I went to McDonalds and didn't order fries!

So, as I've started paying close attention to what I'm consuming this week, and while searching for alternatives in the area around my office, I decided to check McDonalds, just to see how bad their salads are for you. I was pleasantly surprised at the choices and the nutritional value of them.

So, I ordered a Bacon Ranch Salad with Grilled Chicken. I opted against the ranch dressing, instead, I ordered the low-fat Italian dressing. I pay and patiently wait to the side for my salad, thinking this could be great or it could be a disaster. As I'm handed my salad, I notice it's in a different bag than the normal red & white bag the regular, bad-for-you McDonald's food is served in. I take this as a sign that I should show it off as I'm making my way outside to find a seat. Sort like, "Hey guys, I did go to McDonalds, but look! I bought a salad!"

As I'm toting my salad bag around, I find my seat at a table outside. I look around to make sure everyone knows that while I did get McDonald's, I ordered a salad (I probably should have made a sign). I opened it up, it didnt look half bad. I drizzled a bit of my dressing on the salad and had my first bite of the chicken. "Ooh, it's warm!" I surprisingly thought to myself. I fiddle my way through the contents of the salad to notice that there are bacon bits AND cheese included. "This is the best not-bad-for you salad I've ever had!" I almost exclaimed out loud (which would also help to alert those around me that I ordered a salad from McDonald's. I really don't know what it is, or why I feel the need to make sure others know what I'm eating. I think it's probably partially due to trying everything to hold myself accountable. As if strangers seeing what I eat will help, but whatever).

I finish up my salad, chug down the rest of my water & get up to take a walk. I figure I should get walks in at lunch while the weather still permits. I don't plan out my walks prior to lunch, I just head a direction & walk. I eventually reach a point to turn around or start heading back to the office. This week, I've ended up taking 1.2 and 1.3 mile walks. Pretty cool.

Anyway, the moral of the story, err, of this post: McDonald's offers other items that aren't so bad for you! Give them a try someday, you might be surprised.

Ok, so I guess the diet starts today?

So, Teri's boyfriend Kieffer started an online Illini Biggest Loser competition Located here - a bunch of my interets friends and I are competing to win $350 by losing the highest percentage of body weight. The end date for the contest will be December 31st, 2007 - making it especially challenging at the end (being that it's during the holidays and all).

In any case, we're all taking pictures & weighing ourselves today & sending them to one non-participant who has been picked to be the judge (Thanks, Philo!). He'll track our progress on a weekly basis & keep the website udated in terms of who's ahead etc.

Kieffer has already done a great job at providing infomation for contestants as well. Others have provided websites to track your weightloss, to monitor what you eat, etc.

Last time I did the whole weight loss thing, I ended up losing 22 pounds in 4 months. I'm hoping to lose 20 pounds by the end of the year, but will continue to try and lose 30 by my 30th birthday (March 27th).

Wish me luck, because I've never been very good at sticking to a weight loss program. I'll stick to it for 3-6 months and as soon as I plateau, I usually give up. Hopefully this won't happen again.

Look at meez!

Poor Steve looks like a statue.

They also didnt have any options with "burb hair" so I settled for an older hairstyle. :)

Tailgating in the Paign

So, this past weekend was the first home game in Champaign. The weather could have been better (it rained the majority of the prime tailgating hours) - but overall, it was a fun day & always great to get back down to Champaign.

Thanks to our friend Ryan, we were able to park for free in the Ass Hall lot & we all got into the game free. (Hope it was ok to sell those extra 10 tickets you gave us!) :D

After the game, Brad's girlfriend ousted me as the last person to join the mug club at the Illini Inn. I can't believe I never joined in college. Chugging beer just isn't my thing. After about an hour being in the smoke-filled bar, I'd had enough, so I Freedom Cabbed it back to the hotel, while the others headed to Legends/Murphys. Kind of stinks, since I love those two bars (particularly Murphys) - but I was ready to wind down for the evening.

Made it all the way back to the hotel for $8 (although I think I gave him a 50% tip since he was originally from Chicago & somehow that meant he deserved more...). As soon as I got back, I found the phone book & ordered Pokey. I have no idea why I looked up their number, it's pretty obvious I knew the number was still 355-FAST. I enjoyed about 5 of the stix & then passed out for the evening.

Here are some pictures from the weekend (Illinois won 21-0, by the way. Defense looked great, the offense, notsomuch)--

The new North End Zone - all of the students, along with the band, now sit here. Looked pretty cool, in my opinion