[Cue hysterical laughter]
Yes, I realize now I was being slightly delusional.
That’s not to say I didn’t try and look for healthy food items at meal time. But I’m not going to lie: we were at an amusement park and it was hard passing up French fries with the kids at meal time. And I didn’t want to be that mom who only got water at the ice cream stand, while her family happily licked dripping cones in the warm sun. I didn’t want to deprive myself on vacation. I wanted to have some fun – and sometimes that meant sharing a gigantic homemade chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwich with Mimi, which worked out well since she really only wanted the cookie and I coveted the ice cream.
And trust me, it was worth it.
But the reality is that I am home and my pants are a little tight and I feel bloated and gross. I guess it’s not surprising – eat crappy food for 10 days, and you feel crappy in return. I learned that the hard way yesterday (our first day back) when I attempted to go on a 5 mile run and completely labored through it (which is not surprising, given my previous three meals consisted of Burger King, pizza and a smoothie). I need a fresh start, give my body a chance to reset.
I need a Disney Detox!
Before you get too nervous, rest assured that I’m not talking about one of those hard core juice fasts or a diet where I chug Tabasco-laced water every morning (gag). I am still in half marathon training mode so I do need to make sure I am eating enough protein, fiber, etc. But after 10 days of eating processed junk, my body is craving simple, healthy, clean whole foods. So that’s what I’m going to do.
Here’s my plan for the next 7 days (with the only exception being Sunday, when I foolishly signed up for a challenging 10K course that I am soooo not prepared for, and will need my normal Race Day breakfast):
Breakfast
Smoothies, smoothies, smoothies.
I am a huge fan of Trader Joe’s whey protein powder (in both chocolate and vanilla), so each morning I plan on making my own little concoctions, which I usually come up with on the spot. Some of my favorite combos: pineapple-mango-vanilla whey-unsweeted vanilla almond milk-kale-chia seeds. Or chocolate whey-banana-unsweetened chocolate almond milk-strawberry-spinach-flax seed.
Lunch
Salad and/or soup.
And I’m not using my typical Ken’s honey balsamic dressing (which I adore). Instead, I’ll just use a simple mix of olive oil, red wine vinegar and honey. And no (processed) Gardein chik’n strips on top, like I normally do. For protein, I’ll add various beans, walnuts and chia seeds. I also like to build my salads on a bed of grains, like barley, farro or quinoa, which also helps to boost the protein content and helps me stay fuller longer.
Dinner
In addition to more salads, check out some of these lovely (and simple) recipes I’ll be making over the next week:
- Green Pea Soup
- Toasted Pita and Bean Salad
- Roasted Brussels Sprout and Lentil Salad
- Red Quinoa and Black Bean Salad
Snacks
Fruit, nuts,, Kind bars, glass of unsweetened chocolate almond milk
Drinks
Water, water, water (including sparkling).
No alcohol, which should be interesting, since my birthday is Sunday – the day of the James Joyce Ramble 10K – and Harpoon is a race sponsor. But we imbibed just little too much over the last week, being vacation and all.
Limit coffee to one cup a day, but try to get my caffeine fix from green chai tea.
Start morning off with a cup of Lemon EveryDay Detox Tea from Traditional Medicinals.
Food to Avoid
Anything overly processed (e.g. Fiber One bars, my Gardein vegetarian protein products), bread and white sugar. Dairy in moderation (I might introduce Greek yogurt early next week) and I will eat some whole grain pasta on Saturday night, in preparation for Sunday’s race, but otherwise no pasta.
Honestly, I have no idea if any of this will make me feel better, but I know it can’t hurt, and just the knowledge that I’m doing something healthy for my body is enough for me.
Also, I have a few more thoughts on dining at Disney that I’ll share in a future post (um, where are all the salads?), so be sure to check back soon.
Do you feel the need to “detox” after vacation?
Jacqui says
Love that you are just eating healthy. I always feel like I need this after a vacation! Good luck.
Jessica says
Thanks! Although I admit I’m already craving French fries π Gotta get this out of my system – LOL.
Jackie Hennessey says
So inspired by you! Excited that you’re getting healthy.
melissa at filling our bucket says
Sometimes I feel the need to detox when I get home from vacation. I have to admit though, I only have staples that I eat at Disney World, and the rest of the time I am able to stay pretty on track. Like I HAVE to have a Dole Whip. I HAVE to have cheese fries from Casey’s Corner. I HAVE to have a Mickey Bar. I HAVE to have Zebra Domes. Otherwise, I do my best to make really smart choices. And Disney has been doing a great job of offering more and more healthy options at their quick service locations, which is so nice.
However, speak to me after my trip in October. That is during the Food & Wine Festival, and I fully intend on eating my weight in fun foods at all the kiosks on Epcot day. π
Jessica says
OMG the Zebra Domes and Dole Whips were AMAZING. And you must, must find this chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwich. It’s only sold at a few places and we finally tracked it down on our last day. YUM.
Heather @ Kraus House Mom says
Disney is the worst for eating healthy. The last time I went I gained 8 pounds and considering all the walking I did I found it very disturbing. I did drink my way through the world (in Epcot).
mel says
I love that you are getting healthy! Very inspiring!!!
Bri says
Ugh, you’re not making me feel any more optimistic about our family’s trip to Disney next winter! π Good for you, though. It sounds like you’ve got things well in hand, and you’ll be back to feeling like yourself in no time!
Joanna {Baby Gators Den} says
I always need a vacation from a vacation, plus detox, lol. We are headed to Disney Sunday, looking forward to your tips!
Sharon - MomGenerations.com says
Judging from your grocery cart and menu, you are definitely on track to healthy eating. The last time I was at Disney, for a Princess Half (2011), I searched for chicken and fish dinners. Without grandkids, I was able to escape fries and ice cream! Thanks for sharing…
Jennifer says
Love this! I’m excited to try some of the dinner recipes you posted!
candice says
Sounds good to me. I’m totally a smoothie gal too! Can’t wait to hear the results!