Applebee's Got Served and a Little Soapbox Action

Is it REALLY four points?

The truth shall set you free! OR cost you several million dollars. As is the case with Applebee's and Weight Watchers. A lawsuit has been filed against Overland Park, the parent company of Applebee's and Weight Watchers for allegedly conspiring to dupe consumers in to eating from the former's Weight Watchers menu that advertised considerably less calories and fat than they actually contained. Analytical Labs of Boise, Idaho found that the Garlic Herb Chicken advertised as having six grams of fat actually contained 18 grams of fat. See this link for the full story and details on becoming part of the class action suit: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28586980/

I am a Weight Watchers customer and advocate. However, to hear this news saddens me. I am always scouring the "Eat This, Not That" website and Weight Watchers Online points tracker for acceptable meals to fit in to my diet. With the Applebee's Weight Watchers menu being backed by Weight Watchers, I always considered it a reliable menu that will fit into my diet. With the way Weight Watchers point system works, the fat content being tripled in some cases would only make a 1-2 point difference. However, when you are only dealing with 29 points, that can be a HUGE blow to your day. That could be my mid-day or evening snack; the two Oreo's that I allow myself to indulge in on a given day.

When one is losing weight not only to look and feel better, but to improve their health, this type of thing can shatter someone's outlook on dieting. As we all know, I have been struggling with a serious plateau. It's been very difficult to take off my honeymoon/holiday weight. This sort of thing makes me so angry. Twelve "hidden" grams of fat that is in the Applebee's Garlic Herb Chicken are 12 grams that I didn't even know I had to burn. It's ridiculous. I know it's hard to make things taste good without a little butter here or a little sugar there, but as dieters we've learned to sacrifice some taste for a smaller waistline. Just be honest, Applebee's. That's all we want. America is the fattest country in the world bar-none and it's not ok. But no wonder with the serving sizes that have become the norm. We have to stop this, people. Seriously.

Candice K.

253 lbs.

Weigh-in Wednesday

Plateau Buster: Boot Camp

In the never-ending battle to get fit, we find ourselves spending more time and money figuring out ways to do it. I am no exception. While I have a free membership to a gym, I feel it's only right to consider that a credit I can spend on other types of health-related expenses.

After a favorable review of a program from the friend of a co-worker, several of us decided to embark upon the most frightening of all workout regimes: the boot camp. Yes, yes, I know what you're thinking. Am I crazy? Suicidal, perhaps? No, just fed up with the way things are currently going and I'm ready to take some responsibility for my current state, which is Ohio and it is technically number 17 on the State Rankings of Obese Adult Population (please see: http://calorielab.com/news/2008/07/02/fattest-states-2008/).

The camp will go from February 9 - March 7. We will be going Monday-Thursday at 6pm and Saturday at 9am for a grand total of 20 glorious gut-busting, brain-throbbing, heart-popping hours. If you are in the Columbus area, please visit: http://www.columbusfitnessbootcamp.com/index.html for more details.

So the ladies and I are pretty stoked to be doing this. We are compiling our required gear such as a mat, 5, 8, and/or 10 lb weights, RUNNING (not walking or cross-training) shoes, water bottle, etc., etc., etc. We will be hitting up Play It Again Sports in the coming weeks. We are also planning pre- and post-celebrations to give us something to look forward to. Nothing too crazy. We don't want to demolish the progress. I feel if we can enter this thing and make it all the way through, we will be ready to take on anything.

I'll keep you posted on the experience.

Candice K.

253 lbs.

A Month Older.... A Pound Heavier

I am still having issues getting out of this plateau. I've worked out 4-5 days per week for the last three weeks and sticking to the Weight Watchers diet as stringently as possible. Because of this, lots of things have been running through my head;

"I've been on a diet since I was 10"

"Should I get bariatric surgery?"

"I don't want to be this way anymore."

"Will I ever lose this weight?"



It's a rough place to be and I can either decide to quit or keep on truckin'. It is so easy to quit. I really want to get on with my life without worrying about every little thing that passes my lips. The only problem with that instant gratification is I'll just come back to this place. So I really don't have a choice.

Losing weight is the most difficult thing I've ever had to do... That's not saying much as I have led a fairly sheltered life.


But no one said it would be easy. I know that just as well as anyone.

Candice K.

