Falling In "Like" Again...

"Folded Shure SRH840" by Minseong Kim - Own work.

It's been a week and a half since I joined the gym. I joined TWO gyms in fact and have determined I like one much more than the other one so instead of rotating between the two, I'm probably going to allow the special I signed up on at the other gym run out without the benefit of the personnel seeing my smiling face. The gym I'm staying with is really more my style.


They greet me when I come in but don't get all up into my personal space. There are enough equipment all around that I'm not fighting for the treadmill I choose to do my cardio on. There is a "stretching" area I use after my cardio workout and it's tucked off to one corner of the room so I don't look like a contortionist on display as I try to stretch these older muscles into some resemblance of a lean, mean butt-kicking machine.


I had my doubts I would like going to the gym. I would have argued with you a mere week ago that it was going to be a real challenge to go and I would have to force myself to get up an hour earlier every day to put myself through torture for the sake of a healthier body. But that wasn't the case.


Discovery about oneself is an exciting thing and I've discovered one really cool thing about myself over these past two weeks. I have fallen in "like" with going to the gym. I have a playlist of songs I really enjoy listening to and I will ramp up the treadmill to 3 miles an hour (maybe not a lot for others but definitely a challenge for a chubby momma like myself) and will do pushups against the handlebars while I rock out to the music. And oh yeah, I do this all while I keep my eyes closed and sing silently to the music.


I'm sure I probably look silly, but I have come to the conclusion that I really don't care. This journey is about me and if I'm going to look like a sweaty beached whale for a little while at the gym I might as well have fun while I'm doing it!


What do YOU do to make going to the gym more fun? Share with me in the comments below...

RECIPE OF THE DAY:


Cloud Buns
(http://www.food.com/recipe/carb-free-cloud-bread-411501?photo=370027    )
               

Yield:10 halves or 5 servings                                         

• 3 eggs, separated
• 3 tablespoons whole milk cottage cheese or 3 tablespoons cream cheese
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 (1 g) packet artificial sweetener

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. Separate the eggs very carefully, there must be no yolk in the white.
3. In one bowl, mix together the egg yolks, the 3 T. of Cottage Cheese OR Cream Cheese and the one packet of Sweetener until smooth.
4. In the other bowl add 1/4 teaspoon of Cream of Tartar to the whites and beat the whites on high speed until they are fluffy and form nice peaks.
5. Very carefully fold the egg yolk mixture into the egg whites until mixed, but try and not break down the fluffiness of the egg whites too much.
6. Spray two cookie sheets with Pam or other fat-free cooking spray.
7. With a large spoon, "scoop" the mixture into 10 even rounds on the sheets (about the size of the top-half of the McDonalds hamburger bun; roughly 3/4 inch thick and 4 to 5 inches across).
8. Bake on the middle rack. Here is when you have to watch them, because the cooking time the same on any two batches. It is somewhere around 1/2 hour, but it could be less or more. You just need to watch them until them become nice and golden brown (again, the color of a McDonalds bun).
9. Remove from the pans and cool on a rack or cutting board.
10. While warm they are crumbly and similar to cooked meringue - but don't let this fool you! Once completely cool, seal them in a ziplock storage baggie or a tupperware over night. They will totally change their consistency, to something much more like bread - a softer texture that is nice and chewy. If you do not like softer chewy bread, then eat them as they are, nice and crisp.
11. Since the sides that were facing the pan are perfectly flat, you use these to spread things on, or make sandwiches, or even as a burger bun! The choice is up to you, and you will be quite amazed at how much like a bun these really are!

***1 serving (1 halves) has 75 caloires, 6 g fat, 136.5 mg cholesterol, 67.8 g sodium, 75.3 mg potassium, .7 g carbs, 4.4 g protein***

***I have more low carb recipes listed on my Pinterest boarrd at https://www.pinterest.com/donasdays/low-carb-goodies/ or check out my Clawing My Way Back To A Healthier Me board on Pinterest at https://www.pinterest.com/donasdays/clawing-my-way-back-to-a-healthier-me/***



The Blister Zone

So I'm happy to report three days into my new, healthier lifestyle I have managed to get out of bed when my alarm goes off and make it to the gym on time to do my new workout routine.

Did I mention I was crazy enough to join TWO gyms? At the SAME TIME!!

But before you call the men in the white coats to come cart me away to the loony bin, I had a very good reason for doing so. I don't know if you have a thing like Groupon where you live but it is a company that basically offers cool things for little money in the hopes of getting new clientele in the door of their businesses. A month ago Groupon ran a special from the gym located right next door to where I work. It was a heck of a deal...three months unlimited training for $49...so I bought it. Then about three weeks ago, a different gym company close to my house offered a great deal as well...unlimited training for $10 per month with no contract...so I signed up for that one too.

I go to the gym by my house on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays for 30 minutes of cardio (treadmill or bike) and 30 minutes stretching (because I want to kick my Taekwondo instructor in the head one day!). Then on Tuesdays and Thursdays I go to the gym next to my place of work for 30 minutes of cardio (treadmill or bike) and 30 minutes on either abs work, back work, or legs work. If I have a meeting during the week like I sometimes do then I will pick up a Saturday or Sunday for the workout I missed.

The gym membership by my work runs out December 1st. I would have gone with them for an extended membership after my special but their prices were 4X what I am paying at the gym by my house and I like the overall atmosphere of the other gym better anyway. Come December I will just switch to going to the gym by my house five days a week.

Sounds like a good plan, right? There's only one thing I didn't anticipate that almost stopped me in my tracks the very first day.

The Blister Zone

You know what I mean...when you work out on a treadmill in those brand new shoes that haven't been broken in yet and about five minutes into your workout your little toe is on fire because you've rubbed the little sucker raw and a monstrous blister has formed to torture you! I didn't want to stop my workout so I finished the hour out before checking the damage. My goodness, the blister on my right toe looked like a alien thing had landed on the side of my foot! It was so huge that once I got my shoe off to bandage it up, I literally couldn't put my shoe back on and had to switch to sandals.

Did I let my first day injury stop me? HECK NO! I'm in this for the long haul so I worked out in sandals yesterday and today. The gym by my house has a poster advising they don't want to see people in sandals at their facility. While I respect their request, I can't get to the store to buy better shoes until the weekend so they will have to work with me and my poor damaged toe until then because this pudgy momma has a treadmill to conquer!!