Motivational Meme Monday

Setting Up For New Year's Resolutions

Okay so last year I lost steam with my fitness goals sporadically throughout the year because I wasn't really prepared. I had an idea in mind but had no way of how I wanted to execute it so this year I'm taking the last few days of my vacation before the new year to get myself situated and setup for how I hope to accomplish this year's goal.

1. Have a S.M.A.R.T. Goal in mind, don't know what a S.M.A.R.T. Goal is? Check out this blog post for an explanation.
2. Determine how you're going to reach that goal, whether it's following a specific diet or exercise regimen.
3. Set up a rewards system to keep you motivated so you don't lose track of your goal.
4. Make sure you have all the necessary tools to follow your planned diet or exercise plans whether it's a custom nutrition log, youtube watchlist of exercise videos, medicine ball, hula hoop, etc You get the idea. Don't make a plan without all the necessary cogs otherwise you just won't be able to stick with it.

I know this all seems like common sense but sometimes it really helps to have every detail mapped out. For instance this is my Plan for this year.

1. Yearly Goal - I will lose 20 pounds by December 31, 2014 by jogging three days a week for an hour and 4 days a week doing Zumba for an hour, on any given day my step count will exceed 10,000, and I will not eat more than 1,200 calories per day. I will reward myself following the Reward System I outlined here.
2. I will use my iPod Nano with Nike+ to track the progress of my jogs and my Crane Heart Rate Monitor to judge the intensity of those jogs being sure to remain in the fat burning zone. Click here to find out more about Fat Burning Zone and click here to use a calculator to find yours. According to the calculations for me to remain in my fat burning zone is 120-135 beats per minute (BPM.)
3. I will use my XBox One to play Zumba World Party. In the event for whatever reason the game is malfunctioning I will use the XBox One Fitness application. If for whatever reason both options are unavailable I will stream my youtube playlist of fitness videos to work through. I pulled all my videos from LivestrongWomen. I compiled Leg Workout Videos, Gluteal Workout Videos, Arm Workout Videos, Abs Workout Videos and Full Body Workout Videos depending on where I am in my training when the outtage occurs. I have also downloaded a series of apps such as Nike Training Club just in case I'm away from my house on vacation or something :P Unlikely as that is.
4. I will continue to track my steps using my FitBit One.
5. I will track my caloric intake using MyFitnessPal which syncs to my FitBit account so I can see in one place my incoming and outgoing calories.

2014 Reward System

Mileage Rewards

• 200 Miles - Balance Ball & Workout Video ($25 value)
• 400 Miles - Desk Cycle ($50 Value)
• 600 Miles - Polar H6 Bluetooth Heart Rate Monitor ($70 value)
• 800 Miles - New Running Shoes ($100 value)
• 1,000 Miles - Wifi Aria Wireless Scale ($130 value)
• 1,200 Miles - Nike GPS Watch ($160 value)
• 1,825 Miles - Disney Annual Pass ($470 value)

Group Mileage Rewards

• 100 Miles - Trip to the Orlando Regional History Museum ($10 value)
• 200 Miles - Trip to Orlando Museum of Arts ($8 value)
• 300 Miles - Movie Afternoon ($15 value)
• 400 Miles - Trip to Museum of Arts & Sciences ($15 value)
• 500 Miles - Trip to Bok Tower Gardens ($12 value)
• 600 Miles - Treetop Trek at Brevard Zoo ($50 value)
• 700 Miles - Day Trip to Busch Gardens ($100 value)
• 800 Miles - Weekend Vacation Heidy's Timeshare ($100 value)
• 1,000 Miles - Day Trip to Disney

Weight Loss Rewards

• 5 Pounds - OPI Gel Nail Service ($30 value)
• 10 Pounds - Massage (50 value)
• 15 Pounds - 60 Minute Facial ($70 value)
• 20 Pounds - Makeup Consultation ($100 value)
• 25 Pounds - Shopping Spree ($500 -$1,000 value)

Group Weight Loss Rewards

• 5 Pounds - Spa Afternoon (TBD)
• 10 Pounds - Glamour Shots
• 15 Pounds - Wet N Wild Day Trip

Disney Remix Playlist

1. Kiss The Girl - Ashley Tisdale - Disney Mania 5
2. That's How You Know - Demi Lovato - Disney Mania 5
3. Under the Sea - Raven-Symone - Disney Mania 3
4. The Siamese Cat Song - Hilary & Haylie Duff - Disney Mania 2
5. Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride - Jump5 - Disney Mania 3
6. I Wont Say Im in Love - Cheetah Girls - Disney Mania 3
7. Part of Your World - Skye Sweetnam - Disney Mania 3
8. Cruela De Vil - Selena Gomez - Disney Mania 5
9. The Tiki Tiki Tiki Room - Hilary Duff - Disney Mania
10. Go The Distance - DDR Disney Mix for Playstation
11. Mickey Mouse March - DDR Disney Mix for Playstation
12. It's a Small World - DDR Disney Grooves for Wii

December Fitness Goal

Before I state my fitness goal, let me show you how to create a S.M.A.R.T. Goal.

Step #1 - Be specific. Don't say I want to lose weight, say I want to lose X number of pounds.

Step #2 - It must be measurable. Your goal must be something you can meaqsure. Don't say I want to be fitter, say I want to do a mile in X number of minutes. Pretty much this needs to be a number that can be measured not just an idea. It can be weight, speed, BMI, anything you can possibly measure.

Step #3 - It must be something attainable. Obviously if you're new to running you goal will not be to win a 10K, maybe something like completing a run 3 times a week or losing a small amount of weight. Think of this goal as a mini goal to the larger goal.

Step #4 - It should be relevant. If you're planning to run your goal shouldn't be about how much you can benchpress. Use good sense.

Step #5 - Make the goal time sensitive so you will actually finish it. It's not enough to say by the end of the year set a specific date you can circle on your calendar, program in your phone whatever you need to do.

Step #6 - Reward yourself appropriately when you meet your goal. Meaning if your goal was to lose weight the best reward is probably not that all you can eat dessert buffet youre drooling over. Have ONE slice of cheesecake or something that makes you feel special.

My Goal: I will lose 4 pounds by December 31st by running three times a week and walking 10,000 steps daily and consuming 1,200 calories daily. If I meet this goal I will reward myself with a new book.

Can You Still Exercise With An Injured Achilles Tendon

Where is my Achilles tendon? Your Achilles tendon is a long tendon that connects calf muscles to your heel bone and is the longest and most commonly injured tendon in the human body.

