Tag: exercise

Body

Still not feeling great tonight. I slept around eight and a half hours last night, before the squirrels woke me*. I awoke feeling much improved, but it still wasn’t enough. I had soup today, and other healthy food, with only a few bites of not-super-healthy stuff. I exercised at midday, then attempted my 1.5-mile run for the karate test this Saturday, which I failed. It had to be under 13 minutes, and I did it in 13:15, and felt like I might actually throw up the cheese stick I’d just eaten. It was so cold when I started, I felt I’d get such without and outer layer of good warmth. That flannel shirt and scarf and gloves proved to be my downfall (on top of the cheese, that is), making me too hot with it on normally, and then being heavy and still-hot when I’d taken them off and just tied them around my waist. I was also still tired as a whole, but extra worn down from the workout at midday (which, by the way, was practically the Murph workout, with a mile run, 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, 300 air squats, and another mile run. We only did 800m runs, instead of the mile on each end, but we added a 400m in the middle, and split the three movements in half on either side of it, doing 50 pull-ups, 100 push-ups, and 150 air squats twice, once on either side of the 400m run. Not an easy workout, even with modifications.). So, it makes sense. I’ll just do it again tomorrow, but normally and much better than today’s run. I don’t typically feel like vomiting when I run, yet I felt that way most of the run this afternoon, and I just felt heavy.

And, tonight, I still feel a bit sick. I was coughing up the occasional bits of icky bogey-like saliva earlier, which supports the ill feelings. So, at that, I go to sleep now. Thank you, and goodnight.

* You see, we have this wooden picnic table squirrel feeder that my man keeps moving around. The past couple days, it has happened to be atop this metal shelf thing outside. So, of course, as the squirrels climb the thing, the bars all jiggle against one another, making the sound of metal pipes bumping each other. Then, once the guys are on top, they then messily spill corn etc. all onto the metal shelf thing, and the lands not just the once on top, but regularly tumbles down to the bottom level or the ground, tinkling all the way on the metal… over and over and over again. Not the greatest to have next to one’s window at six in the morning, I tell you.

10k

Do our run, get an event shirt that’s retail value is only one dollar less than your entry fee. Eat some bananas and RX Bars and churros after the finish line. Do our free yoga class afterward to stretch yourself out, and take the $88 mat you used home for free.

Not bad, lululemon. Not bad at all for your first effort at a run in Houston. We accept ad we thank you for the event.

P.S. My man got himself the fastest time he’s ever gotten on a 10k today, and he didn’t even prep. He signed up late, did a two-mile run earlier this week, and hoped for the best in his shorts, tank top, light sweater thing, and gloves in the sudden near-freezing temperatures. And he did his best, quite literally. Super proud of him, and grateful to have him be with me in this beautiful, wonderful, awe-inspiring life.

Post-a-day 2022

Ugh

Went to chiropractor this morning. Went to gym at noon for the workout. During the second round of goblet squats – I had only ten pounds, because I’m taking it extremely light with weight compared to the recommended – I had a sharp pain on the side of my left thigh, in slow-mo fast-time set down/half dropped the weights between my legs, and then fell over to the right. I cried. Only a little, but I cried. It’s kind of terrifying when something that normally works easily suddenly gives out, when the body is suddenly unreliable to do the basics of keeping us upright. Suffice it to say that I left the rest of the goblet squats alone, and moved on. Now, I’m lying in bed with medium-high pain – and, I think, swelling – on the right side of my back… Goodness, help me, please.

I really need to be careful right now. My body made it clear to me that it wants a rest from these work-outs right now. I’m hoping I can still be active in other ways – the long-boarding was mostly great physically, so I know there are things I certainly can do – while my body gets the rest it needs from the intense workouts. Perhaps this is a means of getting me to go do all those things we’ve been wanting to go do, but never manage. Like the long-boarding. And golf. And bicycle riding. And, maybe, even frisbee.

Thank you, God, for this opportunity. Please, help us to see clearly what is truly awaiting us in this opportunity. Show us your will. In your name, I pray. Amen.

