Week Five - Continuing on with balance
Navigating Social Situations
We've all been there: you've made some diet changes, you're feeling great, and then bam! You have a social event come up and you freeze. My biggest advice to you is stick to your why. Why are you eating the way you choose to? Because of how it makes you feel? Because of ethical/moral reasons? Why? Know your story but also it's all about balance.
Top tips:
-Bring a dish that aligns with your eating habits to share!
-Pick a restaurant that has something on the menu that will work for you (most do FYI!) Our favorite local restaurants that are at least dairy free & gluten free friendly: Cheeky Monkey, Brasa, French Meadow, Agra Culture, Hola Arepa, Heartland, Shish...the options are endless!
-Host the event yourself and create healthy dishes. Your guests likely won't even know the difference and may even like the food more than their standard fare.
-If you really want that piece of cake, have it. There is no judgement here and there shouldn't be any judgement within you either! Enjoy the treat and move on :)
-Take all of the focus off the food. Complete a Turkey Day 5k with your family & friends [walking or trotting!], go sledding, build a snowman, play a game of flag football - the list could go on forever.
Travel & Balance
Travel can often throw you off your routine when it comes to eating, workouts, or even your health in general. When it comes to working out, do what you can or what you want to. Sometimes taking a long weekend off to truly relax and enjoy yourself is exactly what your body needs! If you do want to workout or get some sort of a workout in here are some simple ideas:
-stay in a hotel with a fitness center (if sitting on a treadmill isn't your thing, I don't blame you...find a WOD that uses little to no equipment and do in the fitness center or in your hotel room!)
-find a local gym or CrossFit box you can do a drop in at (just let the owner know when you'll be stopping by ahead of time!)
-have an active adventure (hike, kayak, swim, ski, paddleboard, etc)
-walk the sites/be a tourist on foot
Food is another thing to keep in mind when traveling. Whether you're traveling by plane or by car, there are a ton of steps you can take to ensure you're set up for success when you're out of your normal routine.
First up: pack food/snacks! Even though you're not at home/don't have access to your own cupboards & refrigerator, packing food is the way to go! If you're driving somewhere you have a little more flexibility with what you pack but there are a ton of options when it comes to flying too - I'll put special tips next to ideas to make them TSA/airplane friendly!
-homemade wraps or sandwiches (just don't use foil if you're flying - plastic bag or parchment paper is the way to go)
-dips and sauces like salsa, almond butter, etc (as long as it is in a 3.4 oz container and put into a quart-sized plastic bag)
-fresh fruit/veggies
-crunchy snacks (popcorn, kale chips, etc)
-dried fruit and raw nuts
-pre-made salads (mix everything together ahead of time or bring your dressing in a separate container - 3.4 oz in a plastic bag)
-jerky
-granola bars (favorite brands: LARABAR, CLIF Kit's Organic, WholeMe)
-blender and smoothie ingredients - greens, fresh fruit, liquid - can keep it basic for travel (I am assuming you can fly with a blender in your checked luggage but I would double check that!)
-If you have the option, stay someplace with a kitchen you can cook in. Many hotels have suits with kitchens, or stay in a condo or vacation house as opposed to a standard hotel.
Next up: do your research! Search for local natural food stores or co-ops - pick up more snacks, get a meal from the salad or hot bar, and/or find some simple meals you can make without a kitchen! I would also recommend scoping out restaurant options ahead of time - even if the restaurant may not have labeled gluten free, dairy free, etc options, you can almost always create something that aligns with your preferred way of eating.