Athena, Usually Having Felt Sorry for Herself

[Athena]

I have continued on with Get Fit For The King. Currently I am the youngest in the gym, will be 55 next month. Our senior member is 86 years young and some days puts us all to shame. Two of these seniors have competed with me in Powerlifting Meets in the last two years. Both hold State records and the female member holds multiple National and World records for her age and weight class. They all fight me on the nutrition side of things, but over all, they all have made huge progress.

This is such great news! You bring health and wellness to the whole person. I believe strongly that our lives should be balanced in this way to the best of our abilities.

It is funny how our lives often take us down paths we never would have thought of in our younger years. I am glad you are happy and have found a way to work and serve.

Thank you. I always felt drawn to the corporate world and kept trying to make it work for me, even after 30 years of being thrown under the bus for being the only one with a moral compass. I never imagined I'd be on a track into nursing, but it's calling to me and I feel I'd be letting myself down if I didn't respond.

My baby sis, glad to hear "near-daily walk with your PACK" (you, hubby and dog) give you a moment of happiness.

Good luck on LPN study, it's about time for you to get what you truly deserve. Let it be, they might lose their star CNA/Md tech but they certainly know they will be rewarded by far greater gift than what they lose. We are all rooting for you! I will always rooting for you!!!

Meanwhile, whenever we miss you, here in your journal, I will clean the place, do the laundry with bamazav (pastor!?)'s help...though he has a little problem remembering garbage collection day, and we have Mark to do all the muscle works, Dave to organize the things, Grouchy to mow the lawn, Marius and his beautiful wife to tend the flowers and plants, so you have nothing to worry about.

So pray enjoy being yourself whenever you get a chance.
As long as you are fine, the world is fine, should know that.
We friends know what you really need.
You yourself are the one who should know that.

Does Mark know you nominated him to do all the heavy work?!

I can't believe it's been over two weeks since I've been in here. I'll try to do better. Things are finally under control with my schedule and the workouts haven't stopped, which is a good thing!

Despite Queen Atheenie keeping us always in a state of suspense by occasionally showing her royal presence, she has been inducted into the O35 Girls are Sexy AF Club.

Congratulations!

Woohoo!

Awww... you have such faith in me!! I'm flattered but don't know that I quite can measure up to the requirements for such a club!! Soon, though... I think I'll qualify soon.


~~ * ~~

OKAY! It's update time!

Bodyfat measurements are now every Monday. I'm pleased to say that last Monday was the first time in a few years that I've gotten myself under 27% BF. I've fought like hell before but something has just kicked in with my diet and exercise routine...and I'm not stressing about my diet either, which I think helps quite a bit.

Monday's test results:
BF: 26.3% ... WT: 130lbs
BF lbs: 34.9lbs ... LBM: 95.1lbs

This is a little concerning. The trend is a smidge downward, still on LBM. I cannot afford to lose muscle. It's just not good at all. I only had one really good lifting session last week, so this week I'm back at it.

WORKOUTS

Monday, Nov 19:

CARDIO: 47 minute walk/hike/jog/run: Took me 34 minutes to walk up to the hill, and hike up it; coming back down and around the front of the ranch and up the driveway took me only 13 minutes! It's a bit longer via distance to come back down, but not by much. I'm pleased to say I was really booking. Changed clothes then back out to the barn for weights right away.

WEIGHTS:
* floor deads to OH press (what are these called in powerlifting terms??): 30# - 10 x 3 sets
...not sure how heavy the bar is...was going for safe speed vs anything else and my whole body was screaming by the time I was done...

*bench presses: 20# - 4, 6, 5, 6
...the bar is a hair over 50# and the hubby spotted for me...very pleased with my effort and want to do this again next week...

*CG pullovers: 10# - 10; 15# - 10!, 10!
...the CG bar weighs hardly anything, but my upper body just wanted to curl up and die by the time I was done...

Wednesday, Nov 21

*floor deads: 50# - 10; 70# - 10; 80# - 10, 8, 8, 8; 40# - 20
...owwww...pulled 4,720 pounds today vs last week's 3,860 pounds...that chaser set at 40# made me whimper a lot...

