YMCA TOUR OF AMERICA CONTINUES...

Today I am headed to Madison, Wisconsin for an overnight trip.  I have secured my hotel and mapped out the closest YMCA which I intend to visit.  Of course, 'mapped out' is just an expression these days - I have not used an actual map in nearly 10 years.  I guess I could be more precise by writing that I have entered the address into my Garmin GPS device.  This seems like a good time to list the various YMCA facilities that I have visited so far.

YMCA Marshfield Avenue Chicago (This is my 'home' YMCA)
YMCA Danville, Illinois
YMCA Indianapolis Indiana (Baxter location)
YMCA Ann Arbor, Michigan
YMCA Jacksonville, Illinois
YMCA Maumee, Ohio
YMCA Onalaska, Wisconsin
YMCA Royal Oak, Michigan (This is the only one that charges guests $5 per visit)
YMCA Marquette, Michigan
YMCA Lyndhurst, Ohio (Hillcrest location)
YMCA New Hope, Minnesota
YMCA St Paul, Minnesota

It does appear that I am making good use of my membership fees since I (re)joined the YMCA in February.   Each facility is different and some have been superior.  In every case, without exception, the people that work at the YMCA have been terrific.  It is wonderful and amazing that so many employees that I have come in contact with have been so friendly, warm and helpful.

Some of these facilities have steam rooms, some have whirlpool hot tubs.   All have adequate lockers with access to great showers with hot water and soap.   It has become quite fun to visit one of these facilities for the first time and see how different they are.   So far, the absolute nicest one has been in Onalaska, Wisconsin.   The facility is very new, having been constructed within the past 10 years.  In contrast, my home YMCA was constructed within the past century - and just barely!  The pool at the Onalaska YMCA looked like the pool one might see at a recently constructed water park.  I think that without exception, each of these facilities opens in the morning no later than 5:30AM - so they really cater to those that need to get a workout and shower in before heading off to work.  As you can see, I have really become a fan of the YMCA.

MONDAY MENU

breakfast three eggs, three slices turkey 'bacon'   cup oatmeal                    460 calories
lunch       spinach salad w/hearts of palm, tomato, mushroom, beets
                bay scallops, one giant sea scallop, 3 ounces shrimp,  asparagus
                Costco Chicken Tortilla Soup                                                        459 calories
dinner     spinach salad w/hearts of palm, tomato, mushroom, beets
                Trader Joe's Turkey burger, 28 almonds, 100 grams cucumber salad   479 calories

TOTAL CALORIC CONSUMPTION  1399 CALORIES

calories burned
6PM elliptical 32 minutes 442 calories

MONDAY NET CALORIES   957 CALORIES

BANANA REPUBLIC

BANANA REPUBIC JACKET

Yesterday on my way to Onalaska, Wisconsin near the Minnesota border, I stopped at the Tanger Outlet Mall in Wisconsin Dells that I zipped by scores and scores of times over the past 20 years and never had the desire to visit. I was shopping for some top quality dress shirts and a lightweight jacket.   I found something that I liked at Banana Republic.   For most of my life, no one has accused me of being a 'snappy dresser.'  Of course, when one is 100+ pounds overweight - there isn't a garment in the universe that can be called snappy.  These days, while I still have plenty of weight to shed, I can attempt to dress a bit more 'snappily.'  One thing, that I felt that I needed was a lightweight spring jacket.  (My collection of XXL just don't look good anymore - and they never did.)  I was very pleased to find something real sharp at Banana Republic. It is fun to buy such a quality garment marked down 60% from $99.99.  In addition, I opened a Banana Republic Visa account which earned me an additional 15% discount.  Wisconsin has a much lower sales tax rate than Chicago, so my complete receipt shows that I spent just $36.30 for this gorgeous jacket. Is it possible that in the future, this Marc Jacobs, might become a bit more fashionable? Yep, that's the plan.

modeling my  BANANA REPUBLIC JACKET

It's a good thing that I was shopping at Banana Republic today and not two weeks ago. This jacket fits well, but it is snug. If I should tack on just a couple of pounds - it will no longer fit. On the other hand, since the plan is to shed perhaps at least twenty pounds more, this jacket will only fit a little bit better over the coming weeks. Slipping on this jacket on made me feel like 'a million bucks,' even if it cost me only $36 bucks!


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MONDAY MENU

breakfast   one cup oatmeal w/prune, two poached eggs, two strips turkey 'bacon'       355 calories
lunch         JIMMY JOHNS #14 BOOTLEGGER UNWICH, one whole pickle           250 calories
sinner        JIMMY JOHNS #14 BOOTLEGGER UNWICH, one whole pickle
                 CAMPBELL'S SLOW KETTLE CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP, spinach      480 calories

TOTAL CALORIES CONSUMED  1085 CALORIES

CALORIES BURNED
6:30AM elliptical 32 minutes 437 calories

MONDAY NET CALORIES 648 CALORIES