What can cause an injured Achilles tendon? Overuse, increasing activity too quickly, not warming up the muscle before activity, wearing high heels, tight calf muscles, & having flat feet.

What exercises can I  do? Stretch thoroughly the lower leg muscles, it is a good idea to strengthen your glutes and core to improve posture. To keep up your game but keep off your feet try swimming or cycling. If you decide to continue a light jog or brisk walk soak your foot in warm water before exercising and ice it after exercising.

Weekly Roundup

Sunday

• 17,405 Steps
• 7.39 Miles
• 22 Active Minutes
• 2,321 Calories Burned
• 905 Calories Eaten
• 0 Stairs Climbed

Monday

• 13,034 Steps
• 5.67 Miles
• 37 Active Minutes
• 1,975 Calories Burned
• 930 Calories Eaten
• 6 Stairs Climbed

Tuesday

• 15,105 Steps
• 6.29 Miles
• 40 Active Minutes
• 2,181 Calories Burned
• 1,127 Calories Eaten
• 27 Stairs Climbed

Wednesday

• 14,036 Steps
• 5.76 Miles
• 102 Active Minutes
• 2701 Calories Burned
• 985 Calories Eaten
• 10 Stairs Climbed

Thursday

• 18,482 Steps
• 7.61 Miles
• 14 Active Minutes
• 2,159 Calories Burned
• 950 Calories Eaten
• 10 Stairs Climbed

Friday

• 14,362 Steps
• 5.90 Miles
• 16 Active Minutes
• 2,111 Calories Burned
• 907 Calories Eaten
• 5 Stairs Climbed

Saturday

• 19,219 Steps
• 7.89 Miles
• 5 Active Minutes
• 2,165 Calories Burned
• 1,085 Calories Eeaten
• 0 Stairs Climbed

TOTAL

• 111,643 Steps
• 46.51 Miles
• 236 Active Minutes
• 15,613 Calories Burned
• 6,889 Calories Eaten
• 58 Stairs Climbed

DAILY AVERAGE

• 15,949 Steps
• 6.64 Miles
• 33.71 Active Minutes
• 2,230.43 Calories Burned
• 984.14 Calories Eaten
• 8.29 Stairs Climbed

THE WEEKLY GOAL

• 105,000+ Steps - Goal Exceeded
• 35+ Miles - Goal Exceeded
• 210+ Active Minutes - Goal Exceeded
• 14,000+ Calories Burned - Goal Exceeded
• 7,000- Calories Eaten - Goal Exceeded
• 70+ Stairs Climbed - Goal Not Met

Tips on Running in the Cold

Dress is wicked layers, do not run in cotton, it will get sweaty and become cold material clinging to your skin. For your second layer wear something made of Nylon to help your outfit breathe. Something like a windbreaker. However don't overdress, remember you will be moving. Dress likes it 20 degrees warmer.

Wear wicked gloves or mittens and on much colder days use a disposable heat packet in your gloves/mittens for additional heat. Be sure to  wear warm thick socks - you might need different shoes in the winter to accommodate these warmer socks. 30% if body heat is released through hands and feet. Make sure your shoes aren't meshed letting in too much cold air and moisture. Another good reason why your winter running shoes should be different than your summer ones.

Cover exposed skin - wear a hat!

When running in wind, run towards the wind so when you're running back and your sweaty you're less likely to get sick.

Remember, running in the cold is easier than running in the heat, don't make it an excuse not to run. There is a reason most races are in the fall and winter. Bonus, it will help you stay trim during those numerous holiday parties and avoid crash diets before bikini weather.

Benefits to Donating Blood

OneBlood is a Florida based blood/plasma/platelets donation organization.

Why do I donate blood? When you donate blood they give you a mini physical where they check your iron, blood pressure, pulse, and temperature before you donate. Sometimes you can be deferred by just one of these factors which gives you an idea if your blood pressure is a little high which can be a warning sign for other issues down the line for your health.

After you donate your blood is tested for Cholesterol, HIV 1 and 2, West Nile Virus, Syphillis, Hep B and C, Cruzi, Chagas, and Human T-Cell Lymphotropic Virus 1 and 2. When you login to OneBlood it keeps a record of your previous cholesterol readings which can help you determine if lifestyles choices you made since your last donation have contributed to lowering or increasing your cholesterol.

An interesting study suggests that the donation of blood (and in turn the removal of some iron) contributes to fewer heart attacks. So by rolling up your sleeve you can be saving as many as three lives and maybe even your own.

To look for a blood drive in your area, click here.

Weekly Roundup

Sunday

• 6,667 Steps
• 2.74 Miles
• 0 Very Active Minutes
• 1,821 Calories Burned
• 1,000 Calories Eaten
• 0 Floors Climbed

Monday

• 17,775 Steps
• 4.05 Miles
• 56 Active Minutes
• 2,369 Calories Burned
• 970 Calories Eaten
• 15 Stairs Climbed

Tuesday

• 14,215 Steps
• 6.23 Miles
• 39 Active Minutes
• 2,176 Calories Burned
• 663 Calories Eaten
• 19 Floors Climbed

Wednesday

• 20,893 Steps
• 8.58 Miles
• 4 Active Minutes
• 2,139 Calories Burned
• 956 Calories Eaten
• 10 Floors Climbed

Thursday

• 15,304 Steps
• 6.36 Miles
• 43 Active Minutes
• 2,210 Calories Burned
• 845 Calories Eaten
• 6 Floors Climbed

Friday

• 10,396 Steps
• 4.27 Miles
• 11 Active Minutes
• 2,092 Calories Burned
• 890 Calories Eaten
• 2 Floors Climbed

Saturday

• 16,437 Steps
• 7.13 Miles
• 40 Active Minutes
• 2,269 Calories Burned
• 1,585 Calories Eaten
• 3 Floors Climbed

TOTAL

• 101,687 Steps
• 39.36 Miles
• 193 Active Minutes
• 15,076 Calories Burned
• 6,906 Calories Eaten
• 55 Stairs Climbed

Daily Average

• 14,526
• 5.62 Miles
• 27 Active Minutes
• 2,153 Calories Burned
• 986 Calories Eaten
• 7 Stairs Climbed

The Neon Run 5K

Alrighty, it's the day after and it's time to start picking at the race. The race was fun however there was a shocking lack of UV lights and water. There had been 1 water station which had warm off tasting water and warm bottled water at the end as well. I really enjoyed being sprayed down just before the UV tents, it helped keep me cool when I was starting to feel a little muggy even if the paint that was mixed in itched me a little later. Parts of the "track/trail" were a little dangerous because there were giant holes, gravel, low hanging trees, or uneven pavement. We all avoided injury.

