Planning ahead for a big day at the Fair

Hanfordrose

It has been 9 years, since I last took a trip to the annual event in San Diego, known as the Del Mar Fair. A few years back, someone insisted on renaming it the Southern California Exposition, but most of us will not give up that old name that we associate with this great place to go in the summer.

I grew up visiting the fairgrounds in Del Mar, every June through July the 4th. I looked forward to seeing the animals and riding the rides and visiting all the colorful places on the fairgrounds as a child. I also looked forward to the vast amount of scrumptious food from corn dogs to cinnamon rolls.

As I grew older, I helped to put in gardens at the fair each year and showed roses in the rose shows. I made 3 to 4 visits per week to enter roses and see the fair. Of course, I had to enjoy not only the large exhibit halls and their incredible displays of thing that you couldn't begin to imagine...but of course, I had to stop for some fair food. A hot cinnamon roll in the morning, fried zucchini with ranch dressing...maybe one of those whole roasted turkey legs or just some good barbeque were required 'fare at the fair'. I always bought a pound of fudge that rarely made it to the car. I learned to buy an extra one for the next day.

In later years, I had a booth at the fair, where I sold miniature roses. That meant, I arrived before the fair opened and left at midnight every day of the whole 3 week event. I became friends with the many vendors....especially the food vendors. I could eat my way around the fairgrounds and never pay for anything. Everybody who sold food was my good friend. I traded mini roses for everything from funnel cakes to fudge, from pasta to potatoes, from ice cream to teriyaki chicken. I had it made in the shade.

Is it any wonder that I always gained weight, during those 3 weeks in the summer. It didn't matter that I physically worked so much of each day and only seemed to be drinking diet sodas. I ate constantly. Vendors would actually send me food. The capachino lady would send her son over to my booth with a huge, frozen chocolate concoction, topped off with whipped cream and chocolate syrup, every afternoon of the fair. She would come on last day to pick out roses as a Thank You from me.

Now...imagine this. I have been given free passes to the fair for myself and my hubbie. We are leaving Friday morning...early; and we won't be home, until late that night. We will be at the fair...ALL DAY LONG.

Some of you may say..."Make it a FREE DAY. You can always eat right the next day." Those who know better would never suggest that. You know how important it is to me 'to stay on course" to get those new knees that will come when I get to Onederland.

Don't worry friends. If there is anything that I can do, it is make a FOOD PLAN and stick to it...a food plan that stays within my calorie limit.

However, there are somethings that I really do want to eat that day...things that I love to eat but have not had since 2004, when I last worked at the fair. Are they bad choices? Not really. Will I still be able to stick to my very low calorie goals? I am pretty sure that I can. Will I eat a sweet treat? Yes. Will I go crazy and chose stuff like cinnamon rolls and fried zucchini? No.

I posted my food plan for Friday already. I will skip breakfast and have a barbecue beef sandwich and cole slaw for brunch at one of the best pit barbeques I know. I want my favorite pesto pasta and meatballs for dinner. The owner of that food truck will make sure that I have a nice dinner with some leftovers for the next day. Best of all, I even have enough calories left to visit my friends who own the Dip 'n Dots stand for an afternoon treat. They would feel hurt, if I didn't stop by to say Hi and have a small cup of their frozen ice cream beads. As for drinks, I will stick to unsweetened ice tea and lemon.

Believe it or not, this food plan even has a few calories left over...just in case my calculations are slightly off.

The great part of this plan is the fact that I will have a wonderful day with my hubbie at one of my favorite places in the whole world without worrying about, "What will I eat?" That has already been determined. Now, I can just relax and have guilt-free fun at the fair. There are no calories in visiting the garden, the rose show, the big exhibit halls, the craft buildings or the animals. Those are all great things to see...not eat.

sc10985

I hope you have a wonderful time! You'll enjoy every bite that much more knowing you're being true to yourself! Our county has a local fair every year and I can't wait to go so I can take my 2 year old daughter on all the rides. She LOVES rides

P.s. I really love reading all of your posts!!! You have a great way with words

sarahthin

Great way to plan ahead

RoadsterGirlie

I went to the fair last year here in Raleigh. I had cheese fries, some sort of delicious lamb pita, cotton candy made from honey (hello, yum!), and some other stuff I don't quite remember. A candied apple may have been involved.

Granted, the portions I ate were smaller than they would have been previously to adapting a healthier lifestyle.

The point is, I didn't give up on anything I really wanted. I planned for it, and didn't feel guilty about any of it. If it was something I really wanted, I ate it. If it was something I simply found to be "meh," I passed, so I could focus on the stuff I really wanted to eat.

That was six months ago, and it has not hindered my weight maintenance at all.

So enjoy and have fun!

dunnodunno

I hope you have a blast & make great memories.

acogg

So happy for your planned great day! I will make a prediction, you will have so many people wanting to greet you and hug you that won't be able to eat everything that you have logged. LOL! You are doing so awesome!

LRH64

Glad you are planning ahead, but don't skip breakfast. Even if you just do a 100 calorie Greek yogurt or something similar, otherwise you risk the chance of feeling too hungry when you have your first meal. Remember you will burn off some extra calories with all the walking you will be doing, so build that into your plan as well. Good Luck and Have fun!!!!

Lovelyloralee

Your focus towards your goal is AMAZING! Because of your drive and determination I see you and Special Ed going to the fair next year and walking it together with your brand new knees!

