Cheesecake Factory...

It IS possible to go to the Cheesecake Factory and reach your goals.

Dan and I decided to go to the Cheesecake Factory for dinner tonight. My absolute favorite meal is the Bang Bang Chicken and Shrimp. Now, since I'm grossed out by beef and chicken right now, I decided to modify the order and get it only with shrimp. I even had some bread too.

The key is moderation. I ate 1/2 my meal, and drank water and Diet Coke. And NO cheesecake. The waiter came after our meal and was like, "Here's the grand finale!" and tried to hand us the dessert menus. I said, "No, we're actually good without dessert." He looked all heartbroken, and I think his lip might have actually started to quiver. "No cheesecake? Really?" -- "No, thanks though."

Though it's okay to have a cheat day once in awhile, eating this delicious meal was plenty enough for me. He took my plate to box up and said, "Holy cow, it looks like you cut this directly down the middle!" I said, "Yeah, I'm a little bit psycho."

And now I have a yummy lunch for tomorrow! :)

Here's the breakdown:

The Cheesecake Factory Bang Bang Chicken And Shrimp
1/2 serving
650 calories
44g fat
21mg cholesterol
467mg sodium
56g carbohydrate
18g sugar
5g fiber
13g protein

The Cheesecake Factory Bread And Butter
3 pieces bread with one pat butter
286 calories
13g fat
35g carbohydrate
7g protein


On the workout front, I've been successful with working out at least 30 minutes per day for the last week! I weighed in this morning (I won't share the number, but it's good...) - even though I wasn't supposed to. I was feeling smaller, and wanted to confirm. Lack of movement and embracing my laziness definitely was holding me back. I really can say that it's activity that helps, because eating right wasn't doing it on its own. Though I was working out a few days a week, the key is really to be active every day.

Here's what I've been doing:

Monday - Pilates for weight loss - 30 minutes
Tuesday - Zumba - 1 hour
Wednesday (start of the challenge) - Candlelight Yoga - 30 minutes
Thursday - Zumba - 1 hour
Friday - Jillian Michaels DVD Shape Up Front - 30 minutes
Saturday - Wii Fit - 30 minutes
Sunday - Jillian Michaels DVD Shape Up Back - 30 minutes


Woo-hoo! I'm actually (dare I say it...) excited for weigh in on Tuesday!

And I'm happy about the challenge. It's really, really pushed me to stay active. I hope it sticks through Easter! :)