Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Say NO to the Cabbage Soup Diet

I'm Kaitlin, your typical mid-twenties gal with a traveling career and a love for food, booze and all things delicious. I also have a passion for exercising, whether it's riding my beach cruiser to and from the grocery store (I live on the beach - lucky girl I am), walking with my dogs, training for half marathons, strength and weight training, or Pure Barre (new obsession). I also love to cook, and I try to cook as much as I can when I'm home.  I don’t weigh 110 pounds and I never will, I don’t believe in depriving yourself, and I believe life is too short to not enjoy your favorite things in moderation.



I started traveling almost weekly about two years ago and quickly learned that being on the road includes entertaining clients and company functions with carbs, fat, cocktails and high end red meat galore on the company dollar. Don't get me wrong, sometimes this can be fantastic. But add endulging in a tall Sweetwater 420 at the airport bar before you board, and celebrating that first class upgrade by taking Steve AKA Stove (Bridesmaids reference...sorry) on that one (or three) complimentary glasses of red in flight... you, my frequent flyer friend, have a recipe for waistline disaster. Especially if you're like me, and all you want is to eat, drink, and be merry with your loved ones on your well-deserved weekends.




 
Healthier choices, realistic eating habits and a discipline to exercise has been a learning experience for me over my time in the sky. I am not a naturally tiny person, and if I ate whatever I wanted whenever I wanted, I would probably look like a sumo wrestler. Just kidding, but I really can keep up with the big boys on drinks and food, and I have learned to take it easy to consistently fit into my skinny jeans. I also love my sleep. As in...wake me up before my alarm and expect a sudden vision of the Wicked Witch of the West rather than my usual perky and strawberry blonde self. But if I can't get up before my early meetings, I hit the gym in the evenings - or I hit it hard when I get home, and I make sure that the wine flows at a minimum with dinner so I don't wake up feeling like death warmed up. (That poor witch was SO misunderstood though...if you've ever seen Wicked.)

 


Rules like these adapt to those of us who don't travel for work as well. A balanced and healthy lifestyle is so important to overall happiness. Going on the cabbage soup diet, giving up alcohol all together and working out three hours a day for a month doesn't leave you with long term results if you know you’ll relapse (which… you will!)

I have decided to share my experience with you as someone who loves carbs, loves to feel the burn after an awesome workout, and who WILL have those happy hour cocktails on Friday afternoon.  Feel free to tune in for “eat this, not that” tips, yummy recipes, travel tips, randomness here and there, and my own personal documentation of where the heck I am this week.  

I’ll leave you with my own personal before and after. Hard work pays off, but it ain't easy saying no thanks to that company paid for burrito, take it from this girl.

Eating Arby's on the reg and riding the elliptical for 30 minutes every few days:



Eating egg white omelettes, working out 4-5 times a week and drinking wine because it's worth it:



Chicago - awesome work trip destination!

Until next time.
Peace, love, and staying healthy,

Kaitlin

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