So, as always – and even a little more so than always – I am packing my own food. And, as per usual, it looks like I’m going to be bringing more food than clothes!

The list, so far:

Susan’s Kale Chips 2.0
1 bag of Organic Baby Spinach
1 box of cherry tomatoes
1 gallon sized bag of chopped veggies: broccoli, carrots, turnips, and zucchini
Enough Chocolate Rice and Protein Powder for at least 4 shakes
3-4 avocados
Energy bars
Psyllium Husk
Spirulina
Almond butter

Kitchen utensils:
1 spoon
1 travel sponge
1 large cup
1 travel-sized Magic Bullet Blender

I’m sure I’m forgetting something; as I almost always do!

So, why am I bringing all of this food – particularly since I have lunch and dinner dates planned every day that I am there?

The powders, the spinach, and the avocados (or maybe the almond butter, depending on my mood) are all for breakfast. If I don’t have MY breakfast, the day is pretty much shot for food for me. If I don’t start off with my regular 60+ gram protein BOMB, I can pretty much count on a bad eating day. When I do start the day off with a shake, no matter where I am, I am more sated, I am more grounded, and I am much more likely to be in control of my eating (as opposed to the other way around).

And as someone who is 85% (more or less) raw vegan, it’s hard to get a satisfying meal out. Most restaurants’ idea of a big salad (see earlier post on this topic) wouldn’t feed a rabbit! So instead of being all weird about it, I’ve decided to just go and order a salad (where possible) and eat it. Even if it’s not particularly satisfying, I know that I have PLENTY of nutrition in my room to fall back on. Using this approach, “eating out” with friends will really be more like “hanging out.” Eat a little salad, drink a little water – then go back to my room for my real lunch or, as the case may be, dinner.

Now, even though Atlanta – at least the part I am going to me in – is not that diet friendly, there is a Legal Sea Food, which does have a pretty generous Gluten-Free Menu. Given that gluten-free is the mandatory condition and the raw/vegan is just the preference, I should be in pretty good shape on Saturday night – as that’s where my very understanding friend made reservations. And, believe it or not, Atlanta also has a Raw Restaurant! It’s not downtown, but it’s only a MARTA ride away. As it turns out, I have a chunk of time available on Saturday, so I’ll definitely be checking that out for lunch! And as a service to raw aficionados everywhere, I’ll be sure to let you know!

While browsing in one of the many Hudson News magazine stores at Boston Logan, I found – much to my surprise – that they carry raw pistachios and raw almonds. Of course they cost an arm and a leg, but that’s beside the point. It’s good to know that they’re there and available should the need arise.

Unfortunately, Hudson News also carries a lot of other things – like a ton of trashy/pulp novels that I really shouldn’t be reading, as I have plenty of other more serious things that warrant my attention.

However, my goal is to make it through the day without rewarding/comforting myself with food – so light fiction here I come. If I get as little sleep tonight as I got last night, I’ll have plenty of time to get everything done (and then some).

Don’t get me wrong, the trip was great. But the plan could definitely have used some work!

On the one hand, the plan was pretty good in that we packed a ton of raw seed bread, flax crackers, nut butters, and Clearvyte-CR so that we would have lots of good raw food and stay reasonably detoxed, but it was not so great in that we had planned to go to the grocery store upon arrival and buy lots of fresh veggies to supplement all of that fat-heavy – albeit it was the “healthy” fat – food!

Note that I used the word PLANNED.

We arrived late, burned out. We decided to skip the grocery store and scrounge. We did have some veggies – like some sugar snap peas and some baby carrots – but we were definitely short. The conference started the next morning at 8:30 and went long both nights – hence no store.

To make matters worse, my plane left early on Monday and in my hurry to get to the hotel, I left the $7.00 bunch of broccoli that I had finally broke down and bought from the hotel in the fridge – doh! I hate that.

Ostensibly, I was only 247 calories over my daily allotment of calories on Sunday and 500 on Monday, which, if you’re as calorie-crazed, er, conscious as I am, you’ll know that that’s only about 1/5 of a pound worth of extra energy.

However, I felt (last night) and still do (after 5 hours of sleep, an hour of exercise, and 5 hours of work), like complete and utter crap. I feel like there’s a big ball of lard deep inside my gut. I also feel completely clogged up and slightly nauseous.

My mother tried to reassure me that I’d get used to it; heck, that’s the last thing I want!

Chances are I’m feeling particularly bad because of how cleanly we have been eating this month – but it’s not necessarily something that I want to test.

Last night, on my way home from the airport, I stopped at a local grocery store and bought two bags of produce! It was beautiful, glorious, and green. It looked clean. It felt clean. It smelled clean. In fact, it’s not too far of a reach to say that I felt like I was literally being bathed in chlorophyll.

Even though I am still pretty full (it really is surprisingly gross how polluted I feel) I did manage to have a nice raw butternut squash soup, some zucchini, and some turnip for lunch.

Despite it’s still overfull state, my body literally sang~

Tonight, I think I’ll have some Swiss chard.

