Annoying Things at the Gym and Delicious Cookies

Oh my goodness, my roommate Kelly and I just made the most yummy oatmeal chocolate chip cookies...but more on that later.

This morning I got up, ate my breakfast, and had a delicious cup of coffee. My coffee is "double chocolate" flavored :). After letting my stomach settle, it was time to get my workout on. My time in the gym consisted of:
15 minutes on the step-mill
20 minutes on the elliptical
15 minutes of running on the treadmill

I don't know why, by the step-mill is a killer workout! Within 5 minutes of being on the thing I was sweating like crazy.

Now, I want to enlighten you with some of the things that I find most annoying at gyms. I realize these things may not occur at all gyms, but I've seen them at every one I've been to.

1. Not wiping off machines/mats - People, there are spray bottles and towels for a reason. I do not want to get on a machine after you have been dripping your sweat all over it. Also, there are signs hanging around the gym asking you to wipe them off...so why aren't you doing it? Not only does wiping off the machine after you've been on it help eliminate sweaty leftovers, but it gets rid of bacteria...:) that's a good thing, yay! Ok so let's please do that.
2. Running on the treadmill while holding on - This always perplexes me. If you're holding on while running, it doesn't look very safe and I'm often afraid the person is going to trip and go flying. Also, it decreases the effectiveness of the workout. So I guess this doesn't really annoy me, but just makes me curious
3. Grunting/screaming in the weight room - This is mainly for the men out there, but I've also heard some ladies do it as well. I understand that a little grunt here and there can actually help you get through a tough lift, but do you need to grunt so loud that I can hear you across the gym while I have my iPod blasting songs from Glee? No, you don't. I'm sorry, but that's not necessary and it's actually really frustrating for me because it breaks my concentration while counting reps and remembering to breath. Also, I have only seen this once, but it was obnoxious! A women was doing arm circles with 5lb weights and screaming...not grunting folks, screaming! I think the annoyance factor on that one is self-explanatory.
4. Using profanity while exercising - Sometimes I've heard men swear while lifting weights instead of grunt. And generally, it's not a baby swear word like damn or hell...it's the f-bomb or sh*t. I think this is a bit inappropriate to be doing in a public venue if you ask me. Also, if you like to swear while watching your favorite sports team losing...please don't do it on the treadmill next to me- that's just rude.
5. Sitting on the benches in the locker room while naked - Um...ew, this grosses me out. I don't mind people getting naked in the locker room, that's what it's there for. But do you need to sit on things with your naked lady parts? Yuck, it gives me the willys. 

So anyway...those are things that I've seen happen at every gym I've been too. I find them really annoying and just wanted to share. Most of these I find disrespectful to other people working out, but then again, that's just my opinion! 

Now for the cookies:

Chocolate-Chip Oatmeal Cookies   (from The Repressed Pastry Chef)

 

 Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
1teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips (and a little more for good luck as Kelly likes to say)

We had 23 cookies in the end

May have stolen some handfuls...;)

What to do:
Preheat the oven to 325° F
In the bowl use an electric mixer to cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg then stir in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt and then stir into the creamed mixture until just blended. Mix in the quick oats and chocolate chips. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto un-greased baking sheets. Bake for 15 minutes then remove sheets from oven and let them cool. Eat and enjoy!

I want to eat them all!

These taste fantastic!! They are slightly crispy on the outside and chewy in the middle...omg it's like heaven in your mouth :)

Hope everyone is having a good Sunday! I'm off to do some more studying and then I have a Skype date later with Chris...yay!