Post-a-day 2022

Feeling crushed by gravity

I find myself not wanting to exercise or go to the gym. And I’m noticing how similarly it feels to before I had adjustments from a chiropractor, specifically a certain spinal adjustment. Afterward, I felt taller, and unbound from something I hadn’t known was binding me for quite some time. I actually wanted to exercise, then. I actually felt like doing it… in a way I hadn’t in years.

And so feel so much like that pre-adjustment time right now, when the idea of physical exercise feels exhausting. Where it feels like I’m tied up, somehow, like the puppet strings are all knotted up, limiting motion… I don’t feel terrible, but I don’t feel well and I don’t feel myself and I definitely don’t feel like working out. I just seem to want to curl up in bed and rest, really.

Thank you, God, for this appointment on Thursday. Please, please, let it be exactly what my body (and mind) need(s). In your name, I pray. Amen.

Post-a-day 2022

Fear

I have been experiencing depression and lots of other negative emotions lately, with a lot of it sourced from my gym, which has always been a place of welcome and homeyness and safety. With new management and a new organization to who does what, the entire experience has changed… and it hasn’t been for the good on our end. There is so much potential available to it, but it has been a very rocky start. And my man and I have certainly gotten the rough and short end of it all. What makes it worse is that the people running it all likely have no earthly idea… even though they’re kind of the ones causing it, both directly and indirectly.

So, I’ve been wanting to leave the gym the past month-ish. But I haven’t found anything that offers the same fitness opportunity yet, so I haven’t left. (That’s how bad it has been, yes.) Since there is nowhere else to go right now, I am seeing if we can work this out here, at least for the time being. Perhaps brutal honesty is what is truly needed.

I reached out to the person in charge today, asking to schedule a meeting within the next week-ish. It was a positive response. Now, we just have to align on a time.

That all being said, I pray for the guidance to communicate effectively in this meeting. Thank you, God, for this opportunity. Help me to grow and fulfill your will as I make a positive difference for myself and the gym and all of its current and future members by having this meeting. In your name, I pray. Amen.

Post-a-day 2022

Rauwerr!!

Whenever we do beer crawls at the gym, I tend to find myself wondering why everyone else seems to be so bad at them. Am I doing it wrong?? I wonder each time. And each time it then is confirmed that I am doing them correctly. So, what gives? How am I loads better at beer crawls than even the best folks at the gym??

One morning, as I lay on the ground before the workout, discussing this with a workout friend, my arms and legs resting in the air above me as I gazed at my outstretched fingers, I said aloud, “I feel like I’m part bear…” We both cracked up at both the words and the scene surrounding them, but I hold to this day that the statement must be true, for many reasons, including but not limited to the fact that I bear crawl very easily and the fact that I actually growl and roar and clench my fingers like they’re massive claws preparing to attack. Now, I’m not saying a human mated with a bear at some point in my ancestry. I simple mean that we somehow got some of the same DNA as those big ole bears…

Roawr!!

Oh… and Duolingo know it (just like it seems to know everything else all the time about my life… stalkers.).

Post-a-day 2022

Ouch

“You oughta see yourself,” she says, chuckling. “You look like…,” and she makes motions with her arms that are very clearly imitating a monkey.

Oh, I know, Grandma… I am incredibly aware… 😛

After the workout yesterday – mile run, 100 pull-ups (modified to difficult ring rows), 200 push-ups (modified to dumbbell push-ups for my wrist), 300 air squats, and another mile run, both runs with a 10lb weight vest on me – my arms are in big time muscle soreness. I hadn’t done push-ups in months because of my wrist, and I suddenly shot out 200 of them. It’s no wonder they hurt today, but boy, do they hurt! I actually woke up in the middle of the night last night, they were hurting so badly. I was rubbing and stretching half the night after that. Then, today, I couldn’t quite get my arms to bend normally, so, every time I itched my face or wiped my mouth or brushed back a lock of hair, my overly rounded arm shape made me look and feel just like a monkey.

Fortunately, all the vitamins and food and water and stretching and low-grade use of those muscles today has helped significantly. They aren’t healed fully, but they are much better than this time last night!

