It's all about sweat this month.

Yes, I'm talking about bodily condensation, the mechanism by which our miraculously constructed bodies cool us off when we're heating up.

After years of thinking that visible sweat was embarrassing, gross, unladylike, even subhuman ("Horses sweat, ladies glow"), and capable of wreaking havoc by melting makeup, soaking hair and ruining one's styling labors ...

Now we need to think of it as a badge of honor. It's a sign of effort. Of keeping oneself moving and living.



Let's burst through our physical limitations in July.

Let's light up the firmament long past the 4th.

I tried as long as I could not to quote Katy Perry, but I can't help myself ....

"BABY YOU'RE A FIREWORK! C'MON SHOW 'EM WHAT YOU'RE WORTH!"

Sunday, July 1st:

15 minutes on the Precor elliptical, low, low resistance, jogging forward & backward
60 minutes biceps, shoulders and triceps routine
45 minutes Cybex arc trainer, one-minute intervals, resistance at eight. Sweating, sweating, thankful for Nikki Minaj coming on just when I wanted to give up.

Another gorgeous day when I drove past cyclists and runners on my way to the gym, and then, on my return, in their midst, one lone roller blader -- very adept, with the kind of body that I despair of ever achieving, including abs, and deeply tanned. Women like this look like the very spirit of summer. With all my efforts, I am far, far better off than I was, but I won't look like that. Ever.

July 1: 60 minute hike with a friend; 90 minutes Bikram Yoga

Totals:
1 day
150 minutes

July 2: I gave blood this morning and was told not to do any lifting or heavy exercise. I debated ignoring them but I felt light headed all day... so I took a long walk with my dogs and my dd to the doggie park and home.

60 minutes walk

Totals:
2 days
210 minutes

Monday, July 2:
-10 minutes at 6.6 mph on treadmill
-10 minutes at resistance 7 on elliptical
-Upper body weights routine - increased weights for everything. Feeling it today!

Tuesday, July 3:
-10 minutes at 2.0 incline and 7 mph on treadmill
-12 minutes level 6/10 "strength" program on arc trainer
-5 minutes level 12/12 hills climbing on stair stepper

July 3: 65 minutes UJam

July 4: 95 minutes Bikram Yoga

Off to Florida tomorrow so I may not post for awhile. I'm hoping to get at least some exercise in each day!

Totals:
4 days
370 minutes

Thursday, July 5:
-12 minutes on the treadmill at average of 6.6 mph
-3 sets dumbbell row (35 lbs), 3 sets lat pulldown (70 lbs), 3 sets bench press machine (1 x 70 lbs, 2 x 80 lbs), 1 set dumbbell squats (60 lbs)
-5 sets of assorted kettlebell exercises

Thus far, I've done this while traveling:

Monday, July 2nd: 60 minutes speedwalking on a crummy treadmill with a loose belt -- which felt rather unsafe -- at a Quality Inn in Lee, Mass.

Tuesday, July 3rd - Thursday, July 5th: Each morning, ran 3.25 miles on a course that my host mapped out for me around the village of Wellfleet, Mass., on Cape Cod. A lovely exhilarating run through village streets, on Commercial Street, on Main Street & out over the pier, with its low-tide stench.

Friday, July 6th:
Back in my downstate gym, at least temporarily, while setting up my apartment.

15 minutes Stairmaster stepmill, aerobic intervals, resistance at eight
60 minutes back and biceps routine
45 minutes back on Stairmaster, pouring sweat

Saturday, July 7th:

Nothing today, sadly. I woke up in the hotel room and realized that, due to our staying on an extra day, I had no clean socks and my gym clothes were out in the car. And I knew I had a whole day of putting up curtain rods & hanging curtains & shades & etc. ahead of me. We didn't leave till 3:30, and it takes about five hours to get Upstate. The gym closes early on weekends. By the time I got in, I was famished & thought only of dinner.

So, nothing. Except standing & moving around in an apartment for six hours with no chairs anywhere -- because none of the furniture is moved in but my formal Empire sofa, which is covered in plastic.

Guilt. Yes, guilt.

Sunday, July 8th:

15 minutes Stairmaster step mill, aerobic intervals, resistance at eight, finding this fairly easy
60 minutes shoulders, back and triceps routine
45 minutes one-minute interval Cybex arc trainer, resistance at eight, feeling it in my hamstrings

Very few people in the gym, but I went far later than usual, sleeping in after two days of moving labors.

Monday, July 9th:

45 minute spin class, with me feeling absolutely fabulous, maybe because I had a whole week off from spin. (Hmmm....)
15 minute Pilates routine afterward

Friday, July 6:
-Swimming in a dirty creek (more like splashing)
-Dancing at goth night

Saturday, July 7:
-NADA

Sunday, July 8:
-20 minutes rowing/ERG
-10 minutes running
-5 minutes on arc trainer
-Kettlebells squats, 150 swings

Tuesday, July 10th:

15 minutes Stairmaster stepper, aerobic intervals, resistance at eight
60 minutes chest, shoulders and triceps routine
45 minutes back on stepper, totally hands-free for the whole ride, though I poured copious amounts of sweat toward the end

I was groggy this morning from less sleep than I needed, and so rather balky about getting to the gym -- but happy as always to have gotten my upper body workout done. This is my best summer EVER in my life for rocking a tank top, all thanks to my weight training project. There's still room for improvement, of course, but I am happier with my arms than I've ever been.

July 5: travel day

July 6: 45 min kayaking. We were out for 1.5 hours but I only actively rowed for about half.

July 7: 3 hours kayaking. Not gonna say we got lost, but we were never going to make it back before dark, so we had to turn around to retrace our steps. A little stressful and lots of hard work!

July 8: about two hours snorkeling

July 9: nothing except walking

Totals:
7 days
715 minutes