The Unleashed One Speaks on Texas Roadhouse (#ThrowbackFoodReview)

Hello there! Ova Veugh here. It's a great time to have a Throwback, don't you agree? Um ... well, even if you don't, how about one anyway ... lol.

This time, let's talk about food. This throwback is from December of last year (2017) where The Unleashed One talks about her very first trip to Texas Roadhouse.

Name of Establishment: Texas Roadhouse

Address: 1305 NJ 33, Hamilton Township, NJ 08690

Establishment Type: Restaurant

Foods Served: American cuisine, primarily steak

This is a tough review because this place scored high in one area and would have stayed there had it not been for the disaster that happened as we were getting ready to pay, but I will get to that later.

My boyfriend (at the time) and I just hit the 6 month mark in our union, and he wanted us to go out to celebrate. Texas Roadhouse was the other steakhouse spot he always wanted to go to (Longhorne was the 1st). 

Wait Time: Relatively short. We didn't have to wait too long before we were seated. 

Initial Friendliness: The staff does go out of their way to try to make you feel welcome once you reveal that you are a first time visitor (both he and I were), almost to the point of over kill ... in a sense where there were times when he and I were deep in discussion about something and then we would get interrupted. On the bright side, the waitress did take a picture of us. 

Food: We both enjoyed our entrees. For me, the bread I could take or leave.

Now, here is where the tide turns. Our waitress hands us the bill. I look at the ticket, and it is around the 66-67 ball park. My boyfriend (at the time) gives her the credit card. However, the amount he got charged was close to 80 bucks. I noticed just before he signed that the dollar amount was wrong.

Although the management apologized profusely, it really put a crimp on what was an otherwise delightful evening.

Overall score:

#Ehh

Largely because of the major mess up with being billed for someone else's food. If that hadn't occurred, the score would be more like ...

#ICanWorkWithThat

Moral of the Review: Always pay close attention to your ticket.

Well, despite the mess up, this makes me want to have some steak, but I'm trying to watch my figure ... oh, we have run out of time. Thanks for checking out another Throwback Thursday.

Mini Truth Speaks on Primitive Fix (#ThrowbackBookReview)

Hello all! Ova Veugh here, and welcome to another Throwback Thursday. Today's throwback is from January 2014, on a book entitled Primitive Fix by Alicia Sparks. Is the fix in on this book? Let's see what Mini Truth have to say.

Primitive Fix by Alicia Sparks

Available on Amazon

You ever get a book and think to yourself, “Oh boy! I can't wait to read it!”? Such was the case for me in this book.

Let's rewind just a small bit to bring you all up to speed.

I won this book from a Twitter Giveaway Contest.

SIDE NOTE 1: The author was extremely prompt in her delivery. That's commendable. So kudos.

I delved into the book and the first thing I noticed right off the bat was the poorly constructed cover. The next thing I noticed was the poor formatting.

The top of the book, the place where you'd usually find the header, like the author name a book title, was cut off. Also at certain intervals there were blank pages. Another thing that could've used some polishing was the separation space between the chapter title and the text. It was too close.

From the first sentence, I instantly knew that this book was just another knock off in a long line of Shape Shifter books. The wanna-be Harlequin Romance.

SIDE NOTE 2: It did have some spicy erotica scenes. Truth be told however, they were written in an almost bland delivery. Like a cheesy porn flick to be honest. But, steamy nonetheless.

Here is the gist of the story line:

The main character is Kenyon a tiger and 2nd in the blood line. He needs to save his older Brother Nik also a tiger but 1st in the blood line. In the process of trying to save him he re-encounters his true love—a Wolf. Apparently they were distended to be together per some promise-slash-tradition-slash-ritual.

SIDE NOTE 3: Per the story, these unions could not produce children and were the only ones tied to this covenant. Any other brethren could live freely and marry freely except for the first in the bloodline which had to marry INTO the bloodline... or some such nonsense.

Sorry, but this made absolutely NO SENSE! How in the hell is a TIGER going to mate with a WOLF? I mean seriously, a dog and a cat? Pfff!

SIDE NOTE 4: The chick, is NOT JUST a wolf, but also a person to person shape shifter. Basically, imagine if you will Mystique from the X-men, only also a wolf.

Nik (brother number one) has lost his humanity and Kenyon (brother number two) feels like it's his job to save him and help him regain his humanity.

