Ann, you might want to get used to feeling sore. At least it’s for a good cause. I can remember once a day or so after a particularly rigorous workout when I had to go down the stairs in our house backwards because I couldn’t trust my legs to hold me up as I stepped down. The good news is that no matter how hard I work, I’ve never been that sore again. So it does get better.
I know what you mean, Joan. I sort of note my soreness, partly out of pride because I know I accomplished something beyond “easy.” And also so that when I look back in a few weeks I hope to ponder, “wow, just that made me sore? Now it doesn’t” so I know whether I’m making progress. So it’s constructive whining!
I did 12 minutes warmup on the treadmill, then: squats, leg lifts/extensions, hamstring curls, abduct/adduct hips, stepping all up at least 10 pounds, except the quad lifts I couldn’t finish at the higher weight. The muscles felt too tight, even with stretching. Then free weights: did a shoulder/upper back reprise, some pec flies, delt lifts, tricep kickbacks. Only two sets as I wasn’t concentrating on them tonight. Then rowing and lower back extension. For some reason at that point I felt a little lightheaded so I sat in the women’s locker room and sipped water for a bit. Decided to skip the cardio, just stretched and headed home for dinner. I have an 8am Jazzercise class, so I hope I’ll be rested and fresh for it.
Saturday, May 17: 8am Jazzercise class and about two songs from the 9:15am class aerobic routine. Then I got on the road, sweaty and all, for Orlando. After I put air in my tires and got grubby in the process. Only light walking all weekend, and much eating, though it wasn’t disastrous. Cyndi and I made a healthy dinner last night. Up at 4a for the drive back, so today I am sleepy and tomorrow it’ll probably hit me more!
Thanks, Shawn and Catherine. I did indeed rest well last night. I actually had a beer (gasp) last night, with the main intention of sleeping better. Yes, just the one. And I do feel rested, which is great and almost surprising.
Monday, May 19: 7pm Jazzercise class. I joined the end of the 5:30p class just in time for the ab routine, glutes, and legs and thighs. Was tired but that at least got the blood pumping for the 7 o’clock class, and a good thing. Mary added a bunch of brand new routines, some of which are very complicated (choreographically) as well as difficult. It seemed like a night filled with lunges. Good stuff.
Oddly, I find myself looking forward to Wednesday’s gym night more than tonight’s Jazzercise class. Not that I like the gym atmosphere, but I like what I’m doing. I’ll target chest, shoulders, and back while doing some arm and leg work plus cardio, and probably sit in the sauna afterwards.
I thought I posted something last night but guess I got interrupted and never hit submit.
I know, and it’s funny, I just discovered someone at Jazzercise has a membership and uses the same location, but she’s quitting and hates it. She does some classes there, but remarked at how showoff-y meat-market-y it is there. For myself, I’m at least 10 maybe 15 years older than she is, so I already know I’m well out of consideration and that, along with familiarity by now, allows me to glaze over and not care. I do like seeing my abilities broaden, and when I upped my weight levels on the machines Friday I was proud of myself. I also like being able to choose my own routine. At first I was doing legs on Friday, arms on Sunday, chest, back, and shoulders on Wednesday. Now I have been concentrating on those areas on Wed and Fri, but doing a bit of both on each visit. I think having the heart rate monitor makes the difference too. I’m burning more calories on my two-hour gym night than I thought, and less at Jazzercise than I thought.
Forgot to weigh myself this morning. I was up about five pounds again after the weekend.
I didn’t think it was that inordinately salty. My weight has fluctuated that much even when I’m not overeating. I really think I’m an alien.
Tuesday, May 20: 7pm Jazzercise class, plus a good half or so of Mary’s 530pm class, which was a repeat of the tough stuff from last night, with lunges and complicated moves. Good workout. Judy remembered it was my birthday and brought me a card, how sweet. I treated myself to a coffee milkshake for dinner. Yum. I’m having cake on Saturday in Orlando with some friends. I learned I was positioning myself wrong on my back leg in the lunge, which is why my left foot and heel hurt today. Only on one side, mind you, probably due to being a bit crooked.