252 lbs

I'm SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder)

Recently, I've been extremely exhausted to the point of almost passing out in the middle of a work day, I've been sleeping for 9-11 hours a night and I have had frequent headaches. Oh, and I CAN NOT STOP EATING! This is really putting a damper in the progress I have made in my diet. People would ask, "are you pregnant?" I would answer with, "No, Mom. I'm not." There is another explanation, however. During the winter months, a lot of us mid-western folks are prone to suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder or "SAD."

SAD is a form of depression brought on by the shortening of autumn days in to the dark days of winter. More information on the different types of SAD can be found here. Traditional SAD symptoms as stated by the Mayo Clinic include: fatigue, oversleeping, headaches, carbohydrate cravings, loss of interest in activities one once enjoyed, and weight gain.

This article is VERY helpful in understanding SAD from a woman's perpective.

Now, how does one get over the winter blues? Well, we begin with what we are lacking when the sun isn't shining as much; Vitamin D. Our body produces vitamin D with the help of ultraviolet rays. When we aren't getting UV rays, a vitamin D deficiency can develop. Most people who get a good amount of sun during the summer months usually stock up enough vitamin D to make it through winter. But sometimes, we don't. One way to replenish your vitamin D "stock" would be to eat foods rich in vitamin D such as pink salmon, sardines and mackerel. This would explain why my husband doesn't have this problem; he loves salmon. I hate fish, so let's move on. Getting some sun can help. I could start tanning again... hmmm. But the most realistic option for me would be to pick up some vitamin D supplements from my local GNC/grocery store/pharmacy.

Another cause of SAD is the pure fact that our days are shorter and thus, throws off our sleeping pattern. Light therapy is used to treat seasonal affective disorder. It simulates sunlight to allow your body to realign with its natural patterns.

Exercise is also recommended. This is extremely difficult for me right now as I can barely find the energy to roll out of bed in the morning. But if I'm going to get down to 165 lbs. and take that trip to Vegas, I need to get on it.

Candy K.
251 lbs., 86 lbs. to goal weight.
Weigh-in tomorrow.

Craving of the Day

Chinese Food

Preferably sesame chicken. Damn you, tempura chicken! You are the bane of my existence!

Candy K.
251 lbs.
Today, I will drink 60 oz. of water.

Fit Mag's Body Type Analysis and Diet

I subscribe to fitmagazine.com and they are always sending me some GREAT articles on fitness.

This article covers the body types that there are, their benefits and drawbacks, and a diet and fitness plan geared toward getting rid of pounds where you want to get rid of them.

I am a "pear" shape. I wear a 12 or 14 top but I wear an 18-20 in pants. This is a rough spot to be in because I can't typically shop in the same section or even the same store to find an outfit. Most plus size stores such as Lane Bryant only go down to a 14/16 which is too large for me, and regular stores, such as Old Navy or the Limited, have an 18 or 20 but they usually run small. I guess you could call me a tween... just on the larger side of the spectrum.

I am pretty much on the low fat diet that they recommend and the majority of my workouts are done on treadmills and ellipticals. However, the education they provide on the body types are pretty fascinating to me.

Apparently, being pear-shaped isn't as bad as I thought it was.

Candice K.
249 lbs.
Today, I will play Wii Sports for an hour.

Exercise Obsession of the New Year

My Big Ol' Booty

If you've met me, you know that I hold one thing above all else to be true: big girls are coming back en vogue.

I'm not saying that 250 lbs. (ie. Me) is coming in to style anytime soon. But I do believe a healthy set of curves is going to be the best ass-et you can have in the years to come. So, the one thing I think I have going for me is my bodonkadonk. I've seen it; the silhouette of my butt in a nice pair of jeans. It's there. I just need to work on it, sculpt it, mold it... oh, sorry. Too graphic.


Well, I found an awesome workout at fitnessmagazine.com. This one has Jackie Warner's Stamp of Approval and believe me, it's crazy difficult. Balance is a must for most of the intermediate moves. But it's totally worth it.

Another thing that has REALLY helped shape my derriere is the elliptical. Depending upon the elliptical, the optimal incline for ideal gludiusmaximus strengthening can be rather low or extremely steep. My favorite elliptical is a front-drive with adjustable motion. This means that there is no incline selection but your stride can change from a walk to a jog to a full on run based on how far you push the petals. This site has a pretty good elliptical guide if you are in the market.

I'm really down with having a nice butt no matter what I weigh. So as long as I stay focused, I think I will be able to handle it, no problem.

Candice K.

250 lbs. (weigh-in tomorrow)
Today, I will eat a nutritious dinner.