Dreadful Hot Weather

It was a long, hot day in July...

The opening line of my exciting boring book?

Nah.  Just stating facts.  It's that time of year that I want to be parked in an air-conditioned room and wait out the heat.  It drains me, this humidity of mid summer mixed with crazy hot temps.  And just to make sure I'm sufficiently miserable, Mother Nature says, "I know, let's send another relentless surge of hot flashes her way!" ... Mwuahahahaha

You evil woman, you.  And just when I thought I'd "outgrown" them.  Ha!  Yeah, right.  Something tells me I have very little control over this merciless phenomenon.  But in mid July?

Fifty-Somethings of the world, there is no mercy.

I am woman; watch me suffer.

So I drive home with the AC (and the tunes) cranked, pull into the driveway, drag my butt into my cool, dimly lit  -- shades all drawn -- home, and begin peeling off my glued-on clothes.  I quickly change into my standard uniform, a tank and shorts, and throw together some sliced chicken breast and several slices of fresh COOL cucumbers from my garden.  It's day two of back-to-back days of little to no carbs after a weekend of debauchery.  Everyone should have one cheat DAY a week.  It keeps our furnaces happy AND HOT.  But an entire weekend isn't recommended.  (The plan was to limit it to one beer on Saturday, but it resulted in two...and that scenario was repeated again on Sunday. Add to that chips and salsa.  And ice cream.  It's no wonder I'm craving carbs out the roof!)

I've been at this long enough to know how to turn it around pretty quickly.  And I also know that the longer the debauchery, the more torturous the extrication from it.  In this case, two days of low to no carbs, and I'm back to status quo, energy good, bloat gone, cravings gone.  Onward.

After a bite of dinner, I began checking emails... going over some loose ends from today's trial in court ... and then I began wandering on Pinterest...then Houzz.  Those sites are way too addictive.  Especially when it's hot outside, I'm feeling lazy and tired after a long day in court, and I want to occupy my mind with something that requires very little brain activity.

So it's cardio and Callanetics days for me, yesterday and again today, knowing I'd have to cut my workout at the gym short in order to get to work on time. Besides, it's just SO HOT.

Is it hot in here or is it just me?

What dreadful hot weather we have!

It keeps me in a continual state of inelegance.

~ Jane Austen

So Weather Guy says we have another day of this suffocating humidity and heat, and then we get a break in the weather.  Thursday and Friday is shaping up very nicely.  Perfect.  I'll be at the gym those mornings, which will give me four days total at the gym this week -- Saturday is down in pen, my kickass leg/glute day.

And just when I needed a nudge of motivation to stay on get back on track, I get a call yesterday from my sweet, funny, smart and incredibly beautiful friend telling me about her new workout regimen with her new trainer to whip her ass in shape.  It's like she tossed a splash of gasoline onto my fading flickering flame. It's what I needed to kick MY ass back in gear.  Suh-weet!  Synchronicity.  Support and friendship and encouragement -- they're a powerful thing in this world where we long to be understood, a hardy high-five to keep our spirits elevated.  And that's how it's done.

Yes, you gotta want it bad enough to do the work yourself, or you'll fail miserably.  But it sure helps to know there's someone on the bleachers cheering you on.  Your biggest fan.  Go me.  Go YOU!  Kick Ass!

And SHE will.  She's got this.

Echoes

I Am Up I Am Thankful

It's raining out now.

Morning rain is so lovely, albeit muggy morning rain today!

It's okay.  This stuff will be over soon, the mugginess,

and cooler temps are headed in later this evening

and for the rest of the week.

My coffee cup is empty.

I've had my vitamins.

My BCAA's are mixed up with lots of ice in my water bottle.

My gear is laid out, easy access, ready to lace 'em up.

I make this hour as painless as possible.

It's now my third day to the gym since returning.

Yesterday was arm/shoulder day.

I did lighter weights and high volume,

and I feel it working.

It took me a full two days to recover from the muscle soreness

from Saturday's leg day.

This is not a complaint; it's a victory cry.

And today is another leg day.

And I'm ready for it.

Comparing how I feel today to one week ago

-- or even five days ago --

is night and day.

I feel like myself again!

Suh-weet.

Thank you, Lord, for my health.

For the privilege of taking care of my body.

For the food that nourishes it.

For the joy that comes from pushing it.

For both the rest and the energy that comes as a result.

Thank you for the rain that falls,

washing the dirt from my mind,

cleansing me anew.

You are my Source of power.

Without You, I am nothing.

And I give you the glory.

Amen.

Muscle Reduces Insulin Resistance

Scientists have found that people with low muscle mass

were 67 percent more likely to be insulin resistant

than their brawnier counterparts. 

without enough muscle, your body struggles to use insulin to regulate blood.

WHILE ON VACATION AT MARCO ISLAND,

I ONLY WORKED OUT IN THE GYM TWO DAYS.

I POWER WALKED MOST MORNINGS

FOR AN AVERAGE OF 40 MINS...CARDIO.

BETTER THAN NOTHING, RIGHT?

OF COURSE IT IS.

AFTER ALL, I'M ON VACATION.

AND FOR THE RECORD,

ONE DAY WE WALKED FOR

ROUGHLY 1.5 HOURS -- 

AS FAR AS WE COULD GO DOWN MARCO BEACH

BEFORE COMING UPON A BARRICADE

FOR THE WILDLIFE SANCTUARY AREA.

TOUCHE!

SO TODAY WAS MY FIRST DAY BACK AT THE GYM

SINCE THE 25TH OF JUNE.

18 DAYS, AND ONLY TWO GYM VISITS.

TOO LONG.

I CAN BOTH SEE AND FEEL THE EFFECTS

OF MY PASSIVITY.

OOH.

I'M NOT GONNA DWELL ON THIS!

SO.

MY WORKOUT TODAY WAS BRUTAL.

MY BODY HAS LOST

ENDURANCE

STRENGTH

POWER.

I FEEL LIKE A MARSHMALLOW.

TURNING THIS AROUND.

I'VE BEGUN TRACKING MY MACROS.

I'M EATING CLEAN AND CALCULATED.

METHODICALLY BALANCED.

GET IT DONE.

Passaggio

The Most Important Body Part is the Mind

It's something I've known for quite a few years.

It helps to revisit that lesson now and again.

We slack...we lose focus...we forget.

And then something (or someone) happens,

and we find ourselves waking

from that complacent coma we've been living in.

Little triggers, nudges, reminders.

Or just staring at the cold hard facts.

It all helps to reignite the flame.

A Shore Thing - Marco Island Memories

Our first sunset of our stay

Zach arrives back in the States...and I can't stop smiling!

First stop...ice cream at Great Licks on Pine Island.

A beautiful sunset near Isle of Capri

Ladies and gentlemen,

let's give it up for our 

2014 Bocce Ball Champion!!!

The champion cools off in the ocean...ahhhhhhh!

Stop!  You're killin' me!

My youngest refuses to look at the camera

 
Waiting for our table at dinner...

Who has the biggest bicep?

"The Fire Guy" at Quinn's on The Beach

The Marriott

The sun's bathing glow over nature

Our crew waiting for the fireworks to begin...

Amateur at work

Boats begin arriving near the shore at sunset
to get up close & personal for the fireworks

Crimson farewell to the day

 
And It's Showtime!

Happy Birthday, USA!

Hey, Dude...Nice shoes!

I wonder how many miles we've walked?

Feathered friends...watching and waiting

Father and son catch up on lost time...

hard to believe he was a mere four months old

his first trip on the island 

We need to work on your posture...

May I recommend Callanetics?