You probably think I’m kidding, but, seriously, I can’t wait.

And next time, no matter how late I get to where I am going, I will go to the grocery store – come hell or high water.

post script: even though it was a colossal fail on the fresh veggie front, I am proud to report that no sugar crossed these lips! I have five more days on the sugar detox cleanse and so far, so good. So, perhaps I should change the title of the post, because after all it could have been a whole lot worse!

Instead of stressing about it too much, I just asked for what I need. It worked pretty well last time, so I thought I might try it again.

First things first, I asked the very helpful person who has been coordinating my upcoming visit if she could take me a to a grocery store immediately upon landing. This is imperative, as I typically travel with a blender – a travel blender at that – and love making green smoothies in my hotel rooms. I find that if I start the day off normally – well, as normally as anyone who drinks spinach, broccoli, red pepper, carrots, cayenne pepper and pear for breakfast can – then the rest of the day will go that much smoother. Of course she said yes.

Second, even though I am the keynote speaker at a banquet (hence the invitation to travel), I asked that a special meal be prepared: a large plate of uncooked vegetables or a large salad. No problem, she assured me. Now, who knows what the quality of the veggies will be, but that’s why it’s important to make sure I have snacks and high quality produce in my room for after the event.

Third, there are people who want to take me out to dinner when I get there – presumably after the trip to the grocery store and before the main event (which is the next day). When asked if I had any preferences, I simply said that i was currently on a raw vegan diet and that anywhere where I could get a big salad and perhaps an avocado – or at least someplace that wouldn’t object if I brought my own – then I was golden.

This is what she sent back, saying that it wasn’t raw, but she was sure they would accommodate.

Looking at the menu – particularly the appetizers and the salads – I think I may be the one to accommodate.

Given that the definition of High Raw is 80% raw or more, I think I’ll be okay. Meanwhile, that Cauliflower Miso is calling my name….

The moral of this story: I used to be really concerned about asking for what I need. I used to think that I was being bothersome or troublesome. What I’ve found as I have practiced this – and not been so apologetic about it – is that people are happy to help. But it helps if you’ve done your research. If you’re going to go visit someplace new, find out what the options are ahead of time. I lucked out, because my colleague happened to know about The Vegiterranean.

And for those of you who are traveling to a new place, without the benefit of helpful hosts, the internet is your friend. It’s amazing what you can find – and where you can find it – in just a few minutes on-line.

Michael J and I are going to a two day seminar on the opposite coast and this is just a sampling of what I’m taking, aside from two skirts, two blouses, a jacket, a scarf, and variety of other necessary unmentionables:

Larabars
A gallon bag of salad (no dressing)
Hummus
Multigrain Ricecakes
Carrots
Pink Lady Apples
Bananas
My blender!
Chocolate Hemp Shake Mix
Shelled Hemp Seeds
Nairn’s ginger stem oat biscuits
VerMints
Raw Unsalted Almonds
Prunes (don’t ask)
Green & Black’s 85% Chocolate (for Michael J)
?????

I’m sure I’m forgetting something! But you get the picture!

Last time we were there (back in the good old pre-gluten-free days) we were able to buy a brown bag lunch, but as it all had some sort of wheat that’s no longer an option. And the dinner break is short. Last time 20 participants had gone up to their rooms only to be stuck in an elevator. Thanks, but no thanks!

Luckily there is a grocery store within walking distance (about a mile away) where we can buy soy milk/Almond Breeze once we arrive and additional fruit if need be after our 10 trek cross country.

Despite the potential for food disaster, you might say that I am stocking (if not overstocking) my environment.

My plan: eat small meals every two and a half hours and, as you may recall from my last post, only eat until I’m 80% full.

I will keep you posted!

What are your best travel strategies?

Not this summer.

This summer has been about travel and disruption. It’s been about illness (my 19 year old cat had a stroke two months ago). It’s been about tubing and fluids and shots. In all fairness, it’s also been about vacations, wine tours and the forsaking of valued identities (that is, spinning instructor) for the sake of overall balance in my body.

In some ways, this summer has felt like more of a struggle than the spring, even though I was overwhelmed with work in the months of March, April, and June in ways that I am simply not at the moment. There’s still a lot of work to do, more than I have time for in fact, but the deadlines aren’t as frenetic. The penalties for not getting it done seem less severe.

I made three trips to California (from the east coast) in the last two months; two with Michael and one alone. On these trips, I learned how to pack food and exercise gear for travel. I learned how to use my new iPhone to broadcast via Twitter (KJLively), though I couldn’t quite manage to blog remotely, hence the long gaps on occasion. I also learned how to use the mapping function to find grocery stores and how to make salads in hotel rooms with cutlery borrowed from in-house restaurants or once, when I was desperate, lifted off of someone’s room service tray that had been left in the hall. I washed the knife with shampoo and dried it with a washcloth. I learned to travel with a blender and, when necessary, how to pack soy milk for shakes in airtight containers in my checked baggage. I made peanut butter sandwiches ahead of time and sealed them in baggies before placing them in hard plastic containers for safe keeping.

