Friday Favorite: InTown Charleston

Are you on a budget and want free items? Do you constantly enter giveaways? Well, I do too and that is why I love InTown.com Within the first couple of months I moved to Charleston I signed up so I would "be in the know on where to go."

Since I first liked their Facebook page I have won two awesome prizes that I wanted to thank them for in this post! So, my Friday Favorite goes out to InTown for hooking me up not once, but twice with awesome gifts!

1. I received two tickets to the Party at the Point and got to enjoy a nice afternoon with oysters!
2. I received a free order of fried mac and cheese or six wings from Bohemian Bull, a free taco from Mex 1 and $5 off Fear No Easel.

If you haven't checked them out and you live in Charleston you're behind the times! Definitely check out their Twitter and Facebook accounts in addition to signing up for their email notifications. You won't regret it and you can thank me later!

P.S. I CANNOT wait for the following event. I hope I win tickets to this event because it has my name written all over it; not to mention I squealed like a school girl when I saw this on their Facebook page!

Post by InTown.com.

*Please note there is no endorsement or sponsorship of this post and that I am purely writing out of satisfaction from this organization. 

Friday Favorite: Plus Size Running

This week's edition of Friday Favorite involves a blog/website I really enjoy reading. It is a blog geared towards "fat" women runners. The website encourages women that are still heavier/plus size to start jogging/running and become more physically fit!

For those who are new to my blog, I am very passionate about my lifestyle change in which I started in 2012. I have lost upwards of 100 pounds as a result and encourage health(ier) alternatives to my favorite foods and offer tips and tricks towards becoming healthier via this blog.

Once I saw this blog I knew I had to do a Friday Favorite post focused on it. I started walking/jogging 5Ks back in 2012 and haven't looked back. Luckily all of my 5K registrations have been free, which is perfect since I am on a budget.

Being a plus size woman, I definitely relate to this blog and can attest to some of the challenges that come with being a plus size jogger. I really do have a harder time finding cute, practical activewear for my size. I typically enjoy a loose fitting shirt and shorts, but to have some totally kick-butt apparel wouldn't hurt. Who doesn't like to look cute while beet red and sweaty?

Anyways, I think anyone who likes to jog, run, walk, is plus size, is not plus size, likes to read, or is just breathing should take a look at this blog. It is eye opening in that it shows not all runners look thin. A lot of people look at me and would never guess I walk/jog anywhere from 12-30 miles a week. I know that my journey has inspired others to start their lifestyle journey and this blog could help as well.

A lifestyle change is just that: a lifestyle change. What other commitments do we make for life besides marriage and religion? Committing to something for life is awesome yet intimidating and requires work. If you fall off the wagon; you get back on. That's one thing I have experienced with, not only this lifestyle change, but with attempts before my change. I knew this change was going to be THE change. I was getting ready to graduate college, begin "real" life and start making a name for myself. I wanted to be in the best shape I could be, meet people who would want to be the same way and start my young professional life.

My boyfriend has summed this matter up entirely by when he spoke to a thin, active young lady who had generalized bigger women. She didn't understand how men liked bigger women because they don't care about themselves or don't take care of themselves (not saying she was speaking about me purse, but just bigger women in general). He asked her why she jogged every day and she simply told him: because I want to find a man. He let her know real quick that more-often-than-not plus size women who exercise don't exercise to find a man, but to be healthier. He attested to me by saying that I workout for myself, not for him, or for anyone else and that I wanted to better myself. He mentioned how he has experienced a lot of people who workout for the opposite sex, but that I am not one of those people. My friends, he was absolutely right. I didn't start my change because of a man and I didn't keep doing it because of a man. I keep doing it in hopes of being healthier, happier and ensuring a longer, more fruitful life.

So, I leave you with two thoughts.
1. Just because we "fat" runners/joggers/walkers don't look like your "average" runners/joggers/walkers doesn't mean we are any unhealthier than you.
2. Don't start a change for anyone but yourself. Save yourself from falling off the wagon (because it will happen if you're not in it for you) and just do it the right way the first time!

*I do want to note that I do not like using the terms: fat, skinny, thin, obese because they seem so brash. I prefer using plus size for myself. It sounds flattering and I find myself and my curves to be flattering so I prefer it. 

Friday Favorite: Peanut Butter Pie Battle

I decided I would go a different route this Friday Favorite edition. I have noticed two Peanut Butter Pies floating around the internet. I really, really, really, really want to try one of them. I knew which one I wanted to try out simply because it comes from my favorite food bloggers (Minimalist Baker).

Not only have I had it on my radar for several weeks, but I knew it would be healthier than the alternative pie I have seen recently. This pie looks oh, so delicious as well, but when I eat desserts I do prefer for them to be on the healthier side (or as healthy as possible).

I wanted to let this Friday Favorite post be about these two pies and which one you would choose.

1. When you look at the picture you might not notice at first which pie would be healthier.
2. You might not realize how many calories, sugar, fat, etc., is in the unhealthier alternative either. That's why I took it upon myself to actually examine the ingredients and calculate the calories based on an 8-slice pie. Please see photo below for ingredient and calorie count of the pie not from Minimalist Baker.

For calorie-counting purposes I separated the crust, filling and ganache respectively as breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Breakfast = Crust
Lunch = Filling
Dinner = Ganache

--> If you would like to try the left pie please click here
--> If you would like to try the right pie please click here

Disclaimer: This post is in no way related to Minimalist Baker or Best Yummy Recipes. This was simply a way for me to help make you aware of what you're putting in your mouth. Although you probably know pie is bad for you, you might not have known just how bad the pie actually is. Why not make a healthier alternative?

Friday Favorite: Succulent Sushi Date Night

Nick and I do Friday Night Date Nights. More often than not we eat out and come home to relax afterwards. We usually alternate between two places and tonight was sushi night. It was delicious.

If you're new to my blog, I did a post explaining why it is important to have date nights and you can read it here. So, without further ado my Friday Favorite is our date night and this delicious sushi! What is your favorite type of sushi and do you ever have date nights?