Last Set, Best Set

One of the spin instructors at the MAC once had us, after he said "LAST SET," shout back "BEST SET!" It was a little cheesy, but you can bet that it motivated me to make that last set my best set. My spin instructor today said the exact same thing during a tough interval, and it really is the perfect motivator, in all aspects of life. Obviously you should be trying and working hard on every set and with everything you do, but if you know you only have one more chance to push yourself, why not try give it all you've got? Anyway, we'll get to the workout in a minute. Let's back up to yesterday.

Lunch

Both Dylan and I worked until 2:00pm yesterday, so we decided to get a late lunch once we were both done with work. Counter Cafe, which is truly a hidden Austin gem, was one of the items on our Austin To-Do List, so we decided yesterday was as good a day as any to cross that one off. Coutner Cafe is a precious diner that probably seats no more than 20 people at a time. It is only open until 4:00pm, so there is no telling whether or not there will be a wait whenever you decide to go. Lucky for us, because we went at such an off time, there was no wait, and there were probably only four other people in there.

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I knew what I was going to order before I even looked at the menu: the Counter Burger. It came in second on the Texas Monthly's Best Hamburgers list in 2009, so ordering it was a no-brainer. Without even asking me how I would like it cooked, it came back medium-rare, which is precisely how I like my burgers cooked. It came open-faced, ready for the consumer to add whichever fixings or condiments he or she may want. I added a touch of mustard before biting into it, and my taste buds were truly happy. It was perfectly juicy, and it even rivaled my dad's hamburgers, which are usually the only true hamburgers I will eat.

Dylan had actually been here once before with his mom, when he ordered his own Counter Burger. This time he went with the Chicken Burger, which was the other item on the menu that caught my eye. Lucky for me, he let me try a bite, and it was also delicious. Something tells me that I would be able to say that about every item on the menu. Needless to say, our lunch date to Counter Cafe was a win, and I will definitely be returning sometime soon.

And now moving onto today. It's Hump Day, and it has been a crazy day at work, which is precisely why I am taking a break to write this post. Oops!

Breakfast

Today started off with a delicious breakfast of scrambled egg whites, spinach, and salsa, all with a side of (unpictured) watermelon, grapes, and blueberries. A strange combination, but they all tasted excellent. There's something about the summer months that makes me consume more fruit than I ever thought possible.

I let my food digest before hitting the gym at around 10:45am. I knew I was going to take my favorite 12:00pm spin class, but I wanted to do a short warm-up before I got on the bike. I hopped on the treadmill and alternated five minutes of running with five minutes of walking.

Alternating walking with running really makes my time on the treadmill fly by. After half an hour, I headed over to the free weights and completed a very quick arm and ab workout. I'm talking like 12 minutes, tops. Clearly I was feeling less than motivated on that front! It was then time for me to head upstairs, where I set up my favorite bike and started pedaling away while reading my latest Kindle purchase: Divergent. I didn't get very far before the clock struck 12, but it already seems like it is going to be a winner. Shout out to Logan at Mountains and Miles for the recommendation!

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The spin class was tough, as usual, but in the best way possible. I love putting myself through a tough workout, and sometimes I need someone else telling me to do the things that I wouldn't normally do on my own - such as "attacking," or picking up lots of pedal speed, while climbing a hill. It's killer, but you feel great afterward.

After a quick shower upon my return to the Clubhouse, I quickly got ready and headed over to SRD for the 2:00pm shift. I made my usual grilled chicken salad for lunch, but it had a bit more sustenance to it today. There were black beans in the salad bar today, so naturally I added in some of those, as well as some grilled mushrooms and onions, so I threw some of those on as well. I heated up the chicken again today, so it was easily one of the better salads I've ever created. And now it's back to work on the SRD scrapbook. Have a great rest of your Wednesday!