There was an awesome number of people that had obviously put in a lot of hard work into their running costumes. I was worried be had overdone it but next year we will know to go all the way out. ;) I'm planning to run next year in a glow in the dark tutu and a sports bra, go me! Now let's just hope I can meet my weight loss goal by then. This was an un-timed event so I sadly cannot list any official times but we'll plan to do a timed run next time.

Post-mortem on my feelings during the race. I felt so strong, exhilarated, I was ready to run and run hard. Like having been taking it easy this week made me feel like I had been pulling my punches when training. I felt like I could go on forever. I just felt really great. There are just no words.

Of course we went to Steak and Shake right afterwards and we each enjoyed one of their tasty milkshakes a post-race boost. The event may have disappointed me a little but I had fun with my girls and at the end of the day that's all that really matters right?

My Neon Run 5K Playlist

For my playlist since I'm going for negative splits I'm starting with slower music and building to faster BPMs.

Roar - Katy Perry - 90 BPM

Girl on Fire - Alicia Keys - 93 BPM

Fighter - Christina Aguilera - 95 BPM

Can't Hold Us Down - Christina Aguilera - 99 BPM

Shake It Out - SMASH Cast - 108 BPM

Hollaback Girl - Gwen Stefani - 110 BPM

Why Not - Hilary Duff - Best of Hilary Duff - 113 BPM

Stronger - Kelly Clarkson - 116 BPM

I Love It - Icona Pop - 126 BPM

Firework - Katy Perry - 125 BPM

S&M - Rhihanna - 126 BPM

Run The World - Beyonce - 127 BPM

Applause - Lady Gaga - 140 BPM

What To Do on Your First Race Day

Okay so you've trained, you've prepared but what on Earth should you do the day before and the day of a race?

1. Get good sleep. You can't do you're best if you're falling asleep while running. General rule get good sleep for a few nights in a row before the race.
2. Pack it up. The night before lay out everything you need for the race and double check that everything you need is there so in the morning if you're nervous you don't forget your bib or socks. :)
3. 2. Lower your exercise! The whole week of the race keep your mileage down and make any exercise low impact t reduce risk of injury. This does not mean do not exercise at all because you want to be sharp but keep it low. Do not exercise two days before the race.
4. Fuel up! If you're running in the morning eat a good healthy breakfast 2 hours or so before your race. Make sure it is high energy and easy to digest so this is a good morning for oatmeal and fruit, or a peanut butter on a bagel. Be sure to hydrate yourself - water or coffee whichever is part of your normal morning routine.
5. Arrive to the race early - many races require it but if they don't be there at least an hour early to park, if you need to pick up your packet, use the restroom, warmup and in general get situated.
6. Warmup. Do a quick walk around to warm up your muscles 25 minutes before the start of the race.
7. Corral Placement. When getting in line for corral, if you're a beginner getting to the middle towards the back is a good place to move yourself. If you start at the front and you're a beginner you might be setting yourself up to fail by using all your energy at the start of the race and finishing weak. You will start with those around your pace and you can chase down the faster ones later. ;)
8. Start your race slow! For your first race you want to earn negative splits and get faster at the end. It might help to think about the race in sections and resetting yourself at the beginning of each mile. Whichever visualizations works best for you. It also means the finish line photo will look a lot sexier. Fell empowered by passing folks at the end that put in all their effort at the beginning. Go champ!
9. Keep Positive. Practice positive mantras so that when you're slowing down, it hurts, and you want to stop you can keep going with confidence.
10. Breathe. You will do fine, you did your training, take a few cleansing breaths and just remember you got this. Don't worry about the racers around you.
11. Water Stations. Use them, pay attention to see if they are calling sports drink or water and be sure to get what works for you and spare a second to thanks to the volunteer, after all they just helped you get hydrated to meet your goal.
12. Run The Straights. If the course is curved save deep running for straights and not in curves so you don't hurt yourself and get off track.
13. Bank on the Happy High. When you finish and you're celebrating plan out your next race and work towards that goal. 

Sources

• What To Do Before Your First 5K
• 9 Race Day Tips for Your First 5K

Healthy Frozen Food

Ours is the generation of individuals on the go living through life in the fast lane. There just isn't time to do everything and cook a meal every day so sometimes we resort to fast food or frozen food because in 15 minutes or less you have a meal.

The biggest issue with fast food dinners is the massive amount of sodium that is used to preserve it. "The Cleveland Clinic advises that if you do choose to consume frozen dinners, pick ones that have no more than 600 milligrams of total sodium per entrée and be sure not to eat more than one frozen meal in the same day." Yeah you read me right, do not eat a frozen lunch with a frozen dinner. Bad! High consistent sodium intake can lead to high blood pressure, kidney disease,  stroke, heart disease, and congestive heart failure. Have a scared you yet? Good. Other things to watch out for is the number of calories, number of grams of fat, and if it's generally balance (a meat with a  veggie.) As a general rule of thumb the fewer ingredients listed the better it probably is for you.

The absolute best thing you can do is freeze your own meat, veggies, or whole meals and reheat when needed but if that is not an option the following are decent brands for frozen food. Click on the name to go to the manufacture's site. Now this does NOT mean that every item on their product lineup is good. Be smart, look at the label and look at the amount of sodium, look to see if its balanced so you're not eating empty carbs or missing out on proteins and nutrients, check the fat content and see if it fits in with your fitness goal. If you're not sure how much fat your diet calls for check out the Nutrition Calculator on the column to the left under Fitness Calculators to give you a better idea.

• Seeds of Change
• Healthy Choice
• Cedar Lean
• Kashi
• Smart Ones
• Artisan Bistro
• Birds Eye Voila!
• Amy's
• MorningStar

Race to End Homelessness 5K Groupon

Great News! The $25 race I wanted to enter for November 17th just went on Groupon for $12. You check out the race here, and check out the Groupon here. Looking forward to seeing everyone at the race! Note this race IS in Orlando but is on the Osceola/Orange County border.