*walking lunges: 10# - 10 x 3 sets
...increase over last week's sets of only 8 reps each

I skipped the bench pistols this week due to time constraints. I knew I'd need to skip them so was pushing more on the exercises above.

Friday, I'm slated for bent over rows, upright rows and rear flyes.



~~ * ~~

And now, in a bit of a traditional role-reversal, the hubs is going to the store because he's getting stir-crazy (even though he has a much-needed day off of ranch work), and I'm going to replace the fill valve on the ancient toilet while he's gone. I don't think the new ranch owners really and truly understand how good they have it with us here. Yes, we made them pay for the fill valve, but we do our own maintenance. Whatever.

Lastly, I'm still doing the smilies and formatting the old-fashioned way with coding, etc...is there a user interface I'm missing in this place that enables me to just highlight text and format it, or add smilies at the click of a mouse button??

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone who celebrates the joy of introducing small pox to the Native population in the Americas!
~Athi

[Mark1T]

Queen Athena, if your worthiness can transcend from Japan via Kazzy, the greatest Japanese Superman in history who ever lived and me, some dude from the US, then it only makes perfect logical sense that you have measured up to the qualities of the club.

So, your only duty is to represent

[Samraiwise]

Does Mark know you nominated him to do all the heavy work?!

I can't believe it's been over two weeks since I've been in here. I'll try to do better. Things are finally under control with my schedule and the workouts haven't stopped, which is a good thing!

Mark is the muscle and I'm the brain, that will never change. What we have in common of both the cowboy and the samurai are hearts and souls, and on which we swear to protect our little sis till our last breath drawn.

Ok I must stop here, over doing is always my forte. Just want to tell you, glad to hear good things finally happening to you and your better half which definitely you both deserve.

Lastly, I'm still doing the smilies and formatting the old-fashioned way with coding, etc...is there a user interface I'm missing in this place that enables me to just highlight text and format it, or add smilies at the click of a mouse button??

The same here. I wish I know it myself, for every time I want to use BB.com smilies I check the link at the right bottom and use the codes there myself. (You know, without them nobody could understand my poor English. )

Smilies are On

Or we can share my smilies. Once I had hundreds of them on anglefire.com before the BB.com changed its policy to only support images hosted by https, aka SSL(Secure Sockets Layer) protocols. Now I have only a few left...........using Google Firebase hosting service.

https://samraiwise-17c91.firebaseapp...lie_index.html

Love ya. 　Always!

[grouchyjarhead]

WEIGHTS:
* floor deads to OH press (what are these called in powerlifting terms??): 30# - 10 x 3 sets
...not sure how heavy the bar is...was going for safe speed vs anything else and my whole body was screaming by the time I was done...

Clean and press maybe? Otherwise I can't picture it.

And now, in a bit of a traditional role-reversal, the hubs is going to the store because he's getting stir-crazy (even though he has a much-needed day off of ranch work), and I'm going to replace the fill valve on the ancient toilet while he's gone. I don't think the new ranch owners really and truly understand how good they have it with us here. Yes, we made them pay for the fill valve, but we do our own maintenance. Whatever.

Lastly, I'm still doing the smilies and formatting the old-fashioned way with coding, etc...is there a user interface I'm missing in this place that enables me to just highlight text and format it, or add smilies at the click of a mouse button??

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone who celebrates the joy of introducing small pox to the Native population in the Americas!
~Athi

That's terrific. I will have been married to my wife for 11 years this Saturday, and it's funny how much the traditional roles tend to blur between us too. Probably far more common than uncommon.

For instance, I do the ironing and minor sewing repairs as I picked it all up in the military. She burns clothes and stabs herself every time. She is the pool queen though - when I try to open it, it never gets clear. She gets it professional quality without even trying. I do most of the handywork as I like it, but she's not afraid to get dirty either and helps a lot (except plumbing - she absolutely refuses that job, and I don't blame her.)

Happy Thanksgiving!

