Gym -- Week 4 Recap

Monday -- Julie (my friend/trainer) was back today.  Oh, her face when she saw that I didn't have the walker!  Priceless.  Today we upped my game a little bit.  I got there early and did my usual 60 minutes on the recumbent bike.  I got there later than I had planned, so I had time for only 15 minutes on the treadmill before the training session.  At the beginning of the training session, I talked to Julie about using the stair climber, not for it's intended purpose (I don't think my body's quite ready for that) but to help me practice walking up stairs.  I could do it at my house, but then I'd have to walk back down, and there's a good chance of me losing my balance and falling.  With the machine, I continually walk up.  I'll work on walking up the stairs for now, then after awhile I'll add in going down (at home, not on the machine).  The staircase at the school that I work at has 27 steps, so that's my goal for now.  Julie showed me how to use the machine; I kept it at it's starting pace the whole time, which is 20 steps per minute.  I stopped after two minutes, giving me 40 steps total.  After practicing walking up stairs, we did the usual routine -- modified lunges, kettle ball, dips, and some others.  Dips (see photo on right, below) -- that's the one where in the beginning I couldn't finish, and Julie had to pick me up at the end. I can finish them now and get up by myself.  It is by no means graceful, but I can do it.  That's when Julie told me that I've always had it in me to do this, I just lacked the confidence.  Julie -- Thank you for showing me that I can do this!

After the training session, I had just enough time to get in 45 minutes on the treadmill (to get to my hour goal).  I tried a little interval this time.  I walked at 2.1 (I'll gradually increase that as it gets easier).  I walked at a flat incline for 10 minutes, then upped the incline to 1.0 for five minutes, down for 10/up for 5, three times total.  It felt pretty good.  Not only does this get my heart rate up and back down as my cardiologist wants, but using the incline helps me practice walking up ramps.  I had a little trouble last time I went to treatment when I didn't take my walker -- walking up and down the ramp to the oncology clinic was a little dicey.  I really think this will help.  I'm anxious to get back to the gym tomorrow morning!

Tuesday -- May have overdone it today.   I started off with 60 minutes on the recumbent bike, followed by 60 minutes on the treadmill.  I was going to alternate 10 minutes at a 0 incline followed by 5 minutes at a 1.0 incline, but I was reading my book and forgot to pay attention to the time, so the 10 minute mark passed on by.  I adjusted with 15 minutes at 0 and 5 minutes at 1.0, three times to make the hour.  I then was a little ambitious and did 5 minutes on the stairclimber.  That's pretty much my limit.  Still at the lowest speed, 20 steps per minute.  If I did my math right, that's 100 stairs.  Pretty cool!  I did another 60 minutes on the recumbent bike and then 45 minutes on the treadmill, keeping it at a 0 incline the whole time.  Why 45 minutes and not 60, you ask?  I had to stop to go to the freaking bathroom!  From now on I go visit the restroom in between each machine!  I was using my fabulous Wonder Woman Tervis twenty-four ounce tumbler and drank three during the workout.  😂

Wednesday -- Didn't overdo it yesterday!  I was up at 5:30am and out the door a little before 6:30am.  I managed 60 minutes on the recumbent bike but only 50 minutes on the treadmill (darn bathroom again!) before my training session.  On the treadmill I upped the speed to 2.2 (I'm doing this gradually).  I did 15 minutes flat/5 minutes 1.0 incline, four times until the 50 minutes was up.  I was also able to fit in 5 minutes on the stairclimber.  Training had me doing modified sit-ups, modified push-ups, bicep curls with a 7.5lb weight, and I walked the straight line not only without the walker, but this time without holding my arms out for balance!


Thursday -- Started off as usual with 60 minutes on the recumbent bike, followed by 60 minutes on the treadmill, then 5 minutes on the stairclimber.  On the treadmill, I kept the incline level the whole

hour.  On the advice of Julie, I let go of the handrails as I could.  My plan was to let go for a few

minutes, hold on, let go, hold on, etc.  I held on for the first five minutes, let go for 10 minutes, held

on for five minutes, then was able to walk without holding on for the remainder of the hour, up to the last five minutes.  How cool is that?!  After the stairclimber, I was going to do another 60 minutes on each the bike and the treadmill, but I was done after 30 minutes on the bike and didn't get back on the treadmill.

Friday -- Another non-intentional rest day.  From "awake at 5:30am and rarin' to go" on Monday to "oh, I don't want to get up" on Friday morning (I managed to drag myself out of bed around 8:30am).  I'm thinking that four days in a row is too much for this body.  So I'm going to try 3 days on/1 day off and see how that goes.  I spent the day alternating between housework and resting.  The kitchen, at least, is clean.  😉


Saturday --  Had a hard time getting out of bed today, too, but not as much as yesterday.  It was kind of like getting up for work when you really don't want to go, but you know you need to go.  I did say at the beginning of this that this would be like a job for me this summer.  I managed to get down to the gym by 10am.  40 minutes on the bike, then all the treadmills were taken, so I got on the stairclimber.  10 minutes!  I'm guessing it was because I did it as the second task instead of the third/last.  Not sure.  I did an hour on the treadmill, then I was done for the day.  On the treadmill, I started off with my usual 2.2mph for three minutes, then went to 2.4mph.  I managed to stay at that pace for the remainder of the hour.  In bigger news, at the 10 minute mark, I let go of the handrails; I didn't just let my hands hover over the handrails, I swung my arms just like I was on a regular walk.  I wobbled a few times, and had to catch myself once, but it lasted the whole time!


Sunday -- My husband (who has Parkinson's) wasn't feeling well today, and for him to admit it is huge, so I opted to stay at home and keep an eye on him.   As far as moving, I wound two skeins of yarn into cakes (hey, it works the arm muscles!), I vacuumed my bedroom floor (had a rest a few times, but it got done!), and I got on the recumbent bike I have at home, but only for 15 minutes.  After I've been on the machines at the gym, I really don't like this one I have at home anymore.  It seems to take much more effort; I can't ride it as long as the one at the gym.



Monday morning weigh-in shows a 3 pound loss for the week, and a 5 pound loss overall.

Non-scale victories:
-- I pulled the full trash bag out of the kitchen trash can!  I haven't been able to do that in four years!
-- I have a weighted blanket.  It's heavy.  I've never been able to lift the whole thing at once.  The boys have to carry it to and from the laundry room.  It's currently in a laundry basket on the floor of my bedroom.  I've tried to pick it up before and couldn't budge it.  I can lift it now!



I'm seeing positive changes; you'll see these  noted in my "Non-scale victories" paragraph at the bottom of each weekly recap.  I don't know that's it's helping my stamina just yet.  The plan was for me to fall into a routine of going to the gym in the morning and doing some transcription in the afternoon, as well as getting things done around the house.  The routine I've fallen in to, though, is gym, shower, lunch, nap.  The nap lasts until dinner/medication time, then it's back to sleep again.  I know I'll see more positive changes as the weeks go on; I sincerely hope that increased stamina/decreased exhaustion is one.


Read next:  Gym -- Week 5 Recap