[CHANGES] My Spa Vacation and more

[Sandra Ahten]

Hello from Sandra Ahten -- a woman trying to get her life a bit more 
centered and a bit more organized. Who isn't?

Part of this striving for organization is that I'm planning an every 
Saturday morning update to "Changes" this e-newsletter. One Saturday will be 
my "column" and the next will be tidbits, healthy living tips and general 
musings. This week it is my Reasonable Diet Column (that was published last 
week in the News Gazette.)

For those who have received this newsletter for 6 months or more and don't 
live in Urbana or Champaign... look for a special offer next week.

Todays quote: "Changing things takes energy. When you put energy into any 
situation new possibilites explode."

My best to you.
Sandra


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The Reasonable Diet

Plan a Zero-Weight-Gain Vacation
By: Sandra Ahten (copyright 2006)

I have to beg your indulgence as I turn to a totally predictable subject 
matter -- my recent California vacation. I’m justifying the topic because I 
was on a spa vacation which is, after all, a valid topic for a diet column.

If I were writing a nature column, I would tell you about eight whales, five 
hundred plus elephant seals, and tens of thousands of monarch butterflies.

In a spiritual column, I would describe my experience in the redwood forest.

If I were writing a political column, I’d relay the details of meeting a 
witness to the Tookie Williams execution.

If I were giving relationship advice, I would extol on the bliss of 
traveling with someone you really love (after you’ve prenegotiated your 
budget, decided the window seat isn’t all that important, and been together 
long enough that you know which points to compromise on).

Were this a cultural column, I would report on the Rodney Crowell concert or 
the Kiki Smith exhibit.

You must be wondering what kind of spa would include all of that activity. 
Sorry. Did I forget to clarify? It was actually only in my imagination that 
it was a spa vacation. But spinning the spa-fantasy, coupled with the 
hustle-bustle of the actual vacation -- flying into San Diego, driving up 
the coast and departing from San Francisco eight days later -- is the reason 
that I can report zero-vacation-weight-gain.

Please note that I had absolutely wonderful food at fabulous restaurants, 
but every eating decision I made hinged on the answer to one question: 
“Would they serve this at the spa?” My “inner spa director” was firm but 
realistic.

Pretzels on the flight? “I hardly think so.”

White bread? “Are you crazy? Nope, not even famous San Francisco sourdough.”

A muffin at a Day’s Inn breakfast buffet? “No, free does not equal good.”

A square of Ghirardelli dark chocolate after lunch? “Absolutely, go for it!”

I started everyday with 20 minutes of yoga. For the first two days I 
followed it with a half-hour of aerobic exercise. But I checked with the 
director, “Is this really part of a spa experience?”

She confirmed my suspicion, “A promenade on the boardwalk at Venice Beach or 
a brisk afternoon stroll through Golden Gate Park are on the agenda – but we 
recently nixed the sweating-on-a-treadmill-in-a-small-airless-basement-room 
portion of the program.”

I did continue with yoga and I took to wearing walking shoes every day, even 
if they looked goofy with my outfit. (“Get over it. We’re not concerned with 
fashion,” the director admonished.)

I went to the grocery store and loaded up on portable fruits, veggies and 
Evian water. I ordered fresh seafood for most dinner entrees. I avoided 
caffeine, sweeteners, flour, sugar, and dairy unless it was an ingredient in 
a decadent dessert – which the spa permitted in reasonable quantities.

At the end of the day I wrote down everything I ate. (The spa director was 
bit of a nag about this. She kept harping about having a plan and 
accountability.)

No one wants to be on a diet when on vacation. But my diet was not about 
being deprived – it was about allowing only the best. Of course, I passed on 
many possibilities that sounded delicious. If you are acting like money 
isn’t a constraint and you don’t want to be overweight – that’s pretty much 
life in America.

But, having blue crab instead of three cheese lasagna can’t really be 
considered a hardship -- now can it?  Thankfully, great vacation memories 
are not reliant on lasagna, full-fat salad dressing or vending machine 
wares.

When you are making travel plans, include a plan for zero-weight-gain.

Set some reasonable guidelines for yourself, such as making sure that you 
get in five servings of fruit and vegetables daily, or having a very simple 
breakfast and lunch in order to have a more extravagant guilt-free dinner.

Use your vacation to have a few wonderful things that would not normally be 
part of your routine – while realizing that candy bars and fast food do not 
necessarily fall into that category.

Interview your “inner spa director” before you embark and see what she 
recommends.

Bon Voyage!