Eating Healthy at These ADRs...

[HeatherBelle614]

Ok, DIS foodies, I need some encouragement.

I had worked really hard the last 6 months to drop 15lbs and have been doing very well staying on track so I can splurge at WDW and not feel guilty. I made our ADRs dreaming of the food!

Two weeks ago, I was diagnosed with a severe case of swine flu (also have asthma, but never really had problems until this). I've spent over-nights in the ER several times, but luckily they keep letting me go home. The flu is gone now, but I've got a lot of complications that aren't going away. I have a horrible case of bronchitis that they're working hard to make sure doesn't become phemonia, and a lot of other horrible side effects (140+ heart rate per minute, shakes from all the steroids, hot flashes and I'm only 24, stiffening joints, sore muscles, etc). I'm on at-home breathing treatments every 4 hours, and a slew of other medications.

The worst part of it though is that because of all the steroids and medications I'm on, I've gained 20lbs in 7 days (and, per the doctor, I'm going to keep gaining while I'm on steroids for another 2 weeks but can't do anything about it...no working out allowed)!!! I'm sure everyone that has worked hard to get rid of weight can understand how discouraged I am because of this and how cruddy I feel putting that much weight on in 7 days. I feel terrible with my health and my body right now.

I've been told my lungs are going to take 2-3 months to heal, so I'll be on all of this medication when we're on our trip. But, even though I am constantly starving right now and can't work out, I have to try my hardest to get rid of the extra 20+lbs because it's complicating my healing factor. (Irony the doctor told me to work on controling it and not get discouraged, but I can't work out; frustrating!)

I had been drooling over the food, and with all of this going on 36 days before our trip (including not sure what all I'll be able to do on a special trip that I've planned for 5 years), I've gotten really, really down.

So, I need your help! These are the ADRs that we have; please give me suggestions of healthy items on the menu that you would rec! We're on the DDP, too, so if anyone has any dessert options (sugar-free, maybe?) that would be great!

Please cheer me back up for this trip! The food is a major part of our vacays to WDW. I feel miserable about how I look/feel right now and need new menu items to get excited about!

Akershus - dinner
Crystal Palace - breakfast
Chef Mickeys - dinner (where I've already ordered a special, custom cake to surprise everyone else in my party)
Sci-Fi - lunch (I had scheduled this one just for that bacon burger!...do they have sides other than fries? Maybe I can splurge on the burger if I can get something other than fries...)
OHana - breakfast
Chefs de France - dinner
Tusker House - breakfast

Of course, we'll have our CS credits (6 of those), too.

I was wanting Flame Tree BBQ as I've craved it since our last trip, but I'm not sure if I should go there now. I came up with Sunshine Seasons, but where else all over the World has good salad options for CS for me?

And, snack credits? I know I can always get fruit, but if anyone has any other suggestions that would be more WDW, that'd be great, too! I eat fruit all of the time and was looking forward to something special at the World for my treats!

Thank you to everyone in advance!!

 

[casjen]

I have been on steroids before and I was starving 24/7. It is nearly impossible to not eat.

That said, I never gain any weight at Disney. I often lose weight because of all the walking. I have a ton of gastrointestinal issues so eating is a challenge always. At Crystal Palace you could make a big plate of fruit and then limit yourself to only one plate at the Buffet. You can take small bist of everything and then eat more fruit or cereal if you're hungry. Hard to do with all that yummy food but if you want to have less calorires that could help.

The other restaurants I don't know. When you want to lose weight but don't want to sacrifice too much just eat half of what you usually would. Eat half the bacon burger and no fires, or only a handful of fries. I know it sounds hard. But you'll be walking a ton so that will help too.

Good luck!

 

[BlovesC]

I understand your pain, but you're a much stronger person than me, for trips to Disney are the one time when I eat whatever I want. I am a much more severe case though, I joined WW online two years ago and have lost 140 pounds to date yet still have more to go, and I'm in my 20s too. So you can only imagine what I started at! I try to be good at times, but usually Disney is my one break from the year-round counting and healthy choices.

That aside, it IS certainly possible to do less damage at Disney, though it can take more effort! I suggest fully reviewing all menus for your chosen restaurants at allears.net.

