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. 

Problem

With my new job in the mall, a problem has presented itself.

There's a Pretzel Maker...I love soft pretzels. I can eat them, and eat them, and eat them and never grow tired of them. Usually, I go to work thinking "I'll just eat when I get home..." Yeah, right. After 3-5 hours of being on my feet, running around like crazy, I am definitely ready for a break and some food. 

I am caught unprepared with no packed snack or meal, and I only have 15 minutes. Hello Pretzel Maker. Hello salt and butter. Hello giant diet coke.

Clearly, I need to pack something to eat while at work. I've been struggling with this with my other job too. I'm on a mission to find the perfect sack lunch; no soggy sandwiches, no cold meat, and no smashed crackers/chips. Also, it needs to be something that doesn't take too much time to prepare. Anyone out there have any good ideas? I'm thinking something pasta-y or salad-y....

Negative One Star

Chris and I went out to McDonald's for breakfast this morning. Now, I know that this is obviously not a healthy choice, but I was shocked when I went to input my calories into myfitnesspal.

I had 2 hashbrowns and a hotcakes platter (with no syrup). The Grand Calorie total? 808. 

Ouch.  That's a little more than 60% of my total calorie allotment for one day....and its only 10:30am. Now I can really understand why eating out kills you...even if you aren't making the worst choice, there truly isn't a healthy choice. 

So, my rating...NOT WORTH THE CALORIES.

(or negative one star)

 

The Golden Arches

So, I've been working on a presentation for my social problems class on negative body image, focusing mainly on the extremes of obesity and eating disorders. I've been watching a lot of clips on this subject, and this afternoon Chris and I were watching one on McDonald's.

I feel bad for McDonald's- they get so much flack for being a successful business. It really bothers me when I hear of people suing MickeyD's for compensation for their obesity. Yes, McDonald's food is absolutely horrible for you and if you eat a lot of it for an extended period of time you will gain weight and become unhealthy. However, McDonald's meets health codes and nutrition info is available online.

Eating excessive amounts of McDonald's and suffering the consequences is your problem; this is a self control issue- not a restaurant/business issue. Just like any bogus product, we have the choice not to buy it. The freedoms that we enjoy enable businesses to grow and thrive in America and we have the freedom to choose what we eat and what we spend our money on. Maybe instead replacing blame off of yourself, we could fix the problem instead of suing the symptom.

I'll get off my soap box now, I just had to get that off my chest.

Subway

My husband and I hit up Subway today...they had these amazing new chips:

I love them! They are healthy too (well, as healthy as chips can be). We split a bag and a footlong. It was the perfect amount of food.

In other news, Chris entered a weight loss contest at WorldGym this week. He has really cracked down on his diet and has been to the gym every day this week. I am so proud of him! The winner last year won a trip for 2 to Hawaii!

Things are going well, I am really feeling like I am improving...one baby step at a time.

Lesson Learned

Last night was date night- Chris and I went out with our friends to Texas Roadhouse.

I love Texas Roadhouse.

I knew going into it that it was going to be hard (if not nearly impossible) to eat healthy there. I looked at a menu ahead of time and tried my best to pick things out that would be less naughty. I ended up getting  the Veg Plate- which is, essentially, 4 side dishes. 

The odds were stacked against me- they give you unlimited hot rolls and honeybutter (one of my weaknesses, so much sugar!), we had a coupon for a free blossom (a giant fried onion), we started eating late, and I was starving. 

It was soooo good, I can't deny it; but I don't want to know how many calories I consumed over that 1-hour period. The portions are huge! The other problem; we got home at 9:30 and I was exhausted and had to get up at 3:20 the next morning, so I went right to bed.

Now I understand why dieticians say not to eat after 7.

I woke up for work still completely full. I felt so yucky! To wrap this up, this is what I want to do differently in the future:

1. Go to eat earlier, so I have time to digest and all that before I go to bed.

2. Don't order something just because it is free- No more blossoms. 

3. Try to convince Chris to share something with me so I don't have to eat a whole plate by myself. 

4. Try better to eat super healthy for the other two meals so I have extra calories to spare. 

Anyone out there have any good out to eat tricks?