Living the Lifestyle - Wednesday, 9/14/16

minimyzeme

Everyone says it, but just how do you do it? How do you take the guidelines of the WW program and turn them into a lifestyle you can live every day...from now on? That is what we are here to explore. Each weekday, a new topic is offered up for discussion. Newbie? Join in! Veteran? Join in! Your thoughts may be just what someone else needs to hear.

Monday -- crewahl / Charlie
Tuesday --60in2017 / Millie
Wednesday -- minimyzeme / Kim
Thursday -- MICHGOLFER2 / Jane
Friday --Jimb376mfp / Jim

Today's topic: Road trips

They're part of the 'lifestyle' for most of us. I'm not talking vacation here, just a day-trip out of town for work or pleasure. How do you approach a road trip now compared to how you did before you started working to lose weight?

minimyzeme

For me, this change is night & day! I have to preface my perspective by saying I live in a somewhat sheltered place food-wise. So a day-trip out of town used to be license to make sure I built in as many options for eating as I could. In fact, I would use the internet to check out places ahead of travel and if I could time my trip to optimize eating. I'm a sucker for the Mom 'n Pop diners, bakeries, delis, confectioners, etc. I would try to build as much of that in as possible--moreso in variety than quantity but the volume taken in would certainly build proportional to the number of stops.

I have pretty much let go of that behavior. Though I might still check things out ahead of time, I no longer make food the focus of my trips. I might choose one local food option but I enjoy it on moderation, which I never did before. For a day-trip now, I am as likely or moreso to bring my plan-friendly food with me. The big meal at the local diner or the stops at the local bakery don't tempt and snare me like they used to.

The 'flipped switch' we discussed in one of the LTLs a few weeks ago has really shown itself in this context for me. I will now drive by some of my former stops and remember how I they used to be magnets for me. I'm pretty surprised but happily so that they no longer draw me in like they used to. As with this whole process for me, it's one day at a time with my road trip behavior, but right now it is an NSV for me every time it happens.

Kramti386

I was always on the frugal side when on the road. So I would arrive at my destination, check in and then go find a super market to by snacks. That has not change. What changed was what I'm buying. Instead of buying crunchy, salty, or sweet I'm buy fruits and veggies to snack on when in the room. When I was running I would always plan running routes before I would leave that would allow me to see the area and still get some fresh air since I'm usually stuck inside when on the road.

60in2017

We also live in an isolated place - about a 3 hour drive from anything but junk food. I always have individual sacks of pretzels or popcorn in the car, usually have one of those on the drive. I also admit that picking a nice place for lunch or dinner makes the long drive partially worth it, BUT I don't use it as an opportunity to eat carp. I love salads and where we live, iceberg lettuce and anemic tomatoes drowned in ranch dressing are the norm. I usually order a main dish salad at out of town restaurants and skip the dressing.

countcurt

I had to think about this because I (we) don't really do day trips like this. Though they occasionally arise, I suppose.

I'd say the answer is 'it depends' on-

-the reason for the trip
-where I'm going
-whom I'm with
-what food opportunities might arise (e.g., am I going to a place that has the best damn onion rings on earth versus going to a place where there's nothing special?)



The 'food' answer is much like every other situation in life. I consider the circumstances and try to make the best of my options.

leeless511

In the past I did not plan much or bring snacks we would eat on the road or at the ultimate location. I was always a mindful eater choosing "healthy" options (but often eating too many of them or too much) but my husband was fine with fast food on the road and I went along with it. Now I pack snacks and if it is an overnight I often pack fruit and yogurt for breakfast. Then I scope out restaurants in the area and review menus for our lunch and/or dinner. My husband follows my suggested restaurants and eats the snacks I pack too.

We handle day trips/road trips much differently now, and I like it!

Rachel0778

My family was always really budget conscious growing up so we never stopped for fast food on road trips. My Mom instead would pack car snacks (pretzels, string cheese, granola bars, baby carrots, bananas, etc.) for if we were hungry. This tradition has rolled over into adulthood and I still pack myself car snacks because I hate wasting money on fast food. The type of food I eat largely hasn't changed, it's just the volume that I eat it in.

goldenfrisbee

I've got my first road trip coming up tomorrow since starting over. Actually, this is really a vacation of sorts, so I'll be packing healthier options in a cooler. Lots of apples since it is the season and some other fruits.

gadgetgirlIL

With my food intolerances, I find it better to pack and bring along my snacks/meals. I'm heading up to Wisconsin on Friday for a trail race on Saturday. My hotel has a refrigerator and microwave so my dinner and breakfast will be packed in the cooler. It is much less stressful for me to know that I've got food that will agree with my GI system handy, especially since I'll be out on the trails for a long time (it's a marathon).

imastar2

My work puts me in some form or another most days on the road and away from my office. I'm fortunate to live in an area that has every type of food franchise, joint, diner, oriental, plus any type of huge grocery chains. So choices for me is not a problem it's which choice to make. So here lately I've returned back to old habits and fallen for the buffet restaurants which is of course a very bad idea for me. I have two buffets each week that I cannot avoid because one is a civic meeting and another is Church. Both of those however I can make good choices for. So my approach for these trips is just stopping in where I know the restaurant and what their menu offers me in the way of making the better choice.

podkey

Day trip? Depends of course. Prior to WW I had stopped by a Dairy Queen for a burger (slightly wide spot in the road heading toward the Oregon Coast) after my flamenco guitar lesson way out in the boonies. Also one small "convenience" type store with limited sammie cräppola.
Then I realized the obvious after joining WW. I simply took a piece of boneless chicken breast on one slice of bread (cut in half)sprinkled with some seasoning salt and a piece of fruit with me. If need be used a small soft sided bag with a piece of blue ice to keep chilled. No big deal at all. Meeting up with friends etc?? I may pick a cafe and look at the menu ahead of time otherwise I just bring my simple sammie.

linmueller

Our road trip snacks were always chips ahoy and diet coke. Now we usually don't bother with snacks. Instead we plan for meals that are either point friendly or something special that makes the points worth it. And one thing hasn't changed; road trips often include a stop at a vineyard.

MICHGOLFER2

In the past, road trip snacks always included chips and peanut M&M's. Meals were generally burgers and fries to go.

Now, I have a cooler for the car and pack grapes, baby carrots, cut up fruits and veggies, and sandwiches. We seldom stop for a meal and it is easier to have what we need readily available.