At EVERY TS restaurant you can ALWAYS ask for special dietary requests. If there is grilled salmon on the menu, for example, but the menu states it's paired with a glaze...you can have it without! Disney is truly great about handling their guests special diet needs. You just need to not be afraid to speak up. Most every TS place serves a fish or boneless chicken option which you can then alter (no butter/sauce/etc) to fit your needs. Stay away from mashed potatoes (at home, fine, but in Dis they're butter-filled) and fill up on sauce-less veggies. Be careful with salads, too. Most are offered with fatty fixings and dressings. A simple vegetable side salad with no cheese or meats with a low-fat vinegarette would be fine.

The breakfasts can be tricky. The buffests should have fruit, yogurt, oatmeal, whole grain toast, and healthy cold cereals (special K, cheerios) available. Some may even have egg whites, but if not, regular scrambled eggs without cheese aren't too bad and provide a good deal of protein.

You can get cucumber-melon salad at Sci-Fi instead of fries. If you choose to ditch the burger, they also have a grilled chicken sandwich and a seared tofu entree.

I believe Chefs de France has a roasted chicken entree, but I'm not sure what it's paired with.

As for CS, plenty of places offer sandwiches, salads, and wraps in lieu of the standard burgers and chicken fingers. Sunshine Seasons is a GREAT choice. Everything there is very fresh and the 'healthiest' items aren't boring at all. They have salads, soups, fish, chicken, sushi (just watch the quantity!) and fresh vegetables. Columbia Harbor House in MK has a great hummus sandwich. You should also be fine at Flame Tree, they have a turkey sandwich on multi-grain bun.

Snacks can be tricky. I can understand getting bored quick with just fruit cups and yogurt for a whole trip. Ice cream is a fun alternative. You can grab popsicles and ice cream pops that have less than 200 calories. Even a small soft-serve, while high in sugar, has much less calories and fat than say a brownie, pastry, or giant soft pretzel. Some places that sell bagged chips offer baked varieties. It can be a little easier to find low-cal snacks in resort food courts than at the parks because you have more time to browse and compare.

If all else fails though, let yourself splurge a tiny bit and rationalize that you're walking off those calories, anyway. I do it all the time! I do 3 miles a day at the gym, but about 10 miles a day at Disney!

Hope that helps, good luck, don't stress, feel better, and have a GREAT trip!

 

[HeatherBelle614]

Thank you both so much for your encouragement and thoughts so far!

I agree with the egg part at breakfasts; my big problem is carbs, carbs, carbs. So I think my splurge at those could be more egg-involved items instead of loading up on Mickey waffles.

I've never been on DDP, so I wasn't sure how helpful they can be with requests. I will try to push switching out sides (vegetables if they're on the menu instead of carb options).

My 25th birthday is coming up in a couple weeks, and I was planning on splurging at a meal then. I just told DH that I'd rather find something healthy to eat that night instead so I can enjoy my burger at Sci-Fi as an alternative.

Ok, keep 'em coming. You all are making me cheer up already! (DH didn't quite understand; he can eat enough for 5 people and never gains weight. And, of course, he's not a woman so weight gain to him is no big deal. Although, he told me he will encourage as much as possible while we're there for me to eat well, but he's NOT giving up his dessert around the world excursion because he's already got his shirt made. Haha.)

 

[mermaid&cinderella]

I am a healthy freak and eat very very healthy and lean and was just at WDW and I knew I would be eating not as healthy b/c honestly even what looks healthy at Disney isn't. I was very disappointed that steamed veggies were covered in butter and lean fish is covered in sauces. Regarding the restaurants you picked. Crystal Palace is a good one. There is whole wheat bread, yogurt (even though I am sure it is not low fat), fresh fruit, granola and a veggie/egg dish that was very good. So CP is a good breakfast choice. Honestly Ohana breakfast I would not do. There is nothing healthy there. Tusker House was good. Again granola and fresh fruit. CRT has a yummy fruit/yogurt/granola dish at breakfast.

A good dinner is Teppan Edo. You can get chicken and shrimp with veggies. Dinner at Cape May is good because there is fish and salad and corn on the cob. 1900 Park FAre for dinner has some good choices.

Good luck!