Week 2: Too Soon to Travel

I went away with my family this weekend. Usually, this would not be a big deal, as we do this often. However this particular weekend, only two short weeks into my new sugar, flour, and wheat-free lifestyle, was a struggle.

All the way there, I was giving myself a pep talk. I can eat healthy at restaurants. I will avoid all of my usual vacation candy stores. Grocery stores are always an option… After parking, I hop out of the car feeling strong, only to turn around and see my view for the next four days.

The Chocolate Monkey. With free samples. Thank God for the 4-hour pep talk or I probably would have been in that ice cream covered door before even entering the hotel lobby.

So the weekend was difficult where food was concerned. We had booked this a while ago, before I knew I would begin this plan. Because of this, there was no kitchen, not even a tiny refrigerator and microwave. This poor planning would force me to eat EVERY meal out for four days straight. Breakfast. Lunch. Dinner. Twelve sugar, flour, and wheat-free meals at restaurants…

The great news is I did it! Or at least closely enough that I am taking credit for full success. I don’t think we can ever be sure if what we order at a restaurant is prepared exactly as requested. I have no doubt I consumed far more butter and oil than I should have.

I ate chicken, fish, steak, lots of veggies, and plain baked or sweet potatoes for lunch and dinner. The last steak I ate was over four years ago. I had two this weekend. It may be trading one demon for another, but for now I am focusing on detoxing from the damage of sugar and wheat. Breakfast was mainly eggs and fresh fruit. We had free breakfast at the hotel which consisted of fresh waffles, danishes, and those yummy little flavored creamers for coffee, none of which I was allowed. I originally planned to bring my brown rice cereal, but I forgot to pack it…

I managed to avoid the Chocolate Monkey until we were about to get in the packed car to head home. My son really wanted to go check it out, so I caved. This is what was awaiting me inside:

I apologize to those of you who are trying to resist sugar right now alongside me. This is not meant to tempt you. I just wanted to make sure you understood the full struggle.

As I said, I was successful so I’m thrilled for that. However, if I could do it all over again, I would PLAN AHEAD! If you are planning to travel sometime in the near future and want to continue with abstinence, here are some basic tips.

• Make sure your room has a kitchen. In the very least, try to have a mini-refrigerator and microwave.
• Plan car snacks- carrots, raw almonds, fresh fruit… This will help avoid the temptations of gas station snacks.
• If staying for longer than a weekend, pack a blender and the ingredients for Green Smoothies, found in Back to Basics Recipes. These will help tremendously with the sugar cravings family vacations seem to evoke.
• Try not to stay within walking distance of candy stores. Especially ones you must look at every time you walk out the front door of your hotel.

Please let me know of any traveling tips you have for eating healthy on the road!

If you are new here and would like to learn more about this series, check out my journey in 31 Days to Food Addiction Recovery.