Ouch!

I feel like roadkill right now. Apparently it is not a good idea to ride the mechanical bull when your back is feeling a bit smushed from deadlifting the evening before, cuz this workout was tough. I did ratchet up the squats to complete 3 sets of 5 at 80lbs, then pyramid down to 75, 70, 65. Presses were worse, the unweighted/ body weight back extensions didn't get my back feeling better or less compressed, and I gave up at the first set of 60 lbs. It just felt like I might be doing more harm then good. I honestly wanted to curl up on the locker room floor and go to sleep, if it wasn't disgusting. So I womaned up, showered; got dressedand came straight home to eat and complain on the blog. I had about 5 or 6 oz of pot roast and a cup of fresh strawberries.
Update: It's been two hours and I will probably survive. Still feels like some of my blood was replaced with concrete at the moment.

Letting it fly!

Being a bit of a geek, I spend a lot of time on various Internet forums. This means interacting with people and keeping in mind that there is a real person behind posts and behaving accordingly. So, when a well-meaning but fashionably clueless person posted a request for links to purchase a pair of workout-capris with big cut-out holes running down the sides of the legs, I only momentarily bugged out before suggesting they change their focus. This however is my blog and i can say what I want. Stay away from all clothing with cutouts!! Just say no! It's tacky and sleazy and your friend will be talked about if she goes there!

Whew, ok I feel better. The person's response to me in defense of the terrible pants was that they were sexy and why not feel sexy at the gym? Because it is terribly distracting actually, but let's say a girl does want to feel sexy at the gym. Let's talk about sex.

First of all, men are hard-wired to view women who look like they can bear a healthy baby as sexy. So, any woman in the child-bearing age range who appears healthy and well-taken care of is going to attract attention. Secondly, you are at the gym which is an additional step in the healthy and fit direction. Also, if a woman is considering pants like that she is probably already wearing form-fitting clothing. Want to feel sexy at the gym? Smile more at the guys. As long as you are within the healthy weight range and have all your teeth I guarantee you all the attention you could want.

So much for sex, let's talk style. I am not advocating that everyone look the same at the gym or dress in baggy shrouds. My friend Pam works out in a sports bra and little running shorts, admittedly a skimpy outfit. Skimpy, but appropriate; the bra is for sports as are the shorts, she looks great in them and here in Florida less can be more. Now me. I can usually be found in black stretchy yoga pants and a form-fitting but relaxed t-shirt turned backwards to avoid too much cleavage exposure, a covered up but body conscious silhouette. Completely different from Pam's look, but equally appropriate. It isn't hard to figure out what to wear while working out that is comfortable and makes you feel attractive without veering into slutwear.

There is the sad fact that fitness models are often photographed in such slutwear that a woman who sees enough of these images may start to see the outfits as desirable. Here is a good example of a hideously tacky outfit.

Ladies, use the body of the model as your inspiration, but never ever the clothes.

70% chance of rain

Good thing I have a movie! No gym today, and it is the start of week three of the Great Weightlifting Experiment. This was going to be the beginning of a cardio-cycle but I changed that to happen on week five, so two more weeks of straight up lifting with cardio on off days, and sometimes also on lifting days (what?). I don't recall if I mentioned this, but Friday I took an interval running class on the treadmill that was challenging and fun. Best part- the runner's high that hit me on the way home. I was actually loopy and floaty feeling (driving too, but pretty sure running before driving is still legal in Florida). So, that was awesome and is going to be my new Friday class. One cannot live by Spinning alone. Plan for today: touch-up hair color which desperately needs it. Monday will be chest and upper body lift day, see what I can lift on the bench in the morning. Then probably take the late Spin class.

So far, no bulky Arnold muscles- in spite of recently discovered news that my family is Austrian haha. I digress, ok, results: Arms looks less flabbo, collarbone area looks fabulous, posture is better, tummy less like Homer Simpson and more like a normal person, rear-end is like Whoa! in a good way, legs look more toned and yeah, so far so good.
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Getting toned and no soreness today!

Last week when I did squats and straight-legged deadlifts w/ the barbell I was sore as hell for days afterward, which did not make me all eager to repeat the experience. Hang out on the bodybuilder forums long enough and you will read how vital squats and deads are to overall strength, and my desire to become stronger combined with that of not spending all day in the gym working every isolated muscle and there I was again, in the squat rack. Careful with form and using light weights, today my hamstrings feel strong but no pain, so yay! Today I am taking a break day from lifting and taking an interval treadmill class which will be challenging as running is not my thing. High intensity interval training is the way to go from what I read, so there I will be.

Enough with the exercise, lets talk food. Last week or so I re-discovered resealable bags of frozen salmon and scallops at the store and picked up one of each. Best purchase ever! I shoved the scallops in the back of the freezer, not sure what to do with them, and used the salmon fillets as an alternative protein source whenever I just couldn't face another can of tune. Scallops, I discovered, are great for breakfast. I have added a half-cup to an omelet and today, faced with a pretty bare refrigerator, found the last of the bag of scallops, cooked them in a saute pan with some already-cooked bacon (another great thing) and the last of a bag of spinach. I cut a plum tomato and put half a slice of chedder cheese in half of a whole-wheat pita along with the sauteed scallops, bacon and spinach- and damn that was a yummy breakfast.