Heading Down to the South Land…

Two flights later, I’m finally in Savannah!

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I slept for four and a half hours on my flight from Las Vegas to Charlotte. It’s amazing how hard I can sleep on planes, trains, and automobiles.

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Upon landing, the first thing on my mind was lunch!

Luckily, the Charlotte airport delivered once again!

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I ordered a naked grilled chicken salad complete with salsa, a small scoop of guacamole, and plenty of vegetables. It was delicious and the perfect lunch!

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I spent the next few minutes before my flight grabbing an unsweetened iced green tea with a splash of lemonade. This is definitely my new favorite warm weather drink! I was a happy camper!

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My flight left on-time and landed 15 minutes early! Smooth, quick flights are definitely my favorite type.

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By 4pm, I was back in my parents home sweating it out in their new home gym. Over the past few months my parents have put together an amazing gym in my brother’s old room. It includes a 32 inch flat screen television, treadmill, elliptical, exercise mat, and weights!

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The views are also better than anything I can find in New York City!

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Evidently my legs appreciated the few days off from running as today’s run was amazing! I’m not sure whether it was the brand new treadmill, enjoying the excitement of the 2011 Masters, or the rest but the whole run felt great!

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Our plans for the rest of the evening are to enjoy a family dinner complete with my greek salad and my mom’s homemade chicken casserole. She has made this dish my entire life and it’s one of my favorite comfort foods.

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Question: What is your favorite food you enjoy when you’re home?

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Living on Las Vegas Time

 

When I’m in Las Vegas, I lose track of time, especially in the clubs. Last night, Theodora and I partied like rockstars with my co-workers enjoying four hours of dancing and drinks at Eye Candy in Mandalay Bay. But, as you know by now, every great party has an even better after party, and for this reason I didn’t get to bed until past 5am.

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Needless to say, when I woke up 8:30 this morning I was more than a bit tired and me legs were sore from dancing.

But, I forgot about that as soon as I saw this amazing site out our hotel window. Evidently the weather listened to our prayers and instead of rain, storms, and temperatures in the 40s, we were greeted with blue sky and sunshine!

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After an hour of reminiscing about last night’s escapades in our room, our stomachs were growling. Since we were both pretty tired and hungry we didn’t want to walk too far for breakfast.  Yelp recommended Raffles in Mandalay Bay for their delicious pancakes and savory dishes.

 

We were able to sit near the windows, enjoying views of the pool and palm trees. I knew I wanted something a bit larger than a normal breakfast, but also knew that I’d never want more than one or two bites of something really rich like eggs benedict or pancakes. Luckily, Theodora went with the pancakes so I was able to enjoy a bite of hers.

I made my own egg white omelet including lump crab, asparagus, onion, tomato, mushrooms, and cheddar cheese. I substituted a biscuit for my normal wheat toast and as didn’t touch the hash browns.

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Other than Theodora’s fake scrambled eggs, we really enjoyed the food and we felt ten times better after breakfast.

After being inside all week, I was craving sunshine even though the temperatures were still in the 50’s. We laid by the pool for an hour, reading and napping, staying warm in long pants and sweatshirts.

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After an hour it was warm enough to change into bikinis and hoodies! Didn’t you know that all the cool kids wear their Lululemon hoodie at the beach?

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After four hours of relaxation, we were both antsy. We decided to take a walk down the strip, which unfortunately reminded us more of Times Square than Vegas. But, the sun was shining and we have realized that we’re perfect travel partners so the laughter was helping balance the stinky tourists and sketchy strip club promoters.

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By the time we reached the Cosmopolitan Hotel it had been 6 hours since brunch. We stopped in Jaleo, one of Theodora’s favorite Washington, DC restaurants for a glass of cavo and a few tapas. It was the perfect way to satiate our hunger until our 10pm dinner reservations.

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The food was delicious even though the service was horrible. We chose well and devoured the small plates in record time.

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What? You’ve never been served fried chicken nuggets in a shoe?

We completed our adventure in true Vegas style with some slot machine action. Now I have to figure out where to spend my winnings!

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Don’t wait up for us tonight…

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Healthy Travel: Conference Food

 

Hello from Las Vegas! The weather this week has been amazing, based on what I see out the windows. Unfortunately, like most large conventions and meetings, we are inside the hotel all week except for a few breaks. But, we have been treated to a few views during meals which are a welcome treat!

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This week, in addition to keeping up my workout routine, I’m trying to be conscious of my food choices. It is easy to indulge in more alcohol, sweets, and heavy foods at meetings since most meals are buffet style. Luckily, I came equipped with a game plan this week.

  • No sweets since Lent is still going strong. (I still haven’t broken that goal!!)
  • Drinking water with breakfast, lunch, and dinner
  • Eating a healthy breakfast and lunch
  • Trying to eat more fruit, vegetables, and nuts for snacks versus processed foods

So far, my plan has worked well, especially since P&G has provided some amazing food options. Our breakfast especially has provided me with a plethora of healthy choices, which has therefore forced me to focus on portion control!

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My breakfasts have been around 350-500 calories this week, depending on options. I’ve also ensured that I bulk up with fiber and protein so I’m not hungry. I’ve avoided the hot bar section and the pastries since those luckily fall under the sweets category in my book.

Lunches and dinners have been a bit harder, but I’ve done my best to follow the “peace sign” rule and the 80/20 rule. I divide my plate like a peace sign, ensuring that greens or vegetables make up the largest portion. Then I try and put healthy carbs and protein in the other portion. In addition, I’m avoiding heavy sauces and the fish dishes since I don’t normally care for fish on a buffet like these.

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Question: What are your tips for staying healthy at meetings and conferences?

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