Thinking about Avon

I'm considering becoming an Avon representative. I need to do more research, ideally I would be an affiliate with a site so people could simply order from 'my' site, pay with their credit cards and the items are shipped to them without my hands on anything. Years ago I tried selling Avon and it was a disaster. Dealing with inventory and collecting checks and cash from people, so if that is involved I am not interested. So, that is on my mind. On a completely unrelated note, I am also toying with the idea of starting to take power yoga/ flow classes. these are different (as in, harder) than the yoga I love, but the challenge is interesting. The class hours are a little funky though, to make it today I'd have to be done working at 3, the class is at 4, and as it is a sweatier yoga than usual I also have to shower afterward and possibly redo hair, makeup, everything if I want to go or do anything afterward. Undecided about that.

Sleep was intermittant last night, everyone was in the bed with me. It's sweet that they want to cuddle, and I treasure the time, but damn I could use a nap right now- 9am.

Tomorrow gym session: squat 3x5x125, back dependant, keeping in mind the dead lift goal is coming up, bench, paused again, 90 pounds, more reps than last time (see notebook). Deadlifts, work up to heavy singles, 185 top out unless they feel really light, then 3 x 3 x 155. It would be most convenient if this is a morning workout as I have plans Friday night, have to work Friday and Saturday too.

I almost forgot the most important thing that happened lately. Like a lot of women I know, I spend a lot of money on different make up and skin care products, trying to improve my appearance. I even went to Sally's Beauty Supply and bought a bunch of false eyelashes, glue, glue remover, the whole bit, to make my eyes look prettier. After watching several Youtube how-to videos, I tried, and tried to put them on. Finally, I got to the point where one would look good, and the other would droop at the outer corner. This made me look like a glamorour s stroke victim. That isn't where I wanted to go with that, so I realized that my poor vision might be affecting the outcome of the false eyelashes and about three weeks after the realization, I actually remembered to buy a magnifying mirror while at the store.

Holy cannoli what a difference! I can see my eyelashes, the line where eyeliner should go, eyebrows up close, everything. My lashes are so thick and long, I don't even need the fake eyelashes, just a couple of coats of mascara. I can't stop looking at myself in mirrors in astonishment- who is that woman? All along it was because I can't see well that my makeup looked, just not good. So, yeah, my next purchase will be one that lights up! In other news, it turns out I am accepted as a Mom Ambassador. That is cool.

Good bench

First post of the year. On 12.30 I warmed-up with 5 minutes on the rower, which would have been more pleasant if a woman didn't demand that every bright fluorescent overhead light be turned on so that she could READ a magazine while on the elliptical. ahem. Bench press: 1 x 8 x 45, 1 x 5 x 65, 1 x 5 x 85, 4 x 3 x 100! Yes, ended the year with four comfortable triples with 100 lbs, no spotter, no lift-off just me. Felt good. Overhead press 1 x 5 x 45, 3 x 5 x 65. Cable row 3 x 8 x 85, lat pulldown 4 x 8 x 85, triceps cable pulldown 1 x 5 x 40, 3 x 8 x 40. And all was well.

Then, on New Year's Eve I went to a big house party, family friends, the whole deal. Everything was fine until, while having a good conversation with a nice lady, I asked if she was her date's mom. Her face fell and I saw the happiness leave her eyes as she told me she is his girlfriend. Never in my life have I felt like such a total jerk. I'm still dwelling on it. I have to let it go, but it sucks to know that you made someone's night worse.

Back to lifting, plan, Squat 3 x 3 x 145. Shove those knees out, hard!

Warmed-up with 6 minutes on the Arc Trainer (basically an elliptical), squats: 1 x 10 x air, 1 x 8 x 45, 1 x 5 x 65, 1 x 3 x 95, 1 x 3 x 115, 1 x 3 x 130, 1 x 3 x 135, was going to do 145 there but wussed out, 1 x 1 x 145. Too hard, or maybe I just suck. I need to find someone to holler at me while I'm squatting. 5 x 3 x 140. Overhand press 2 x 5 x 45. Deadlifts, 1 x 3 x 135, 2 x 3 x 145. I was going to start deadlifting after squats to finish lower-body day, but I feel it in the lower back right now, so deads are going to have to be moved away from squat day. Good workout otherwise, I'm beat right now. Planning to break out the 1.25 plates that I lug around in the gym bag anyway, and squat 142.5 next time.

