Day 14

Today I was running late, as usual. Didn't have anything quick to grab for breakfast so had to skip it. I really need to get to the store and find some fast breakfast meals for when I don't have anything from Panera and am in a hurry! I usually work the register at Panera, but today I switched with someone and worked with the food. Let's just say staring at all that food made me HUNGRY. Working on the line really makes me want to eat everything...without thinking about how many calories it is. Since I didn't eat breakfast, I was still hungry after lunch but did not eat my side of chips anyway. My best friend had a get-together for the bridal party tonight (the one I'm maid-of-honor in), and there were pork sandwiches there. There were also brownies, cookies, cakes, salads and all sorts of other goodies, but I tried to be good. I did indulge in a root beer float for dessert. I've been putting off weighing because I've been so bad lately, so I really HAVE to tomorrow. I really need to get back to being serious. Social events and activities make any diet/healthy lifestyle very difficult. I need to keep working to find a balance that works so that I can go out and have fun, but not gain weight!

Breakfast:

None

Lunch:

Half Napa almond chicken salad sandwich 340

Half steak and blue cheese salad 430

Dinner:

Pork sandwich 350

Dessert:

Root beer float 300

Total:

1420

Day 13

Breakfast:

Two handfuls of Special K 110

Lunch:

Cup broccoli cheddar soup 190

Half Chipotle Panini 420

Chips on the side 160

Snack:

Black cherry smoothie 290 

Total:

1170 

Day 12

Ok, let's just say I was BAD today. I spent time with a friend this weekend and did not make good choices.

Breakfast: 

Crepes with strawberries and whipped cream 600

Lunch:

Two chicken tenders and biscuit from Popeyes 700

Dinner: 

Personal pan pepperoni pizza from Pizza Hut 640

Total:

1940

Day 11

Breakfast:

Small portion of a Frozen Caramel 150

Lunch:

Bowl of garden vegetable soup 160

Half Greek salad 190

Dinner:

Black bean soup 170

Filet Mignon 350

Steamed broccoli 100

Total:

1120

Day 10

I've lost 7 pounds so far! I am going to be the Maid of Honor in my best friend's wedding, so we saw the movie Bridesmaids today. It was very funny, but did have some unnecessary lewd humor. I was not very hungry all day, until I got there, so we decided to split a small popcorn. I figured I could afford the calories because I was not eating lunch. Little did I know that later, I would be pigging out on old bay fries! A few of us got together to celebrate a co-worker retiring, and it was at a diner. I planned ahead of time that I was going to get a burger, and would eat half, or none of the bun to save on calories. I don't know why, but I ended up eating every last bite and was too full afterwards. I LOVE old bay fries, and they gave me a GIANT portion of them, so I definitely should not have eaten the hamburger bun. It wasn't even good. Lesson learned.

Breakfast:

Jalapeño cheddar bagel with butter 380

Snack:

Half small movie popcorn 320

Dinner:

Bison burger and fries 1000?

Total:

1700

Day 9

Okay. I admit that I did not eat very healthy today. BUT, my calorie total is still within my goal range, which is good. I was running out the door this morning, so for breakfast I just ate the first thing I saw lying around and it happened to be chips and an apple from panera. Not the best choice for morning fuel, but better than nothing. But that's not the worst of it. I really blew it when it came to lunch time. I was hot and exhausted, so decided to get something cool and energizing...forgetting there was 600 calories packed into it! My coworker did an excellent job making my frozen caramel....even putting it in a larger cup and giving me a little extra that was left in the blender...so it may have been just a few more calories! As for the bagel, I was just really wanting to try one of Panera's flavored cream cheese spreads. Before I knew what happened, I had spent 1,090 calories in one meal. THIS is why I need to plan my meals out ahead of time, lol. By the time dinner rolled around, I did not have many calories to spare, so decided to try the low-fat Garden Vegetable with Pesto soup. This was my first time trying it and it is very delicious. Definitely worth the 160 calories.

