21 day fix: going camping

I will admit, I was not amused at the thought of sticking to my 21 day fix plan while on a camping trip. But I will also admit that the previous three camping trips were what really revealed to me that I needed this plan… so I made the decision. I would stick to it.

My husband packed the food for this trip – we share these kinds of responsibilities thankfully. That meant he was asking, and double checking on a lot of things. Mostly I can eat what my family is eating with just a few minor alterations. For example, I had pure maple syrup. 😉 21 Day Fix has you avoid sugar, salt, and artificial additives as much as possible. So my sweet man picked me up some pure maple syrup on his late night camping grocery shop.

I also have to focus very hard on balance and having a variety on my plate. This is easier since having done the gestational diabetes diet with my third pregnancy. It too focuses on high protein, low carb, and balance on your plate. These habits have started to come back and it helped when out camping to remember them.

I also have found myself drinking a lot less coffee and camping was no exception. I took a few sips but I have a hard time with black coffee, acidity and my stomach don’t agree,  so in the end I’m also finding myself with a lot less caffeine intake.

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Having some easy, and favorite, snacks pre packed helped a lot. I love cherry and grape tomatoes and they make the cottage cheese so yummy so this was a simple go-to.

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We were blessed one night to have a crab feed – the pots were spilling over and several families had multiple licenses. SO thanks to friends we had a protein packed dinner. As a back up I had brough nitrate free sausages I could roast alongside my boys hot dogs. And we brought bell peppers and onions to cook to go with them. Thankfully we skipped that alternative meal and had CRAB! We made some pinto bean soup topped with cheese, onions, tomatoes, and avacados to go with the crab. YUM we were full and I did splurge a little. But here is the deal, I’m doing this to improve my quality of life. IF it is all “no, no, no” then this program doesn’t do that.  And the truth is what I love about this plan, and especially the app with all its food list, is that it’s really a list of foods you CAN eat!  I DUD, while camping, make an intentional choice to “cheat” and have a bit more portion wise, but it was about the experience. The area where we went was  overflowing with Dungeness crab,  so I made the choice to go over in the protein department but not with chips, cookies, alcohol, or candy. That is a WIN!

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I found myself thoroughly enjoying camping despite sticking to the plan. When something like this enables your life that is a WIN!

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I worked out on Thursday before we left and then we had the full day Friday where I just couldn’t fit in an official workout. I did however hike with my 8 month old on my back down to the beach and up some big hills and again this is about the quality of my life. It was glorious.

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And then I made a point to work out on Saturday when we returned home,  despite being wiped and all the cleanup we needed to do. That was very rewarding  and made it so I only missed one actual workout.

(I also later was able to make up for this missed workout on a day where I did the UPPER and LOWER fix workouts instead of just one.)

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My husband made this delicious egg and it was a great way to get veggies in during breakfast. Accompanied by one (yes it felt pathetic, but tasted like a true treat) pancake and some turkey bacon. I was so amazed at how much easier it was to resist treats/snacks than I thought. I didn’t hurt that two of my food/workout accountability friends were on the trip.

I also cheated a bit around the campfire with my man late one night as the kiddos were sleeping and we were just enjoying the fire – cheezits it was.  But accompanied by a bit of fruit too.

Other quick snacks:
Diced veggies with greek yogurt ranch dip
Berries
Barre Apple Chips
Lots of water

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tips
1. I am learning that sometimes I am just thirsty and not hungry so carrying my water bottle has been a huge help. I prefer one with a straw, but also have chosen a couple “cute/fun” ones that I like toting with me.

2. Eat seasonally. One reason I wanted to do this fix in Summer was because berries and many of my favorite vegetables are in season and although still pricy they are so much more affordable

3. Pre dice veggies and have dip ready. I like the greek yogurt ranch (a wee cheat but helps me get in more veggies) or hummus are great go-to’s

4. Balance. Try to have a protein and veggie at every meal and use your carbs strategically to help you feel fuller and something you find tasty. Spread your portions of each category throughout the day and don’t binge.

5. Recognize that you don’t need to eat all the time. You are not necessarily hungry, try a drink of water first. I am also discovering that I have trigger times and activities that make me want to snack. Identify your spots and either avoid them or change up how you approach those times/places/activities.
For example during nap time I typically treat myself. So I have started to save my coffee (I’ve developed a tasted for iced Americanos with a bit of honey and cinnamon) during that time.
Late nights with my hubby watching a show or playing a game. I save a serving of fruit for this time, feels like my beloved popcorn. Or I save a portion of protein and have my favorite chocolate shakeology mixture that feels like a chocolate milkshake to me!
I also find myself wanting to snack when driving so I have to be careful or strategic in those longer drives where I get the munchies. Reach for my water, listen to a book on tape, just get my mind off of snacks and all the enticing drive thru options.

6. Be active.  It’s understandable that you won’t be able to work out every day; but being active with your kids, getting outdoors, and for me toting my little man on my back keeps me moving and my muscles working.

 

 

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