Good squats with the real plates, and goal for next year.

I've successfully squatted 60kg, yesterday 6 sets of triples. My deadlift has not been progressing. Admittedly I don't push past back pain, it's my back and I am going to take care of it. So, as work sets are 135 for squats, 95 for bench, stuck at 165 for deads, I'm moving away from current programming and going to Squat Day, Bench Day, Dead Day, rest, repeat. I hope one day of recovery between squats and deadlifts will work and allow me to continue progression. There are two weeks before I go skiing, 10 days of that so I'm thinking twice a week workouts at the gym there will be the best I can do. The trip is all about skiing, that is why I'm going and is my priority.

So, two weeks to try out the new plan, I should be able to put ten lbs each on squat and deadlift in that time. I'm benching 100 lbs whenever I can grab a spotter, so I'll either go for 100 without a handoff and see what happens, or try 105 w spotter. Or both. Next year, goal squat 100kg for triples. Also, I'm going to make myslef more outgoing towards people who tend to blend into the background. Doing a handstand would be cool too.

yoga, squats and bench press

This morning I slept-walked thru 6am yoga but it was still worth going. Trying to explain how much better regular yoga makes me feel is difficult, basically it makes me comfortable in my body. Lifting, on the other hand, instill confidence and swagger which I love. Tonight I went in a squatted, topping out at 3 x 3 x 130 when my lower back started to feel it. Next heavy squat day going for 3 x 5 x 130, and I may try it with one of the loaner belts at the gym then too. My sister was working out too, and going through the circuit of machines, so when it was time to bench I went over there and dragged her off of that silly shit to bench with me. She did well, topping out at 3 x 5 x 60. My benched topped out at 3 x 3 x 95, 3 x 5 x 85. Tomorrow is Saturday morning yoga, the long class, Sunday deadlift day.

Catching up

Wednesday am I went to yoga, having completely forgetting to go at 4pm Tuesday. I was busy working. Then, Wednesday I did not train a with weights. Thursday was Thanksgiving, and making that turkey was exhausting. Today, I lifted.

The plan was to squat, bench and deadlift as heavy as possible and then have a couple of back-off sets, but I did not get the memo that bench=pressing, bicep curling and all of its variants are of VITAL IMPORTANCE to do on Black Firday, as so did not have access to the weights and benches necessary. Warm-up was 2 x 12 x hyperextensions, 2 x 12 x push-ups. Squats, 1 x 12 x air, 1 x 10 x 45, 1 x 5 x 65, 1 x 5 x 95, 1 x 3 x 115, 3 x 3 x 125, tough but okay, 5 x 3 x 115, these started to feel good and go up nicely during the final two sets. Did one set each of dumbbell bench and one-armed dumbbell benchss 1 x 8 x 20, 1 x 5 x 20 as a warm-up, then did not have any more weights to use so after standing around waiting for some guys to finish warming up with the 25 and 30 lb dumbbells (long enough to realize that they were not in fact warming up but were doing their work-sets) I gave up on that.

So I deadlifted, 1 x 3 x 135, 1 x 2 x 155, 4 x 1 x 165, yucky form breakdown in the last rep, 1 x 2 x 155. Overhead squats 1 x 5 x 45, 3 x 5 x 65, and one last set each of push-ups and hyperextensions.

Then it was the time I was waiting for, shower, brow wax and long pedicure. So nice. I hit the grocery store for a slab of salmon for lunch, had that with half of a ripe avacodo and am starting to feel normal again.

Almost forgot to add the period report. Hey, some other peri-menopause ladies who lift may find it informative. Anyway, today my period started and the session was fine. For me, it is the week preceeding that has the most issues as far as relative weakness and uncoordination. PMS for the win! Not really.