What not to eat!

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”

Truer words were never spoken! That simple statement applies to all facets of life, including the journey to better health. And that journey needs to include good food choices, exercise and a healthy lifestyle.

If you are already in preparation for a Disney vacation, then its the perfect time to start your healthy journey. And even if there is no vacation in your immediate future, its never to early to plan!

Good vacation health planning begins at home with the right choices and changes in lifestyle. Now don’t worry, I’m not going to suggest you eat nothing but bean sprouts and cucumber slices to prepare for your vacation. Nothing of the sort! But you can make several simple changes that will help you get ready!

Disney trips involve a great deal of walking. So one of the simplest ways to start is simply to walk! You don’t need to start with a marathon, just take the steps instead of the escalator. Park your car in a far corner and walk to the mall. While you’re in the mall, take a few laps around the perimeter (they even have a name for this…its called “mall walking”!). Do something active at home. Do you know what counts as active? Vacuuming. Dusting the high places. Raking leaves. Cleaning the gutters. Anything that gets you up and moving begins your exercise journey.

You will be assaulted by a wonderful array of food options at Disney, especially if you are on a cruise. Now is the time to begin to get ready for those options.  Switch your regular soda for diet, or better yet, for water. Don’t like diet soda? Squeeze a lemon in it. Don’t like plain water? Try those Crystal Light packets, only 5 calories each! Instead of a donut for breakfast, try a bowl of oatmeal or a piece of fruit. I am a big fan of breakfast smoothies. A little 2% milk, ice cubes, fruit, maybe a packet of Carnation Instant breakfast, whirled in the smoothie maker…yum!! If good habits are already instilled, the choices at Disney become so much easier!

One more thing to start with…portion control. Do you know what a portion size is? I only recently learned, and its a culture shock! We tend to “supersize” everything, and our portions are no exception. Did you know that the meat serving on your plate should be the size of a deck of cards? A serving of cheese is about the size of a pair of dice? And a single serving of pasta should be about the same size as a scoop of ice cream? Take a look at your plate. If you are loading up on high calorie foods, it might be time to rethink your choices.

A healthy lifestyle at home will make it easier to continue a healthy lifestyle on vacation. In our next segment, we’ll talk about beginning a walking regiment and how that will help you get ready for your vacation!