Travel Smart: Maintaining Your Health Goals While Away

We all know how challenging it can be to stay on track with our health goals when we're out of our regular routine, but with a few simple strategies, you can enjoy your time away without compromising your health.

Travel Smart Tip 1

Start by planning ahead. Research healthy restaurants and grocery stores near your destination. Pack some healthy snacks like nuts, fruits, and protein bars to avoid the temptation of fast food. 

I love to make my own blueberry oats protein bars or brownie protein balls (recipes linked for you) for when I travel. If I’m buying snacks, I look for products made with mostly whole food like Aloha bars or Bobo’s.

Travel Smart Tip 2

Find ways to stay active. Many hotels have gyms, but you can also explore your surroundings with a morning jog, a hike, or even a walk. And don’t forget to check out the local gyms. We popped into a fitness center once to ask about a temporary pass. They did not sell us a temporary pass…they GAVE it to us for free! That made doing our workouts so much easier. Staying active will help you maintain your fitness routine and boost your energy levels. 

My favorite place to visit in the US for an active routine is Cape Cod in the summer. We used to rent a house for two weeks. We could easily do our at home workouts each day, and there were so many ways to stay active: biking on the Shining Sea bike trail, SUP and SUP yoga, playing mini golf, walking to the beach every day!

Travel Smart Tip 3:

When dining out, be mindful of your portions. It’s easy to overeat when you're trying new foods, so consider sharing dishes or ordering appetizers instead of entrees. This way, you can enjoy a variety of flavors without overindulging. 

My favorite restaurants that make ordering simple would be Stones Throw in York, Maine, The Red Parrot in Newport, RI, The River House in Portsmouth, NH, Oar House in Pensacola, and Nalu on Oahu, Hawaii.

Travel Smart Tip 4:

Don't forget to stay hydrated. Traveling and busy weekends can dehydrate you, especially if you're spending time in the sun. Carry a water bottle with you and aim to drink plenty of water throughout the day. 

I like to add Relyte electrolytes and FW flavored collagen to my water - makes it taste like a treat! My favorite flavor is strawberry lemonade. Staying hydrated prevents you from thinking you are hungry when you are really thirsty because the signals in the body are very similar!

I encourage you to take these tips to heart on your next trip or long weekend. Remember, you can enjoy your time away and still make healthy choices! 

If you have any questions, drop them in the comments below! 

Long Weekend in Pensacola

We spent a long weekend in Pensacola visiting my stepson who is just starting flight school. We left Quincy with a dog sitter and flew down on Thursday morning. We met up with the girls and SIL Sean (who drove down with the dog) at Grant's house. After meeting some of his roommates, we checked into our condo on Pensacola Beach and then went out for a family dinner to one of Grant's favorite places, The Fish House. I had the grilled shrimp and it was sooo good!

The next day, mrC and I were up early thanks to the one hour time difference, so we went for a morning walk on the beach. He and I have a thing for sunrises!

Then we headed to his old training base, which is Grant's new training base for a little walk down memory lane. It's fun to see and hear about the places where his flying career started.  Two F35s were visiting and we got to see them up close. The pilots gave a walk-around presentation of the planes and answered questions. It was mrC's lucky day!!

Before meeting back up with the group, we stopped to grab something to eat. I picked up a watermelon cup from the grocery and a cup of tuna from Subway. 

We met up with the rest of the gang at the Naval Aviation Museum. Grant and one his roommates gave us an awesome guided tour. It was by far the best experience I've ever had visiting a museum!

Another group dinner, this time to The Oar House. I ordered grilled shrimp again. So good!

After dinner, the kids went to Grant's to visit the dog (he and his roommates were keeping him there because our condo didn't allow pets). mrC and I caught the sunset on the bay behind our condo. Ok, maybe we have a thing for sunsets, too.