[Athena]

Queen Athena, if your worthiness can transcend from Japan via Kazzy, the greatest Japanese Superman in history who ever lived and me, some dude from the US, then it only makes perfect logical sense that you have measured up to the qualities of the club.

So, your only duty is to represent

<3 thank you, mark. i'm doin' my best. and xo

Mark is the muscle and I'm the brain, that will never change. What we have in common of both the cowboy and the samurai are hearts and souls, and on which we swear to protect our little sis till our last breath drawn.

Ok I must stop here, over doing is always my forte. Just want to tell you, glad to hear good things finally happening to you and your better half which definitely you both deserve.

over doing is what we love about you, brother! and thank you for the kind words...yes, things are finally happening. you know it's been a tough year.

Clean and press maybe? Otherwise I can't picture it.

yeah, i think that's it...only the fitness version of it.

That's terrific. I will have been married to my wife for 11 years this Saturday, and it's funny how much the traditional roles tend to blur between us too. Probably far more common than uncommon.

For instance, I do the ironing and minor sewing repairs as I picked it all up in the military. She burns clothes and stabs herself every time. She is the pool queen though - when I try to open it, it never gets clear. She gets it professional quality without even trying. I do most of the handywork as I like it, but she's not afraid to get dirty either and helps a lot (except plumbing - she absolutely refuses that job, and I don't blame her.)

Happy Thanksgiving!

happy anniversary! yes, the hubs was a navy medic embedded with the marines in the early years of viet nam. he always wants to cut something or stitch something. i get a paper cut and he wants to know if i need stitches, haha! but i grew up learning to sew my own clothes and bleed brake lines and change tires (changing your own oil these days is damned near impossible with the way they make cars now...), but this is the first time he's ever walked out the door only to come back and have plumbing work done. normally we do stuff like this together.

~~ * ~~

okay, quick workout update and then i've got to get ready for work!


wednesday: quick cardio workout in the evening -- 15 min's on a rickety, really poorly made, cheap rowing machine. hurt my knees and lower back.

friday: 39 min walk/jog -- 25 min up one long steep hill, turned around and ran back down and home in 14 mins

saturday workout:

db rows: 20# - 10 x 4 sets
bo rows: 40# 10 x 4 sets
rope upright rows: 23# - 10 x 3 sets
rear flyes: 10# - 8, 10, 10, 10

right si joint bothering me from the rowing thing so i had to keep it light, otherwise with my screwed up back i would just make it worse. moved quickly, sometimes supersetting with no rest, just needed to get it done.

today: 35 min jog/walk

need to get my cardio back up over 35 min's regularly...

TOMORROW IS WEIGH IN AND BODYFAT DAY! yikes. we'll see how i did this past week, i guess.

okay, happy sunday everyone!
~athi

[Mark1T]

<3 thank you, mark. i'm doin' my best. and xo

You are very welcome, always and forever.

xo back

[Athena]

Okay, another loooong week. Pretty sure my schedule will settle down for the month of December, but January will be tricky once again.

After last week's fun heavy deadlift day, my right SI joint was unhappy for a while. That, coupled with lack of sleep this past week and a crazy schedule, kept me from doing too much...actually, I just didn't do anything all week.

MONDAY'S BODYFAT RESULTS

Really off my diet last week and this past week, too. But it's not too terribly bad, really.

BF: 26.9% . . . . WT: 131.6lbs (132)
BF lbs: 35.5 . . . . LBM: 96.5lbs

Sooo...up a hair on both BF and LBM, supposedly. This coming weigh in is gonna be icky, but it's the only way to keep myself accountable.

Today was the only day I managed a workout. We finally got our new bed (a hybrid waterbed and foam bed tucked inside a huge softsided mattress) and our first night wasn't very good. Hubs inflated one side a little firmer than the other, and he took the underinflated side and I took the more-inflated side that first night. Not too great. We switched sides last night and slept like the dead.

