Someone brought a chocolate cake into work today.

It called – nay, screamed – my name every time I walked past it in the break room.

"KRISTIN! GET! OVER! HERE! YOU KNOW YOU WANT A BIG, HONKING PIECE OF MEEEEE!"

I did. I wanted a piece SO bad. However after several months of trying to convince myself that the dryer was shrinking my jeans, I finally faced the reality that it was me and my late-night snacking that was expanding into them. I’ve been trying really hard the past week or so to cut out mindless eating (mostly at night) and to nix all most un-necessary sweets.

Disclaimer: I’m a firm believer that life is very short and one should absolutely have a freaking piece of chocolate cake if they want to… Just not when your entire jean collection is on the line!

So anyways, back to this cake. It was homemade and you could just tell that it was crazy-moist, dense and packed with luscious, chocolaty flavor. Plus it was smothered in homemade chocolate icing. Aw, man!

In the end, I prevailed over that damn cake – but the chocolate craving stayed with me. I tore home like a mad woman after work and whipped up the most decadent, uber-chocolaty, "healthy" baked good I knew of…

Baked Chocolate Doughnuts!!!

No bowl, no spatula, no inch of counter space was left untouched as I tore through the kitchen in a chocolate frenzy.

I honest to goodness would buy this pan JUST for this doughnut recipe!!!

 

In less than 30 minutes, start to finish, I had a fluffy, moist, mouth-watering chocolate treat – that came in at 180 calories a pop! Compare that to Krispy Kreme’s Chocolate Glazed Cake Doughnut that comes in at over 280 calories!!

Ok…add a few cals for the buttermilk icing I drizzled on top.

Just buttermilk, vanilla extract and powdered sugar. Mixed until smooth, then drizzled on top.

It seriously tasted like a fried, chocolate glazed doughnut. I can’t get over it!

I followed this recipe down to the letter, and I wouldn’t change a thing. Perfection. Now I want to get a mini doughnut pan so I can make mini baked chocolate doughnuts. Then I can just pop one or two when I have a craving.

Sorry – they are just really that good…

From one carb to another (what tight jeans?) I made some fabulous Garlic Noodles for dinner to supplement my doughnut appetizer.

I started by sautéing cut-up chicken breast seasoned with salt & pepper, in non-stick spray, then removed it to a plate when it was done.

Next I melted some butter, 

and sautéed green onions and garlic for about 2 minutes total.

Everybody in the pool!

Including a luscious sauce of oyster sauce, soy sauce and a little brown sugar.

Add the chicken back in and serve.

These are quite possibly the best noodles, um, EVER. I followed this recipe (plus chicken) and it was ready in like, seriously, 5 minutes. Salty, a little sweet, and totally slurp worth. SO YUM.

Ok I know what you’re thinking. How does shrinking one’s thighs include butter, sugar AND pasta?! Portion control. 

Enjoy the flavors you love – butter, sugar and pasta – just don’t eat a giant plate of ‘em! 

Also – work out.

Since I stopped blaming the dryer, I’ve been kicking up my workouts in both frequency and intensity. Upping the speed on my treadmill a couple decimal points, or adding 5 more minutes onto the end. Finishing a workout with a 10 minute walk at a high incline or getting up early in the morning to tackle a gym sesh before work. I’m doing what I can, as often as I can, and hopefully it pays off…soon!

I know my jeans didn’t "shrink" in a day, so it’ll take more than a day to loosen them back up, but like I told you the other day, I am a rather impatient person. Here’s to loose jeans – quickly!

Have a good night.

~~~~~

Would you rather change your diet, or exercise more, in order to lose weight?

I’m not really willing to give up things like chocolate, butter and sugar, so I’d rather up the workout intensity to lose a few lbs!