My super smart husband planned the trip so that we would be there for Blue Angels weekend. The kids set up some canopies on the beach early Saturday morning and we walked about a mile to join them after breakfast. Since our condo had a fully stocked kitchen, we had grabbed a few staple items at the grocery the day before: eggs, strawberries and gluten-free toast.

It was perfect weather to hang out on the beach for the air show. Blue skies, sunshine and hot temps! 

We stayed in the water until they kicked us out when the Blue Angels were starting. This was my first time seeing the Blue Angels anywhere and it was incredible. I think the location was just the cherry on top.

After a day at the beach in the hot sun, we kept it simple and walked to Peg Leg Pete's for dinner. There was a bit of a wait, but they have a fun bar downstairs with license plates from all over the US lining the walls. For dinner I ordered the yummy Grilled Flounder sandwich!

After dinner, we took in another sunset...this time with the kids.

Sunday morning, we all met up for breakfast in downtown Pensacola. Our first choice was the Ruby Slipper, but there was a 90 minute wait. So we walked to The Garden to Pearl & Horn. The menu was small, but packed with a variety of yummy choices. I went for the Smash Burger and sweet potato waffle fries!

We split up so the kids could go take Ralph for a walk and we headed to Pensacola's first lighthouse. The plan was to walk up the 177 steps to the top to see the beautiful Gulf Coast from above. The spiral steps without a handrail on the inside was too much for me though! So we enjoyed the view from below and walked through the museum. 

On our way back to the condo, we stopped at Single Fin Cafe to share an acai bowl. The cafe was located inside Waterboyz, a surf and skateboard shop. It wasn't the best bowl we've ever had, but I loved the decor of the shop.

We had plans to do a sunset sail with mrC's friend, Dr. Bri. He used to take us sailing when we lived on Oahu, but like us he has also relocated back to the mainland...in Pensacola! Unfortunately the weather didn't cooperate, so we stayed docked in the marina. We still had a great time hanging out down below until the storms blew over and having the Tip Top crew back together again. 

 

Our departing flight wasn't until afternoon, which gave us time to enjoy a final morning on Pensacola Beach. It was so nice to be able to walk right across the street and see the beautiful white sand and blue water. To top it off, we saw a bunch of dolphins swimming right off shore! 

Our long weekend in Pensacola visiting Grant was the best!

My Favorite FASTer Way Travel Friendly Snack Recipes

Brownie Protein Balls!!

1½ cup raw walnuts

1¼ cup pitted dates

1 scoop FASTer Way Chocolate Protein powder

2 scoops FASTer Way Collagen

2 tbsp 100% Dutch-Process Cocoa

Sprinkle of salt

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp maple syrup

Put walnuts in a food processor and grind to fine crumbs. Add dates, protein powder, cocoa, salt, vanilla extract and maple syrup and process until crumbly. If necessary, add 1 tsp of water at a time until batter sticks together. Roll into 1½ inch balls. Place on wax paper and freeze. Keep stored in the freezer or refrigerator.

MACROS: 17G CARBS, 9G FAT, 8G PROTEIN

👉 Get FASTer Way clean protein by clicking here.

Berry Baked Oatmeal

1 cup Oats (quick or traditional)

1 cup Unsweetened Almond Milk 

1 tbsp Maple Syrup
1/4 cup Unsweetened Applesauce 

1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1 tbsp Chia Seeds
1 cup Frozen Berries 

2 tbsp Sliced Almonds

Preheat oven to 350F (177C). Grease a baking pan with coconut oil. Add all ingredients except the sliced almonds to a mixing bowl and stir until thoroughly combined. Transfer to baking pan and bake for about 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Sprinkle with sliced almonds. Serve warm or let cool and cut into squares for a to-go option.

MACROS: 35G CARBS, 7G FAT, 6G PROTEIN, 7G FIBER

No Bake Energy Bites

Makes 12 bites (1 per serving)

Ingredients
1 ½ cup rolled oats
½ cup nut butter of choice
2 tbsp maple syrup or sweetener of choice
2 tbsp chia seeds
2 scoops FASTer Way Collagen
Pinch of sea salt

Add all ingredients in a small bowl and stir until well combined. Once mixed, scoop equal-sized balls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Store in an airtight container and enjoy!