FRIDAY WORKOUT

Bench presses:
...slight incline: 20# - 4 7, 7
...flat: 20# - 6, 6, 5

*bar weighs just over 50#

Floor deads: 40# - 10 x 3 sets

* right SI joint was whining but not too much


So just enough of a workout to ensure I didn't spend the entire week as a slug. Next week will be better! I just know it!

~Athi

[ElrondHubbard]

Okay, another loooong week. Pretty sure my schedule will settle down for the month of December, but January will be tricky once again.

After last week's fun heavy deadlift day, my right SI joint was unhappy for a while. That, coupled with lack of sleep this past week and a crazy schedule, kept me from doing too much...actually, I just didn't do anything all week.

MONDAY'S BODYFAT RESULTS

Really off my diet last week and this past week, too. But it's not too terribly bad, really.

BF: 26.9% . . . . WT: 131.6lbs (132)
BF lbs: 35.5 . . . . LBM: 96.5lbs

Sooo...up a hair on both BF and LBM, supposedly. This coming weigh in is gonna be icky, but it's the only way to keep myself accountable.

Today was the only day I managed a workout. We finally got our new bed (a hybrid waterbed and foam bed tucked inside a huge softsided mattress) and our first night wasn't very good. Hubs inflated one side a little firmer than the other, and he took the underinflated side and I took the more-inflated side that first night. Not too great. We switched sides last night and slept like the dead.

FRIDAY WORKOUT

Bench presses:
...slight incline: 20# - 4 7, 7
...flat: 20# - 6, 6, 5

*bar weighs just over 50#

Floor deads: 40# - 10 x 3 sets

* right SI joint was whining but not too much


So just enough of a workout to ensure I didn't spend the entire week as a slug. Next week will be better! I just know it!

~Athi

Sounds like you're still dealing with a lot of chaos, Athena. I know the feeling. It'll get better, though. Don't sweat the minute week to week changes in body composition. The main thing you need to work on, it seems to me, is getting more sleep. Of course, I may be projecting a bit!

Next week will be better. I know it too!

[Samraiwise]

Next week will be better, we all know you know. Rooting for you as always my little sis!!

[grouchyjarhead]

You got something in, that's what matters.

[Mark1T]

Merry Christmas to the almost unbelievably gorgeous Queen Atheenie and her family <3

[Samraiwise]

Always a woman of action. I bet you're on a new mission, helping others who cannot help themselves. Somewhere in the world, under the clear blue sky.

Athi, we miss you and wish you a safe journey and a happiness only you could find, wherever you go.

[Mark1T]

Where is Lady Atheenie?

**pretty flowers**

[Athena]

Merry Christmas to the almost unbelievably gorgeous Queen Atheenie and her family

Thank you, Mark! It was a nice Christmas, but I worked through it. Ah, well. There's always this year.

Always a woman of action. I bet you're on a new mission, helping others who cannot help themselves. Somewhere in the world, under the clear blue sky.

Athi, we miss you and wish you a safe journey and a happiness only you could find, wherever you go.

Thank you, my loving brother! I was on a quick journey back to Nepal (as you knew), and realized on that trip that I am not Superwoman. The first quarter of school ended on March 20, and I am done with it. No more pursuing a nursing degree. The next time I go back to school it will be to work on a doctorate. I'm not starting over from scratch.

Where is Lady Atheenie?

**pretty flowers**

I was buried under my own ambition. *sigh* I'm better now.

You got something in, that's what matters.

Yes, that has been my philosophy this week and last. School's out for me for now, and it's back to the other grinds I have going on, and back to working out.

OKAAAAAY...bodyfat went up a bit while I was off but not too much. I've had my binge days, which freaks out the hubby when he sees them (it gets ugly) but then I'm right back to it the next day and sticking with it for weeks on end.

The last couple of weeks, I squeezed in some yoga and some time on the bike trainer. This week's workouts consisted of whatever I could squeeze in.

Monday, March 18: 50 incline pushups against a bar, non-stop . I was walking through the barn and frustrated that I hadn't worked out, so I stopped and went at it for a few minutes. It wasn't too terribly bad, but it was a workout nonetheless.

