From Hideway to Heaven

The unpredictability of hormones.  The demons that haunt women, coming out of nowhere like a bat outta hell.  Bam!  You try to run but you can't really hide. It serves only to prolong the misery.


I TRIED to hide.  It's that whole leave-me-the-hell-alone, I'm-having-a-pity-party mood thing.  Retreat from all forms of life.  My bones ached.  My breasts get sore.  My appetite goes out the roof. And I'm just a wee bit, uh, bitchy?  See, the thing is, I'm supposed to be over this shit.

My last trip to the gym was last Thursday.  A full week ago.  We left early to go to Gavin's for his GF's graduation from Duquesne's nursing program on Friday, so no time to go then.  We got home late Saturday, so that means "leg day" got skipped.  Unthinkable!  And Sunday was when Whormone Storm hit, and I haven't been quite right since.

(Note:  He's working toward his first body building show this fall!!!  MOMMA'S SO PROUD!)

So, I dragged my ass out the door on Tuesday morning for HIIT cardio outdoors, thinking it best not to inflict my misery on others around me.  Being out in the morning air in solitude seemed like a better plan.  I ran eight intervals on the hill in our subdivision, walking back down the hill for recovery.  On my way back to our house I did intervals of 20 walking lunges, brisk-walk recovery for one minute; repeat; until I'd done 100 walking lunges.  A total cardio workout of 40 mins.  Felt great.  By the end of the day, I still wasn't feeling my best.

On Wednesday, more of the same.  Still fighting demons.  So I decided to do light stretching, then 20 minutes of Callanetics -- a very focused, mind-to-muscle session, remembering why I love this workout so much; followed by 23 minutes of Turbo Jam Cardio Party to get my heart rate elevated and torch some fat.  I dropped into bed last night weary to the bone, frustrated that I felt so out of sync with myself, and determinted to go to the gym on Thursday, regardless of how tired (or bitchy) I felt.

This morning, exiting my hideaway, I made it to the gym, beginning with 10 minutes on the elliptical, and then promptly launching a metabolic shoulders and ab workout, no resting between exercises:

• Lateral raises, 4 sets, 10 reps
• Bicep curls, 4 sets, 10 reps
• Rear delt flyes, 4 sets, 10 reps

Supersetted with V-Up double-crunches (15) and raised-leg-lift/twists (15) with the an inflated exercise ball.

Then...

• Seated DB presses, 3 sets, 10 reps
• Isolated bicep curls, 3/10
• Lateral throws/squats, 3/15

Supersetted with a circuit of side plank crunches (20 per side) and 1-minute planks, no rests between exercises.

Halfway through my workout my second wind kicked in and I was running high octane, flying like a kite, my aches and pains and bitchiness conquered by my euphoria.  Oh, the music...!  Eau yeah.  Where's that volume control....! Yep, life IS good afterall.

I wish everyone on the planet could experience this kind of high.  We'd have far fewer overweight, disease-ridden masses.  It's absolutely the best drug anybody could ask for.  There is none better.

Dig outta your cave, outta your hideway, crank up the tunes, and just get at it.

And that's how it's done!

Motivational Theme Song

(yep, it's on my playlist!)