Breakfast:

Bag of chips 160

Apple 90

Lunch:

French toast bagel 350

Hazelnut Cream Cheese 140

Frozen Caramel 600

Dinner:

Bowl of Garden Vegetable with Pesto Soup 160

Total:

1500

Day 8

The baseball game was great! My team (The Reds) won! I love going to ballgames. I may see The Reds play the Orioles in Baltimore next month with friends which we have done the past few years.

Today, my plan was to save as many calories as possible just in case I saw something I HAD to have at the game. This strategy went well, except I didn't end up getting anything besides my planned hot dog, so I came up a little short on my calorie count. I found the calories for the hot dog online, so there is no way to know if it is totally correct or not...plus I added ketchup which probably adds a couple hundred calories.

I made the mistake of eating a cookie when I got home, just because I felt like I should. I didn't really want it, and wasn't hungry, and it wasn't that good. I have noticed in the past week that I do not crave sweets the way I used to at all. And if I do, I am satisfied with a much smaller portion (such as, one cookie instead of three.)

Breakfast:

Jalapeno bagel with butter 380

Lunch:

Bowl of Chicken Noodle Soup 110

French baguette 150

Snack:

Apple 95 

Dinner:

Stadium hot dog with ketchup and onions 464 

Snack:

Small chocolate chip cookie 85  

Total:

1284

Day 7

I've lost two more pounds! This brings my total to 5.5 pounds lost since I've started! For some reason, today I was carb crazy. I tried to handle this craving in the best way possible, and I think I made good decisions. I realized tonight that losing weight is not as hard as people think it is. The only trick to it is self-discipline. If one is able to grasp this idea and really stick to the concept of it, losing weight is very simple. When I came home from work today, I smelled fresh baked chocolate chip cookies. My brother was baking them and a fresh batch was on the table. I knew I shouldn't have, but I ate one. Luckily, they were a smaller size than normal, and the nutrition info was on the package. I could have and would have loved to have eaten five of those. But in the end, one would have been just as satisfying as five or ten. In fact, more so because I would not be regretting anything later. That cookie put me a little over on calories from where I like to be, but it was definitely worth it.

Tomorrow, I am going to the Phillies/Reds game, and along with planning what to wear, I am also planning out my meals for the day ahead of time, because I NEED to get a hot dog, lol. Peace out!

Breakfast:

Jalapeno and cheddar bagel with butter 380

Lunch:

Broccoli cheddar soup in a sourdough bread bowl 780

Dinner:

Classic Salad 170

French baguette 150

Snack:

Small chocolate chip cookie 85

Total: 

1565

Day 6

Today was an average day. I worked a short day, but it was so slow I felt like I was there all day! My best friend and her fiancee came in today for lunch, and it was nice to see them. It is always nice when friends and family come to visit me at work! I planned out my meal choices last night which made it easier for today. I find that when I do that I make much better choices than if I choose last minute what to eat.

Breakfast:

Bowl of Special K Cereal with skim milk 300

Lunch:

Tomato Mozzarella Panini 770

Dinner:

Greek Salad 380 

Total: 

1450

Day 5

Well, the end of the world came and went and we're all still here. Guess it's back to the diet lol. Today was weigh-in day and I've lost another half a pound, for a total of 3.5 pounds since I've begun! I went to a Thai restaurant for dinner and split the meal. We had a vegetable soup and a beef and coconut dish with jasmine rice. I LOVE thai food and highly recommend it. :) There is no way to know the exact calories, but I doubt it was much more than 500. I have some extra room in my total calories today, so if it was a little more that is ok.

Breakfast:

cinnamon swirl and raisin bagel with butter 390

lunch

Half Caesar salad 200

Half ham and Swiss sandwich 290

Dinner

Thai dinner 500

                                                                                         Total: 

1380

Day 4

Not too much to write about today. Long day at work but pretty easy day on the diet. Tomorrow is weigh-in day and I am pretty excited. I went to Goodwill today at work and found a great pair of jeans for $2.50 that are two sizes down from where I am now. Can't wait to get in them!