Thursday, March 21: 60 incline pushups against the same bar, non-stop. This made me whimper.
...followed by deadlifts: (light bar, not Oly bar) 30# - 70 reps over 4 sets.
...followed by noodly legs and whimpers of OMG on Friday!!

Saturday, March 23: x-bench pullovers with close grip bar: 10# x 10 reps x 4 sets
...superset with...
...SLDLs: (light bar, not Oly bar) 30# x 10 reps x 4 sets


SOOOO...it feels good to be back, it really does. I'm overloaded with other stuff, though, but I'm back to making working out a priority.

[bamazav]

Welcome back my friend. You were missed.

[ElrondHubbard]

Glad to see you back, Athena! I was thinking about you, and hoping you were well.

[Samraiwise]

Happy for your safe return, my sister!!

Have a quiet and nice weekend with your family!!

[Athena]

Welcome back my friend. You were missed.

thank you! and thank you for making me feel the useless wads of information stuck inside my skull aren't so useless.

Glad to see you back, Athena! I was thinking about you, and hoping you were well.

thanks! i am well. i just always manage to forget to put myself first and try to pretend i can do everything, all at once. happy to be back.

Happy for your safe return, my sister!!

Have a quiet and nice weekend with your family!!

thank you, kaz! i've missed you. i think i'm very far overdue to email you...will do so tonight. lots of info to share.

~~ * ~~

quick workout today...but it left me with noodly arms and legs and that's all that counts.

Pushups:
...against bench: 20
...against bar: 40

Superset with deadlifts (light bar):
30# - 20 reps x 3 sets

i was admittedly whimpering a bit at the end and my arms and chest are shaky. feels good. next workout i do some functional training.

happy tuesday, everyone!

~athi

[ElrondHubbard]

thank you! and thank you for making me feel the useless wads of information stuck inside my skull aren't so useless.



thanks! i am well. i just always manage to forget to put myself first and try to pretend i can do everything, all at once. happy to be back.



thank you, kaz! i've missed you. i think i'm very far overdue to email you...will do so tonight. lots of info to share.

~~ * ~~

quick workout today...but it left me with noodly arms and legs and that's all that counts.

Pushups:
...against bench: 20
...against bar: 40

Superset with deadlifts (light bar):
30# - 20 reps x 3 sets

i was admittedly whimpering a bit at the end and my arms and chest are shaky. feels good. next workout i do some functional training.

happy tuesday, everyone!

~athi

Yes! Noodly is good -- as long as it's not that Tuna noodle casserole Zav fears.

[bamazav]

yes! Noodly is good -- as long as it's not that tuna noodle casserole zav fears.

amen and amen!

[Athena]

Yes! Noodly is good -- as long as it's not that Tuna noodle casserole Zav fears.

amen and amen!

ah, i have another story about my first husband and his mother's tuna noodle casserole recipe...that brings back memories...

yesterday, i posted a lovely update and when i hit "submit reply" it took me immediately to the page that says, "oops, it looks as though this page is taking a rest day." really? really.

just getting in some quick workouts these past few days. here's a little update:

friday, march 29

supersets of:
* burpees w/renegade rows & overhead presses: 10# db - 6 reps x 2 sets
...added modified pushup on last two sets: 4 reps, then 6 reps
* plyo box sit-to-stands (just below parallel): 4 sets of 10

saturday, march 30
very, very quick workout...but something got done and i felt like i worked a bit.

supersets of:
* burpees (nothing fancy, just simple, plain ol' burpees): 10 x 5 sets
* bo speed rows: (light bar, not oly bar): 30# x 10 reps x 5 sets


sunday, april 1

* bench step ups: 100 total, which means 50 each leg. non-stop. working on some endurance in mah legz.

supersets of:
* bench sit-to-stands w/overhead press: light bar again + 30# x 8 reps x 4 sets
...really, really focused on NOT using momentum and moving slowly and carefully, knees staying properly moving over feets and not caving in or out
* standing rear flyes: 10# db x 10 x 4 sets

my arms are pretty angry with me today, so tomorrow is a rest day. i'd love to do power yoga but there's just no way....we spend a ton of time in yoga plank (upper pushup position) and even more time in downward dog and there are pushups in there as well. uh-uh. nope. no way. not tomorrow.

but tomorrow is bodyfat testing day, though. (insert eek emoji here!!)

happy april fool's day, everyone!
~athi

[ElrondHubbard]

Hope your test day went well. Sounds like you're doing what it takes, so fingers crossed!

