Monday, April 23, 2012

Calorie Killer

On Saturday night, Chris and I went out with some friends to Applebee's. Anticipating the evening out and all of the calories it would entail, I was very careful with breakfast & lunch and had about 1300 calories left (thanks to a quick elliptical workout).

We went to dinner and had a great time; and ate some really yummy food. Now, know that I knew that I wasn't making the best choices (potato twisters and a pasta with Alfredo sauce), but I figured that I would be ok considering my vast leftover calories.
Wrong.
My pasta totaled in at 1,460 calories and half of the appetizer at 485. AH! That's 1,945 calories in one meal. I was so bummed!

This is where my ChangeOne reading comes into play. I know that restaurant portions are way too big. So, CO suggests you only eat half of what you are given and take the rest home with you. If you are unbearably hungry after you've eaten half- eat half of what you set aside and then stop. If I would have done this Saturday night I would have been fine with some calories to spare.

Also, I think next time I'm going to look up the entrees I like and decide beforehand based on the calorie count. 

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Meet Cassie

"Hi, Cassie!"
Cassie is one of my dear friends and is, without a doubt, one of the sweetest people on the planet. I have known her since my sophomore year in high school. She was such a doll to me when I was the new girl at school- she made the transition from school to school SO much easier. She is so talented- from theater to cake making this girl does it all. Take a sec and check out the grooms cake she did for us! 
Anyway, Cassie is such an inspiration to me in so many ways; health being one of them. Her story is so motivating and relatable to anyone who has battled weight loss with a health problem...or battled weight loss at all! Check her out:

"Hi! My name is Cassie, and I have PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome). PCOS is awful for many reasons, but for Sugarahaolics Anonymous, I’ll try to stick with those that pertain to weight loss. My body is resistant to insulin, which causes a whole domino effect of other hormonal problems, but as far as weight loss goes, this means that it’s easier for me to gain weight and more difficult for me to lose weight than most women. Seriously, check these photos out:
 
Yes, these are both me!! The picture on the left is from June 2010 and the picture on the right is from October 2011, when I was at my peak weight. I had never weighed that much before and I will never weigh that much again! I have lost 13 lbs so far since then, and though it is definitely a struggle, I KNOW I can get to a healthy weight."
Name: Cassie Walker
Age: 22

Describe your addiction: Chocolate

3 foods you can’t live without: Costa Vida sweet pork enchiladas, baked goods, and chocolatey snacks/candies

3 foods you can live without: Surprisingly, I’ve discovered I can live without Oreos, chips, and (didn’t think it was possible) ice cream!

Your healthy go-to food: Whole fruit that I can take on the go: oranges, apples, etc. 

Your favorite way to work out: Black light Zumba with my girls, swimming laps with my husband
Your least favorite way to work out: Running (bleck! They say you learn to love it… we’ll see.)

What is your current health/fitness goal: 40 lb weight loss - I’m down 13 so far!

What is your biggest challenge when it comes to being healthy? As a poor college student, I have a hard time finding the time to exercise and the money to eat healthy.
What motivates you? With PCOS, if I don’t get to a healthy weight, I could develop type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart problems. But even more importantly, losing weight increases the chance that I’ll be able to have children. That’s a huge motivator for me.
What are some of your big goals regarding health/fitness? Get to a healthy weight this year, and stay there for life.