The cook and the gym

Lately I've been spending a lot of time with my new best friends; Ronald McDonald, The KFC Colonel and Mister Donuts.

I seem to be eating a lot more than usual, especially in the Winter, although I do admit that I eat quite a lot anyhow. With freezing weather like this, I need all the fat I can get to keep warm. However with a friend's wedding soon approaching, I've started going to the gym and taking advantage of the wonderful facilities, that is the hot baths. I seem to be spending more time in the baths than actually working out.

I never have to use my shower at home (or my hairdryer) again. It's just like going to an onsen with massage chairs, hot baths, cold baths, sauna with TV and oh yeah, ofcourse the use of the high-tech machines, various aerobics/dance classes and friendly staff.

I've tried the funk, street dance, jazz, hip hop, mat pilates and yoga classes. Although I have to concentrate even more to understand the Japanese instructions, usually I can get away with just following what everyone else is doing.

But some of the ladies who take part in the classes are hardcore. HARDCORE. I've seen them in all the classes I've been in and also in all the classes I see while I'm using the machines. Take the hip hop class for example. It was a 'beginners class' but it was so hard. I now realise how unco I am as I couldn't remember all the dance steps while these oba-chans were totally busting a groove. They were very nice and friendly and one older oba-chan was very encouraging when I asked if the class was difficult. "Don't worry. You're very young and I'm a lot older. You'll be fine." Regardless to say, when the music started playing, she chewed me up, spat me out and wiped the studio floor with me. I was shocking.

Our teacher was this dude in baggy velour pants, serious bling aroung his neck (but ofcourse) and a grey t-shirt with a stencilled print of Gary Coleman's face. Simply classic. I tried to keep up and followed exactly what he was doing in the mirror. However since I was following his mirror image I kept on turning the wrong way and ended up facing the wrong direction. every.single.time. I was cringe-worthy.

At the beginning when we were warming up, I accidentally turned right instead of left while we were crouched down with one leg outstretched, and because I twisted around the wrong way I pulled some muscle in my right thigh. It seriously killed. I was in so much pain but I had my pride and just kept bopping away. Perhaps they thought I was really getting into it, (you know, adding in my own flavour) but I was just trying to alleviate the pain.

Anyways I got Cheryl to sign up too and now I have someone to laugh with when we both can't touch our toes while all the other ladies are stretched right over with their heads on their knees. Ouch.

I also saw one of my 2nd year baseball boys working out there. How embarrassment. Damn, is he fit. Damn, he is like 17 years old. *shakes head*

After the gym I'm usually famished and end up cooking heaps. I don't think this gym thing is going to last very long.

Chilli tomato squid

Grilled chicken, shitake mushrooms and veges

Fried udon noodles with egg, chicken and veges

My version of Niku-jaga with the added tofu and mushrooms

My version of mee-goreng

Pan fried crumbed chicken with bak choy

Kimchi nabe

Homemade peanut butter cookies my neighbour gave me