You may experience a bit of déjà vu in this post...
You may experience a bit of déjà vu in this post...
I can't speak for anyone else, but I can attest that it's not always easy to eat well on vacation or to keep myself on track (a.k.a. not lose myself in a whirlwind of cinnamon rolls, chips and queso, potato salad, BBQ, and a vegetable-less existence). Of course, there is that mental wrestling match that happens every time vacation rolls around -- I have to remind myself that I am on vacation and I do deserve to indulge in some of my favorite sub-optimal foods (like toppings-laden pizza, regular Coke, and carby foods and beer). If there's one thing I've learned about myself during my weight-loss journey over the past six months (30 pounds and counting!), it's that having a plan and sticking to it are key elements in achieving personal success.
That being said, I'm trying to find an optimal balance of pleasure and health this week. For example, breakfast yesterday morning consisted of a bowl of Kashi topped with fresh blueberries and a cup of coffee, and lunch was a honey ham, juicy fresh tomato, and Swiss sandwich, accompanied by tortilla chips, fresh banana slices and a dollop of Nutella,
and a Dr. Pepper Ten. Dinner was absolutely delicious, and not difficult for me to customize healthily:
I don't want to skimp on favorites like fresh doughnuts, Sweet Frog cake batter froyo, Captain George's delicacies, or post-dinner pina coladas,
but I can always be aware that there's no need to overdo it on the heavy stuff.
In addition to this internal war I intentionally wage with myself, I also battle hypoglycemia. I've never been officially "diagnosed" with it, but it doesn't take a genius to match symptoms with descriptions (nor a WebMD-paranoid). Rather than eating 2-3 large meals each day, it's better for me to eat 4-5 small meals each day. I can prevent my blood sugar from dropping and experiencing the accompanying dizziness, light-headedness, heavy limbs, tunnel vision, headaches, weakness, extreme hunger, irritability (i.e. bitchiness) and trembling. I also arm myself with an arsenal of granola bars, natural or unsalted nuts, dried fruit, sugar-packed gum, and occasionally sucrose tablets in the event of an emergency (thanks for the idea, Mom!).
Finally, I'm relieved that my worries about finding the time and location to exercise on vacation were for naught. Yesterday afternoon, I was feeling restless in the midst of an all-day monsoon, so I took the first let-up as an opportunity to go for a 2.25-mile jaunt up and down our quarter-mile street. Even though it drizzled on me for the 30 minutes I was out there, it felt so good to stretch my legs and sweat a bit. It made my dip in the hot tub and my beer afterward that much more rewarding ;)
P.S. Do you find yourself slipping out of your "diet" while you're on vacay, or do you cite vacation as a break from your usual eating habits? Do you allow yourself to eat whatever you like, worry-free? Do you stick to your "diet" at all costs? One day, when I've achieved more of my weight loss and fitness goals, I think I'll be less anal about what goes into my body on vacation!
You may experience a bit of déjà vu in this post...
I can't speak for anyone else, but I can attest that it's not always easy to eat well on vacation or to keep myself on track (a.k.a. not lose myself in a whirlwind of cinnamon rolls, chips and queso, potato salad, BBQ, and a vegetable-less existence). Of course, there is that mental wrestling match that happens every time vacation rolls around -- I have to remind myself that I am on vacation and I do deserve to indulge in some of my favorite sub-optimal foods (like toppings-laden pizza, regular Coke, and carby foods and beer). If there's one thing I've learned about myself during my weight-loss journey over the past six months (30 pounds and counting!), it's that having a plan and sticking to it are key elements in achieving personal success.
That being said, I'm trying to find an optimal balance of pleasure and health this week. For example, breakfast yesterday morning consisted of a bowl of Kashi topped with fresh blueberries and a cup of coffee, and lunch was a honey ham, juicy fresh tomato, and Swiss sandwich, accompanied by tortilla chips, fresh banana slices and a dollop of Nutella,
In addition to this internal war I intentionally wage with myself, I also battle hypoglycemia. I've never been officially "diagnosed" with it, but it doesn't take a genius to match symptoms with descriptions (nor a WebMD-paranoid). Rather than eating 2-3 large meals each day, it's better for me to eat 4-5 small meals each day. I can prevent my blood sugar from dropping and experiencing the accompanying dizziness, light-headedness, heavy limbs, tunnel vision, headaches, weakness, extreme hunger, irritability (i.e. bitchiness) and trembling. I also arm myself with an arsenal of granola bars, natural or unsalted nuts, dried fruit, sugar-packed gum, and occasionally sucrose tablets in the event of an emergency (thanks for the idea, Mom!).
Finally, I'm relieved that my worries about finding the time and location to exercise on vacation were for naught. Yesterday afternoon, I was feeling restless in the midst of an all-day monsoon, so I took the first let-up as an opportunity to go for a 2.25-mile jaunt up and down our quarter-mile street. Even though it drizzled on me for the 30 minutes I was out there, it felt so good to stretch my legs and sweat a bit. It made my dip in the hot tub and my beer afterward that much more rewarding ;)
P.S. Do you find yourself slipping out of your "diet" while you're on vacay, or do you cite vacation as a break from your usual eating habits? Do you allow yourself to eat whatever you like, worry-free? Do you stick to your "diet" at all costs? One day, when I've achieved more of my weight loss and fitness goals, I think I'll be less anal about what goes into my body on vacation!
1 comment:
I am so proud of you for losing 30 pounds! You are so amazing and truly dedicated.
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