Before leaving North Carolina, I spent the previous 12 hours driving all over town, taking care of all the last-minute business every good procrastinator is known for. I made a few pit stops at the house, but all meals were on the run, and that was frustrating: The weekend hadnโt even begun and already I was eating road food.
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This time, though, Iโm determined to keep meals as healthy as possible, and put together this list before leaving for Orlando. You wonโt see many milk-based options, stuff with certain fruits and/or meats, because this list is for things I like and can tolerate. Still, thereโs plenty to choose from:
Breakfast: protein bars; bran muffin; yogurt; fruit and yogurt parfait; hot breakfast sandwich; small breakfast burrito; dry cereal; fresh fruits and juices.
Lunch or dinner: choose sandwich shops like Subway or Quiznos and choose whole grain breads, lean meats and lots of vegetables; salads; grilled chicken, alone or in a sandwich; cup of fresh fruit.
Snacks: Fig Newtons; nuts; seeds; fresh fruits; hard-boiled eggs; yogurt; dry cereal; Triscuits; baked chips; pretzels; health bars.
As it turns out, we didnโt snack at all during the nine-hour drive. We left around 4 a.m. today, and Bobby got some breakfast since he was driving. Skyler spent the night at a teammateโs house, since the whole squad was flying down together. Trey and I had stayed up, so we planned to just sleep.
Weโd rented a minivan, and I created somewhat of a nest on the back bench. I wasnโt very uncomfortable, but if there were less of me, thereโd be more coziness.
We stopped around 8 a.m. to gas up and get some breakfast, then drove on through to Orlando. While waiting to check into the townhouse-style condo, we went to Cracker Barrel for lunch. One great thing about being in Florida is the abundance of fish and seafood options. I had a great meal featuring haddock, which was light yet filling.
My mother, brother and sister-in-law are arriving this evening, and none of them are much interested in eating light. Thatโs fine; weโre located off a major state road with every conceivable restaurant, as well as a few massive grocery stores.
The townhouse has a โsplashโ pool โ which Iโd never heard of before โ and itโs inviting, as is the exercise room and pools at the nearby clubhouse.
All in all, this could be my healthiest trip yet. Iโm also looking forward to getting a lot of exercise tomorrow, walking around Disneyโs ESPN Wide World of Sports complex, which is where the Cheerleading Worlds are held. Yes, there Iโll be amid thousands of cheerleaders and yes, 90 percent are quite physically fit.
Itโs hard to want to order stuff like pizza and ice cream when the super-fit have you surrounded.
Hopefully, Iโll drop another pound or two. If so, Iโll tell you about it Monday.
A vacation is what you take when you can no longer take what youโve been taking. ~ ย Earl Wilson
Leslie J. Ansley is an award-winning journalist and entrepreneur who blogs daily for TheRoot. She lives in Raleigh, NC.
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