Vacation ended and I'm back at 181.5. I'm disappointed, but still .5 less than when I started and probably in better physical condition as well.
Normally road trips involve a car filled with snacks from M&Ms to Twizzlers and everything in between. My mom decided this trip would consist of healthier snacks like graham crackers and animal crackers. She separated the animals crackers into bags based on amount per serving. Surprisingly the serving size was generous, but without counting them even a suggested serving size can't help. However, the second I tried one I didn't like it and we ended up not snacking on the road at all. Maybe my taste buds were off or she bought a different brand than usual. I don't know, but I'm happy it kept me from snacking away.
Eating three meals a day on the road does lead to poor choices, but I don't regret enjoying my vacation. When half the day is spent on the road, I can't imagine staying in and eating a buttered bagel or ordering cereal at a diner. It's not something I would ever do. Most breakfasts consisted of a large ham and cheese egg omlet, with a side of sausage and toast. Long days call for a big breakfast. While sitting in a car isn't quite the same as working, you still need energy to be alert on the road.
Lunch meals varied in size from a healthy BLT wrap to a Chicken BLT sandwich at McDonalds. On
the days I ate a BLT wrap, I felt happier with myself. It emotionally fulfilled me despite the fact I would have chosen a Chicken BLT from McDonalds if I had the option. This is why I hate choices, it pains me to resist what I want in the moment.
Dinner on the road was always what my heart desired. I'm not a fan of sleeping in most motels, dealing with different beds and different showers, not to mention vacation means waking up early to make the most of the day. So for me it meant a lot to end my day well fed. Most dinners consisted of some type of meat and fries. These aren't home cooked dinners in the least and were probably all over 750 calories, but I'm not going to go crazy over that. Instead I'm going to summarize my vacation choices as better than they used to be. If you think about it, eating at restaurants 3 times a day for a week, I only managed to put on 2 lbs. That's not bad at all! My only concern now will be adjusting to smaller portions and snacks being available at home.
Vacation Treats
My vacation wasn't just about the day to day meals either. I had
three additional treats that were a must have while on the road. In Maine I had a Lobster Roll, despite the fact I only like tuna fish, sushi, shrimp, and crab cakes. When in Maine! Like salmon, it didn't really have much taste. The actual Lobster roll was buttered lobster in a bread roll. I had seen signs for lobster rolls all over Maine, mostly in pizzerias. Although I ate at the "Maine Diner," I was expecting something like a chicken roll but with lobster instead. I probably would have liked it better from a pizzeria. Who knows?
Next stop was Boston for some New England Clam Chowder at Cheers. I had my first New England clam chowder in Dutch Country, PA as a kid and have loved it ever since. It tasted just as amazing in Boston. It's a shame canned chowder doesn't taste the same. Finally, I had some fudge. My parents and I split the piece of fudge 3 ways and enjoyed the small portion thoroughly. During past vacations, a larger piece of fudge would have been purchased. I feel like my family as a whole did well.
Active Vacation
While much of my vacation consisted of driving to tourist spots to take pictures, I
did manage to have three very physical days of activities. My first hard core leg workout was at The Lost River Gorge & Boulder Caves in Kinsman Notch, New Hampshire. They call it a ¾ mile journey, but almost every step was literally on an actual step up or down, wrapping around the mystic Lost River. Along the way there were caves with varying degrees of difficulty starting at moderate difficulty. I went into a cave or two, but the medium level involved me crawling on the ground. I'm a little claustrophobic and wished I had someone with me to hold my hand through it. My dad is in his 50s and definitely wasn't going to crawl through the caves. The scenery was still beautiful though.
The very next day we continued traveling through the White Mountain Forest of New Hampshire stopping at different "waterfall" locations. Some were more clearly waterfalls than others, but gorgeous none the less. I'm obsessed with water and climbed the rocks to get as close to the waterfalls as possible. Each section of the river had rocks varying at different heights and my legs got an even more serious workout. The pain in my calves was worth it though. The next day was my day of rest, which involved climbing to the top of the Portland Observatory in Maine. It wasn't a difficult climb, but it kept me moving.
My final major workout was climbing the Bunker Hill Monument in Boston, all 294 stairs up and then 294 stairs back down. I definitely felt my heart racing because there was no place to stop along the way and only one side had a hand rail. Every time I person passed in the opposite direction I felt like I had to hold the wall for balance. I wish I had brought water with me but I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Let's just say the Bunker Hill Monument is heart healthy.
After being out of breath while climbing 294 stairs straight to the top, I'm going to try to translate that into an equivalent amount of time of a maximum incline on the treadmill. Now that I'm back home, I will also be searching for local tourist attractions including local rivers that can supply the same type of workout and enjoyment that New Hampshire did for me. Any interesting spots in New Jersey for a beginner?