Fast Food Under 350 Calories Series - Starbucks

Warm Breakfast

• Spinach, Roasted Tomato, Feta, and Egg White Wrap - 280
• Reduced Fat Turkey Bacon, Cholesterol Free Egg White, Reduced Fat White Cheddar Breakfast Sandwich - 320

Cool Snacks

• Fruit Cup - 90
• Banana - 90-140
• Greek Yogurt & Honey parfait - 290
• Strawberry Blueberry Yogurt Parfait - 300

Baked Goods

• Petite Vanilla Bean Scone - 120
• Marshmallow Dream Bar - 210
• Reduced fat Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake - 340
• Morning Bun - 350
• Marble Pound Cake - 350
• Plain Bagel - 270
• Chocolate Croissant - 300
• Butter Croissant - 310
• Chonga Bagel - 300
• Reduced Fat very berry Coffee Cake - 350
• Multigrain Bagel - 290

Beverages

• Skinny Latte Any Flavor - 100, 120, 160
• All Ice Brewed Coffee
• All Tazo Shaken Iced Tea
• All Tazo Shaken Iced Tea Lemonade
• All Refreshers
• All Smoothies
• Coffee Frappuccino Light All Sizes
• Mocha Frappuccino Light All Sizes
• Caramel Frappuccino Light All Sizes
• Java Chip Frappuccino Light All Sizes

Fast Food Under 350 Calories Series - Panera Bread

Breakfast Entrees

• French Toast - 340
• Everything Bagel - 300
• Breakfast power with Ham on Whole Grain - 340
• Strawberry Granola Parfait - 310
• Seasonal Fruit Cup - 60
• Steel Cut Oatmeal with Cinnamon Crunch Topping, Strawberries and Pecans - 340

Hidden Menu

• Power Breakfast Egg Bowl with Steak - 270
• Power Breakfast Egg White Bowl with Roasted Turkey - 170
• Power Chicken Hummus Bowl - 330
• Power Mediterranean Roasted Turkey - 290
• Power Steak Lettuce Wraps - 210

Salads

• Caesar Salad- 310
• Classic Salad - 170

Soups & More

• Broccoli Cheddar - 330
• Cream of Chicken & Wild Rice - 310
• Low-fat Vegetarian Black Bean - 260
• Baked Potato - 350
• Low-fat Garden Vegetable with Pesto - 150
• All Natural Low-fat Chicken Noodle - 130
• All Natural Bistro Onion Topped with Croutons & Gruyere - 320
• Vegetarian Autumn Squash Topped with Pumpkin Seeds - 330

You Pick Two Items (Be careful that your two don't add up over 350 or save the rest for lunch the next day)

• Baked Potato - 230
• Broccoli Cheddar - 220
• Cream of Chicken & Wild Rice - 210
• Low-fat Vegetarian Black Bean - 170
• Low-fat Garden Vegetable with Pesto - 100
• All Natural Low-fat Chicken Noodle - 80
• All Natural Bistro Onion Topped with Croutons & Gruyere - 200
• Vegetarian Autumn Squash Topped with Pumpkin Seeds - 220
• Half Caesar Salad - 160
• Half Greek Salad - 180
• Half BBQ Chicken Salad- 240
• Half Thai Chicken Salad - 240
• Half Classic Salad - 80
• Half Fuji Apple Chicken Salad - 270
• Half Chicken Caesar Salad - 220
• Half Asian Sesame Chicken Salad - 210
• Half Spinach Power - 220
• Half Roasted Turkey Harvest Wheat Berry - 230
• Half Mediterranean Veggie on Tomato Basil - 290
• Half Smoked Ham & Swiss on Rye - 290
• Half Smoked Turkey Breast on Country - 220
• Half Tuna Salad on Honey Wheat - 260
• Half Roasted Turkey & Avocado BLT on Sourdough - 250
• Half Classic Grilled Cheese on All Natural White Miche - 290

Pasta

• Rustic Penne Bolognese Small - 340
• Rigatoni San Marzano Small - 320

Drinks

• Café Latte - 120
• Cappuccino - 120
• Vanilla Latte with Sugar Free Vanilla Syrup - 100
• Vanilla Latte - 230
• Skinny Café Mocha - 200
• Low-fat Black Cherry Smoothie - 310
• Low-fat Mango Smoothie - 230
• Low-fat Strawberry Smoothie with Ginseng 280
• Low-fat Wild Berry Smoothie - 340
• Fat-free Superfruit Power Smoothie - 210
• Chai Tea Latte - 200
• Large Coffe - 10
• Hot Chocolate - 350
• Any Brewed Tea - 0
• Iced Chai Tea Latte - 160
• Lemonade, Regular - 160
• Orange Juice - 160

Side Items

• Baked Lays Potato Chips - 130
• Apple - 80
• French Baquette Side Portion - 180
• Whole Grain Bacquette Side Portion - 180
• Pickle - 5
• Kettle Chips - 150

Desserts

• French Croissant - 300
• Pastry Ring - 230
• Shortbread Cookie - 350
• Pumpkin Muffie - 290
• Chocolate Chip Muffie - 320
• Mini Blueberry Scone - 160
• Mini Strawberries & Cream Scone - 140
• Mini Orange Scone - 180

Fast Food Under 350 Calories Series - Chick-Fil-A

Breakfast

• Biscuit - 310
• Multigrain Oatmeal - 290
• Yogurt Parfait - 350
• Hash Browns - 240

Entrees

• Chargrilled Chicken Sandwich - 310
• 8 Pc Nuggets - 270
• Grilled Chicken Cool Wrap - 330
• Asian Salad - 330
• Grilled Market Salad - 180

Sides

• Small Waffle Fries - 310
• Fruit Cup - 45
• Hearty Breast of Chicken Soup - 200
• Side Salad - 80

Desserts

• Mini Sundae - 170
• Chocolate Chunk Cookie - 330
• Icedream Cone - 290

Fast Food Under 350 Calories Series - McDonalds

Breakfast

• Fruit n Yogurt Parfait - 150
• Egg McMuffin - 290
• Egg White Delight - 250
• Hotcakes - 350
• Fruit and Maple Oatmeal - 290
• Fruit and Maple Oatmeal W/O Brown Sugar - 260

Burgers & Sandwiches

• Hamburger - 250
• Cheeseburger - 300
• Grilled Onion Cheddar - 310
• Premium Grilled Chicken Classic Sandwich - 350
• Chipotle BBQ Crispy Snack Wrap - 330
• Chipotle BBQ Grilled Snack Wrap - 250
• Honey Mustard Crispy Snack Wrap - 330
• Honey Mustard Grilled Snack Wrap - 250
• Ranch Crispy Snack Wrap - 350
• Ranch Grilled Snack Wrap - 270
• Mac Snack Wrap - 330