Sage, the girl-slash-wolf-slash-Mystique, feels it's her responsibility to help both families but really wants out.

Kenyon loves Sage, and Sage loves Kenyon, but they are both too stubborn to give in. Sound familiar? Yes. I'm sure it does as every single cheesy paranormal romance book I've ever read has this same premise.

In all truth I felt no connection to the characters, the plot or anything in this story for that matter. It felt to me as if the writing was dry and unemotional. Just a person telling what was going on from the outside.

The writing was good enough. There were every few, barely noticeable, editing mistakes.

Unfortunately, I just did not like this book.

Final score ...

#Ehh

The fix was in but not in this author's favor. What can you do?

Thanks for checking out Unleashed Truth on this Throwback Thursday. Have a terrific day everyone!

The Unleashed One Speaks on Chic and Curvy (#ThrowbackFashionReview)

Greetings everyone. Miss Ova Veugh here, welcoming you to another Throwback Thursday. Today, we take a break from books and venture into fashion. 

This throwback is from April 2013, and it is The Unleashed One's time to shine. Will Chic and Curvy's review be #onfleek? (I've always wanted to say that.) There's only one way to find out.

Name of Business: Chic and Curvy (known as Chic and Curvy Boutique when the review was done)

Based in: Inglewood, California

Target Audience: contemporary plus size fashion, the curvy confidant, plus size women

Website: https://chicandcurvy.com

Instragram: @chicandcurvyboutique

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chicandcurvy/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/chicandcurvy

Hello. Unleashed One here. Before I get into the crux of this throwback, I have to share with everyone a few things about me.

(1) I rarely buy anything for myself. It is only within these past few years that I've become more selfish as it pertains to my needs.

(2) My wardrobe, in the past (and who am I fooling ... currently), consists of items made for everyday and multiple function. It is slim when I have an item that is for a special occasion.

(3) If that special occasion does not come into fruition, the item will just sit in the closet until (a) it doesn't fit anymore (b) I find someone who may need it more than I or (c) I end up donating it.

(4) Ninety-five percent of the time, when I do buy something, it is on sale ... and the sale has to be forty percent or greater. I'll even take a buy one, get one free. If there is no sale, I will find a coupon, or a coupon code ... worse case, Honey will find something. (My review on Honey to come soon.)

The year 2013. One of my closest friend (nickname: Sugar Plum) was telling me about an event that she was going to have around her birthday. It was going to have the colors of black and white, and she asked me about attending. Although she and I have been connected since the days of Yahoo 360 (dang that makes me sound old), we had yet to meet. Of course I agreed.

So ... in my typical fashion (read: get prepared many months ahead of time), I started to shop around for the perfect outfit because nothing I had would do. Then I came across this dress ... and something about it made me excited.

Maybe it was the way the black was in between all of that white. Perhaps it was the confident pose of the lady. All I know was that the dress looked to be all that and a bag of chips. The song "Brick House" by The Commodores would be in my head, so my nickname for the dress was "The Brick House Dress".

I also noticed that one would have to have oodles of body confidence to pull off such a look. However, I was convinced I would get some by the time the event rolled around. Sure, I checked out other spots, but I kept circling back to this dress. It was different from anything I had ever worn, much less ever worn ...

Now that I got the background set, let's get into my thoughts.

It was around February (2013) when I first saw the dress. The dress that made my jaw drop. It’s rare that I see a clothing item that screams to me, “I have to have it.” I tend to be very frugal as it pertains to getting anything for myself.

But this dress right here … I had to have it, and you had to pre-order it. I went ahead and pre-ordered it, waiting patiently.

The anticipated ship out date was to be sometime in early March. A week past that date came and went, but still no dress. I looked in my e-mail to see if tracking information was sent for my item, and I didn't see any. I contacted them via Facebook to inquire about my order. They sent an e-mail to me, letting me know that because of the huge demand for this particular dress, there was a one to two week delay.

To compensate for this, they offered to do one of four things:

1. Exchange the dress for another items or items on the website.

2. Receive store credit for a future purchase

3. Exchange that dress order for the sleeveless version of the dress to ship around late March

4. Wait for the original.

In other circumstances, I would have taken the credit, but I couldn't forget the feeling I had when I saw the dress. I let them know I would wait for the dress.

