So, as I've been working on my weight loss, I still wanted to be able to go to restaurants like normal and be able to eat something that wouldn't drop a 2,000+ calorie bomb into my stomach. Applebee's kicked azz in this department!

When they came out with the Under 550 Calorie Menu I couldn't wait to go check it out. I tried pretty much every dish they offered and they were awesome. The best, in my opinion, is the Asiago Peppercorn Steak served with roasted red skin potatoes and the infamous vegetable medley. Combined with an ice cold glass of water, it's a dieters dream.

Has anyone else partaken in the this menu???

Not yet...it's a little pricey for me and the family to eat their regularly. As an alternative, I like the fresca menu at taco bell for some low calorie and low fat alternatives.

I just started a full fledged diet this week after spending last Saturday at Cedar Point and having trouble getting strapped into some of the rides...talk about a wake up call!

Going good so far, managed to lose 6 pounds since last week. Gave up fried foods, french fries and pop for turkey and chicken, salads and water. Although I need to start exercising a little more, but I have managed to get a 20 minute power walk in each afternoon around the picturesque campus here at work

Awesome work man! Keep it up! You'll be surprised how easy the pounds come off at first. I was averaging about 4-6 pounds a week when I started. I've lost a little over 40 lbs. total but have been hovering around the 215 mark for about a month now. I'm going to get down to 200 by the end of the summer...that is my goal...and then maintain that for my wedding in January.

Thanks...and good luck to you too. It's really hard trying not to take an extra scoop of food from the bowl or to not order a second sandwich at a drive-thru, but it's just something I will always struggle with.

Been doing some reading about calorie counts and how they are not very accurate. Nevertheless, sounds like this is working for you- that's great. I cut out all fast food and all soda back in March and dropped 25 pounds. I'm three over my wedding weight (from 1978) and it wasn't all that hard-I really crave water now where I was drinking 6 or 8 Cokes a day before. The weight loss thing is pretty costly though- had a pair of jeans literally fall off when I was working out at the barn one day-lots of new clothes have been purchased since. Plateaus just let your metabolism catch up a little- you'll see more loss soon, I'm guessing. Keep up the good work, Vdub.

And RWT- TB is usually one of the fast food places held up as having some healthy alternatives. When I finally break down that'll be the fast food place I'll head for. I'm making dinners at home nearly every day now and doing my shopping around the outside aisles-never really bought into the whole "eat local and fresh" thing before but the difference is dramatic-obviously the exercise piece is important, too- I laid off for awhile to heal some naggin injuries and "awhile" turned into 18 months. I'm getting at least three hard workouts a week in with some running in between. Sounds like you're off to a great start.

I'm down 30 pounds so far this year and what worked for me was just portion control. Also, with my work schedule it's sometimes hard to get a workout in with any consistency. I found this website: http://hundredpushups.com/index.html . The push-up and sit-up section helps fill in the holes when I'm not able to get a real workout in.

Well, among the four of us we've lost a jockey-

I'm actually eating fresh strawberries for breakfast this morning. Really not too bad

Half a mango, four large fresh strawberries, three large TBS of whey protein, 8 oz of skim milk, 3 oz of shaved ice. Drop it all into the MAgic Bullet (or blender) and whirl. That's been breakfast for about two months now. Not tired of it yet- LOVE mangoes!

Yeah, I am in need to lose more weight as I have been trying to lose weight since last year. So far to date I have lost 60 pounds which puts me just around 230 now. I really want to get down to 220 or 210 but I dont know if I will be able to do this before my wedding in 6 WEEKS!!!!

I hate it when those little hairs are in my ice.

VDub... took your suggestion and ordered the Asiago Peppercorn Steak at Applebees last night. It was really good, although I am still trying to learn how to eat veggies. I just am not a fan. I'd rather eat hundreds of apples or oranges than a bite of broccoli

Broccoli is the incarnation of evil on Earth.

Have you tried the frozen variety of any veggie yet? I think they are tastier that way. Although my wife doesn't agree so I rarely get them.

Weight has been a definite issue for me. The spring of my senior year in high school, I decided to start exercising more and watching what I ate. I was a thrower on the track team and it really helped my conditioning. I actually got so into running that I entered the 4-mile Camelback race in Fremont that summer, and finished it in 32:53, or something close. When I entered my senior year, I weighed in at 275 for football in the fall. By the end of my freshman year at BGSU, I was down to 215. I had lost 60 pounds by simply jogging 2-3 times a week for a few miles each day, not eating fast food, and not taking second helpings.

Unfortunately, college life caught up to me, and with all of my time being taken up by studying and drinking, I didn't end up with as much time for working out and cooking meals. Needless to say, 7 years after I hit my mark of 215, I am back up to 270 (maybe 275 since I haven't weighed myself in at least a month). I just haven't been able to get myself to focus on working out again and watching what I eat. I find myself reaching for the quick snack whenever I can, and now that my college classes are all in the same building as my office, I no longer walk across campus to class. I am hoping to start on a program of going for a 30 minute walk once a day, whether it be at home or at school. Then, I will stop ordering french fries at fast food joints and just get a sandwich. It is my hope to be back down to 260, if not lower, by the start of the fall semester.