Happy Friday everyone!!
My scale is moving and it's such a great thing to see. Being in control feels so good and I finally have this feeling that I'll be able to make it to a better place before my vacations start. While it won't be where I wanted it to be, I'm hoping it will at least be an ok place. I'm shooting for 141 where I was last year before I went to Tennesse/Alabama.
Here is my plan for our upcoming trips that I have to be good in order to reach my goal of 141 (at least - hoping for better) by the time I go to Vegas the end of June. This may get long but I want to committ below to what I'm planning to do for my summer vacations. Every year I gain way too much weight over the summer from these vacations and I'm tired of this cycle. I must learn how to change my way of thinking and not go into a tailspin of eating till I feel sick because "it's vacation and I'm deserving of it".
Next weekend we are going to the Newport News/Virginia Beach/Williamsburg area - I know I can do good there, did it last memorial weekend. I'll just take it one meal at a time and make good choices.
In June we go to Niagara falls for our 20 year anniversary (kids are going too) and we plan to walk, ride bikes and I know I can eat healthy there. I'm going to think fish and vegetarian dishes all weekend and I think I can have a great time without feeling deprived at all.
For both trips I plan to bring kashi granola bars (having 2 each morning). That will give me a plenty filling 4 point breakfast, and I'll wash it down with a bottle of water.
Then when I go to Vegas, I've already told my mom I plan on being OP while I'm there. Normally we pig out at restaurants, but I think I can stay OP or pretty darn close even eating out at a few places. I know we will eat at the Cheesecake factory for lunch - I'll have the Thai lettuce wraps. We will eat once at an all you can eat place (I've been eating there since I was in second grade) called the Hush Puppy. The fish is fried there, but we are having the all you can eat crab. I plan to have NO butter, some veggies and salad from the salad bar, limit my hush puppies to 3 (gotta at least know I can have a couple) and maybe one fried fish catfish (I can't not have catfish). At least it's a plan and if I'm prepared I'll know I can have some - just not a lot. Usually I leave so stuffed I can't walk. If we do go to Einstein Bagels, I'll maybe only have a half bagel or just go once and be done with it. I'll go to the grocery store and get my cereal so we can eat breakfast at home on most days. The rest of the meals I plan on eating vegetarian, salads or fish. I want to try the Vietnamese restaurant Pho's at the Treasure Island (that's light). I know I can do this and I hope to learn some lessons that will carry me through my Disney trip.
5 days after I get back from Vegas we leave for Disney for 17 nights (including the one travel night in South Carolina/Georgia). This is the vacation that always kills me. By the time I get home I usually gain 12 pounds. Yep - 12 huge pounds. I can literally feel the weight coming on by the time I leave. Its' because I feel an entitlement to eat at Bomas (twice), Ohana's, Biergarten (twice), Whispering Canyon etc. and stuff myself. Now some of the other meals are not so bad. I do have plenty of lighter ones, like the veggie sandwich at the Plaza. The problem is, that I start bad once we pull out the door. I love these pinya colada drinks, but they are 2 servings and like 7 points - hmm I can eat a dinner for that, lol! Last year our first stop was McDonalds instead of the subway we were trying to find. That started me drinking soda, a big mac and french fries. Well it gets out of hand after two weeks of eating bad. This year I have to stop this instanity. I can have just as much fun and pick a few things that are bad to eat, but mostly eat sensibly.
I've noticed a trend lately where I really don't enjoy meat much. Chicken and turkey are not as bad, but beef and pork not so much. I don't eat sausages or bacon except on vacation. I've pretty much given them up.
So this year I'm planning to go vegetarian or seafood or pretty darn close to it. I've been thinking about this for a long time, then I talk myself out of it.
I plan to drink water only (or maybe ice tea with no sugar) on the entire trip. No soda. This should save tons!
Be super mindful on my trip to and from Disney in the car. Bring my Kashi breakfast bars and stick them for breakfast (except on my birthday we plan to have a cinnamon roll at the Mainstreet Bakery). I really want to watch my desserts and servings at the buffets. I may even try to go vegetarian at Bomas -I've heard good things about the veggie stuff there. I plan to get the vegetarian option at Ohana's (saw a picture and it looked so good). Instead of the Canyon skillet at Whispering Canyon I'm going to get the Veggie stack. Just little things like this. I've pretty much have a plan at every restaurant that includes fish or veggie options except Biergarten - I think I can still make this work, and I am not sure about LeCellier. I had planned on the filet with risotto. I may make that my one meat splurge.
Sorry if this got long. I wanted to write my plan down and committ to it. Just think, I will get to expand my horizons and try lots of new options this way. Last year I tried the veggie sandwhich at the Plaza and absolutely loved it. I'm sure my body loved it over the hamburger with cheese, fried onions and bacon.
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But...the good news is I'm down another pound...slow going as I near my goal weight - but at least it's going 
Good luck!!