The dress arrived about a week and a half later. The first thing I noticed was that on the model, the white color looked closer to cream. I didn't mind it, but I would have to be careful to make sure I didn’t get it too messy.

Next thing was to try the dress on, which was a slight struggle to get to the opening but I finally did. 

Side Note 1: I’m glad I did proper measurements for this dress. I almost went a size up, but the dress wouldn't have fit properly on me if I did that.

It fit perfectly in the chest (not overly snug). The chest is what I was the most concerned about, since my chest is a bit over-sized compared to the rest of me. A nice fit in the waist, but slightly loose in the hips, which didn't surprise me because my hips aren't overly wide. The sleeves also were a little long but not long enough to where it couldn't be remedied.

Some substantial heels had to be worn with the dress because the skirt drags the floor (it also doesn't help that I'm just 5' 6"), but other than that, the dress is definitely a winner.

Side Note 2: The styles definitely cater more to special events or club wear. Also, to those women who are a bit taller.

Side Note 3: If you tend to like more conservative (less flashy) styles, this site may not be your cup of tea.  

Side Note 4: If you are hyper sensitive about certain parts of your body, then a few of the fashions may not be what you are looking for.

Pros:

1. The designs are full of color and prints.

2. They actually have plus sized models that are modeling the clothes so you can get a real sense of how it would fit on the body.

3. They e-mailed about the delay and gave options to remedy the inconvenience.

4. Great for those who are proud of the curves.

Cons:

1. At times the website was a bit tough to maneuver through. Like I would place something in my cart but when I went to check out, it wouldn't immediately take me to the check out screen.

2. There was quite a delay in when I got the item I ordered (I did get notified about the delay when I inquired).

3. Need more variety with the jewelry and accessories section.

4. The sizing is Junior Plus, and no sizes above a 3X. There's also no Petite section.

Overall, my rating is:

#IDigIt

Now Ova, I know this is the part where you wish everyone farewell, but I do have some very important updates as it pertains to "The Brickhouse Dress".

Okay, you're still here? Good!

Well, Sugar Plum ended up canceling her event, so the dress (and the similar looking shoes) stayed in my closet that year ... and the next year ... and the next year ... you get the picture.

Until this year (and in a different closet in a different location ... but that talk is for another day).

One of my co-workers was having a re-commitment ceremony and Mini Truth and myself were invited. Since the dress code was formal, "The Brickhouse Dress" came to mind. 

However, it had been a little over 5 and a half years since I purchased the dress. My body had gone through some changes, particularly this year with losing weight. Therefore, I was uncertain whether I would still be able to wear the dress ... or had I lost too much weight for the dress to fit properly?

Luck was on my side, so I present pictures of yours truly in "The Brick House Dress".

This has concluded another Throwback Thursday. Let's hope it's not another five and a half years before I get all snazzy ... lol

Mini Truth Speaks on The Coal Elf (#ThrowbackBookReview)

Hello everyone! Welcome to Throwback Thursday on Unleashed Truth. I am your hostess, Miss Ova Veugh. Today's throwback comes from September 2014. It is a book entitled The Coal Elf by Maria DeVivo. Will this work be up to snuff? Let's travel back with Mini Truth to find out.

The Coal Elf by Maria DeVivo

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Blurb (per Goodreads)

Ember Skye is a fed up teenage Coal Elf with a big ashy chip on her shoulder. Having been torn away from a carefree life and forced into a world of dirt and darkness has started to get the best of her. And being the only girl-elf working as a coal miner at the North Pole doesn't help much either!

Then there's Sturd: a power-hungry, twisted elf with a checkered past and a serious grudge against Ember. Slowly but surely, his maniacal tendencies are revealed, leaving Ember with the sacred "Naughty List" literally in her lap.

When a mysterious illness threatens to decimate elves both Above and Underground, Ember is thrust into a journey that will see her confront the literal and figurative demons of her past and lead her to the head of the North Pole himself.

Yes! Santa is real. But this isn't your childhood Christmas tale.

Ember Skye is a rarity—she's a female coal elf.

What is a coal elf, you ask? Coal elves are the elves that mine and collect the coal that will be distributed to all of the naughty children of the world on Christmas Day.

Why is Ember a rarity? Because the position of coal elf is typically reserved for male elves. If and when a female is sent to the mines as a Life Job, it's typically as caretaker of the miners—this is not Ember's job. She IS A miner.

