Restaurant Addicts Diet: Weighty Issues

I am not living up to my full potential where my life goals are concerned.  I have a ton of fun, which is great, but I am not making progress towards the goals I said were important to me.  Each week I set small goals towards the things I want to achieve such as steps, planks and logging my food intake.  Why do I want to do these things?  What is my motivation?  Isn't having fun enough?  So, I decided I needed to take a look at my true goals in order to re-motivate myself.

I want to lose weight.  I am not that far away from my goal weight, and yet I can't seem to make it happen.  I want to lose 13 pounds, but why?
 Losing the weight would take more working out and that would mean I was in shape.  When I'm in shape I feel more confident and find daily tasks easier.  It is more fun to wear cute cloths and cute cloths are easier to find when I'm in shape.  I think I would look younger if my face was less puffy.

I want to save money.  I love to go out and eat and drink which is contrary to my goals, but adds so much fun to my life.  My favorite thing to do is go out to bars and restaurants and eat and drink with friends.  Unfortunately this is why I need to lose 13 pounds and why I have no savings. 
I need savings in order to have a secure future.  All the fun evenings won't make up for poverty in retirement.  Buying a condo would help to secure my future and the discipline to do so will also impact eating habits. 

It seems that if I ate out less I would save both money and calories resulting in two goals one stone.  So why is it SO difficult not to go out to eat?! I can think of several reasons right off.  First, I don't enjoy to cook.  And even more so, when we go out to dinner my husband is forced not to be on the computer.  We actually sit face to face and talk for 30-60 minutes straight.  I feel like this is when we do our talking and make our future plans. 
What's the solution?  I do NOT want to stop going out it's my favorite thing, but I DO want to lose weight and save money.  I need an action plan to achieve this that addresses the following; increase activity, make smarter food choices more often, save money everywhere possible, find less expensive restaurant options. 
It sounds like I have my work cut out for me, but I do love a project that requires making lists.  I am going to make a plan to help me maximize my fun and achieve goals.  I know I have cuts both financially and caloric that I can make when it doesn't matter so that I an keep the things I love and still move forward.  Wish me luck!

Restaurant Addicts Diet: If It Was Easy...

Here I am on yet another Monday no closer to my goals than before.  I'm no worse off, which is nice, but what's the problem.  I feel like I spend a fair amount of time and energy thinking about my goals and I assume that's the issue.  I need to do more and think less.  If I'm going to splurge on Friday than I need to work harder Monday-Thursday.  Being good most of the day is enough to maintain my weight, but not enough to reduce it. 
My husband would really like to try lower carb dinners.  I really like carbs and hate making dinner, so I have always used them as the draw for shopping and cooking.  I also feel like move more eat less is the true answer to weight loss. However, I realized that I'm not getting to my goals doing what I've been doing so what the hell.  Tonight I'm making chicken cordon blue (frozen of course) and then I'm going to saute broccoli and mushrooms. 

Goals for Week of May 12th:

1. Log what I eat.  This is the hardest goal for me, so I moved it to number one.
2. I love my fitbit and I love hitting my step goal and tweeting about it. #10ksteps
3. I haven't been able to get back on the #plankstreak so I'm really going to work on it. #plankit

Restaurant Addict: Al Amir

After hearing about it for years I finally got to try Al Amir with a group of friends and I can't wait to go back!  We had a group of 7 on a Saturday night and it was so much fun.  There was music and belly dancing and by the end of the evening everyone was dancing.  The food was fantastic and done so well for a large table.  They brought us a sampler served family style and it was a flat $20 per person.  It made it so easy to try everything and settling the bill was super easy.  However, everything but dancing was more difficult after sampling the specialty cocktails that were delicious.  Next time I'm looking for a place for a group I will think of Al Amir. 

Restaurant Addicts Diet: Belated Update

I haven't exactly been on task where my goals are concerned.  I have been doing great in one key area and that is hitting and even exceeding my daily step goal.  Planks and my food journal are goals to reset starting today.  I have a million excuses including, but not limited to,  my birthday and anniversary.  Plus there was that one week of nice weather when every patio in town called my name to have a drink.  The nice weather did also entice me to go outside and walk anywhere just to have something to do outside.  Another added bonus is I'm using my car less and less since I moved to a more walkable neighborhood.  I walked to the store twice today just to grab a few things.  I hope this is a trend that will continue as we have more consistently nice weather.  In honor of a belated Earth Day I'm recycling my last goals.

1. 10,000 steps per day 5 days this week.  Keep tweeting where I am when I hit it #10ksteps
2. Resurrect the #plankit streak
3. Record what I eat and try to hit 6 days this week, but 5 would still be great.