Is that why you went to Orlando for the weekend? And your doing it again this weekend? I want to go back to Florida!! (But maybe I’ll wait till the weather is a bit nicer down there. Isn’t huricane season starting soon?)
Is that why you went to Orlando for the weekend? And your doing it again this weekend? I want to go back to Florida!! (But maybe I’ll wait till the weather is a bit nicer down there. Isn’t huricane season starting soon?)
Thanks, Catherine! Actually the Fringe Festival used to be in April in the old days, and I’d probably have gone down for that then. May’s actually tougher with the TV sweep on and other work stuff, but after skipping the festival for a few years, I had such a great time last year I knew I wanted to return. And I value my old friends so much, that it’s good to spend time with them. I lived in Orlando for 14 years and it was much more “home” for me than Jacksonville has ever become. I’m not really big on my own birthday, though it’s a good milestone to check in with myself. I believe I’m in better shape than at any time in my life. I weigh a bit more but am stronger and taking better care of myself than ever. I also know myself much, much better, and it’s easier to be ‘myself’ at 45 than at 25, when I cared more about what people think.
Yeah, hurricane season is around the corner, and so is the hot muggy weather. I’m reluctant to let go of spring!
Thank you, Emmi! It was pretty much a normal day as far as routine, though I did go out for lunch, and of course the delicious milkshake for dinner. One of my friends remembered late in the day and phoned me, singing Marilyn Monroe style (though in a baritone voice, very funny) and calling me “Mr. President.” I may call the chiropractor’s office to see if the massage therapist can sneak me in this evening before or after my regular appointment. I haven’t had a massage except for the complimentary one when I had my second office visit, and it’s a new therapist now, but I’m feeling brave. I actually had treated myself to a 15-minute chair massage at the theater festival (outdoors, under a tent, no less) and she really hit some pressure points in the upper back.
Thanks to you both (all). Yes, Joan, it sure is strangely fun to realize I am in better shape now than when I was younger. Is that the case for you too? And Shawn, thanks, all I feel I need to do is stick with it and avoid serious injury. And illness.
Wednesday, May 21: gym night after the chiropractor. Disappointed not only to learn that Dr. O is leaving, but that he didn’t tell me himself. I found out from the receptionist when I stopped to set my next appointment. Apparently he’s moving back to Daytona Beach, and Dr. H, my original chiro, will be covering this office on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so I’ll have to skedaddle to get to Jazzercise afterwards. But only every two weeks.
18 minutes of warmup cardio on the treadill (one mile). Then stretching. Then: chest press, chest fly, shoulder press, rowing, lower back extension, hip abduct, hip adduct, then free weights. Bent over row, tricep kickback, pec fly, tricep overhead, the pec flies done while holding my hips and glutes off the bench for a little core action. Then cardio: 25 minutes elliptical, 15 minutes stair climber, 20 minutes treadmill with jabs, uppercuts, and arm swings. Then 20 minutes sauna, shower, and came home to a little turkey and pasta. Late, but I needed something small.
It was sort of a smorgasbord workout, as I know I will be away and won’t get to the gym Friday or Sunday night. I might squeeze in a Jazzercise class in Orlando, and I’ll stretch and stuff. I wanted to work upper and lower body, but back off the quads which still feel way too tight, and my left foot and heel are still a little hurtin’ from doing a lunge wrong. Hopefully I’ll be rested up before I do that routine again. HRM said about 750 calories were burned.
Oh, Dr. O said that indeed my hip was only off 3-4mm. I laughed at how he could even see that difference. I told him I thought the lower back strengthening was taking care of the hip thing, that it hasn’t felt out of place since I started that as part of my gym routine, and he was glad to hear it. He also asked how the weight loss is going, saying he can see my waist is smaller. I hope he didn’t mean 3-4mm only.