Ember finds herself in a dark place in life, as she is struggling with her inner demons. She cannot understand why “The Boss” would put her here. As the matter a fact, she questions everything. She's constantly haunted by her happy elven childhood, and is pestered by the fact that she has to be here (in the mines) as opposed to “Aboveground” where she grew up happily. Her family wasn't perfect, sure. Her mother was uppity and her father a softy. Her sister was always teasing her, like all sisters do—this was the extent of hard times in her life as a child. She had a marvelous granny that loved her dearly and took great care of her. So, things weren't really that bad. At least until the day she discovers the Life Job that The Boss assigned to her.

Her father tries to console her by telling her that she's probably going to be a care taker, and that he was certain that there was a higher purpose, however at this point in Ember's life, she's already been mining for six years; so, what higher purpose could there be? None that she could see.

This story is filled with colorful characters and prose. There are so many layers to this story that if I were to get into it, I might not complete this review. Suffice it to say that I enjoyed it very much.

Following I'll give you my thoughts in the form of Pros and Cons. I'll start with the cons, as there are very few of them.

Cons:

• My only complaint, if any, had to do with sentence structure issues. Now, bear in mind—this is very important—grammatically speaking, they were not incorrect. It's more of a personal preference than anything else. Only because in constantly reading sentences like these, the reader can become exhausted.

It had to do with the excessive use of the “;” (semicolon).

I suppose it's best to show you rather than tell you.

Page 145 Reads as such:

“She knew what she felt; she knew what her intentions felt like; she knew the desperation inside her when she looked at Banter sprawled out helplessly on his bed; she knew the dread she felt to think the same fate would befall Barkuss, or Tannen, or even herself.”

Sentences like this were found time and time again throughout the entirety of the text. In my own humble opinion, the excessive use of semicolons could have been cut down by the simple implementation of periods and the starting of a new sentence.

This did not affect my opinion of the book.

So, that was it. No more cons.

Pros:

• The author had an incredibly crafty way of writing her prose. There were so many great little tidbits in her writing style that made me chuckle in content. Following is an example—page 25 reads as such:

“Alone, she collected her thoughts and tried so desperately to piece together some sort of meaning to it all.

Heave.

Break.

Heave.

Smash.

All day. Every day. For the List. Chosen by the Boss. Summoned by the Council. Hacking away at cave walls.”

I absolutely adored this, because it not only demonstrated the thoughts, but also the actions. It was little things like this that made me smile throughout the story.

• The characters were believable, as was the plot.
• While the story was made for Youth/YA's, it is definitely something an adult can enjoy. Or, the adult that's a kid at heart.
• The story line was intriguing and well thought out. It demonstrated the “dark” side of Christmas, and was portrayed well.
• The invention of elven things like Coppleysites, Nessie Fruit, Graespurs and Grulish, were just so cute, well explained, and creative.
• Each character description was on point, and helped the reader see the characters.
• While this was a “dark fairy tale”, it wasn't so ominous that it made one feel sad. As the matter of fact it did quite the opposite. Even while you were reading a “dark tale” you could still feel the Christmas cheer. I loved that about the story.

All in all, I absolutely loved The Coal Elf, and highly recommend it to anyone that is looking to read about the other side of Christmas.

My final score...

#IDigIt

That includes this week's Throwback Thursday. I am Ova and out!

Unleashed Truth Speak on Planet Fitness

Hello everyone! Welcome to the debut of Unleashed Truth. Today’s review will be about Planet Fitness. To make things easier, the two locations most frequented will be discussed. 

The Unleashed One

I am going to discuss each location separately with my thoughts.

Planet Fitness (Morrisville)

229 Plaza Boulevard

Morrisville, PA 19067

https://www.planetfitness.com/gyms/morrisville-pa

I was told about this location by someone. Since I go to Morrisville (mainly to the Farmers Market), I decided to give it a try. The day I typically go is Saturdays (sometimes on Sundays).

Atmosphere: There is a calm about this place no matter which day I go. It is bigger than the Planet Fitness in Ewing and the machines are a bit more spaced out. There is a dedicated area for abdominals (which I like), along with an area for the 30-minute workout. I also like the space they have for stretching and yoga.

