Well the girls night dinner went great and I didn't feel too bad about it :)

For an appetizer the 4 of us split a small portion of shrimp and grits. It was very small (we just wanted a taste bc we had heard it was really good). So I had a shrimp, a slice of sausage and about 2 Tbsp of grits in some wonderfully awful sauce.

For an entree my friend & I split the Pan Seared Chicken with Truffled Mac & Cheese and Broccolini. It worked out bc I was able to have some of the Truffled Mac and not eat the whole bowl!!

Then the two of us split the Creme Brulee. Which wasn't a bad choice considering the other desserts on the menu....

So I have NO idea how many calories that was but I'm not that concerned because I had a great time and ate in moderation.

Oh and one glass of Reisling :)

Laura, I would like a copy of that recipe, maybe you could post it or send it to me later.

Ok so... A COWORKER BROUGHT IN CARROT CAKE!!!!!!!! Now, this may not mean anything to you all but... I LOVE CARROT CAKE! I know that I'm allowed to indulge here and there... but I'm not yet at a stage where I want to start indulging... maybe when I make it to Onederland...

What makes it worse is that I've been doing so well and I have to go on a business trip tomorrow... which means losing a lot of control. Now, by no means am I saying that I'm not going to work out or eat as healthy as I can... I just don't have control over how the restaurants cook. As a friend pointed out to me... the same tilapia that I steam at home as a healthy dinner... will now be cooked in butter ... but hey, I'm going to do the best I can... still hoping for a weightloss on Saturday. I'll have to post my weekly weigh in again on Saturday this week as I won't get home til Friday night.

I can do this... it's salad and fish all week... and an hour of cardio every day... Saturday and Sunday cardio hour already complete... meeting with trainer tonight and Tues-Thursday and hour of cardio at the hotel... Friday I'll try to get in another hour... depending on how late I get in.

Good luck to you all this week... PRAY FOR ME!!!

Oh and.... I'd like a copy of the brownie recipe too!! Might keep me from being so upset about the carrot cake...

BTW... a great cake recipe I tried... take any cake mix (I used white) and add to it ONLY one can of diet soda (I used diet 7up). Mix and bake as usual (I suggest baking a little bit longer than the box recommends). To be clear, DO NOT ADD ANYTHING ELSE (no egg, no oil, nothing).

I know it sounds strange but it is GREAT (IMO)!!! Tastes like a mix between cake and cheesecake. I love it! Topped it with fat free cool whip... it was suggested to add some berries but I didn't see a need, saving that for when I want something different.

Also... I bought a Yonana this weekend. I'd never heard of it before but it's like an ice cream maker. It says ice cream but I'd say it's closer to sherbert or sorbet... anyways... you put frozen fruit into the shute and out comes deliciousness! It really is a nice way to get in some extra servings of fruit - and it's a tasty treat! I count points... and fruit is 0 points so it's great for me!

KimG, I was looking up the yonanas machine you mentioned and it does look interesting. How many different fruit variations have you tried so far? Do you add anything to it besides fruit, like juice?

Hello Jewels!

Kim - That recipe you posted sounds interesting as well. Hmmmm, I should give that a shot. Do you think it works with diet coke? Good luck with the business trip! It sounds like you have a game plan and you can only do what you can do. Don't stress about it too much.

Jessica - You did great at the restaurant. I have high tea this Saturday with my sisters and Mom and I LOVE high tea including the yummy sandwiches and the clotted cream and biscuits. Sigh.....I need to really not overdo it. You have inspired me :)

And here is the recipe:

Light Decadent Brownies

2.5 cups icing sugar
1 100g pakgs of ground almonds (about 2 cups)
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Fry's
1/8 tsp salt
4 egg whites
2 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven t 350F. Line the bottom and sides of an 8 inch square panwith parchment, letting it hang over the sides of the pan.

Whisk sugar with almonds, cocoa and salt in a large bowl. Stir in egg whites and vanilla. Batter will be thick. Scrape into prepared pan. Smooth top.

Bake in centre of oven until top of brownie is shiny and crispy and a cake tester inserted in the centre comes out almost clean, 40 to 45 mins. Run a knife around sides of the pan. Use parchment to lift brownie out and let cool completely on a rack.

Cut into 16 squares.

Per brownie: 157cals, 4g protein, 23g carbs, 7g fat, 3g fibre, 32mg sodium.

Morning Ladies!
Off to D.C. today... bleh... so, salads here I come (have I mentioned that I hate eating salads as meals???)

stlrsgrl43 - so far I've only had strawberry banana and a strawberry, peach, pineapple mix (which I loved). Don't add juice, just frozen things... the book has some other recipes (not all "diet" friendly). But, it's really delicious... my "never needed a diet in her life" sister in law comes running anytime she hears me start it up.

Laura78 - the person who gave me the cake recipe said ANY diet soda... but I would think lighter soda for lighter cake and darker for darker (i.e. diet coke and chocolate cake) but I don't know...

I'm taking my iPad with me so I should be in touch this week... but if not... have a great week all!

Hi everyone!
I am happy to say that after a couple of days of not so good choices I am back in the saddle! I didn't go crazy but I know I ate too much and didn't have enough veggies and water. If I don't gain this week that will make me happy. I tried some Bollyfit today that I PVR'd and it was super fun! I had a big smile on my face for half an hour, partly because it was fun and partly laughing at myself trying to learn the moves. :) My favourite part is it is done barefoot. I hate socks and shoes and the whole routine of "its time to work out go put the socks and running shoes on". Hope everyone had a great day. I will be trying the brownies or the cake mix recipe next week when I have my TOM and need some chocolate!!

Jen :)

OK, I have a question. Should my calorie intake stay the same, even when I exercise or should I eat more calories to balance out what i am burning off? I am currently eating 1500 calories or less but walking on the treadmill everyday. I am considering joining a gym but want to wait until my energy level gets a little better.

Hi Ladies! Well, I almost made it three weeks and that seems to be a magical number - don't they say 3 weeks makes a habit? I feel like I really am in for the long haul here!!! Let's do this! :)

Jen - Glad you're back in the saddle! Is that you in your avatar? You are so pretty! What's in your hand?

Jamie - I think it can go either way....do whatever feels right to you. I see the question is asked alot on 3FC, and the answers seem to go both ways and neither way is wrong.

Thanks Laura, just wasn't sure, I feel good staying at my 1500 and exercising so I will stick with that for as long as it works

Having a rough/emotional week. Work is proving to be incredibly stressful. I have a close family member in hospital (:() but I'm still trying to stay on track. Not very hopeful for Friday's weigh in but as long as I don't gain I will satisfy myself with that. Onderland is maybe a bit further off than I had anticipated. Grr!

Good evening everyone, so i have been waking up lateley in the middle of the night sweating and shaking and could not figure out the problem until i started checking my sugar levels and they have been very low(below 70) even after i eat sometimes. I am taking pills for diabetes(not on insulin yet) I wonder if I should stop taking one of my night time pills due to the way I am eating. Is anyone else having a similar problem??

Hi Ladies! Is it Friday yet?

LW - Sorry you've had a rough week :hug:

Jamie - I don't have that issue so I'm not sure. Do you ever have trouble getting to 1500 cals? Sometimes I feel like I'm done and yet I still need to eat a couple hundred more calories.

Laura, No, I eat pretty close to 1500 everday, I am gonna eat dinner a little later tonight and a snack before i go to bed. I take 2 different pills before bed for my sugar so i am gonna nix one of those tonight and c how that works. It sure would b nice to get off some of these pills after I lose this wieght.