Week 3 resulted in 181.5 lbs.
Normally road trips involve a car filled with snacks from M&Ms to Twizzlers and everything in between. My mom decided this trip would consist of healthier snacks like graham crackers and animal crackers. She separated the animals crackers into bags based on amount per serving. Surprisingly the serving size was generous, but without counting them even a suggested serving size can't help. However, the second I tried one I didn't like it and we ended up not snacking on the road at all. Maybe my taste buds were off or she bought a different brand than usual. I don't know, but I'm happy it kept me from snacking away.Eating three meals a day on the road does lead to poor choices, but I don't regret enjoying my vacation. When half the day is spent on the road, I can't imagine staying in and eating a buttered bagel or ordering cereal at a diner. It's not something I would ever do. Most breakfasts consisted of a large ham and cheese egg omlet, with a side of sausage and toast. Long days call for a big breakfast. While sitting in a car isn't quite the same as working, you still need energy to be alert on the road.
Lunch meals varied in size from a healthy BLT wrap to a Chicken BLT sandwich at McDonalds. On
the days I ate a BLT wrap, I felt happier with myself. It emotionally fulfilled me despite the fact I would have chosen a Chicken BLT from McDonalds if I had the option. This is why I hate choices, it pains me to resist what I want in the moment.Dinner on the road was always what my heart desired. I'm not a fan of sleeping in most motels, dealing with different beds and different showers, not to mention vacation means waking up early to make the most of the day. So for me it meant a lot to end my day well fed. Most dinners consisted of some type of meat and fries. These aren't home cooked dinners in the least and were probably all over 750 calories, but I'm not going to go crazy over that. Instead I'm going to summarize my vacation choices as better than they used to be. If you think about it, eating at restaurants 3 times a day for a week, I only managed to put on 2 lbs. That's not bad at all! My only concern now will be adjusting to smaller portions and snacks being available at home.
Vacation Treats
My vacation wasn't just about the day to day meals either. I had
three additional treats that were a must have while on the road. In Maine I had a Lobster Roll, despite the fact I only like tuna fish, sushi, shrimp, and crab cakes. When in Maine! Like salmon, it didn't really have much taste. The actual Lobster roll was buttered lobster in a bread roll. I had seen signs for lobster rolls all over Maine, mostly in pizzerias. Although I ate at the "Maine Diner," I was expecting something like a chicken roll but with lobster instead. I probably would have liked it better from a pizzeria. Who knows?Next stop was Boston for some New England Clam Chowder at Cheers. I had my first New England clam chowder in Dutch Country, PA as a kid and have loved it ever since. It tasted just as amazing in Boston. It's a shame canned chowder doesn't taste the same. Finally, I had some fudge. My parents and I split the piece of fudge 3 ways and enjoyed the small portion thoroughly. During past vacations, a larger piece of fudge would have been purchased. I feel like my family as a whole did well.
Active Vacation
While much of my vacation consisted of driving to tourist spots to take pictures, I
did manage to have three very physical days of activities. My first hard core leg workout was at The Lost River Gorge & Boulder Caves in Kinsman Notch, New Hampshire. They call it a ¾ mile journey, but almost every step was literally on an actual step up or down, wrapping around the mystic Lost River. Along the way there were caves with varying degrees of difficulty starting at moderate difficulty. I went into a cave or two, but the medium level involved me crawling on the ground. I'm a little claustrophobic and wished I had someone with me to hold my hand through it. My dad is in his 50s and definitely wasn't going to crawl through the caves. The scenery was still beautiful though.The very next day we continued traveling through the White Mountain Forest of New Hampshire stopping at different "waterfall" locations. Some were more clearly waterfalls than others, but gorgeous none the less. I'm obsessed with water and climbed the rocks to get as close to the waterfalls as possible. Each section of the river had rocks varying at different heights and my legs got an even more serious workout. The pain in my calves was worth it though. The next day was my day of rest, which involved climbing to the top of the Portland Observatory in Maine. It wasn't a difficult climb, but it kept me moving.
My final major workout was climbing the Bunker Hill Monument in Boston, all 294 stairs up and then 294 stairs back down. I definitely felt my heart racing because there was no place to stop along the way and only one side had a hand rail. Every time I person passed in the opposite direction I felt like I had to hold the wall for balance. I wish I had brought water with me but I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Let's just say the Bunker Hill Monument is heart healthy.After being out of breath while climbing 294 stairs straight to the top, I'm going to try to translate that into an equivalent amount of time of a maximum incline on the treadmill. Now that I'm back home, I will also be searching for local tourist attractions including local rivers that can supply the same type of workout and enjoyment that New Hampshire did for me. Any interesting spots in New Jersey for a beginner?
Week 3 resulted in 181.5 lbs.
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