Sunday, September 19, 2010

Home, Sweet Home

I'm back! I don't know if you missed me, but I missed you! I really love blogging. After this trip I came up with my modified Christmas wish list. Santa, I don't care about brands or colors or even capabilities, I just want to be able to blog away from home!
We had a great time in sunny CA. Traveling always presents a variety of challenges in terms of healthy living, but I think I did pretty well. Our hotel had a pool, so I was able to swim laps every day. We also spent at least eight hours a day booking it around a giant theme park (we take Disneyland seriously, no aimless meandering for us!) And I usually got in some Pilates and basics (squats, lunges, push-ups and crunches) in the hotel at night. I am very excited to be back home to my own stuff now--I can't wait to get in a real work out tomorrow.

Food wise I feel pretty satisfied with myself as well. As I mentioned, we brought a lot of our own food, so I was able to plan healthy choices a head of time. The first day was long and stressful and I have to admit, my splitting headache and out of control hunger led me to flee the hotel room clad only in my swimsuit in search of medicinal caffeine. All I could come up with was this, but it helped.

I felt a little bad, because I had given up Diet Coke, but Ryan was kind enough to point out that this isn't Diet Coke. So there you have it.

Dinner that night was these Healthy Choice Fresh Mixers (except we ate them right side up.) For a microwave meal, it was pretty good! And it has 16 grams of protein!

The "Free Continental Breakfast" provided by the hotel was a JOKE. Seriously, cheap bread, danishes, under-ripe fruit and some cereal knock-offs. NO protein. Luckily a friend had warned me about this particular hotel's lackluster breakfast, so I came prepared with my own food. I had plain microwave oatmeal with chopped almonds, raisins and craisins and almond milk every morning. Yum!!
We had a picnic lunch in the park every day--either PB&J or coldcuts on whole wheat bread or sandwich thins. We also brought along fruit, Sun Chips, organic cookies (for the kids) and plenty of water. Dinner on the second night was at IHOP, where they have a whole section of the menu with healthy options and kids eat free! My kind of place. I got a grilled chicken sandwich.
The trip certainly wasn't without its indulgences. I couldn't resist these pineapple whips. Complete with the cute little umbrella!
Lincoln was a fan, too.
A second night of microwave meals was just as good as the first. The kids got spaghetti and meatballs (with turkey meatballs!)

And Ryan and I had more of these Healthy Choice Fresh Mixers, this time in a Tuscan Chicken pasta flavor. Very tasty.
We did dinner at Disneyland a few times, too. I was pleased to see they have started offering a lot more healthy options as well. I got this grilled chicken sandwich with avocado salsa and it was even on a whole wheat bun!!
Another night I got a turkey sandwich with cranberry marmalade. It was huge, but I was starving so it worked out.

I only go to Disneyland once a year, and I have a tradition that I have upheld every year that we have gone. This year was no exception. Once a year I get this...

A delicious scoop of chocolate ice cream in a chocolate and peanut dipped waffle cone with hot fudge in the tip. Oh, it is heavenly. I will dream about it until next year.

Now back to reality.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

A Dole Whip Float! Be still, my beating heart. Seriously, I dream of those things. YUM! I tried to make my own once and they weren't even in the realm of close. They were missing the Pixie Dust, of course. ;)

Sorry to see that the hotel "breakfast" was still nasty, but I'm so glad you knew beforehand--what a rotten surprise that would have turned out to be! I'm guessing that Denny's next door loves the increase in business they get from all of the hotel guests who take one look at those disgusting danishes and head over for a Grand Slam.

PS--how did you keep those frozen meals frozen on the flight over? Or did you buy them once you got there?

Rochelle said...

I am seriously cracking up about the "Diet Pepsi is not Diet Coke" thing. That's my kind of rationalization :) Desperate times call for desperate measures and all that.

Glad you guys had fun. We missed you!

David said...

Modified Push Ups -As I read your blog post, I couldn’t help but think of the Push Up Bench as the most effective way for people who struggle with push ups , to be able to do them correctly (with full range of motion). Most modified push ups make them easier but only allow one or two variations. The Push Up Bench has 11 different levels to work through on the way to a full push up.

Planty Mama said...

Wow. I am seriously impressed with your determination to stick to a healthy lifestyle. I'm pretty sure I would consider vacation carte blanche as far as eating! Thanks for the inspiration.