefers #2. Even though I seem to have made up for my sleep deficit, I'm still tired and pedaling fast is hard. Again, I don't make it to 2.8, but I'm okay with it. I've decided to save pull-ups and additional cardio for tomorrow. 

Today, I'm searching for an adjustable bench that I can actually use without aggravating my sciatica. I'm early enough that the HS kids haven't shown up yet. I spy a new bench with the brand Nautilus on it. I haven't seen anything marked Nautilus in years, maybe even decades! Better yet, the seat is low enough for my feet to sit flat on the floor. I'm short, so my head doesn't reach the designated headrest part of the back, but rather, just under it. I drape my hoodie over it anyway.

I start my routine with the incline set at 4 holes (on the back) but it's too vertical so I drop it down to 3. Perfect. Except that I need to skootch up the incline when doing Reverse Flys inorder to clear the red adjustment knob under the back. It's always something. I haven't done this set of exercises in such a long time, ever since my sciatica flared up (so at least a month), that I worried about dropping the 20 lb DB on my face doing Inclined Presses. Happily, I don't drop anything but I only do 2 heavy sets.

Kids start trickling in and I'm ready to ditch the weights and do most of my core workout in the Aerobics Room. There's a side door in the free weight area that opens directly into the spacious, mirrored room. I'm still having intermittent issues with certain movements triggering a disturbing tingling that can get rather painful. More often it gets to a point and then dissipates, although sometimes it takes several minutes. While I'm in the Aerobics Room, the smell of burnt blueberry pop tarts, and then empanadas wafts through the air, and suddenly I'm ravenous. Time to go!

I don't know what's going on today, but twice separate black women have stopped to stare at me. They weren't smiling either. One stopped her car while I was checking my mailbox. She didn't say Hi, just stared with her resting bitch face. Not like I was standing in the road either. Then again at the gym as I swiped my ID card at the front desk, a woman I've never seen before stared at me like I've just insulted her. She also doesn't say anything. Just soooo weird. Maybe I have a weird aura today?

5 Sept 11:34-1:25

Thursday — Change It Up

Found a Bench My Size, Sorta

Timolol / sciatica (right hip-foot numb tingly)

Precor elliptical #1

Program 1

Time: 30 + 5 (5432)

Distance: 2.78

Cal: 306

Avg Hr: 147, 179-114

New FB: 52-126 (?)

Easing back light sets

Incl DB Press s/s Lateral Raises s/s Rev Incline Flys (nautilus bench #3)

10 lbs x 25/15/25

15 lbs x 25/15/25

20/15 lbs x 25/15/25 x 2

20 Hip Bridges  pain right leg

Piriformis/Hip/Pencil Stretch

DeadBugs 20 x 5

Replace Hip Bridges w/ piriformis stretches

Quick Child’s Pose

Cat stretch 12

Child’s Pose / Cobra Pose

Fire Hydrants 20 x 2

Bird Dog Planks 60s x 2 (tingling)

Arm rotations 20

Push-Ups 25 (right hip-leg pain)

Air Squats 25

Neck stretch / Eye yoga

Wall Squat 90 seconds