Salads

• Premium Bacon Ranch Salad - 140
• Premium Bacon Ranch Salad with Grilled Chicken - 230
• Premium Caesar Salad - 90
• Premium Caesar Salad with Grilled Chicken - 190
• Premium Southwest Salad - 140
• Premium Southwest Salad with Grilled Chicken - 290
• Side Salad - 20

Chicken & Fish

• 4 Pc Chicken Nuggets - 190
• 6 Pc Chicken Nuggets - 280
• Mighty Wings 3 Pc - 290
• Spicy Chicken McBites Snack Size - 270

Sides

• Apple Slices - 15
• Small French Fries - 230

Drinks

• Blueberry Pomegranate Smoothie - 220, 260, 340
• Strawberry Banana Smoothie - 210, 250, 330
• Mango Pineapple Smoothie - 220, 270, 340
• Iced Coffee Caramel - 130, 180, 260
• Iced Coffee Vanilla - 120, 170, 240
• Iced Coffee with Sugar free Vanilla Syrup - 80,120,160
• Iced Coffee Hazelnut - 130, 180, 250
• Iced Mocha Small 290
• Latte 170, 210, 280
• Non-fat Latte - 100, 130, 170
• Caramel Latte - 270, 340
• Non-fat Caramel Latte - 200, 250, 310
• Hazelnut Latte - 270, 330
• Non-fat Hazelnut Latte - 200, 250, 310
• French Vanilla Latte - 260, 330
• French Vanilla Sugar Free Syrup - 210, 260, 330
• Non-fat French Vanilla Latte - 190, 240, 300
• Non-fat French Vanilla Sugar Free Syrup - 140, 170, 220
• Non-fat Hot Chocolate - 280, 340

Desserts

• Vanilla Reduced fat Ice Cream Cone - 170
• Hot Fudge Sundae - 330
• Hot caramel Sundae - 340
• Strawberry Sundae - 280
• Baked Hot Apple Pie - 250
• Baked Pumpkin Pie - 240
• Chocolate Chip Cookie - 160
• Oatmeal Raisin Cookie - 150
• Snack Size McFlurry with Oreo Cookies - 340

Fast Food Under 350 Calories Series - Wendys

Old Fashioned Hamburgers

• Jr. Cheeseburger Deluxe - 350 Calories
• Jr. Hamburger - 250 Calories
• Jr. Cheeseburger - 290 Calories

Chicken & Wraps

• Spicy Chicken Go Wrap - 330 Calories
• Grilled Chicken Go Wrap - 260 Calories
• 4 Pc Nuggets - 180 Calories
• 4 Pc Spicy Chicken Nuggets - 170 Calories
• 6 Pc Chicken Nuggets - 270 Calories
• 6 Pc Spicy Chicken Nuggets - 160 Calories

Salads

• Half Size Apple Pecan Chicken Salad - 340 Calories
• Half Size Chicken BLT Cobb Salad - 300 Calories
• Garden Side Salad - 200 Calories
• Caesar Side Salad - 250 Calories

Sides

• Value French Fries - 220 Calories
• Small French Fries - 310 Calories
• Small Chili - 180 Calories
• Large Chili - 270 Calories
• Sour Cream & Chive Potato - 320 Calories
• Apple Slices - 40 Calories

Drinks

• Small Original Chocolate Frosty - 290 Calories
• Small Vanilla Frosty - 280 Calories
• Value Coca Cola - 130 Calories

Fast Food Under 350 Calories Series - Dunkin Donuts

Food

• Multigrain Bagel - 350
• Egg White Turkey Sausage Flatbread - 280
• Egg White Veggie Flatbread - 280
• Egg and Cheese on English Muffin - 240
• Ham, Egg, and Cheese on English Muffin - 280
• Brown Sugar Flavored Oatmeal with Dried Fruit -300
• Original Oatmeal with Dried Fruit - 270
• English Muffin - 140
• Egg and Cheese Wake Up Wrap - 150
• Egg White and Turkey Sausage Wake Up Wrap - 150
• Egg White and Veggie Wake Up Wrap - 150
• Ham, Egg, and Cheese Wake Up Wrap - 170

Beverages

• Iced Coffee with Skim Milk & Splenda - 30, 40, 60
• Iced Caramel Latte Lite - 80, 120, 160
• Iced Latte Lite - 80, 120, 160
• Iced Vanilla Latte Lite - 80, 120, 170
• Caramel Latte Lite - 80, 120, 160
• Latte Lite, 80, 120, 160
• Vanilla Latte Lite, 80, 120, 170

Fast Food Under 350 Calories Series - Subway

6 Inch Sandwiches

• BLT - 320
• Black Forest Ham - 220
• Chicken Teriyaki with Spinach - 283
• Oven Roasted Chicken - 234
• Roast beef - 234
• Subway Club - 241
• Sweet Onion & Teriyaki - 273
• Turkey Breast - 220
• Veggie Delight - 164

Salads

• All Salads EXCEPT Chipotle Steak & Cheese with Avocado

Soups

• All Soups EXCEPT Beef Chili

Breakfast Items

• All Breakfast 3inch Flatbreads Egg white or Regular
• 6 Inch Egg White & Cheese Omelet Sandwich - 320

Fast Food Under 350 Calories Series - Burger King

Breakfast Items

• Quaker Oatmeal Maple and Brown Sugar - 270
• Quaker Oatmeal Original - 140
• Sausage Breakfast Burrito - 290
• BK Breakfast Muffin Sandwich Egg and Cheese - 220
• BK Breakfast Muffin Sandwich Sausage and Cheese - 330
• BK Breakfast Muffin Sandwich Ham, Egg and Cheese - 250
• BK Breakfast Muffin Sandwich Bacon, Egg and Cheese - 250
• Croissanwich Egg and Cheese - 280
• Crossanwich Ham, Egg, and Cheese - 310
• Crossanwich Bacon, Egg, and Cheese - 320
• Cinnabon Roll One - 300
• Hash Brown Small - 250
• 3 Pc French Toast Sticks - 230

Whopper Sandwiches

• Whopper Junior - 340
• Whopper Junior W/O Mayo - 260
• Whopper Junior with Cheese W/O Mayo - 300

Flame Broiled Burger

• Hamburger - 240
• Cheeseburger - 280
• Double Hamburger - 330
• BK Bacon Burger - 320
• Bacon Cheeseburger - 310

