gym rat? i guess it could happen

Update: Eastern Mass

Friday night was weights class, and this time the instructor didn't show up! But there were enough women there that they pieced together a pretty good workout anyway, so I managed to get about 50 minutes in of weight lifting, plus my there-and-back walk, plus 10 minutes on the bike.

Saturday was dead at work again, so Mike let us go early. Decided on IKEA with P, who spent a lot of dosh and got a lot of stuff. I got some tin boxes, and bought some Swedish meatballs and lingonberry sauce. MMM! Went back to P's place to help him trim Gracie's nails. I think we finally have a workable system for that, so it should be easier going forward. She looked disgruntled, but there was no blood loss on either side. Win!

I didn't leave the house at all on Sunday — spent the whole day cleaning. Got through about eight loads of laundry (mostly Mom's stuff), cleaned the whole kitchen including floor, cleaned the whole bathroom including floor and washing all the towels, cleaned my bedroom including changing the bedding, vacuuming, cleaning off my desk. Updated stuff on my phone, synced new playlist for a new audio book. Other mundane stuff like that. Productive, but nothing much to report.

Monday was more busy stuff: had lunch out, did groceries, recycling, more laundry, then made dinner for mom and went to gym. Trying to get the most out of my time at the gym, so this time I did more than ever before: 20 min swimming (or so), 35 min weight lifting (class), 15 min bike, 3 min elliptical, 25 min walking (to and from the gym, that is). So that's a full hour and a half of exercising. Pretty good! I need to start with the elliptical next time, as I did it almost last (after 1/2 walk, bike, weights) so I was pretty pooped. I did the swimming last, which meant I could do one length of the pool, then would have to stop and catch my breath for a bit, then another length, etc. I think I did 16 lengths? But I wasn't really paying close attention. I know I was in there for about 30 minutes, so I'm counting 20 of that as swimming time. Ish. I'm not even remotely speedy. I might have to do the swimming on nights when I don't do the weights because my arms were pretty tired. I just get enthused once I'm there.

Today I woke up feeling head-coldy, sorta. I had already arranged to be off work so I could take Mom to the eye doctor. She's having cataract surgery next month, and today they needed to dilate her eyes so they could take measurements (or something). She also had her pre-op appointment with her GP, so I spent a lot of time hanging around reading. After we got home I basically stared at the internet. Finally roused myself to do some quick errands, said hey to sarcasticah at her library gig, and found some dinner. Decided at the last minute that I would skip the gym tonight because I just felt a little drained. Wednesday is work from home day, so I'll be able to go early and get some good time in.

Have seen more action on the scale. If the number I saw today and yesterday hangs around, it's now 87 pounds since the end of last June. Pretty good! I weigh less now than I have since probably the mid to late 80s? I can't remember what I gained when I first went away to college, but I don't think it was anything dainty like the freshman 15. Then again, I didn't weigh myself much back then. I'm about 35 pounds from what I think of as my starting college weight. And I am 127 pounds lighter than my max weight, which I figure must have been in 2000 (and probably a bit before). I had somehow dropped 30 pounds off that maximum when I weighed in at a Weight Watchers meeting back in 2005, which was probably directly due to quitting sugared soda (particularly Coke) after my diabetes diagnosis. I was completely surprised by this, actually, and made them weigh me three times. I didn't really end up embracing WW. I wish now that I had, of course. Would have been nice to have had seven more years of healthier life. Jerk.
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So I have to admit it: I love feeling fitter. I love just getting up and doing things, rather than thinking about doing things first, dreading the effort, procrastinating, and eventually making myself miserable.

I love that the heat isn't affecting me like it normally would. I mean, it's been brutally hot many days this summer and I am actually loving it. I go outside to warm up and bake in the sun a bit at lunch. I don't run my air conditioner very often when I'm home, and when I do I turn it off fairly quickly after I start it.

I love little things, too, like the fact that I can run down the stairs now and that I don't THINK about it and hold onto the railing and concentrate on every step. I love knowing that my knees, while still a bit noisy, can take it. I love that I'm off two of my five daily meds, and probably can come off another. I love that I just sit on things, now, without doing elaborate mental calculations to figure if they can hold me up. I love wearing my old t-shirts and realizing that I am swimming in them. I even love having calluses on my feet from walking.

A year ago I felt hopeless and sick and miserable and disgusting and didn't know what to do with myself. Today I feel so different — healthier, happier, my normal sunny optimism restored (stop laughing). Exponentially better. Can't wait to see how I feel by this time next year!

Fabulous by fifty. I'll be 48 in a few weeks. Got a little time.