[Athena]

thanks. test day went the way it was going to go, fingers crossed or not. i am back up to 27% bf and it feels awful. weight is back up to 131.5...i'm feeling every ounce. i fight sugar every day, that and carbs. i dropped starchy carbs and managed to replace them with sugar. at my age they don't get used for fuel...just stored as fat. the keto diet was too unhealthy; the bulletproof diet made more sense but the 18 hour fast was impractical. my biggest challenge is the new job and hours. my entire eating pattern has changed and it seems my body doesn't like it. i am conscious of everything i eat and i am not eating that much sugar to have caused this increase in weight. oh, well. i'll figure it out.

today's workout was done on an empty stomach (correction: coffee with whipped cream). this is how i used to work out but lately i've been eating beforehand and i get too sluggish then. it felt good so i'm reminded of my old groove ('theenie's gettin' her groove back!).

simple workout:
full athi burpees (with modified pushup and overhead press): 10# for one set of 16. yowza. felt great.
followed immediately by standing rear flyes: 10# x 10 reps x 5 sets
followed immediately by 100 bench step ups

the weight is still light and i'm okay with that. i'll increase it soon enough. i know i'm working and i don't need to destroy myself here.

at work, i'm on the run and on my feet and sweating for hours on end. i don't know how i'm putting on weight except that i've been stressed and not eating enough or drinking enough water. hmm...that and the bit of sugar i eat. hmm. 🤔 yeah. it's not brain surgery.

well, there was something else i was going to say but i'm too fried to remember. oh, well.

cheers,
athi

[Mark1T]

Thank you, Mark! It was a nice Christmas, but I worked through it. Ah, well. There's always this year.

I was buried under my own ambition. *sigh* I'm better now.

Yes, that has been my philosophy this week and last. School's out for me for now, and it's back to the other grinds I have going on, and back to working out.

[b

Princess Atheenie Sorry for the rather delayed response here. Your little computer family is happy now.

It's ok to take a break if life gets in the way - as long as you come back and you did.

Great workouts. Wishing you a happy week and Spring, finally.

**hugs**

[Athena]

Princess Atheenie Sorry for the rather delayed response here. Your little computer family is happy now.

It's ok to take a break if life gets in the way - as long as you come back and you did.

Great workouts. Wishing you a happy week and Spring, finally.

**hugs**

Ah, good to hear from you, Mark! I'm still around...just finding it tough to post updates. In fact, there's one coming up next!

[Athena]

okay, is there a reason the system keeps kicking me out every time i try to respond to my own journal??

[bamazav]

okay, is there a reason the system keeps kicking me out every time i try to respond to my own journal??

Probably due to your infrequent postings. If you post daily by 5:00 PM EDT, everything works perfectly.

[Athena]

smarty pants! every time i log in to post i get kicked out 9 out 10 times. it's getting to be not worth my time and it's only my journal.

[bamazav]

smarty pants! every time i log in to post i get kicked out 9 out 10 times. it's getting to be not worth my time and it's only my journal.

I haven't been kicked out but I have noticed that after I submit a post the page is not refreshing to show the post. I have to manually refresh in order to see posts. All the mods I used to know are now gone, so I don't know who to go and ask about these happenings.

[ElrondHubbard]

I haven't been kicked out but I have noticed that after I submit a post the page is not refreshing to show the post. I have to manually refresh in order to see posts. All the mods I used to know are now gone, so I don't know who to go and ask about these happenings.

Same with me. Sometimes it even happens from my phone.

Also, the thing stopped showing my age some months ago. I wonder if that means I'm ageless!

Don't go, Athena... hope it gets worked out!