Chicken, Fish, and Veggie Burger

• 4 Pc Nuggets - 190
• 6 Pc Nuggets - 280
• BK Veggie Burger W/O Mayo - 320

Salads & Sides

• Side Caesar Salad & Dressing - 220
• Side Garden Salad & Avocado & Dressing - 230
• Ranch Grilled Chicken Wrap - 350
• Apple Slices - 30 Calories
• Onion Rings Value - 150 Calories
• French Fries Salted Value - 240
• 4 PC Mozzarella Sticks - 280

Desserts

• Dutch Apple Pie - 320
• Hershey Sundae Pie - 310
• Softserve Cone - 160
• Softserve Cup - 140
• Caramel Sundae - 280
• Chocolate Fudge Sundae - 280
• Strawberry Sundae - 190
• White Chocolate Macademia Cookies X2 - 340
• Oatmeal Raisin Cookies X2 - 310

Smoothies

• Small Strawberry Banana Smoothie - 200
• Medium Strawberry Banana Smoothie - 310
• Small Tropical Mango Smoothie - 210
• Medium Tropical Mango Smoothie - 330

Coffee

• All Iced Coffees of any Size
• All Nonfat or 2% Lattes of any size
• Nonfat Caramel Latte Small - 220
• Nonfat Caramel Latte Medium - 300
• 2% Caramel Latte Small -240
• 2% Caramel Latte Medium - 320
• Nonfat Vanilla Latte Small - 220
• Nonfat Vanilla Latte Medium - 300
• 2% Vanilla Latte Small - 240
• 2% Vanilla Latte Medium - 320
• All Nonfat Mocha Lattes of any size
• Hot Chocolate of Any Size

Click Here for Full Nutritional Information from Burger King

Fast Food Under 350 Calories Series - Taco Bell

Breakfast

• Bacon AM Griller - 240
• Cinnabon Delight 4 Pc - 260
• Hash Brown - 160
• Sausage AM Griller - 230
• Side of Eggs - 60

Entrees

• Chalupa Supreme Chicken - 340
• Chalupa Supreme Steaf - 350
• Fresco Burrito Supreme Chicken - 340
• Fresco Burrito Supreme Steak - 350
• Fresco Chicken Soft Taco - 140
• Fresco Chicken Crunchy Taco - 150
• Fresco Grilled Steak  Soft Taco - 150
• Fresco Soft Taco - 160
• Gordita Supreme Chicken - 270
• Gordita Supreme Steak - 280
• Gordita Supreme Beef - 300
• MexiMelt - 260
• Tostada - 270
• Any of the standalone tacos

Sides

• Cheesy Nachos - 290
• Black Beans - 80
• Black Beans and Rice - 180
• Caramel Apple Empanada - 310
• Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes - 280
• Chips and Corn Salsa - 280
• Chips and Guac - 320
• Chips and Pico De Galo - 230
• Churro - 190
• Cinnamon Twists - 170
• Pintos and Cheese - 190
• Premium Latin Rice - 100

Fast Food Under 350 Calories Series - Popeyes

Sandwiches & Wraps

• Loaded Chicken Wrap - 310
• Blackened BBQ Chicken Po Boy - 340
• Chicken & Sausage Jambalaya - 220

Tenders

• 4 Pc Nuggets - 150
• 6 Pc Nuggets - 230
• 3 Pc Mild Tenders - 340
• 3 Pc Spicy Tenders - 310
• 3 Pc Blackened Tenders - 170

Seafood

• Popcorn Shrimp - 330
• 8 Pc Butterfly Shrimp - 290

Sides

• Biscuit - 260
• Baquette - 90
• Cheddar Cheese Tortilla - 140
• Cajun Fries Regular - 260
• Corn on the Cob - 190
• Mac and Cheese Regular - 200
• Mashed Potatoes Regular - 110
• Red Beans and Rice Regular - 230
• Cajun Rice Regular - 170
• 6 Pc Onion Rings - 280
• Jalapenos - 0

Desserts

• Hot Cinnamon Apple Pie - 320
• Mississippi Mud Pie - 280
• Mardi Gras Cheese Cake - 310
• Hot Sweet Potato Pie - 350

Work Out or Not When You're Sick? The Verdict

Okay so you feel sick, how do you decide whether your are too sick to work out?

A good rule of thumb is that moderate physical activity is fine if all your symptoms are above the neck like runny nose, nasal congestion, sneezing, or a soar throat. In fact in many cases a light workout will help to alleviate these symptoms especially sinus congestion. Research has suggested that individuals who regularly workout catch fewer colds than their inactive counterparts. If you have a cold and you work out you could halve the number of days you experience cold symptoms. Some people who work out regularly could actually feel worse if they skip a light workout.

As a note of clarity if you are a runner or partake in another high impact activity you should walk instead of your usual routine until you are feeling better because if you overdo it your cold symptoms could linger on more than usual. If you do exercise while sick make sure to remain well hydrated. Also note if you workout in a public place and you're sneezing up a storm skip the public area and walk around your neighborhood - remember be nice to your fellow gym rats.

However, you should NOT work out if you have a fever because if you're body is already warm and you workout and get warmer you can spike your fever higher. You should also avoid working out if you have an upset stomach, chest congestion, irritable bowels, fatigue, or muscle aches.

Sources

1. Mayo Clinic
2. WebMD
3. Prevention
4. CNN

Treating and Preventing Shin Splints

What are shin splints? Shin splints in pain in the front of leg between your ankles and knee the pain can appear during the start of a workout, disappear, and then reappear with more pain. The pain can be extreme enough to stop a workout or stop exercising for several days. This typically an overuse injury.

What could make me a candidate for shin splints? Beginner runner, not warming up before a run, Hill training (running and overtraining on hills), not enough recovery time between workouts, ineffective footwear, over pronated and supinated feet, rigid arches, weak ankles, a tight Achilles tendon and a stronger calf muscle than anterior leg muscle..

What causes shin splints? Swollen muscles often from overuse or sudden increase in distance or intensity of a workout, stress fractures which are small breaks in lower leg bones, or any of the risk factors above.

