#hipexcercise

Had two really good workouts at the gym this week!  Even signed up for 50 more sessions with my personal trainer, Justin #justfit for ninety bucks an hour.  Thank god for the home equity line of credit and a bubble in the housing market!  Over the past month or so, my body has been telling me to cut down on the portions and the alcohol and I’ve been listening.  Even through a week in Tuscany followed by The Gathering in Northeastern Pennsylvania last weekend. It’s all natural and driven by my subconscious, no trigger on my own part.  Just haven’t felt like large portions or heavy dishes (like meat), or like cocktails before dinner.  I think my friend, Josh, who was with me in Tuscany was a little disappointed that I didn’t want to rock a little in the evenings.  I was content with easy mornings, long walks, time in the pool and perfect Tuscan cooking at my favorite restaurants  -- Siena, Montalcino, Bagno Vignoni, Pienza, Castiglione della Pescaia.  At The Gathering I avoided meat and alcohol altogether, made easy by the variety of vegetarian choices on the buffet lines and the cheap wines they serve (especially revolting after a week of Brunello di Montalcino). 

So, back at the gym after my travels:  Tuesday we did legs (my ass was killing me Wednesday), and Thursday upper body. I got to my Thursday session early because I needed to get out early. Justin wasn’t quite ready for me so I got on the elliptical machine for ten minutes after my stretching.  It felt good -- I hadn’t been doing much cardio for the past year because the elliptical had been aggravating my left hip after I’d worked up to an hour per session.  Back then, my hip, always tight, said stop, and I’ve been putting on weight as a result -- and I thought maybe today would be the gateway to getting back into a regular cardio schedule, motivated more by my recent changes in diet.  And it was just ten little minutes. 

I’ve been working with Justin for just short of three years now and feel so much better.  My weight is stable, if not where it was when my enthusiasm was at its peak and my wine, vodka and carbo intake has been under much better control.  I’ve put some weight back on, but some is muscle, and I am stronger and fitter, and have fewer aches and pains than I have in a long, long time. 

But Friday I woke up with a very achie (yeah, that’s not a word) hip.  The left one, the one the MRI (years ago) showed was really tight.  Dont’ panic, that’s cool.  It hasn’t had a good work out doing cardio in a while.  Give it a day or two.  It’s three later days and it’s bad.  I’m taking paracetamol, whatever that is, borrowed from my English house guests, which relieves it while it’s working but then it comes right back when the painkiller wears off.  It’s worst when I’m driving, and of course we drove over 200 miles this weekend up and back from the Hudson Valley.