As I pay more attention to making better choices, it amazes me how many calories I really used to consume. Took my nieces and nephew to lunch today at Mimi's Cafe (one of my favorite restaurants). Was very proud of myself - ordered egg white omelette made with turkey sausage, mozzarella cheese, broccoli, and tomatoes. I then only ate half. Previously I would have ordered corn chowder, chicken pot pie (1200 calories), and eaten most of the bread basket! Easily a 2500 calorie visit.

Since I only ate half my meal I thought I'd be ok to eat half of the carrot raisin muffin that came with it. Glad I only ate half because later when I was logging it I discovered the muffin was 700 calories!!

In this battle, KNOWLEDGE IS POWER!

FYI Eating out is something we all struggle with. To overcome eating the wrong foods OR assuming the healthy "sounding" foods are better choices, I elect to go on my cellphone and look up the nutrition menus for each of the restaurants I visit. It allows me to preselect my meal within the target calorie range I wish to consume. It's also an awesome way to guilt you out of eating wrong foods when you are floored by how many cals are actually in it. Muffins (no matter how they are made or what's in it are terrible for you..put that on your no no list). Anyway, this is taking a proactive approach to eating. Not only does it help you make true healthy choices, but it's an education onto itself by getting acquainted with how many calories are in the meals/sides etc you would normally eat.

That's what was frustrating - I usually do that. One trap with the new requirement for calories on the menus now is that they can put ranges now. Muffins on the menu listed between 360-875. I figured carrot raisin would be on the "healthier" end of the spectrum. Boy was I wrong. It's like the time I realized the nonfat frozen yogurt in Costco's food court has 400 calories. No more assuming for me!

It's shocking, isn't it? I look up some meals I used to eat and I about faint. I used to eat Taco Bell a lot. It wasn't uncommon for me to eat a taco salad, two meximelts, and an empanada. That comes out to be over 1600 calories! That's more than I now eat in an entire day!

Not only eating out, but also at home it is a true reality check when you begin to educate yourself by reading the nutrition labels of the items you have on your own shelves.

I now read the labels of every "new to me" item before it comes home with me. Carbs are hidden everywhere...and some items have such few grams of Protein for the calories they contain. True empty calories...

even the lowfat muffins at dunkins have more calories than the donuts something i learned from my daughter when she worked their couple years back... if i go i only order coffee with skim milk and no sugar ...muffins are loaded with fat ......

It still amazes me how many calories I used to eat a day..omg shocking, no wonder I was so freakin heavy....I count every calorie I eat now and yeah some so called healthy options sometimes aren't for sure

even the lowfat muffins at dunkins have more calories than the donuts something i learned from my daughter when she worked their couple years back... if i go i only order coffee with skim milk and no sugar ...muffins are loaded with fat ......

I have to admit that I'm having an easier time passing by the Dunkin Donuts drive thru than I thought would.

I often tell people I used to eat more BEFORE I got to work, than I do all day now.

Previous Example of Breakfast at Hardees that I'd eaten probably HUNDREDS of times on the way to work.

Two loaded omelet bisuit's, large hash rounds, orange juice, add an apple/raisin biscuit....say hello to a 2000+ calorie "breakfast"....then I'd wonder why I was sleepy when I got to work.

I can't remember the last time I've eaten from a drive-thru....

I am struggling to stay away from the Dunkin Donuts frozen coffee coolatas!!! Today, I am experimenting with making my own version!!!!

I am struggling to stay away from the Dunkin Donuts frozen coffee coolatas!!! Today' date=' I am experimenting with making my own version!!!![/quote']

I must say dunkin donuts is part of my commute to work. I drink 42 ounces a day! ( yes I know when I'm banded this will have to stop ) but in hopes of getting a routine down before surgery I did the same thing ! I tried to replicate coolatas in my nutri bullet and let me tell you it worked ! Dunkin has new k cups for iced coffee .. I used that with a packet of unjury vanilla Protein, a little fat free sugar free creamer, skim/almond milk a bunch of ice and to my surprise tasted damn close to a coolata and much healthier ! Try it out- good luck !

I must say dunkin donuts is part of my commute to work. I drink 42 ounces a day! ( yes I know when I'm banded this will have to stop ) but in hopes of getting a routine down before surgery I did the same thing ! I tried to replicate coolatas in my nutri bullet and let me tell you it worked ! Dunkin has new k cups for iced coffee .. I used that with a packet of unjury vanilla protein' date=' a little fat free sugar free creamer, skim/almond milk a bunch of ice and to my surprise tasted damn close to a coolata and much healthier ! Try it out- good luck ![/quote']

Thank you!!! Will try today...sounds great.