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Soup to Cure the Blues?

STS Switch Up
Today I decided to skip Meso 1 of the STS series and go on ahead to Meso 2, which is building. It starts off at 70% of your 1 rep max. The reps go down some too. I was just not able to get excited about Meso 1 like I thought I would or should have. Also, because of my knee, I can't do many of the leg exercises from Meso 1 - lots of drop squats and leg press. Right now I can't walk down stairs normally so that just won't work.

Anyway, today I went with Meso 2, Disc 13 just doing chest and shoulders. Unless marked as TF (to failure), the exercises are done as drop sets from 12 to 8. With this drop set, however, you don't change the weight, just the reps and you use 70% of your 1RM. Next week it will increase to 75%.

Flat Bench Press (barbell)
Flat Bench Press (barbell)
Flat Bench Chest Flys
Incline Press
Incline Flyes
Seated Front Press Alternating Arms (Elbows Forward)
Seated front press - TF
Alternating 1-arm standing lateral raise
Seated lateral raise - TF
Seated rear delts

I had a really good workout and am very happy with my decision to move on into Meso 2.

Reality Check
It's been a rainy, cold, yucky Monday here. I swear I could just go swimming out there right about now it's been raining so much. I spent a big part of my day talking myself through potential cardio workouts that I could do that wouldn't hurt my knee. I know I can't run, I can't do step, kickboxing is really iffy. The only one that would possibly work would be MMA Boxing, which I did Saturday. Jason, of course, was urging me to take a break. He's right, I know. Reality check hit when I was leaving work and couldn't even take the 4 stairs down outside the building without searing pain. In the end, I came home, put on PJs, started bread, and hung garland on the banister.

That being said, I am feeling really upset, angry, down about not having been able to do any cardio. I'm sure this weather, nagging headache, and Monday blues in general aren't helping. I know it sounds obsessive, but I do the workouts I do because I enjoy them. They make me happy, like my day is complete. I'm even more frustrated that I have gone and hurt my knee because time is ticking away on decent weather before winter slams us.

Granted, we don't get the snow and extreme cold, but we have lots of ice, rain, gray days, and freezing temps. It's also frustrating because running is something I actually crave to do now. I mean, it's like staring at that perfect looking cookie but absolutely not being able to have it. And somehow I feel like it's all my fault. I was so proud of my miles, of loving running, of the accomplishments I've made.

My plan is to do weights tomorrow again and the boxing workout. I am hoping that my knee will feel good enough on Wednesday to go to spin class. I can at least get in a workout and I control the tension and the amount of effort. The other option is the elliptical and several magazine...and a kickass play list. Then maybe, just maybe, I can try for another short, easier run on the river trails where it's flat, no road tilt. Yes, I'll admit I'm probably being overly optimistic, but it's all I've got right now to keep me focused and not having a meltdown.

Soup Kind of Weather
As I mentioned, the weather has been crap today. Makes you just want to curl up under a blanket and hibernate. When I asked Jason if he had any dinner ideas, he said, "Something hot." What's something hot and perfect on a dreary day? Why soup of course. We had some pumpkin and roasted kabocha leftover, so I decided to go with the Chipotle Kabocha & Pumpkin Soup I made recently.

So a couple of semi-fails. The soup tasted fine, but it wasn't as creamy as the last time. I added in some extra pumpkin at the end that didn't get blended. The bread, I finally tried to make the French bread recipe I use all wheat by using whole-wheat pastry flour in lieu of any bread flour. It tasted fine, but was really heavy. Of course, the weather probably played a bit of a factor. I guess it was just one of those days.

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