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Lose the Freshman 15: Satisfying my sweet tooth — the healthy way

At The Daily Illini, we have a tradition where everyone gets a cookie cake for his or her birthday. Today we celebrated Alex’s birthday. Alex, the sports editor, sits right behind me and as I was snacking on my strawberries, two trays of chocolate cup cakes and a large, freshly frosted cookie were sitting on his desk. I don’t know a word for beyond salivating, but whatever it is, that is what was happening in my mouth.

No is becoming increasingly difficult for me to say (I had a few meatballs today, oops) and the cookie cake and cupcakes would not stop staring at me. I’m about 97% sure I heard them saying “Put me in your belly. It’s fine. Jillian will never know.”

Luckily, Jillian’s plan includes a dessert section (still bitter about the lack of a vodka section, but what ev.) and I was able to find an awesome recipe that satisfied my sweet tooth but didn’t wreck my diet.

Baked Apple: Place 1 cored apple in a baking dish. Fill hole with 2 tbsp chopped walnuts; drizzle apple with 2 tsp raw honey. Add water to bottom of dish. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes. Only 212 calories!

My boyfriend and I split the apple and it was fantastic! It was filling, it tasted great and it didn’t give me the sugar-headache that I would’ve gotten after eating all of that frosting. My thighs and I are thankful for instances like this, which remind me why saying no always feels better in the end.

My birthday is next week and I’ve already told everyone that I do NOT want a cookie cake (I’m serious Emily). I’m trying to find a better cake option so that we can still celebrate my birthday, but do so in a healthy way. If anyone has any ideas, please comment on this blog or tweet at me! @SamGetsHealthy

Too ready for the weekend,

Samantha

I am a junior studying News-Editorial Journalism at the University of Illinois. When I'm not writing and editing for HC Illinois, I work as the Features Editor of the Daily Illini. I am also the vice president of the Society of Professional Journalists on the UI campus as well as the computer chair for the Iota chapter of Delta Gamma. Writing is my passion and I hope to one day move to New York City and work for a magazine, writing feature stories and investigative pieces. I love HC Illinois because I have so much fun writing stories for collegiettes™and reading stories by my amazing peers.