Holiday Travel

[lindadanette]

Hi, my name is Linda and I'm a food addict. I have been absitinent and on the plan for 11 days now. I stay at home and take care of my granddaughters every day, so I haven't had to face the rigors that many of you have. Now I am facing my first big challenge! I am travelling during the holiday and will be up and on the road at 4 am! How do I schedule my meals and not end up ravenous (and tempted) by dinner time? I doubt that I will be able to go to bed at 4pm (though I will probably want to - lol)
Also, any suggestions for clewan food meals that travel well? Or roadside fast food that works?
Thanks and much love to all of my brothers and sisters on this path to health!

[step3]

Congratulations on eleven days of abstinence, Linda... good job!!

This is the kind of thing we work out with our sponsors usually. You can also try talking to other abstinent FAA members. A good way to find them is to go to lots of meetings and get phone numbers. For instance, at the phone meetings, they exchange telephone numbers the last five minutes of the meeting. You can leave your number and tell everyone you are wanting to find someone to talk to about this. It's very possible you will hear from someone. But also, feel free to call people yourself and ask your questions.

I am sending you a Private Message with my phone number and you can call me. I've been on trips since being abstinent in FAA both by car and by plane, so I may have some ideas that will be helpful. It's great that you are thinking and planning ahead on this, Linda. We have an expression in FAA that says, "If I fail to plan, then I am planning to fail". So glad that's not going to happen for you! Keep coming, you're doing great!!

[Jackie]

I don't do much traveling, but I've heard others who travel with coolers in their car with cooked abstinent food for short day trips. Others have shared that they stop at Wendy's for side salads and carry their own dressing or the Newman's Own Olive Oil and Vinegar (with the red wine vinegar) because it doesn't need to be refrigerated. They also order the large double cheese burger and hold the bun and hold the cheese (lg dbl, hold cheese and bun) - each patty is just a little over 2oz. So bringing a small pocket digital scale is very handy to weigh the meat and starchy veg. Some order the baked potato plain.

Can just Google in the shopping section for pocket scales. I found a Polder one that I like very much. I use a small dish with it, so that the lid stays clean. It just zeros out when I put the dish on it and then begins fresh with the meat or starchy veg.

Others have shared that they like to carry cans of meat/tuna, beans, pineapple canned in it's own juice (rather than the concentrated juice) or applesauce or apples or oranges, & cans of veg and the can opener and a half cup measuring cup and scale in the trunk of their cars in case they get stuck in traffic due to weather or accidents or the car breaks down.

Those who can eat the rice cakes, spread them with re-fried beans for a quick abstinent meal & add the veg and salad & and appropriate amount of oil or dressing.

The disease never takes a break....

[lindadanette]

Thank you so much for your replies! I made through abstinent!!!!!! Jackie, that's great information!
I did find Wendy's to be the best fast food option - I did a side salad and a grilled chicken breast there , and then another time I had 1/2 a baked potato as my starch. I shopped as suggested and prepared a meal of ground turkey and pintos, collard greens, unsweetened applesauce and a salad. It was good and I only felt a little "out of place" at my in-laws (my M-in-L is very supportive).

There is no toxic food that is worth damaging the feeling of clarity and health that are beginning to bloom in my body, mind and soul. If you somehow didn't make it through, dust yourself off and start anew!

[step3]

Thanks for sharing the wonderful news that you were able to travel, newly abstinet, and remain abstinent. That is fabulous and it shows that it can be done. Now you have had that experience and it will be easier for you next time. Plus, you will be learning the food plan more as time goes on and you find and begin to work with a sponsor.

Now you have experience/strength/hope to share with another abstinent food addict who is going to travel for the first time, Linda. Good going! :D

[Jackie]

Glad to hear that traveling worked out ok for you. Be careful of the grilled chicken as it may have a coating on it that isn't clean (can check that at the website for Wendy's) and some restaurants like to marinate their meats - need to be aware and it's ok to ask questions when eating out or check their website before going or call the restaurant beforehand to check on their menu. Some have told me that it's a lot easier to find abstinent food in airport restaurants now.

[step3]

I had good luck at an airport this summer, Jackie. I found hard boiled eggs and plain tossed salad there. I carry a tote bag with me with some helpful "stuff" (small scale, measuring cup & spoon, and a small sea salt grinder) . With the eggs and salad, I was able to have 1 c V8 from my tote (as a cooked vegetable), and I had package of Uncle Ben's partially cooked brown rice (in an orange pouch). The rice is meant to be heated in a microwave for 90 seconds, but since I don't eat rice cakes, I carry a pouch with me as an emergency starch. It works OK when a microwave isn't available.

Eating a s/f/w free lifestyle isn't always as easy as driving through a fast-food drive up window, but OH! is it so muc more satisfying not to be fighting cravings and mental obsession with food 24/7 anymore! :D