Arachne, this log is amazing! Being candid with oneself and with your peers is a wonderful and courageous thing. I’m incredibly inspired!!
And taking ownership of your life, what you feeling and how you react to everything around you is a challenge unto itself, but a great reward. I will follow suite!
Seriously, I’m so happy to see you logging again! I’m a sentimental person and prone to touchy-feelyness. If I saw you in person I’d hug the shit out of you. It might get awkward, but I persist. One more second…there!
Anyways, training is looking awesome! One legged DL, huh? I gotta try that. And I’m such a cardio-whore! So I understand. It is good for my mental health as well.
Writer Christopher Hitchens died this week of cancer. I can’t say I have followed him but his words about his own struggle seems appropriate for me this year:
“So far, I have decided to take whatever my disease can throw at me, and to stay combative even while taking the measure of my inevitable decline. I repeat, this is no more than what a healthy person has to do in slower motion,” he wrote. “It is our common fate. In either case, though, one can dispense with facile maxims that don’t live up to their apparent billing.”
Completed my cardio yesterday with 1.39 miles on the treadmill for 15 minutes at 4.8 mph + a 3 minute cool down. This is the second week of consistent cardio every day, and the 12th week of not drinking daily. This morning when I woke up the sheets felt wonderful on my body and I sang to myself walking into work. Note to researchers: rats may begin swimming again after three months.
You are all beautiful and strong women. Have a superhero day!
[quote]arachne12 wrote:
Writer Christopher Hitchens died this week of cancer. I can’t say I have followed him but his words about his own struggle seems appropriate for me this year:
“So far, I have decided to take whatever my disease can throw at me, and to stay combative even while taking the measure of my inevitable decline. I repeat, this is no more than what a healthy person has to do in slower motion,” he wrote. “It is our common fate. In either case, though, one can dispense with facile maxims that don’t live up to their apparent billing.”
[/quote]
I like that quote. And I definitely feel that. It’s not a bad thing to acknowledge. For me, it brings urgency and consistence to my training. Every day I get up I see it as an opportunity to advance the ball is some way towards some goal. Time is not to be wasted
Cardio is a drug for me. A cure all. I’m glad to see it helping you.
Kimba, it’s hard for me to imagine someone more indulgent of my obsessions than my partner, but when every get together has to be planned around my 6 days a week TKD, or work…
Hallowed, I hear you. If you know you are obsessive better to plan accordingly!
Mainy, I know what you mean and the highs and lows were just… expected for many years. This year has shocked me with the length of the low. Or maybe, it’s that I was high for so long I’m no longer willing to tolerate low for so long. I do know how to lie still until it passes but I think I am capable of better than this. Hence, clinical study of one. Bench record to come!
masch, um. People are staring. Seriously thanks. Being candid is a slippery fucker and I find myself starting to lie to myself and omit again daily. One-legged deadlifts rock. They’ll tell you all about your weaknesses from the foot through the hip and everywhere in between. Start with dumbbells.
Cardio
Friday complete.
Same as yesterday 4.8 mph 15 minutes + 3 minute cool down = 1.39 miles. Sweating today and yesterday started at 7 minutes. Warmth at 5 minutes.
You women are all truly beautiful inside and out. I’m not too bad.
Hi Nadia thanks for stopping by. I hope cardio is a drug like anti-depressants for me.
Lifting
I ordinarily lift 4 days, but I just couldn’t stand not to go today so I did a short second bench for the week.
Main lift: bench
1x3 at 45, 55, 65, 75 these all felt easy
1x1 at 80, 90 I was scheduled to finish the 5 singles at 92.5 that I started earlier this week but the 90 felt so good I went to 95.
2x1 at 95. A full count of three pause on the first one but I forgot and pushed after only a second or two on the second. It would have been legal anyhow. More important, no uneven, horrible ratcheting. Just a solid smooth push.
Accessories
5x5 lat pulldown (cable) at 140
1x5 BB row at 60
That was enough for a bonus day. Now, I’m off to eat meat off of swords (Brazilian) and then go to the symphony. La-dee-da.
A legal 95 lb bench press is great work! I have yet to achieve that…my butt was way off the bench for my one rep MAX feat. You deserve a nice meat-fest and a relaxing night at the symphony.
This history tells me I am capable of sadness, but I am capable, nay, I am entitled to consistent, long-term happiness.
[/quote]
This is very powerful to me, thank you for that.
I can’t express enough how much I appreciate this log. From your candidness, your very entertaining writing style, to you telling us PW how great we are every post (I take that personally each and every time, thankyouverymuch!).
Congratulations on a smooth, solid push.
Meet on swords and the symphony, happy friday indeed!
