F 1 D 0 -- 02 03 18 at 23 23 Oww. I've been avoiding exercise for months now. Ok, not avoiding it, but not doing enough. Ann wants me to live long and prosper, and to stop putting on weight. She's concerned about her own health too, as I cook too much, and it is affecting us both. By adding me to her faculty (free) membership, it is economical. Besides, most of what I do just needs open spaces, and a committment to use the open spaces. I work my ass off at the gym, thinking that I'm only here for ___ hours, and need to use that time. Yesterday's workout was intense for the first time in ages. I did skipping for 20m, step for 20m, stretching for 20m, situps, weight training (legs) and lots of other stuff. I came home hurting all over, esp my legs yesterday. I did legs again today, but much easier, more gentler. I maintain that unless you fatigue a muscle group, no change happens. And unless you exhaust a muscle group, it won't grow more tissue. Exhaustion isn't about going home in an Ambulance. But when doing an exercise of some sort, you keep doing the repetitions until you cannot do them any more. I have this formula, which works for me. I start at ZERO plates, or the lightest setting on a machine. I do eight reps, then stop. I adjust it to the next level of hardness (from zero to one plate). I do another eight reps, then stop. I continue this way until I cannot move the stack. Or actually, until I feel a distinct muscle wearing out thing happening (fatigue). When doing arms or legs on a machine, I do one arm (or leg) at a time, but "rest" by doing both together for a couple of reps. Yesterday there was a young team of boys. Basket ball, I think, wanting to use the gym while I was in a corner. I didn't stop them, but I suppose I was entertaining to them. They didn't do anything, just hang out, and watch me, and talk to each other. Today's teams were girl's volleyball. The first group came in just after I claimed my little corner, near the fire stairs. Like yesterday's team, these people are happy to just sit around talking, not doing anything. Coach comes in and says, "You should be warming up, then stretching." "I'm not cold," answer someone. The other team showed up later. These girls looked the same, but sounded so very very different. Most were wearing the school colours, dark blue t-shirt with white letters, "Lakehead". Also, these girls didn't talk when the coach was there. They sat on a gym bench, all but one, as the bench wasn't long enough. Coach tells these girls to warm up, and they all just dig in, running, jumping, everything. He whispers "listen up", and they make a circle around him. He tells them he wants them to rotate through all of the positions on the court. He will serve, one of them sets, one of them ____s, and one spikes the ball. These girls were like military, each taking a turn to each position. They'd just run when their 3-tier turn was over to capture a few balls, and return them to the coach. And coach would just count aloud how many scores the girls did. At 30, he let them rest. And why, you ask, was I watching instead of trying to play volleyball, or working out? Because I'd already done a lot, and I was a clump of aching muscles. I should have just continued walking around this elevated track (around the gym) quickly, but even that was too hard. I'd just walk S-l-o-w-l-y, and pay attention to how these teams trained. After I cooled down this way, I went back into the cardio theatre, where I just used the treadmill to force me to walk through the aching muscles. I should have gone for swim. I'm missing it now. So I went (just now!) onto the eliptical trainer in the kitchen. Oww. It truly hurt my legs and ass. But I stayed with it until it didn't hurt any longer. Just as well. I want a treat now. I just ate a bunch of mini carrots. Nope, that's not what I want. I had a slice of sunflower bread with marmalade. Nope, that wasn't right. I finished my coffee. Nope, not that. Maybe I want some chocolate and almonds. Exercising hard makes me want a treat. Badly. I'd like something. That's all I know.