I’ve been away with my family for the past 2 weeks- my kids had spring break and so as a result I am feeling a bit fuzzy returning to reality. Here’s why…
For the first week I traveled with my son to look at potential colleges that he has an interest in. This was fun and exhausting (we took planes, trains and automobiles), slept in a different hotel bed each night and at the end I didn’t know if we were coming or going! Living on the road and out of a carry-on started to feel “normal”! During these travels, I had a few moments of “I can’t believe I have a child who is old enough to look at colleges! Where did the years go? I still remember touring colleges with my mom, and really it doesn’t seem like that long ago!”
The second week we met my daughter and husband and skied in Utah. This was so much fun and the spring-like snow conditions were great! Skiing as a family is a great bond that we all share and for the most part there’s no bickering!
Sounds great, right? I have to admit that even as a nutritionist, it is not always easy to eat healthy, exercise regularly and get enough sleep all while away from my normal routine. Here are some challenges that I faced and how I tried to handle them.
I packed running sneakers and exercise clothes. For the first week away, I made a point to book hotels that had a small gym. I exercised every morning before my son and I started our day.
As my 17 yr old son is in a perpetual growth spurt food is of utmost importance. We always ate a healthy breakfast usually of eggs and whole wheat toast or oatmeal and fruit. While on the roadI packed whole fruit that was portable (usually an apple or a banana) and nuts and energy bars for our midday snack. While he doesn’t mind a burger from a fast food joint, I couldn’t bring myself to do it. When he wanted an In-Out Burger, I stopped at Starbucks for a salad and fruit cup. The airports had pizza and Subway (relatively healthy options) and I always managed to find a piece of fruit (apples, bananas and oranges are always available throughout the airports) along with a yogurt and a Kind Bar. Dinners were the easiest part. He opted for a steak and potato and usually a piece of cake while I had grilled fish, veggies and fruit. One night I took him to a vegetarian restaurant- itwasn’t the biggest hit but he was a good sport!
So, you are reading this and wondering “it doesn’t sound like she fell off the wagon”. I hadn’t- yet. It was when we all got together in Utah that I became a bit undone! I was tired and my defenses were down. It was the piping hot bread at dinner and the warm cookies at night that did me in! I should know better! Right, but even a healthy nutritionist has her weaknesses!
So, what do I do? It’s an effort. And to be honest, I am not perfect. I tried to eat healthy, but there were some temptations that I couldn’t resist. Why am I sharing this? There’s always going to be a moment where you end up out of your element and away from your normal routine. And, well, it’s ok. You do the best you can. Everyone is human.
So, today I start clean- I am back home and back to a routine. What does that mean? I went to the market with my daughter and restocked our fridge with loads of fresh foods. I had a great workout and tried to sweat out all of the toxins. I am drinking lots of water, and hot tea and eating lean proteins and plenty of fresh veggies, fruits and salads. I am staying clear of loaves of bread and sweet cookies. Vacations are great and it’s about decompressing and doing things out of your routine but there’s no place like home!
PS- click here for a great easy recipe (a one pan spring chicken with asparagus and edamame) with all the comforts of home.