Coming soon to a movie theater near you

As I mentioned before, the holidays are rapidly approaching and with them comes one of my favorite past times for this time of year... MOVIES!

It's at this time of year that both mega-blockbusters and Oscar hopefuls are released to the masses in hopes of snagging a few holiday bucks and catching the critics' eyes.  With these movies also comes the audience with what everyone knows to be the movie theater's biggest money maker and rip off:  the snacks.

Everyone has noticed, but over the years the popcorn tubs and cups for soft drinks have become steadily bigger and bigger and with that comes more and more calories.  Everyone knows this and everyone chooses to ignore it.  I used to be one of them, but no longer!  I mean, most people take in MORE than their daily allotted calories during the course of one movie!  And we wonder why American's have an obesity problem!

Take for instance a large tub of popcorn.  Care to take a guess as to how many calories are in that bucket?  Approximately 1500.  Nachos?  1100.  A large soda?  500.  The average box of candy?  450.

That's outrageous!  Considering how many movies I usually see during the holiday season, that's just not going to happen!  Even with saving up calories and working out an extra half hour...  It's just too much!  So instead, I'm going to be a sneaker-inner.  Yup, I'm going prepared with my extra large purse loaded down with some healthy choices.  Rather than popcorn, I'm bringing a single serving of pita chips (130 calories).  Rather than candy, bringing another favorite for this time of year, a clementine!  (45 calories)  I will grab a fountain soda, (because who can pass up a fountain soda) but of course I'll make it a diet.  But you could even bring a bottle of water.  Even if I were to splurge and bring two bags of pita chips, this whole snack amounts to 305 calories!  Amazing, right?  And its not like I'm swapping flavor.  I'm just leaving behind the unneeded sugar, fat and calories.

Anyway, I'm off to pack my bag of snacks for tonight's screening of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part One.  Hope to see some of you there.

But first, I run!