WARNING: Okay, for those of you reading my blog for the first time, I don’t suggest this be your initial post of choice. I think I’m a pretty good writer…leaving the reader sometimes challenged, sometimes inspired, sometimes contemplative and hopefully always with a good feeling of sorts. This blog, however, is all about my light bulb moment with food…fast food to be more specific. So if you’re in the mood to be left wide eyed and somewhat exasperated by my findings, read on. If not, I suggest you dive into a different category on my blog.
So I’ve been married for four months now and life is totally amazing except for the so called traditional weight gain. I am sad to report that in this time period I have gained over 10 pounds. That is A LOT of weight, my friend! Very discouraged by this, I have been feverishly trying to discover the evil fiend present in my current plight. I exercise regularly and eat what I consider sensibly but to my disdain the pounds continue to add up.
Well after taking a Body Mass Index test, I was able to appropriately determine my ideal weight AND the amount of calories I should be consuming to lose weight. I learned that proper diet and exercise is vital for appropriate weight loss. For me, I should be exercising 3-4 times weekly and consuming between 1700-1800 calories daily to lose weight. I should never go below 1300 calories and should not exceed 1900 (Basically, if I go below, I start burning lean mass which I need and obviously if I go above I’m gaining).
We did the test about six weeks back and it basically just became head knowledge until a week ago when I had, you guessed it, “a light bulb moment”. While looking up the calorie content of some particular food items I was surprised to find that the calories were through the roof and WAY more than I ever thought. What follows are just a few of the items that I had been growing to enjoy during our travels when forced to eat out. I must warn you…it’s not pretty. I’m afraid I have changed my views on some food I loved very dearly. It might do the same to you.
Chick-Fil-A is one of my fav restaurants yet just a combo meal like this one: Chicken Sandwich, medium Waffle Fries and a medium Dr. Pepper equals a whopping 930 calories! That is more than half the amount of calories I am allowed per day in just one meal! And how about those yummy Hand Spun Milk Shakes? Cookies and Cream contains 790 calories!!!!
Wendy’s…how about a Junior Bacon Cheeseburger Deluxe, medium Fry and a Sprite? 920 calories. And the Frosty’s we all know and love: a small is 320 calories!
Then there’s Sonny’s. Oh, I can taste their Corn Nuggets now at 608 calories per portion. And that Caesar Salad with Chicken Tenders…don’t let the fact that it’s a “salad” fool you…1014 calories. Just a half order of Onion Rings is 724 calories.
I don’t want to leave you too discouraged…the same restaurants contain very healthy and enjoyable items…Chick-Fil-A’s Chargrilled Chicken Sandwich is a mere 270 calories and the Turkey Lunch portion at Sonny’s is only 77 calories!
The idea is that we need to be a little more aware of what we are putting into our bodies and how it all adds up.
More updates to come on the best foods to eat and my progress on losing the mucho weight I need to drop!