Breakfast:

Chocolate chip bagel with butter 440

Lunch:

Half Chopped Chicken Cobb Salad 250

Cup Black Bean Soup 110

Apple on the side 95

Dinner:

Greek salad 380

French baguette 150

Total: 

1425

Day 3

Today was weigh-in day. Since my last weigh (Tuesday), I have lost 3 pounds. Three pounds! I know the weight loss will slow down after the first couple weeks but I'm still really excited!

Today was my day off, so for lunch I made my own version of a panera you pick two. I went out for dinner and a movie with a friend tonight, so I might've been a little bad. We split everything though, which helps a lot. Restaurant meals are so huge these days it's ridiculous. It's crazy to think that some people order an appetizer, drinks, an entire meal, and dessert! I find that splitting meals or doggie bagging half is the only way to eat out anymore.

Breakfast:

Panera Blueberry bagel with butter 400

Lunch:

Bowl of chicken noodle soup 100

Half tuna salad sandwich 380

Dinner:

Enchilada with beans and rice and chips 600 

Half small bag of popcorn 235

  Total:

1715

I could be a tad off, but from the information I could find online for what I ate out, this was as accurate as possible. I went over a little but I will be real good tomorrow to make up for it! I don't think it's too bad considering what I ate. Well, Panera needs me bright and early tomorrow so it's off to bed for now. Night!

Day Two!

I'm getting pretty excited about this! I worked today, and all of my meals came from Panera. Here's the list
 for today:

Breakfast:

Chocolate Pastry 410

Lunch:

Half Greek Salad 190

Bowl Broccoli Cheddar Soup 290

Apple 90

Dinner:

Half Mediterranean Veggie Sandwich 300

Cup Chicken Noodle Soup 100

Apple 90

Total:

1470   

I'm going to weigh in tomorrow...I will probably weigh every other day. Tomorrow is my day off so I will eat as healthy as possible :) See ya tomorrow!




   

Day 1

So, today was the official kick-off. I did a beginning weigh-in this morning, and will post my starting weight later on. For now, I will just post how many pounds I am losing. This is what I ate today:

Breakfast:

Bowl of Special K cereal with skim milk 300

 

Lunch:      

Cup of black bean soup 110

         Half Asian Sesame Chicken Salad 200

         Apple on the side 90

Starbucks Tall Skinny Caramel Macchiato 100

Dinner: 

Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad  510   

Apple on the side 90

  Total:

1400

I will try to eat as many meals as I can from Panera, but will not be able to eat every meal from there. As you can see, I ate cereal for breakfast this morning, but Panera the rest of the day. I drink mostly coffee, water, and diet soda, so I won't post beverages unless it is something other than that. My friend got me starbucks today so I couldn't say no to that ;)

The Last Supper.

Hi! My name is Renae, and I work at Panera Bread. As you may know, Panera has a large variety of delicious treats and sweets that are difficult to resist. After working there about a month, I got on the scale and saw that I had gained some weight, and needed to start keeping track of what I am eating. After a couple weeks of taking note of everything I ate, I got back on the scale and saw that I had lost 4 pounds. This made me wonder...could it be
possible to eat Panera food everyday, and still lose weight? The answer to this question is what I am determined to find out.

Tomorrow, my quest begins. So tonight, I indulged in one last greasy delicacy. For dinner, I enjoyed a bacon and cheese angus third pounder meal from McDonalds. For the beverage, I decided to really make it count with a delicious frozen mocha frappe. I thought about making the meal a large but decided that would just throw it over the top. The calorie grand total for this meal was 1,730 (not including the ketchup packets.) I feel pains in my chest already lol.

Tomorrow, it's back to work, and the experiment begins.