God, thank you for the blessing of this pain, this reminder always to take care of myself and be grateful for my body and its capabilities. Please, help me to heal fully that I might pursue fully and fulfill your will. In your name, I pray. Amen.

Post-a-day 2022

Saturdays

I absolutely love having something to do on a Saturday. For sure, yes. But having a lot to do on a Saturday is just rather overwhelming for me. I want one to three things… gym first thing, then one or two other things to happen throughout the rest of the day before a normal bedtime for me. Tomorrow, we had three things on the list after the gym, and it was all quite doable, because the third thing was so late. However, something came up that filled Sunday. So, now we also have to go to church Saturday evening, since we don’t want to have to get up super early Sunday, when we know we likely will be getting back to town and getting to sleep late Saturday night. So, four things. And then a call came up today that has to happen tomorrow… and prep work that has to happen before that call. We’re at six things now. And then, I get a message from my sister about my niece’s final softball game… tomorrow. (She hadn’t said anything about any previous games, and I hadn’t even known about the softball at all, but for a comment from my dad the other week. So, I figured her mentioning it meant it was important and would make a difference for me to attend.)

And there we have what was once a three-activity Saturday now turned into a seven-activity Saturday. Talk about stress and strain… I like buffer time. If I end up doing seven things, that’s great. It’s because I had so much open time and energy. But planning ahead of time for seven things… that’s just too much for my level of comfort.

But I am trusting God in this whole thing, and I ask for His guidance in fulfilling His will tomorrow and always. Dear God, hear this prayer, please. In Your name, I pray. Amen.

Post-a-day 2022

P.S. Happy Earth Day, y’all!

Muscle aches

After reaching my goal of workouts in a year l, from April 8 to April 7, though excited about reaching the goal, I was delighted no longer to have such a strict regimen in terms of gym attendance. I no longer have to go so many times per week, as I was doing, but I have the choice about going once again. And the chiropractor agreed with me that it would be best for my body for me to step back a bit from the workouts. I was pushing myself too hard with them and with their frequency.

So, now, I have been going the past week and a half half as often as I had been doing – three days per week instead of six – and it has felt great. My overall stress has gone down in terms of scheduling and sleep, and my body has started to receive the rest and relaxation it needs for real recovery – these workouts are not easy. The workout today had a repeat movement fro the past few weeks, and I was able to do it significantly more easily than I had even one week ago, the difference was immense. My muscles still ache, but I am now able to work on the lack of range of motion in my arms, rather than simple being able to move from the buildup of lactic acid and such from the workouts.

Thank you, God, for this much-needed rest and restoration of my body; and thank you for the fitness that this gym offers and provides for me and others. Please, bless us with continued and improved health and well-being, that we might better fulfill your will. In your name, I pray. Amen.

Post-a-day 2022

Empirical data

As opposed to imperial… (stolen Death Star plans!)

Anyway, today marked my 201st workout at my gym for this membership year, April 8 of 2021 to April 7 of 2022. Tomorrow marks the beginning of my fourth year at this wonderful gym, and I am extremely grateful. Being part of this gym has helped to transform my life for the better – thank you, God, and thank you to all who have played positive roles in making this experience possible and happen. Amen.

I am the fittest I have ever been in my life right now, I look amazing, I feel amazing, I am strong, I am beautiful…, and I am woman – hear me roar. (No, literally, you can hear me roar regularly at these really tough workouts. I roared a bit just yesterday in the workout!) And my self-comfort and self-confidence are off the charts amazing, in large part due to this gym. It is spectacular, and so is the owner. Thank you immensely.

And now, after 201 workouts completed within year three, we shall set a new goal of 202 for year four. How many times do you do a really hard workout per week? Over here, we be crazy… and I know it. Doing my max effort pull-up’s after every workout, and getting two other guys to join the efforts for themselves after their workout of the day. Nuts, I tell you, we are nuts at this gym. And I am ever grateful and glad to be a part of it all. Thank you all. Thank you, God. This year will be 202 workouts for the year! Amen.

Post-a-day 2022