What Christmas Cookie Hangover?

Is it possible for muscles to atrophy within seven days? 
I hadn’t been to the gym since Monday and I felt weak – weak, I tell you! The only lifting I’ve done in a week is moving those various, Christmas-shaped, half-ounce forms of brightly-colored, refined-sugar sweetened, processed wheat flour from the plate to my lips (frankly, I’m surprised I haven’t sustained a repetitive motion injury)! By this morning, I was clearly experiencing the effects of an over-indulgent, low-energy, bad-attitude cookie hangover.
Setting out for the gym during snow flurries this morning only contributed to my artificially-induced Christmas cookie high. Nearing the gym, however, I began to fear the particular manifestations of the loss of strength due to lack of practice and bad eating habits. I wondered if, while attempting a push-up, one’s wrists could actually snap under the hulking weight of additional Christmas cookies body mass.
I still don’t know if such snapping is possible, but I’m happy to report not only did my wrists not snap during push-ups, but I was able to accomplish two things I’d never done before!
  • Working up to 4x145# back squats!
  • Completing 3 double unders – oh, not in a row! (And I’m expending too much energy by jumping too high – but it’s a start!)
It may have been my new gym gear (shirt and water bottle), or perhaps, as suggested by the trainer, it was the week of rest. I know only that it wasn’t the cookies. Blech. (Don’t get me wrong – they were delicious, just left me feeling bloated and logy.)
Next year ( at the new digs!!!), I hope to attempt, if not get good at this and this and certainly much better at this.

Comments

LOG ME IN said…
145 lb backsquat?!? I'm soooooo jealous!
Lynne said…
There's no use denying it - I was pretty impressed with myself, too. Despite my numerous cookie curls, however, I'm still quite wimpy in upper body strength. I need to break the 75# barrier in the press this year.
Jenn Casey said…
You're my back squat inspiration! I just did 85# the other night, but I think I could have gone up 5 or 10 pounds...that's it though.

And when I went back after my break (due to sickness) I surprised myself by doing amazing Girl Pushups (from knees)--25 right in a row even (the other 25 took some resting in between). Kelly says that sometimes after a break you can come back stronger.

Double unders--I learned that, much to my surprise and dismay, jumping rope is a skill that is not at all like riding a bike. I am working on more than 5 "single unders" in a row without tripping over my big feet!

You rock, btw. :)
Lynne said…
Isn't that a fine how-do-you-do when you realize that early mastery of the jump rope does not translate into a leg up at the CrossFit gym?

Twenty-five push-ups in a row! That's impressive. I think I can manage 15 in a row. Then after a good nap, maybe 15 more. Series of 10 with rests are doable, but quickly descend into something very ugly after the second series.

Don't even talk to me about burpees.

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