The Discipline of Steel

My philosophy regarding change is simple “The more things change, the more they suck.”  I am a creature of habit.  I eat the same foods over & over, I like my exercise regime to be well, regimented, all the sheets for my bed are the same color, I love the Flylady system (see link on side) for keeping my house in a high state of order with a minimum of effort.

Wednesday my grandmother (my mom’s mom, not the psycho one) was taken to the emergency room.  She had gotten out of her “secure” alzheimers unit and fallen on the road.  Just road rash, bruises, and a couple of nasty gashes on her face.  So, I frantically drove to the hospital, then sat and waited by her side for 4 hours (until my mom could get there).

I missed my workout, and I missed it.  I realized that even though my feet aren’t dancing as I head to the gym, I have discovered “the discipline of steel.”  (It’s from my favorite Arnold movie “Conan”, not my second favorite Arnold movie, “Pumping Iron”.) 

I love the routine, the sense of accomplishment, the burn, seeing the same faces.  I started lifting a year and a half ago. I started lifting with Sonja at the Y a little over a year ago.  We’re friends and training partners now.  I push her as hard as she pushes me.  I lift the 45 pound plate off her lap after she does weighted dips, and she does the same for me.

When I went yesterday, we combined the workouts from both days (omitting legs due to my long run upcoming tomorrow).  We brutalized our triceps, killed our shoulders, and biceps got a mere beating cause we were tired.

Dips with the 35 pound plate (3 sets of 15), then the overhead thingie with 35 pounds, then more dips to muscle failure.  Should presses with 35 pound dbs, oh my god!  Oh yeah, and I did pull-ups only off-setting 50 pounds!  We were so tired when it was over.  I was sweating – something I rarely do while lifting.  Since we had a lot to do, we went heavy & hard.  It felt wonderful.

This has been a sh*&ty week.  My ex-stepbrother treated my mom crappy, the thing with my grandmother, my husband leaving our dayshade set up during a storm so it got ruined (a new one is $100 and we have to have it for our camping trip), plus my period.  Hello, its amazing no one is dead.  Its amazing that (other than one 22 oz bud light purchased on the way home from the hospital) I have stuck to my eating plan.  I only missed one 30 minute walk since we made up our shoulder workout.

I feel better physically, and I feel a huge sense of accomplishment.  I took care of myself despite the stress, and I’m glad.