I'm so knackered, I can't think of any witty titles. I finished my session with my dreadlocked Personal Trainer (PT), came home via a greasy spoon, and spent the afternoon in bed.
This week, Rummy decided I wasn't allowed to sleep. I've had him meowing all through the night and last night I had enough. I put him outside at about 1.30. At 5 am I felt guilty and went looking for him, eventually I found him wandering round warily. Of course, I couldn't go back to sleep and he was totally wound up by the whole experience. He's still asleep.
My PT sessions have been pretty damned awesome. Even with the sleep deprivation. I've done the most amazing things, that I never dreamed I could do. I've also got a lot of work to do, as today's session made clear. But I'm starting with a damned good base nevertheless.
People I can do dead lifts, I can squat with a 20 kg bar, leg press, chest press. Lunges, body squats, all of these I can do. Still can't do bench presses or even a push-up. That's okay. Before long, I will be dropping and doing 20! I've worked really hard. I aim to do at least 3-5 more reps, especially if it's hard. I want to get stronger. I really want to see what I can do.
Boy will be coming home next weekend and he and I are going to hit the gym together. Dave says he wants to come too. It's going to be me and my posse! I'm not sure how they're going to like my routine of 7 am starts, but in all honesty, if I leave it to the end of the day, I'm not going to be able to workout. I work at work and when I get home I want dinner and to veg either in front of Facebook or the idiot box.
I miss the running though. I'm looking forward to getting back to my Zombies and Chapelfield Park. It's going to be interesting to see how the strength training affects my running, if at all. I'm hoping my stronger muscles will help my endurance and enable me to go further with more comfort. Shin splints are not fun.
I also recognise I am filled with Newbie enthusiasm! I must be very tedious company right now. It's also having another strange effect. Dave will back me up on this. I'm developing an attitude problem. Situations that would have had me backing down and crawling off into a little hole to have a quiet rock and drool - no longer.
I can run a mile in 9 mins 44 secs, I am starting to dead lift with an Olympic bar and you want to come here with that BS and expect me to take it?! HAH! I'm so done with that. It's a proper confidence, not a state that I have to talk myself into or that I think I should aspire to. It's simply - yeah, we're done with that. This is how we're going to do it.
How do I feel apart from the tiredness and muscle soreness? Good. Really good. I'm enjoying this experience far more than I ever thought I could. I've joined the gym for 1 month. It's a great place, I can have completely flexible membership, so if my finances crash, I know I'm not tied into anything.
The gym is kinda weird really. I mean, outside of the normal allergic reactions I have to gyms anyway. When I walked in at 6.55 am Monday morning, I was really pleased that I was there. I was immediately comfortable. It wasn't overly busy, the guys there ranged from huge man mountains to weedy little scrappers. It's got two rooms. The weight floor is at the front and is the largest room. The equipment looks sturdy and well-used. The cardio and floor work room is out the back. There are a couple of treadmills, spinning bikes, a rowing machine and a weird piece of equipment that looks like a cross between a bike and a skiing machine.
I saw three other women there today, the most I've seen. We nodded at each other and then focused on our respective workouts - or at least they did. I was focused on my PT. He's great. He's a bloody good laugh, very encouraging and took this week at my learner's pace. We used our time together to establish where I was starting from and my goals for the next 8 weeks.
After next week, I go back to my running! Yay! I can't wait!
Bank Holiday Sunday
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Please don't tell me you've given up booze?
ReplyDeleteWhy on earth would you think that?
DeleteWhat do you suppose is up with Rummy? Lola or Nikko sometimes wander and/or play with their toys during the night, but generally let me sleep.
ReplyDeleteMy suspicions are he got freaked out when Boy spent last weekend with me and hasn't settled down since. Despite the fact he's been done, he's very Alpha male about his territory. He and Dave squared off, not long after his arrival. Boy will be back for the summer next weekend, so he's really going to have to sort this out.
DeleteHe's in good health, so I'm at a loss why he's going round the flat meowing and scratching the doors all night. He's always been a touch restless at night, but this is every hour on the hour and it's wearing my patience thin.
I may have a strategy that worked last night, I'll do it again tonight and see if that's any better. I shut him out of my room when he was in full voice and then when he scratched my door - I opened and doused him with water. We did that a couple of times and he stopped. When he was quiet for a while I then let him back in. He settled down after that.
As soon as I'm clean and dressed this morning, I'll open the front door and let him go adventuring. Perhaps he'll burn off some extra energy.
He is a lovely natured cat when he's not being a dick, but until I get some sleep, he and I will be at loggerheads.
Given that description of his behavior, I have to ask a personal question about Rummy. Has he been neutered?
DeleteYes he has. The shelter said he had been and I made sure the vet checked when we brought him home. I think he must have been done when he was taken to the shelter, because his Alpha tendencies are well entrenched.
DeleteIf only done relatively recently, that may explain it. He would be coasting on the residual hormones for a few more weeks, if not months.
DeleteI second what LX says about residual hormones. Or it may be habit he picked up in his life before you.
ReplyDeleteI watched a show on tv about cat behaviour, specifically them waking us at night, and this is what the guy said: When your cat cries or scratches at your door, you can not react in any way whatsoever. You have to totally ignore them. The only time you can ever open the door is when they have been totally quiet for at least 10 or more minutes. Even yelling is attention (even though it is negative) and they'll take whatever form they can get.
He's obviously never met Lila, the "dumb as a sack of hammer" type. She is five years old this month. She's never been allowed in my bedroom. She has always sporadically meowed and pawed at the door at night. Although, since I stopped yelling NO! at her in frustration (yes, I've used the water thing too) and have been completely unresponsive to her pleas, she does it less often. But she's not much of a learner, that one. ;-)
Here's a thought: do you have the ability to put in a cat door so he can go out and about when he likes? Is that something you would be comfortable doing? Where I live, I won't let my cats out. Pips only goes out with me into the yard on her tie out in the summer (she's rather dismayed by all the snow... it sticks to her paws, you know) and Lila won't go out no matter the season. Because of traffic, cats get run over lots and I just won't do that to the kitties in my care.
And as for your first week with the PT... YAY!!! You are doing so well and I am very proud of you!! And how cool that Boy and Dave want to participate. You've got gumption, girl... and that's a very good thing!! xoxoxo
We had another good night last night, so I'm hoping we've cracked it. Rummy's not what you'd call "the sharpest tool in the box" either. I know what you mean about ignoring the meowing and will try. Cat door not an option with my front door. It's all glass. Fortunately, it's fairly protected where I am as long as he doesn't go too far.
DeleteNow for the second week of PT. This is when it gets a bit tough. Ugh.
I love your enthusiasm. Now if I could get you to send some of it this way...
ReplyDeletePearl
Says the woman who does a sun salutation like goddess! :)
DeleteFirst off, Congratulations on the great strides you are making at the gym! The first week is always the hardest! And if you can tough it out through the second week, your body will adapt and you'll only become stronger than you imagined as you keep on going farther and farther in your training sessions! I am very proud of you for sticking to your guns and going after your goals!
ReplyDeleteYour confidence is a natural expression of your inner strength blossoming out of the great work you're doing to improve your strength and endurance and be healthier and the best you can be. You're living life to the fullest and it shows.
I hope your cat finds a less annoying hobby in the middle of the night and lets you get some well earned sleep. Or maybe your cat's a night owl; and he's just looking for something to do. I'm sure given a bit more time, he'll find other ways to entertain himself and let you sleep.