build your beautiful self

Sitting at a typical franchised restaurant waiting for my lunch appointment to arrive. She is a new connection that I met at a tour I was hosting. I am looking forward to our conversation! She is looking for advice and direction and that is what I love doing.

I’m sitting here looking over the menu that shows the calories of each dish. It is amazing how calorically packed restaurant food is! I am sticking to my dietary choices but it is difficult to come up with something on this menu that I would feel like I should be eating. Most people stick to the salad menu but even those are more than I would want to consume.  For example: Salmon salad – 910 calories… How do you get over 900 calories in a salad? It is likely all the added bonus items that make the salad so craveable.

I am not one to count my calories, but you can’t discount the fact that one meal at this franchised food haven is likely what you should be consuming most of the day instead of one meal makes me think twice about the count!

I know based on my own experiences weight loss is 80% what you eat and 20% what you do for exercise. You need to not eat so damn much and when you decide eat their typical menu items, it needs to be in controlled portions. My husband and I tend to share meals. Usually because neither one of us can eat the whole plate of food at most establishments (nor would we want to) and we don’t do well with leftovers. They usually end up being “sit in the fridge, then go into the garbage” leftovers.

All I’m trying to say about this is DAMN! When people finish a plate of restaurant food, even a “healthy” salad, they are consuming most of their caloric needs for the day.

That being said, while I was discussing the opportunities in business and the need for more education with the pretty lady I was sharing my table with, the waiter came over to take our order.  I told him I wanted a grilled chicken breast, a slice of the mozzarella they used for the margarita flatbread, a slice of tomato, a side of the balsamic glaze they have, and a side of mashed potatoes.

Calorie content:
Chicken Breast – 171
2 slices of tomato – 20
Mozzarella – 90
Balsamic – 25
Mashed Potatoes – (we will go with the higher number on the calorie counting site to error on the side of correctness) 385

This is all I had for lunch and it was filling and SUPER delicious! Total calorie content: 691

Compare this to one of their chicken salads, lightest calorie content is 981!

I was full and I knew what I was eating (for the most part).

Just my 2 cents for the day. I was inspired to share with you. There are always options to eat healthy. Even out to dinner! And creating a plate with the best parts of their meals can get you a great new plate to enjoy!

Cheers to good health and happiness in all you do! I am here for you!