I look forward to reading the next blog or comment you make. You continue to inspire me daily! God Bless and enjoy every instant!

Hanfordrose

Glad you are planning ahead, but don't skip breakfast. Even if you just do a 100 calorie Greek yogurt or something similar, otherwise you risk the chance of feeling too hungry when you have your first meal.

I always skip breakfast on Sunday mornings. That way, I am not needing to use the potty at our small church which does not easily accomodate my wheelchair. Yes, wheelchair... Sis. That also allows a few more calories for my hubbie and I to go out for a nice lunch.

I never get hungry early in the day. We will have our 'BRUNCH' sometime around 11:30, which will keep me full for quite a while. Then, I still have room for a mid-afternoon treat.

Remember you will burn off some extra calories with all the walking you will be doing, so build that into your plan as well. Good Luck and Have fun!!!!

I don't count exercise; and I never include it in my calories, because I don't burn calories like you youngsters who are mobile and upright most of the time. As for Friday. I will be using an electric scooter all day long. That certainly won't burn many calories.

I am looking forward to double knee surgery soon. Then, I will be able to stand, walk, run or anything else that I may want to do without a wheelchair. Believe me, that is why I am so strict about my calorie count.

kdaughertyfp

Sounds like a lot of fun, don't forget the sunscreen! I am with you, I dont do / use a "free days". I have days when I eat things out side of "my normal" but I consider the calories and make choices that fit into my calorie count for the day. Have a wonderful time!

nilbogger

A fair is a time when I would just do a "free day". I only go to one fair a year, so I'm going to eat my donut burger, deep fried Snickers, fried pickles, chocolate covered bacon, etc. In the future I'm going to try not to be lax with holidays because a lot of that food is stuff I end up eating multiple times a year, and from Thanksgiving to New Year's just turns into a fiasco... but the fair is special. Also I'm walking around all day and not sitting on my can like at Christmas.

elisa123gal

Just eat lower for a few days before you go and exercise extra..save those calories for your trip down memory lane and enjoy yourself.

GormanGhaste

I love it when a plan comes together!

Alamo0809

Great plan. I like your writing. And one more thing... which I was reminded of last weekeknd... you don't have to eat the whole thing. Sometimes just a couple of bites does the job. Good luck and have a ton of fun!!!

getrealforme

Have a great day! You got this Love reading your posts.

Hanfordrose

you don't have to eat the whole thing. Sometimes just a couple of bites does the job. Good luck and have a ton of fun!!!

Good point, Sis. I might only eat half of my brunch sandwich and save half for a snack later. Unfortunately, you can't buy a bite or two of a sandwich at the fair.

For those of you who say...FREE DAY, I can't and won't do that. I cannot afford to take that kind of risk with my calories right now. I am only 17 pounds away from my surgeon's goal. When I hit 200 pounds, I will be put on the list for the first of 2 knee replacement surgeries. Those surgeries will give me back my freedom and get me out of my wheelchair bound life.

No FREE DAY is worth the set back for my surgery date.

whitecapwendy

I think you should allow yourself 1200 calories for the visit, and have one treat.

DesertWalker7

I grew up in Mission Beach (San Diego) and have been to that fair many, many times, as a child and later in life with my own kids. It is such a great fair and right by the Pacific Ocean and its cool breezes. The garden displays are always wonderful there. I am sure you enjoyed it and also contributed a lot with your roses. It also sounds like you still have lots of friends at the Del Mar Fair (that's what we still call it too, no question!). Your food plan sounds great, too. Have a wonderful day!

Hanfordrose

I think you should allow yourself 1200 calories for the visit, and have one treat.

I did that in the past, and it backfired on me. That whole day will be my biggest treat, and I am having an afternoon snack that will be a sweet treat from my past...Dip 'n Dots. Even my dinner of pesto pasta and meatballs is a wonderful treat in my mind, and that meal will give me leftovers to enjoy on Saturday as well.

Just getting to share the fair with my hubbie for the first time is going to fill my heart with joy. I want to spend lots of time rolling around the gardens which are always breathtaking. Of course, I will be visiting the rose show and probably seeing many old friends again.

I definitely want to visit the exhibit halls. There are several of them. That is where I always find great little bargains on items that you don't find anywhere else.

Ed is going to go crazy for the woodcraft displays as well as the gems and mineral displays. He used to work in wood and stone. So, he will be seeing a lot of these wonderful things for the first time. We may split up during this part of the day, while I go look at the art show and homecrafts. He won't be as interested in that sort of thing. Those art and craft buildings open onto a big patio area, and we can meet back there later.

One thing for sure, I will take my camera...with spare batteries. I want to bring back lots of pictures for that day.

MyJourney1960

have a wonderful day! sounds like you have it all planned out - i know you'll have a great time.

manders376

For those of you who say...FREE DAY, I can't and won't do that. I cannot afford to take that kind of risk with my calories right now. I am only 17 pounds away from my surgeon's goal. When I hit 200 pounds, I will be put on the list for the first of 2 knee replacement surgeries. Those surgeries will give me back my freedom and get me out of my wheelchair bound life.

No FREE DAY is worth the set back for my surgery date.

I really admire your attitude!! You have made a great plan and I think you can and will stick to it Have a great time and in the future good luck with the surgery!

SherryP71561

Awesome job on pre-planning!! Helps take your mind off the anxiety of what you will eat! Have a great time!