Tonight, I embark on a journey. I know that as I travel this journey, some parts will be smooth and others will be rocky. Some parts of it will fly by, and other parts will slow to a crawl. It will have its ups and downs. And at the end of the journey…I will never want to get in my car again.
That’s right. This isn’t a figurative journey. It’s an actual road trip. A six day road trip from Massachusetts to North Carolina, and back, with my husband and our two kids. (If you just got visions of National Lampoon’s Vacation in your head, I promise, you are not alone). My husband and I lived in NC when our daughter was born, but we moved home to Massachusetts when she was two and a half, and we haven’t been back since.
You guys, I’m scared. We’ve never done a vacation like this before and I’m really hoping we don’t all want to kill each other halfway down the Eastern seaboard.
Our typical summer vacation includes a three hour drive to North Conway, NH, where upon arrival, we unload into the family summer house, a condo with three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a FULL KITCHEN. This is approximately four times the driving hours, hotel rooms and a whole lot of eating out.
Which brings me to the oh-so-important part of this post. How the HELL am I not going to gain 47,000 pounds????
I don’t know if you know this about me, but I’m kind of control freaky. Wipe that shocked look of your faces. Part of having issues with disordered eating, for me, means that I really crave control when it comes to food. I don’t even have to be ‘on program’ to want this control. I pretty much always want it. But especially when I’m trying to stick to an eating program, which I am. And even if I had control over where we were going to be eating, and had a kitchen to prep my own food, my standard vacation mode means eating everything in sight, finding the stuff out of sight, and eating that too.
And as if that weren’t enough, we’re going back to the place where I got fat. I gained over 100 pounds in the almost five years we lived in NC. There was a time when I could tell you the exact location of every fast food restaurant in the Fayetteville area.
BUT…
I’m a different person now, and I need to remember that. This trip is about the experience of taking my daughter to her birthplace, not a six day excursion to Krispy Kreme. I can make health(ier) choices even under less than ideal circumstances. I’ve made sure every hotel we’re staying at has both a gym, and a pool, so I can still get exercise in. I’m packing up a bag of portable road snacks so that I won’t get over-hungry and thus, more prone to bad choices. I’ve got the WW app on my phone, so no matter where we wind up eating, I can check the points and plan accordingly. I’m as prepared as I can be in this scenario. And if I decide to say the hell with it and eat whatever I want, points be damned, for six days? That’s okay, too. (Being totally real, I can see this happening).
My Weight Watchers leader said something last night that hit home, and was relevant to this. She said that when you feel like you’re slipping, you should ask yourself “Is this worth it?” Sometimes, you will find that the answer is no. And sometimes, the answer will be ‘yes’, so you eat it and move on with your life. So, that’s what I’m going to try and do.
For the record? Sonic? So worth it.
How do you stay on track on vacation? Suggestions for healthy road snacks? Give Bec your tips!
Whenever we went on road trips, my mom would always pack a huge ziplock bag full of cut up veggies and ice cubes to keep it cold. I thought that was normal food for road trips… and now was an adult, I do the same thing. Veggies usually satisfy that ‘crunch’ need (instead of chips or pretzels). That’s like my biggest go-to thing to pack for long car rides!
Love what the WW leader said…. is it worth it. Such a simple loaded question. Good luck and have FUN!
Best of luck. We road tripped a LOT, both growing up (NJ to Texas, anyone?) and when little man was younger before I felt ok taking him on a plane. I tend to treat vacation as vacation. I’m a pretty moderate eater and I’ve managed to work that to a point where it stays the same when we’re away from home. Maybe I’ll splurge a bit more on desserts or have a bigger-than-usual breakfast, but we are usually doing enough that it balances out. You sound like you have this, though. You have all the tools in place, and you’re being proactive about your triggers. Being a control freak myself, I totally understand how hard it is to try to relax, sit back and enjoy, but do your best. Sounds like you’re going to have a great time!
Ah road trips are hard! I try to stick to the same amount of meals I would eat at home (3 meals plus a snack) otherwise I’ll be stopping everyplace I see something I like to eat. Sounds like you are aware of the challenges that come with road tripping and will make healthy choices! Enjoy your trip 🙂
Karen @karenlovestorun