MACROS: 13G CARBS, 6G FAT, 6G PROTEIN, 2G FIBER

Which one will you be trying first?? Comment below to let me know!

A Winter Wedding

Ok, this is a long overdue post!! 

In December we went to New Hampshire for about 10 days to see my stepdaughter get married and celebrate Christmas. 

Well, it started out as a 10 day trip but turned into 11 when Winter Storm Gale decided to arrive in Boston the same day as us. So, we left Hawaii a day early. 

It's a long trip from Honolulu, but I flew First Class for the first time! Got to love upgrade points!

We got to spend an extra day hanging out with the girls in Portsmouth. Their brother was delayed a day getting out of Denver.

The Hickman House is just beautiful but even more so in the snow with holiday decorations.

Even though these two islanders were freezing, we enjoyed walking around town and taking in the festive vibe.

We even got the obligatory downtown Christmas Tree photo.

Of course, I can't forget Ralph, our grand puppy. We finally got to meet him in person.

We even found time to use the hotel gym and get some of our FASTer Way workouts done.

And, I loved having my Countertime minis with me so I could still enjoy my morning and evening pamperings while traveling.

The wedding rehearsal dinner was held in the same hotel we were staying which was so nice.

Because there were still restrictions in place from the pandemic, it was an intimate event. We are so grateful that all the siblings were able to make it. 

Before the ceremony, the couple met up at the hotel for first look pics (and give us a ride to the ceremony venue).

We did some of our own while we waited for them, haha!

We arrived early for family wedding photos. 

Despite the circumstances and the crazy winter weather two days prior, it was a simply stunning ceremony and reception. For those who couldn't be there with us, Dev and Sean arranged for it to be streamed on Zoom. 

After a brief interlude, we all headed upstairs for dinner and dancing.

Before heading home, we made the trip to Springfield to visit the in-laws. It's hard to get everyone together, but we're always happy to see those who can make it.

I started writing this post on January 18 and I'm not sure what took me so long to come back and finish. One good thing about wrapping it up a few months later is how fun it was to look at all the pictures again!

Have any of your kids gotten married yet?

Quarantine and Food

One thing I will remember about 2020 is that for the first time in my life, I had to quarantine. Whether you have to do it as part of a community order, travel or because you are sick, most of us will experience the Big Q (as one of my client's calls it) at least once.

I recently returned home to Hawaii after attending my stepdaughter's wedding and had to quarantine for 10 days (because as a resident, I chose not to get a test) -> which is a lot better than the 14 days I did in August or the 21 days my friends are doing in Hong Kong!! No matter how long it is, it's a disruption to our normal routine.

Sticking with healthy habits during quarantine might be the LAST thing you want to do if you're angry about the situation, but it can also be a great time to FOCUS on those habits. Here are a few tips for how to stay on track during your Big Q:

1. Stick to your normal eating schedule - this is going to keep you satiated and prevent binge eating.

2. Stock up on healthy foods - Here is a list of foods that are helpful if you are confined to a hotel for your quarantine:

Canned tuna/salmon

Nuts

Protein powder (my favorite is Nuzest)

Lean protein jerky

Deli meat and leafy greens

Canned beans

Fruit

Instant rice/quinoa

Cold pressed juices

Rice cakes/crispbread

3. Plan delivery for your main meals if you can't cook for yourself 

4. Stay hydrated - drink at least half your body weight in ounces, but aim for more if you are also exercising during your quarantine.

5. Exercise - get in some form of movement every day. Do a daily workout, get up and walk around every hour to get as many steps as you can, stretch, do some yoga.

The important thing to remember is that even if YOU are in quarantine, your health is NOT in quarantine. You can stick to healthy eating and exercise. It might not be as fun or as easy, but you can do it!

Tell me: have you had to quarantine? How did it go?