Road Rules!

Heehee... they could be fun, but no, not quite what I meant. I've mentioned the trip I have coming up and have been trying not to freak about it food wise, but it got the better of me this weekend. Decided it was time to pull out my rule book and get some squared away before I even packed my bags.

If you fail to plan...you plan to fail. At least that's what /they/ say... who ever they are... but darn them, they're right. So here's the plan, or at least the basic rules.

1) Stay calm. It's only 6 out of my 22,000 days (give or take a few ;) here on earth, so whatever happens can be done or undone by me alone. Besides, I'm on a vacation of sorts.

2) Remember that I have invested a lot of work into myself and have confidence that the habits I've built will still be there, regardless if I'm in Tucson, Florida, or Timbuktu.

3) Be prepared! We've checked and we have a fridge and microwave in the hotel room, and I've already told the hubby we'll be making a stop by the grocery store to stock up on portable, healthy snacks. I'm tempted to pack a few plastic containers and baggies to help with the snack transport, especially since we'll be in a workshop 2 out of the 4 days we're there plus the 2 days we're traveling. And the preparation will help with the next one...

4) Never let myself get really hungry. This is killer any time and will be especially interesting since I'll be in a totally different time zone (1 hour difference is one thing but 3?!). When I get to the point of shaky tummy growling hungry, I over eat. Plain and simple. Even if it's the healthiest thing on the planet, I dive into it like no tomorrow, and feel miserable afterwards.

5) Listen to my body... who cares if it's 10 am or 10 pm. If the tummy is grumbly, I need to eat. Now if it's stress cravings, I can usually hold off and wait for when I'm actually hungry.

6) Be active - I'm taking my walkin' shoes and wrote down the workouts I'm planning while I'm gone. From what I understand, they have sidewalks or roads in FL, too! Amazing! LOL!

7) Be picky! This one has been a lifesaver on many occasions, especially at work where random cookies, cakes, and other snacks just magically appear in the break room. I decided long ago, if it's something I could have any day of the week (say, a store bought confection) then I would let it pass me by. A cookie you can get at the store any day at any time isn't so special, is it? And I seriously doubt Sara Lee is going to stop baking any time soon. My mom's peanut butter brownies? Those only show up as often as Haley's Comet so snarf 'em while you can!

Same thing with eating out - if it's a restaurant I can go to any time (forgetting for a moment that I rarely eat out), then go with the basics and stick what I know. McD's has salads and uses Newman's dressing - awesome choice. And chicken sandwiches can have the bread taken off. Applebee's will make me steamed veggies. BUT if it's a local favorite or a fancy schmancy place that I won't be able to get to for a long time? Enjoy what they have to offer with (slightly restrained) abandon!

Think that covers most bases... I know the list seems long but (to no surprise on my part) it's basically the rules I follow on a day to day basis.

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