Machines (availability of use): No area of this gym is highly congested. Even though I haven’t gone to the weight section yet, there are not many people over there. In addition, the people who are in that area are considerate if there is another person waiting for the bench, dumbbells, or the machines in general. So, if I could go over there, I could … with little or no hassle.

There are also machines here that aren't at the Ewing location. One type are the Hammer Strength line of machines. There are some for the upper body as well as the abdominals. Trust me … they are no joke! I like them a lot, so every time I come to this location, I try my best to get a workout on a Hammer Strength, especially the abdominal crunch.

Cardio wise, although they have the stair machines, they still have the old machines (treadmill, bike, elliptical, and ARC trainer). I am a fan. I go into detail in the Ewing review as to why I love the old vs. the new.

Machines (ease of use): Most of the machines have just the picture illustrations but no writing. This may throw off some people who are used to written instructions (I don’t mind either way). 

Machines (What to Add and Subtract):

This area needs more (or to include):

• Hammer Strength
• The rowing type equipment that the Ewing location has (for those rehabilitating or just getting back into the swing of working out): This area would benefit because this gym targets an older demographic

This area should subtract: 

• Hmmm … I’m not sure it needs to really subtract anything so far. This place has less elliptical and ARC trainers than Ewing.

Overall score:

#IDigIt

Planet Fitness (Ewing)

1560 North Olden Avenue

Ewing Township, NJ 08638

https://www.planetfitness.com/gyms/ewing-nj

I became a member of this gym when it first opened. I purchased the Black Card membership with the hopes of my husband at the time joining me. One, it would give me continued encouragement on the road to being healthy. Two, I believed that exercise would be a terrific activity for the two of us to do together, since there were moments when we didn’t see each other much due to our work schedules.

To make a long story short, circumstances became challenging, and I had to decide which items were more pertinent. Think of it as the whole “robbing Peter to pay Paul”. So, my gym membership fell to the waste side as I had to focus on working two jobs to compensate for my then husband’s stasis of underemployment as well as unemployment. This eventually led to my medical condition getting worse and become unregulated.

Fast forward to this year. Minus the second job, minus a husband, but also minus a few pounds.

I had gotten sick with that nasty Super Flu at the beginning of 2018, plus there were other ailments going on causing further complications. I was out from work about two and a half weeks as well as twenty pounds lighter. It was a twenty pounds where you could really tell one had been sick. The skin hanging from certain areas was really bothering me, and I wanted to do something about the predicament. That got me to thinking about the gym again. In addition, my health insurance situation had improved, so I was able to see not only a doctor more regularly but get referred to a doctor who really could assist me in getting my medical condition in order. It was the final push I needed to go back to the gym. It had been so long that I was no longer in the system, so I reapplied.

I selected the Black Card membership. This time, it was for different reasons. I wanted the flexibility to go to any Planet Fitness I wanted. Two, just for my roommate to try it, and if she liked it, she could join as well.

This Planet Fitness is my primary work out gym. It is the easiest one for both Mini Truth and myself to get to after work. Our typical work out days at this gym are Tuesdays and Thursdays.

I am going to share with you my experiences at this location.

Atmosphere: In my observation, Tuesday is the busier of the two days. (However, Mondays and Wednesdays are the heaviest … I know because my old workout regimen prior to Mini Truth joining me was to do Mondays and Wednesdays. If you don’t like it overly crowded, it’s best not to go on those two days in particular).

Machines (availability of use): The weight section of this Planet Fitness, no matter which day you go, is pretty crowded with people. It’s difficult for me to get in a zen state even when I have the chance to be in that area. In addition, there have been times when there is a dumbbell I want to use, but it is missing. Usually, it is left near an entirely different location. I admit, the few times I have had the opportunity, I find myself organizing the weights properly, in order from lightest to heaviest.

Another area of the gym that is hard to gain access to near the weightlifting area. It’s the machines that allow you to do various upper body exercises, such as the tricep press, lateral pulldown, and many others. These stations come with attachments, so you can swap them out, based on what area of the body one wants to focus on. It is Bogarted by the bodybuilding die-hards as well as the people who come with their personal trainers. 