I can’t say alcohol has ever been an issue for me. I’m a very infrequent drinker and I much prefer being sober to being drunk. Food, on the other hand…well let’s just say I’ve had a history of binge eating. I guess we all have our crosses to bear.
Anyway, good benching and glad you are feeling a bit better. Have you had your hormone levels checked? Depression is a common symptom of perimenopause and can be caused by estrogen dominance (due to other hormones slacking off).
Thanks for the bench-love my dears!
Cal, here’s a funny observation for you on food and alcohol: I’ve never been one for sweets. I could always take them or leave them. Since I quit drinking wine I am craving and devouring dark chocolate everysingle night. As for the hormones, I’m not sure what I would do with that information. My impression is the medical establishment’s understanding of women’s aging is poor at best. But I’m listening and researching all the time.
At dinner and the symphony I did drink alcohol but I felt ok on Saturday. I went for a long walk Saturday and didn’t drink that night. I felt happy (!) on Friday and Saturday several times. I wasn’t scheduled for cardio today but I did it anyway since I’m at work to finish some things.
Cardio
Treadmill (no shoes) 1.42 miles at 4.9 mph 15 minutes + 3 minutes cool down.
I may squat today if I finish work. Next post, depression part II. I’m committed to recording this whole story because I think there are a few good things among the nipple I mean navel gazing.
Depression part II (in which I become a superhero)
Shortly before I turned 40, I started training in taekwondo and through many years of hard work I transformed myself from bumbling klutz to athlete. I learned to leap into the air!while spinning!and kicking stuff! I could break boards with my foot! I could kick people in the head! I could break a brick with my hand! I started weight-training and found out I could pick up my bodyweight and transform my body to look like a superhero’s too! (See cholula’s avi). I was a bonafide ninja motherfucking superhero!
Up soon: Depression part III (in which depression says “look over there!” so fear of aging can shank me)
I hope all the powerful women I know are having a fantastic weekend. XXOO!
Main lift back squat
1x3 at 45, 55, 65, 75, 85.
1x1 at 95, 105, 115, failed at 120. 5 more singles at 120. I’m shorting these a little more than before but still easily legal. I feel pretty good about it considering the depth and the fact that I have to step up first. I’ll stick with this weight for the next squat day and go deeper.
Accessories
Stepups to feel the weight 3x1 each side 135
BB lunges 3x5 at 60
One leg extensions (machine) 4x5 at 50, easy.
Powercleans 2x5 at 45
I feel pretty rockstar, honestly.
We are all beautiful and talented each in our own way. Have a gorgeous Monday!
Well, it’s happened. Three weeks in and I’m sick of my own navel-gazing, possibly because I have my mood under control. So, I’m going to spare you the story of how I looked down earlier this year and suddenly saw a veiny old crone’s hand driving my car, and how one day last spring my goddamn neck collapsed, and I’m going to cut to the chase. Here are the things that work and don’t work for me as I know it right now.
Doesn’t work
Heavy lifting. Lifting may be excellent for 1000s of things but depression isn’t one of them.
Getting superlean again.
Frequent conditioning exercise throughout the day such as pushups, handstands, and jumping rope <1 min each
Tabatas (four minute drills)
Eating clean
Sleeping (this may be important if I’m really deprived)
Masturbation
Works
45 minute kickboxing classes (with lots of conditioning)
at least 15 minutes and as much as 30 minutes of sustained low impact aerobic exercise
May work
Fish oil
Vitamin D
Not drinking (could go either way)
Sex
Snowshoeing all day
Cardio today
1.44 miles 15 minutes at 5.0 mph + 3 minute cool down.
Interesting list. Maybe you should consider training to run a 5K race. That would get you your dose of cardio and give you a goal. However, running outside is not really “low-impact”.
How does a neck collapse? I’m thinking of a cartoon character type collapse which can’t be right!
Cardio
Treadmill 1.47 miles 15 minutes at 5.1 mph + 3 minute cool down. Warmth at 5 minutes, sweating at 10.
I was slightly irritable last night, exhilarated this morning.
On another note, if y’all have not had vietnamese coffee, you need to go to your nearest pho place and get this immediately. This coffee with condensed milk is not screwing around. It is the most throat-punchingly badass coffee ever.
veined hands come out when we get lower bf as well. just saying!
But the lifting isn’t helping right now?? then do WHATEVER does!!!
STRANGE!!! I was just thinking’s I want my new years resolution to be to drink black coffee. That’s a true sign of no bullshit is a black coffee drinker. That pho shit is crazy looking.
Bench record to come!
Seriously thanks. Being candid is a slippery fucker and I find myself starting to lie to myself and omit again daily. One-legged deadlifts rock. They’ll tell you all about your weaknesses from the foot through the hip and everywhere in between. Start with dumbbells.
