I’m Back!

What, you didn’t know I was gone? 😉

Okay, time to ‘fess up…I wasn’t exactly taking a “break” last week as I indicated in my last post.  I was actually following in the wise footsteps of one of my favorite bloggers, Sublurbanmama, who, with her post last month, made me realize it would probably not be in my best interest to announce to the world at large that my family was going on a week-long vacation to Florida. But that is exactly what we were doing, because we were on a family vacation to…

(I’m sure the Disney people will soon be after me for blatantly stealing their copyrighted logo, but I am prepared to show them that I have already paid many times over for its use, as evidenced by my December credit card bill.)

This trip has been on my mind for a LONG time. We booked it in March (via my sister-in-law, the world’s BEST Disney travel agent) and I’ve been planning for it ever since. My sister-in-law truly is an expert on Disneyworld, so she made the logistical part of the trip a breeze to figure out…there really wasn’t much for me to do except pack (and she even gave me a comprehensive list for that!).

Despite the help I had planning for the trip, there was one part that had me nervous. And I mean really nervous.

The food.

Going on a family vacation is a big enough challenge when it comes to weight loss or even maintenance, but sending a girl with food issues on a Disney vacation is like sending an alcoholic to a Budweiser bottling plant for a week of fun and relaxation.  Add to that the fact that we bought the dining plan, and you can see why I was nervous. Then, add to THAT the fact that we splurged for Club Level privileges at our resort*, which entitled us to breakfast, afternoon snacks, evening appetizers with wine and beer, and late night desserts and cordials every single day–all free!!! as much as you want!!!–and…

Well, I imagine you can you see why I was feeling a bit apprehensive about the trip.

Now, I know that this trip was special, because it was a Disney vacation, after all.  I am also well aware that there are times in life when a weight loss or maintenance program should become a secondary priority. I gave serious consideration to this train of thought in the weeks leading up to the trip, because I wanted to have a GREAT time, without stressing over what I ate.

But, at the same time, I also dreaded the thought of coming back from vacation feeling bloated, fat, and guilt-ridden over what I had eaten for the week. Because, while the Disney fun lasts for a week, the aftermath of trying to lose vacation weight could last a lot longer. Even more worrisome to me was the thought of having to get back ON the wagon after a week off. I was seriously worried that if I stopped being mindful of my food and health choices, the effort required to get back to them would be extremely difficult, possibly insurmountable.

I debated my plan during the entire week leading up to our departure, then all the way to the airport, during the flight, and on the ride to the hotel. (I don’t like flying, so I had no appetite throughout all of this.)  And then, as we checked in and were offered our free afternoon snacks, I made a conscious decision: I was going to do my damned best to stick with the Weight Watchers plan, but I would not deprive myself of anything I really wanted. But beyond that, I had one main key to it all: I would track everything.  No matter what I ate, no matter how many points I went over, I was going to write it down.  I might not actually track it in the eTools app on my phone every day, but I would take notes of what I ate so I could at least have that small amount of accountability every day.

I had hoped to start off my account of our Disney trip tonight, but I am still trying to catch up from being gone for a week (did I mention my son had a project due on Colonial South Carolina two days after we returned?!), so I will have to drag the story out a bit longer.  , Starting hopefully tomorrow (assuming I get some pictures downloaded), I will tell my story of both the fun and the food that made up our Disneyworld family vacation, in words and–of course–pictures.  For now, here is one picture that I suppose you could say sums up the whole trip. 😉

Thanks for your patience while I was gone, and thanks so much for reading!!

*Yes, I blew a serious wad of cash on this vacation, but I feel the need to point out that this was the very first trip of any kind for the four of us that didn’t involve a family reunion or a hockey tournament.   So, don’t judge.  Or, if you do, keep it to yourself. 😉