Machines (ease of use): Most of the machines are pretty self-explanatory. However, there are a couple of machines that have seen better days and need WD-40 or replacing altogether. One of them is the AB coaster. It is missing the item that holds the weights on the bottom in place. When I have to use it (because the other has been out of order for a while), I do so carefully, for fear that one of the weights will fly off and hurt someone. That might have been the case with the cracked mirror just in front of the machine. That mirror has been like that for months. Another machine is one of the leg presses (it creaks during usage) as well as the adjustability of some of the pulldown machines (the weight adjuster knob gets stuck or the pin doesn’t slip in and out very easily). 

I know you may be thinking, “Why not just use the machine that isn’t raggedy?”

On certain days (Tuesday being the culprit), one can wait almost ten minutes to get on the nicer machine. Yeah, the machines I just mentioned … not a whole lot of them at this gym.

Machines (Old vs. New): Just recently, this location upgraded most of their cardio equipment, including adding stair master machines. I have not tried the stair machine as of this writing. However, I have been on the bike, the treadmill, the elliptical, and the ARC trainer. 

Truth be told, I preferred the old machines, particularly with the treadmill. Here’s why.

(1) I actually liked and took advantage of the cool down segment. The new machines eliminated the cool down.

(2) There are different components (such as the incline) that I like seeing so that I can adjust at will. The new machines remove some of that capability.

(3) The old treadmills have a longer ramp. I feel more confident with increasing my stride or having a mini jog (I haven’t worked my way up to sprinting yet) if I have more “road” to deal with if you will. With the new treadmills, the ramp is shorter, so when I see a dedicated jogger going to town, I try to find the treadmill the farthest away because of all the shaking going on. In other words, it doesn’t look as steady as the older ones.

Machines (What to Add and Subtract)

In my opinion, this location needs more:

• Treadmills
• Bikes
• Rowing Machines (for people who are doing rehabilitation or just getting started with exercising): these machines appear when you first walk in to the facility to the left-hand side
• Hammer Strength machines (these machines are designed to move with the body’s natural path of motion as well as allow multiple areas of the body to be worked out at once--think of it as more bang for the buck)
• Torso rotation machine
• Stair machines

This location could use less of:

• ARC trainer
• Elliptical 

For this location, I give it a

#ICanWorkWithThat

It’s close. It has many of the basics. Overall, it’s cool.

Mini Truth

Perhaps it is important for me to talk a little bit about my health history before I go into my thoughts about the gym.

Several years ago, when I was much younger, limber and had much more energy I practiced Yoga and Tae Bo regularly. Fast forward 20 years and all that went bye-bye. I found myself in a position where I simply did not have the time nor the energy to workout. Working full time as a teacher, having 4 kids of my own (one with special needs) and a set of dependent parents made it particularly hard for me to have any time whatsoever to so much as breathe, let alone workout. Years later, my health crashed and burned.

You see, I am genetically predisposed to myriad ailments and with the lack of care that I truly required my medical conditions became too many to bear. At last count, I had 8 diagnoses. Three of which were autoimmune in nature. How does one person have 3 autoimmune diseases, I can’t tell you. It just was. Of course, when it came to my health and body I’d always been the oddball, ailing and being affected by things that the majority of people didn’t ail from.

Here is a great example … I am allergic to beef. Yes, please chew on that for a while. 😅 Get it, “chew”? Yeah, I like what I did there.

At any rate, about 5 months ago my roommate-slash-best-friend, The Unleashed One (please see the review above), and I started talking about joining the gym. She joined before I did and I kept saying, “Yes, I’ll join next payday.” Of course, that got pushed back like 3 months. I had fears, you see. Fears of things that I can only assume any level headed person worries about.

One of those fears was perhaps the most prominent ...

“Pretty People”!

You see, in my experience, gyms were made for good-looking people. Those guys and gals that only go to the gym to take selfies and flex in front of the full-sized mirror while holding a dumbbell. The guys with the white muscle shirts all lubed up with baby oil and sweat, and the girls wearing leggings and a bra with a fake tan.

Yeah, them.

I mean, honestly, how would a person like me—middle-aged, overweight, short and with terrible health—look among the Hollywood Bunch?

Not a pretty sight, I assure you.

Due to a hard past, I have had an ongoing battle with my self-esteem for some time. I was not about to put myself in a position where I would feel “less than” again.

So, day in and day out the bestie and I covered the gym situation and I always brought that up. She would tell me, “It’s not like that there. They don’t even pay any attention to you.”

I wasn’t wholly convinced.

