lauriekallis wrote: »

@Cheesy567 - wow. If I ever travel I would love to have you as a travel mate. You have this so well organized - and you make it sound so simple.

Well, it took awhile to get it sorted out initially a few years ago, with the help of a health coach.

I used to travel for work, in fact, it’s what contributed to my weight gain while I was initially ill but undiagnosed with an autoimmune disease. I was extremely weak and fatigued, eating to try and stay awake and energized, but on the road so I was choosing fast food and vending machines and quick options— I ballooned to 330 pounds in my first year at that job while becoming so weak I could no longer walk the length of a hotel hallway or a flight of stairs.

I no longer work, but I need to travel for care to specialists in larger cities. I used to travel down for appointments for a day or up to 10 days, and sometimes out of state for a month. The health coach I was working with helped me figure out a system to save me energy on fatigue, plus stay on my eating plan and save money.

First is mindset- just because I’m away from home doesn’t mean it’s a vacation and time for treats galore.

Second is routine. Staying at the same hotels if possible is helpful, knowing what rooms have fridges/ microwaves/ kitchenettes: food/ meals included or nearby/ etc. Plus, I’m less likely to eat impulsively if I have a routine, whatever it is, good or bad. So I better set up a good routine for myself, lol! Setting myself up for success is half the battle.

Third, get the gear I need. I bought a soft-sided cooler that matched my luggage and is easy to slide over my luggage handle. I cut down a cheap plastic cutting board to fit in the bottom of that cooler, and have a good knife with a cover that fits in the pocket of the cooler. I also have a straw and a silverware kit (including chopsticks, that makes me happy😀) that I bought on amazon that fits in my luggage, and an extra camping “spork” that I like that I can toss in my day bag for snacks. I pack my meals in microwave safe containers that can double as ice holders if needed.

4- plan for longer stays- guess what- grocery stores are ubiquitous. And now, there’s InstaCart, and target pickup, and Walgreens drive through just about everywhere I go. So no excuse for forgetting something and no energy for shopping. It’s just like being at home. I used to pack my instant pot and make soup, even, to keep out of the restaurants, during those month-long stays.

Okie dokie - time to re-evaluate those goals because one is important and the other two not so much. So here's the new plan:

1. Daily log of food that stays within 5% of the target so since I'm wanting to stay around 1400 calories per day, that's 70 calories above or below to stay on track.
2. Go to bed at a reasonable time and get up at a reasonable time (before midnight and before 9:00 am)
3. Take a walk around the local park at least 3 times per week.

For Sunday, 7/18
1. ✅ Got the daily food log down! Woohoo!
2. ✅ As soon as I'm finished here, I'm headed to the shower and then to bed. Score #2!
3. ✅ Since I just now decided to add walking into the routine, I will start that tomorrow. Still think that's a win for today!

Mon. July 19
4 out of 7

Making this a great week!

For Monday July 19:
✅ 1- Log daily weight in Fitbit
✅ 2- Veggies at each meal
✅ 3- Pre-log day (ok to change)
❎ 4- Actually sticking to meal plan
❎ 4- Walk 5 days a week

Weekly total 3/33

I have felt chaotic the last week since starting the walking goal, my schedule is off, I’m skipping meals, eating off-plan, etc. Need to add a goal to add some discipline to stick to my meal plan, but I also have to keep the flexibility that I know I can change it (too much rigidity or restriction is a trigger to binge for me).

It will also challenge me to be realistic on my time and energy levels, of when I have time to make a meal and when I need a grab-and-go option. And also when I’m going to prep those grab-and-go’s.

Gonna have to put some thought into this. That feeling of unsettledness isn’t going to get the best of me. There’s balance to be found.

For Tuesday July 20:
✅ 1- Log daily weight in Fitbit
✅ 2- Veggies at each meal
✅ 3- Pre-log day (ok to change)
✅ 4- Actually sticking to meal plan 😃
✅ 5- Walk 5 days a week- just me, still at the hotel, but got it in before I left for the day

Weekly total 8/33

July 20th:
1. 500 cal deficit ✅ ... 950 cal deficit, 1/7 days
2. 30 mins exercise ✅ ... 30 mins, 1/5 days
3. 60 oz water ❌ ... 30 oz water, 0/7 days

2/19 for the week.