Improvisation

I joined the local gym. I didn't like it. The equipment is seriously old-school, which means that the machines that I'd primarily want to use don't really fit my 4'10" frame, and I know I'd end up doing more harm than good if I tried to use it. Too bad, the people there seem really nice, and it's close enough to be convenient, but I think I can do just as well on my own.

Enter the approximately 15lb. bag of kitty litter. Who knew how versatile a bag of cat piss absorbent could be??

Today's workout:

Dance stupidly to the first decent song that came up on the shuffled Ipod.

4 sets of step-ups, interspersed with 4 sets of pushups. You can see Rikki prompting me on in the picture, saying "C'MON, move that fat ass, let me see you sweat!" Ironic that Rikki would be saying that to me.

Dance to another song. Hope the pounding of my feet isn't annoying the neighbor next door. I'm very small and only 100 pounds, but I step very loudly.

4 sets of lunges with kitty litter, interspersed with 4 sets of chair-dips.

Dance to another song.

4 sets of calf-raises on the shower's edge (with kitty litter bag balanced on head, of course) interspersed with 4 sets of bicep curls with kitty litter bag. Challenging because the weight of the litter tends to shift to one side or the other, so I had to keep re-balancing in order to assure optimal bicep symmetry.

One more dance, wondering now if the dancing might be more dangerous than the equipment at the gym. I'm not known for my dancing ability. Rikki seemed a little frightened at times.

Wind down with four sets of sit-ups and some stretching.

Followed by a quick lunch of canned tuna with real Hellmann's mayo (imagine my delight at finding THAT at the supermarket, along with Skippy peanut butter) on rusk, and a plum.

Who need a gym? As I exercised, my mind raced towards all the wonderful possibilities for make-shift equipment that currently exist in my home. Cans of tomatoes for tricep kick-backs? A fallen branch placed between trees for pull-ups? I'm actually rather embarrassed to admit that I shoulder-pressed Rikki, just to see if he'd put up with it. He did.