Finally, I decided to join. At the end of the day, I was joining for my own health and wellbeing, nothing more and nothing less.

The best fit for me was the Black Card Membership because of my son who is 16 and special needs. It would be hard for me to find him a babysitter every time I had to go to the gym so I figured that this would allow me to bring him even if he just sat at the table and played on his tablet. To my surprise, he wanted to participate in the workouts.

Well, I’ll be damned. The boy that never wants to do anything, wanted to workout with me.

Honestly, being able to workout with both my best-friend and my son was a huge motivation. How could I not do it when I had them to back me up?

My first couple of weeks workingout were rough. It took me some time to get acclimated as well as find a regime that would work for my son as well.

In my time as a Planet Fitness Black Card Member, I’ve worked out at two gyms. The one in Ewing, NJ and the one in Morrisville, PA.

Here are the pros and cons.

I’ll start with the Cons first as there really aren't all that many.

• Depending on what day you go to the gym in Ewing you might have to encounter one particular employee who is lazier than an upper lip. This chick does nothing. I mean, just blah.
• Not all the gyms have the same equipment.
• It can be rather noisy from time to time, but I think that sort of comes with the territory.

Now, the Pros.

• At the top of the list is “the judgment free zone”.No matter what Planet Fitness you go to, you’ll see plastered all over the walls and equipment, “the judgment free zone” and it is in fact so. You find people from all walks of life, that look all kinds of ways, and of all ages doing their thing.No one is there to look at anyone. Everyone is there to do their workout and that’s it.
  It is a beautiful thing!
  The first couple of visits I battled with myself, looking around to see if anyone was looking at me. But, to my surprise no one was. It was just me and the gym, and my son tailing me which was fine.I loved it! And to be completely candid, that was a boost to the ol’ self-esteem. I mean, I went in, did my workout and did not have to worry about who was looking at me or why. Clear conscience and the freedom to just do my thing.

• FREE PIZZA! The first Monday of every month, between 5 and 7PM there is free pizza for all members.
• It does not stink. As a kid, I remember the school gym always smelled of old sock and sweaty ass with a hint of rotten corn chips. But, wouldn’t you know it … CLEAN AIR! OMG, I COULD BREATHE! Ahh, that magnificence of clean, fresh air during a time when you are breathing heavy. It’s bliss, I tell you.
• The equipment is great. While I enjoy the treadmill, exercise bikes, and arm and leg press things, my favorite machine I don’t even know the name of. It is sort of an elliptical that you can sit in. I’ve enclosed a picture. 
  
  This little, inconspicuous machine will burn those calories like nothing! I mean, I am sitting in it for 10 minutes and I am sweating like a pig at a slaughterhouse. It’s phenomenal! Love! The greatest part of this machine is that just like an elliptical, it works your entire body at one time.
• It’s convenient. I don’t have to go too far to find a Planet Fitness nearby. Our regular routine is to go on weekdays after work and in during weekends, early mornings. But, no matter what way I go, there is a Planet Fitness within 5 miles of my home in any circumference.
• There is no pressure. I don’t have a Personal Trainer over my head, breathing down my neck and yelling at me to “Get ‘er done!” It’s just me, my tempo, my time, my goal and most importantly myself. I set my own goal and if I meet it, I pat myself on the back. If I don’t, then I tell myself that I’ll achieve it next time. No pressure.
• The massage stuff. Okay … so, if having access to all the equipment without any restrictions isn’t enough, how about we sweeten the deal with a Hydromassage Chair and a Regular Massage Chair?
  There have been times where my illnesses have cause lots of pain, and so I just do a mere 30 minutes on the treadmill and them plop my big behind on the massage chair and suddenly everything is well with the world.
  I mean, there aren’t very many gyms that can say, “Hey, having a bad day? Don’t really feel like working out? How about a nice massage? Yes, please DO lay down on this incredibly awesome Hydronic Chair, watch TV and relax as the water waves ease the tension. Would you like a cocktail and a fancy umbrella with that?” Okay, okay, so I embellished the last part. But you get what I am saying.
• The overall experience. Joining is easy, prices are cheap, going is simple and convenient, exercising is fun, distractions are plentiful (if you’re the kind that needs to be distracted by music or television while working out) and the regiment is lenient.

Honestly, I can’t complain. I give Planet Fitness a

 #IDigIt

At the end of the day, I’m glad I joined.