What should I do if I get shin splints? If you're unwilling to completely stop working our for awhile try workouts that do not involve as much stress on the shins such as stationary biking and pool running. If you must run, run on soft surfaces like dirt or grass where the impact is lower and be sure to avoid hilly areas also decrease speed and distance. Other things you should be doing is icing the area to reduce the inflammation and take Ibuprofen (Tylenol will take the pain away but it will not work as an anti inflammatory) and Aleve. You can also wrap the area with an Ace bandage or use a compression sock to help reduce muscle movement and thus pain. Do Calf and anterior leg stretching to resolve weak muscles like toe raises and leg presses. If your shoes were the culprit either buy inserts or ditch those shoes and get new ones that are meant for your feet.

You can use these exercises to help strengthen your anterior muscles.

Heel Toe Walking

Toe Raises

Calf Raises

Sources

1. Medicinenet.Com
2. Mayo Clinic
3. WebMD
4. Core Performance
5. About.com Sports Medicine
6. Sports Injury Clinic

Get Paid to Work Out

There are a number of awesome applications and websites that reward you for your fitness. Some of these include:

EveryMove is an excellent resource for working out and getting rewarded with real life rewards. You select a reward to work towards and there are few very cool ones like Free 6 Months of ActiveAdvantage which was the very first reward I claimed and I absolutely love it! One of the very cool things about this site is that even if you don't necessarily have an activity tracker (Like FitBit, Nike+, or BodyMedia you are not down for the count. However if you do have an activity tracker it's really easy to rack up more points without having to log in frequently. You can manually enter activities that you do all day long like cleaning your house, swimming, cycling, weights, shopping, really just about anything. On very active days you earn bonus points and can share them with friends. Great right? You can reward yourself and friends. The Takeaway is that the points are easy to get so reward yourself already! Available on application and online. This is one of my very favorites I would give it a 5/5 for functionality, usability, speed at which you earn rewards, and quality of rewards.

 

Steps is a relatively recent development.The site existed before as Walk with Walgreens to earn you special coupons to earn in the store but with the creation of their Balance Rewards Card you can now make your mileage count towards your Balance Rewards Points which can be redeemed for in store credit. You get 20 points for every mile walked or ran and 20 points whenever you record your weight for the day. While syncing a device is not necessary to log your runs and walks you do get a 250 point bonus for doing so and it is easier to automatically earn points without frequent logins. You get $5 for every 5,000 points. You are however capped at 1,000 points per month so it is slow going but hey it's better than nothing right? Available online only - no application. I really enjoy this site I would give it a 4/5 for functionality, usability, and quality of rewards.

Nexercise has long been a part of rewarding its members for fitness. There are three ways to earn real life rewards with this program. Whenever you log a workout you will earn mPoints and sometimes when you click to get your mPoints there will be a video or survey worth additional mPoints. You also earn Pocket Change with each workout logged, these are little less awesome because they are more like discounts than free items but occasionally you'll see something really cool on there. Maybe I need to rephrase - they offer really awesome free stuff but you need an impossible amount of Pocket Change. Also everytime you submit a workout you will get a Kiip offer which is sometimes just a coupon or sometimes its a free small side item at a food place. Either way free stuff. :) Note all three reward systems are used across multiple applications (not always fitness related so its worth looking into and raking it in. Also note, you do not need an activity tracker but you do have to be good about remembering to log your workouts and this is available on application only. I enjoy this app, I give it a 3/5 for functionality and usability.

EarndIt is relatively new but it doesn't keep it from being awesome. You sync up activity trackers or applications that function as activity trackers (though there are a limited number of ones they will sync too) and it gives you points for your activity. Most of the rewards are deals/coupons but some of them are really great and they give you a chance to try new things without going all in full price especially if you end up hating it like with healthy food items. You can participate in challenges where points amounts give you entrance into raffles of if you win prizes. You can even create your own challenges where folks have to pay to enter and you can earn a gift card for the amount of everyone's entrance fees (minus 10% service fee) You can set up free challenges but there's no prize beyond the accumulation of points you get by working on the challenge. Available online only. I enjoy this site, I would give it a 4/5 for functionality, usability, and speed at which you earn rewards.

Fitocracy is also a longstanding application used to reward fitness however this one is a little less amazing as it only does the Kiip rewards which are basically deals/coupons which are given at random but hey you just never know right? I am a little sad more isn't done with their rewards system but I still enjoy using it and I give it a 2/5 for functionality and usability.

Easy Ways to Add Walking Mileage to Your Day

Walking the suggested 10,000 miles a day might seem hard but this is roughly only 5 miles (varying on stride and height). I know, you're still thinking that 5 miles seems like a big deal. But really it isn't.

Are you a person who paces when they talk on the phone? If so you have found an ultra efficient reason to stay in regular contact with friends and family. If you have one half hour conversation and pace while you talk you'll look down at your pedometer and be shocked that you probably walked 1.75-2 miles! I don't know about you but I simply cannot help but pace while I am talking on the phone and I always feel doubly rewarded with the mileage and the contact. If you have 2 conversations a day and simply do a little walking peppered throughout your day there is little to no reason why you can't reach 10,000 steps. :)

If you hate talking on the phone or don't feel like you have enough people to call to make this worth your effort you can pace while watching a 1 hour tv show you really enjoy. :)

Country Playlist

1. I'm from the County - Tracy Byrd
2. All American Girl - Carrie Underwood
3. My Time - Montgomery Gentry
4. Girls Lie Too - Terri Clark
5. Suds in the Bucket- Sara Evans
6. Fall - Clay Walker
7. Honey I'm Home - Shania Twain
8. Should've Been a Cowboy - Toby Keith
9. Honey Bee - Blake Shelton
10. Indian Outlaw - Toby Keith

Pop Princess Playlist

1. Raise Your Glass - P!nk
2. Call Me Maybe -Carly Rae Jepson
3. Toxic - Britney Spears
4. Ain't No Other Man - Christian Aguilera
5. My Life Would Suck Without You - Kelly Clarkson
6. Get The Party Started - P!nk
7. I Do - Colbie Caillat
8. S&M - Rhianna
9. Hollaback Girl - Gwen Stefani
10. Pocket Full of Sunshine - Natasha Bedingfield

Check out the playlist on Jog.Fm.

The Science of Engineering a Workout Playlist

Before you laugh me off as a quack, the playlist you use to work out with greatly impacts your mood and motivation during your workout as well as the intensity.

Step #1 - Choose 2 songs to warm up with, their beats per minute should be between 120 and 140. You can check out jog.fm to find songs in a certain genre and it will tell you the beats per minute.

Step #2 - Choose 3 fast songs for completing fat burning intervals. If the music is going fast you will unconsciously go faster to keep tempo. These should be 145 beats per minute or higher.