I lost track of calories at weddings and conferences, mostly through my consumption of alcohol. However, I also learned the finer points of most cardio machines in most hotel fitness rooms. I can get my heart rate up and keep it there on a treadmill going 3.6 miles an hour (a brisk walk) on an incline of 6. The recumbent bike – somewhat surprisingly – is harder than it looks. And the StairMaster – somewhat ironically – is less so.

Now that I am home, I am attempting to revisit my old routines. The nordic track, followed by K-Bells (either Cardio Balanced or Total Body Blast) or Jillian Michaels (either the 30 or No More Trouble Zones). I am also using my foam roller once or twice a day to smooth out the knots in my abductors and tennis balls to dissolve the rocks in my calves.

Throughout all this, my body is changing and not always in ways that I would chose.

I keep trying to skirt around negative words like “losing ground”, “getting old” and “betrayed” and use more positive words such as “journey”, “process”, “maturing,” and “natural”, instead. I know it’s all in the framing! Luckily I have good friends around to remind me when I slip up and return to old patterns, only to engage in the familiar ritual of self-recrimination.

Needless to say, I am not going for perfection at the moment, but I am trying to take my victories where I can find them.

Tonight, I bent at the waist and – keeping my legs straight – touched the floor. I didn’t scrape the floor with the tips of my fingers, mind you. Instead, I put my whole palms on the floor. I’ve never been able to do that. I went downstairs and immediately showed Michael. His response: It will be worth trying that again in the morning!

You know what? It’s progress and I’ll take it.

Okay, here it is: Humbles (not as in pie, which – for those of you who know me know – would never be on the menu), but as in baked hummus chips!

There are several flavors, including Roasted Red Pepper; Olive Oil, Lemon & Feta; and Sesame Garlic. I am now a fan of the Sesame Garlic.

60% less fat than potato chips (4 grams per serving)! 120 calories, 1 gram of fiber, 3 grams of protein. And, importantly, there is only one item on the list of ingredients that sounds scary! (See one could literally eat the whole bag for 420 calories and 12 grams of fat, which is way less bad for you than a double scoop of Ben & Jerry’s!)

Just so you know, I found them cheaper than they are listed on-line at the local Coop, but as I already noted they were on sale! Give them a try and let me know what you think!

I ordered a sandwich earlier with no bread, no cheese, no mayo, no fries, sub a small cesear salad with no croutons or dressing.

Luckily the waitress had a sense of humor!

Anyway, totally impressed, very envious, and more than a little hopeful given that there were a lot more Chips Ahoy left on the shelves than there were dark chocolate and flaxseed biscuits!

It is at moments like this that I understand how and why people give up on their diets! And this was with me being a pain in the ass about having to make a spiru-tein shake most mornings, eating mostly vegan (when available), and exercising every other day! Not to sound bitter, but if I had known it was going to be this bad I wouldn’t have even bothered! How do people survive who don’t watch what they eat? As I stated earlier, I am most bummed! (And I am sharing it all with you, in all of its gory technicolor detail, because some have suggested to me that I am sanctimonious and that it’s easy to be so when everything’s going okay)! It’s not going okay, but I’m pretty sure – if not absolutely positive – that I can get it back to good.

So what’s the plan?

Well, most likely it will be lose the last ten pounds yet again! I hope it is no more than that but it is hard to say standing naked in front of a mirror beneath the flourescent lights of the airport Hampton Inn! Ugh.

I keep hoping that at least half of it is water because it is well known that your body retains water in order to protect its vital organs from the acid in alcohol. But not even I am delusional enough to think that my body felt so threatened that it decided to hold on to a body of water the magnitude of the Russian River!

Enough, KJ! It would be all too easy to beat myself up over this (and, hey, I’m doing pretty good without even trying), but what I really need to do is develop a reasonable and sustainable plan. Step one: stay off the scale for at least one week after resuming my normal diet and exercise routine. Step two: drop back down to 1200 calories a day. Step three: no matter what, don’t do anything extreme (like try exercising 8 hours a day) or give up. Overkill in either direction at this point, would be a very bad idea!

Who knows? This could be the best thing that happened to my weight loss endeavors!

How so, you ask? Well now that there can be no doubt that I’m taking in enough calories, the weight should just roll right off when I start exercising again, right? Well, it could happen! And, theoretically, it should, holding all else constant.

I’ll keep you posted. And once I’ve been back at it for a week I’ll even tell you how much damage was actually done!

I had a great time, but suffice it to say that I’m glad to be on my back home. I missed my routine, I missed my cats, and I missed having steady Internet access!

And just as an FYI (as if this whole post has been anything but), given the quality of airport food, something tells me that I’ll be having at least one of the new smoothies at Starbuck’s (complete with fiber powder – at Starbuck’s, can you believe it?) all for a mere 280 calories each! Now that I’m back in the real world, I’ll also be sure to let you know how they taste!