Optifasting On The Road

Ocoee River, Copperhill, TN (Melissa, center right)

Out of the blue, my husband announced last week he wanted to go hiking and white water rafting in Tennessee over Memorial Day weekend. What? I had two days to find us a cabin near the Smokies, locate a river, research hiking in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and figure out how in the heck we get to these locations. I pulled it all off -- by the skin of my teeth.

Of course I was quite nervous about how the holiday getaway would affect my Optifast routine. And my worries proved to be well-founded. Much juggling was required but I did succeed -- to some extent. Driving down to Tennessee on Friday (a 7 hour trip), I made sure we stopped at rest stops so I could make my shakes throughout the day. But then we got held up in a huge traffic jam, and we did not get to the cabin until 9:00 p.m. that night. By the time I got to my dinner soup, it was 10:00 p.m. So I was off to an altered plan from the beginning.

Saturday was our rafting trip, and I knew I could not be making my shakes, so I packed Optifast bars in my purse. I had purchased a box from the clinic before I left (even though I have eaten them like candy in the past). I ate them throughout the day, but found myself ravenous when we got back to the cabin. Instead of having a lower calorie shake, I reached right for another bar. These, I have found, are my weakness. The same thing happened on Sunday when we went hiking. I ate more bars than allowed -- but I was again ravenous after a three-mile hike, half of it on an incline.

Monday we drove home and I was relieved that I could return to my familiar, comfortable routine. I had my rest stop shakes and we were home by 4:00 p.m., so my soup and jello were eaten on schedule. What a relief. Don't get me wrong, I loved the trip and plan on taking more week-end getaways this summer. But these impact our Optifast eating schedule and some maneuvering and flexibility is definitely required.

Now, my weigh-in is tomorrow and obviously I'm nervous. Will I have no loss? A gain? But in the scheme of things, does it really matter? I had a fabulous time with my husband in a very beautiful part of the country. I stuck to my plan for the most part. I got good exercise. No need to get myself worked up over tomorrow! I have experience now with "Optifasting On The Road." And that's good knowledge to have. So where to next? Stay tuned!