Step #3 - Choose 3 slightly slower songs to place between the 3 fast ones you picked in Step #2. These should be between 130 and 140 beats per minute. These are meant to give you a breather but not take you all the way down.

Step #4 - Choose 2 songs under 110 beats per minute for your cool down.

Sample Built Playlist:
1. I Love It - Icona Pop
2. Let's Go - Calvin Harris
3. Everybody Talks - Neon Tree
4. Let It Go -Dragonette
5. Down in Mississippi - Sugarland
6. 50 Ways to Say Goodbye - Train
7. Come and Get It - Selena Gomez
8. Blown Away - Carrie Underwood
9. Halo - Beyonce
10. Girl on Fire - Alicia Keys

The Vampire Diaries Workout Playlist

You Give Love a Bad Name - Bon Jovi

Tightrope - Walk the Moon

Keep Together - Hunter Hunted

It Love It (Original) - Icona Pop

Let It Go - Dragonette

Feel So Close - Calvin Harris

New Phone Means New Fitness Apps!

I purchased the HTC One last Thursday when I made the change from ATT&T to T-Mobile to save $60 on our monthly bill. Since then I have gone install crazy trying to find the most useful applications to monitor and reward my fitness activity since my Wannabe Hubby shot down my own reward program citing that the plan was too expensive for this year. This is not a slam - it is just a fact. Buying a house bankrupts you, just saying ;) All that being said the following are the apps I have found I enjoy used and easy to use.

Fitbit - It is no secret that I love Fitbit's website and tracking device. While you cannot sync to your Android phone (boo iPhone!) It does tell you how many steps taken, floors climbed, miles traveled, calories burned, hours of sleep, food plan, and water consumption since your last sync in relation to your goal. Allowing to plan accordingly throughout the day. You can log activity that cannot be measured with the wireless tracking device, you can log food, you can add weight tracking information, you can log water, if you have friends on the site it shoes you the ranking, and you can log sleep. So all in all pretty dang functional and the ever present practice about being mindful of your health. You can view my profile and add me as a friend HERE.

Nike+ Running - It's no secret I love their site and use my iPod Nano in conjunction with the site. While I don't use the Android Application to log my runs - since I have my iPod - but I do use it for the widget that shows how many miles total I've run and how many days since my last run. A nice way to motivate myself. Additionally it compares your most recent with your last run to see how much shorter/longer you ran and the time difference. If you have a goal setup it will also show your percentage to goal.You can also set up a run reminder in case you just can't muster the motivation on your own. The profile page shows all your stats that are available on the site but it is nice to carry those stats out for motivation or bragging rights ;) You can also view your entire activity history. I have not added any friends on Nike+ but it shows you comparative stats with your friends as well. You can view my profile and add me as a friend HERE or search for Rookie_Runner.

Nike Training Club - Okay so I log my walking and my running, but how do I log all my other training efforts or plan them? Using this! There are tons of workouts to choose from and you can select your activity level and time or focus group making this an easy addition to any cardio workout. You can log in with your Nike+ Account if you have one to add Nikefuel to your account for more than just running. You can save workouts you really like so they are easy to find again for the next time and it will also track your progress. You can view my profile and add me as a friend HERE or search for Rookie_Runner.

Nexercise - I love being rewarded for fitness. I use the Nike Apps to monitor my runs and workouts and then I manually log them to earn rewards - you don't earn as much for manually logging them but I don't want to run with my phone since it's not as practical as my iPod Nano. I could theoretically have the app running in the background while using Nike Training Club - if that works I will re-post with the update. As a note - you have to log the activity within two days it will not let you post further back. You earn trophies which can boost your motivation and again serve as bragging rights if you've enabled the social aspect but adding friends. You can earn rewards 1 of 2 ways. Through mPoints which you get by logging exercise, by viewing advertisements, taking short surveys, fulfilling basic achievements, or sometimes completely at random for logging in. You can spend these mPoints on sweepstakes, gift cards, or charitable donations. You can also earn rewards through Pocketchange which you earn by logging in and logging activity that can be used towards gift cards - these are a little harder to earn but the rewards are better since ad viewing doesn't come into play at all. You can add me by posting a status to Twitter asking for friends and commenting below with your Twitter name so I can accept the invitation.

Fitocracy - I love making fitness a game.  You can select quests to complete to earn more points from them and "level up" There is no rewards system in this game so unless your highly competitive you have to bring your own motivation but it is definitely self-satisfying to bump levels. You can add me by searching for me as Rookie_Runner.

Charity Miles - This app just makes you feel horrifically guilty if you skip a day of walking, running, or cycling. You earn 10 cents per mile for biking and walking and runners are 25 cents per mile You can select from a number of charities. I tend to always donate to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society due to a close relative who has Stage 4 Lymphoma. I would also consider the following charities in the future - Stand Up To Cancer, The Nature Conservatory & ASPCA. I love their motto - Because changing the world is a team sport. You cannot add friends with this application.

LA Fitness Mobile - I use this app because this is where I have my gym membership and it lets me know the class schedule and if any classes get cancelled to save me the trip .This is a just a useful tool. It can also set reminders to your phone to attend a class thereby holding you accountable to attend. You cannot add friends with this application.

Fitsby - Compete with friends by how many times you check into the gym .This is a lot like GymPact in that you can make a wager where the winning party earn the pot and the loser pays into it if they cannot keep up the bargain. However, you have the option to enter free competitions - not as motivating but again like a game so this might be enough motivation for some people.

Active - This application doesn't monitor or reward fitness in any way but you can view feeds of local activties (categorized by interests you select) that are close to you. They also feature articles about the topics you selected. This is great because you can filter out activities you don't have an interest in and you can save articles you enjoy to peruse again later. You cannot add friends.

DietPoint - Also not a fitness application but what you eat plays into how healthy you are. I like this application because it comes up a week long plan for what to eat and after answering a few questions tells you how much weight you can expect to lose over a period of time. You're limited in which plans you choose if you want to keep it free but they are a number of free options that are just fine. Also if you go pro it will auto make a grocery list for you but honestly unless you're supremely lazy there's no reason you can't slip through the days to determine how much and of what to buy. You cannot add friends.

Lose It - Food diary that allows you to select a weight loss goal. This is a nice application because you ca pair it to Fitbit and there is more uploaded food information on Lose It so you're not constantly creating foods if you don't always buy name brand or you eat out a lot. You can search for me by me email address but please PLEASE do not spam  me. You can comment below if you would like to add me.