I said yesterday that my travel goal for this week was to eat healthy and workout regularly. Yesterday was a bit of mixed bag. I had French fries and Sour Patch Kids for dinner (which, while delicious, made me feel super blood sugary and grouchy), but Tina and I had a great workout.

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We headed to HealthWorks in Boston for a 5:30 spin class.  Tina hasn’t spun in a while, and I’m really trying to up my cycle time, so it was a fun class for us both. 

 

The HealthWorks bikes have a computer monitor mounted on the front that displayed RPMs and miles traveled. This was really neat for me because the bikes at my gym aren’t as nifty, so I never know how many miles I ride in a spin class.  The verdict?  I did about 17 miles in a 45-minute class – not bad!  Something I’d love to replicate out on the road. Smile

 

After class was over, I hopped in the gym’s shower, quickly got dressed, drove Tina to the T station and said goodbye, and headed to the airport.  It was nearly 1:00 AM by the time I made it to my next destination.

 

Blackout blind drawn, white noise app on, phone turned to silent… I had some AWESOME hotel sleep.  I slept until 10 AM, which translates into THE BEST SLEEP OF MY ENTIRE LIFE… or since Henry was born.  You know.

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I spent the first two hours of my morning lounging in bed, checking emails, eating nuts and an apple (the only food in my purse!), and talking to the Husband on FaceTime.

 

A few people asked about what we do with Henry while I’m gone for work.  This is when both of us being self-employed really has its benefits (trust me – like all things in life, it also has its drawbacks, but that’s a post for another day).  Kristien just re-arranges his work schedule so that he can be home with Henry; sometimes we get DadHTP to do a little babysitting if my flight home slightly overlaps with Kristien’s appointments.  It works out well, and I think it’s awesome that K and H get to spend so much alone time together.  Kristien is 110% capable of being the solo parent, so I never worry about Henry.  K watches him like a hawk!

 

Here’s what Henry has been up to while I’ve been gone.  Learning how to climb into the tub!  We gotta put an immediate stop to that – he’ll soon be able to actually do it! – but watching his little legs scramble up the side is pretty cute.  I can’t believe he can do this at 8.5 months.  Insanity, right? Future rock climber, perhaps?

 

I have no idea why my pump is on the floor in that video… Oh, and lots of you have always wanted to hear the Husband’s accent, so there it is!  #YayBrits

 

Anyway, I finally peeled myself out of bed and headed to the nearest grocery store.  I am pretty determined to have a healthy eating and exercise day!  I purposefully booked a hotel room with a fridge and microwave since I’ll be here for two nights – hopefully, it will make eating from a hotel that much easier.  Here’s my haul:

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An apple, pureed food pouch, an Odawalla protein shake, hardboiled eggs, a microwavable dinner, and a big salad with fruit and more eggs from the grocery store’s salad bar. The baby food pouch is actually for Henry for when I get home.  <3

 

On the way home from the store, I spotted a Once Upon a Child.  If you’ve got a kiddo, you’ve got to check out OUAC; it’s a consignment store, and it’s awesome.  This OUAC was HUGE.  So much bigger than our Charlotte store.  I had to resist the temptation to load everything up in my suitcase. 

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I went home with only ONE thing – this wooden doggie car.  Henry is really into cars now, so I hope he likes it.  Only $2 – can’t beat that.

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Yes, I want to be the kind of parent that goes away for business trips and brings home presents.  Winking smile

 

I’m off to squeeze in a treadmill speed workout – I’ll be sure to post it! – before I head out. Hope you guys are having a great Tuesday, too.

 

I’d love to hear your healthy travel trips!

{ 31 comments }

 

  • Sana March 5, 2013, 2:57 pm

    Hotel bed sleeping is the best ever 🙂

  • sara @ fitcupcaker March 5, 2013, 3:01 pm

    My healthy travel tips are to just pack healthy snacks and treats- almonds, nuts, protein powder to easily mix in water. etc. I love spinninng even though I have only taken one class. I would go back though!

  • Emily@2:DESIGN:CENTS March 5, 2013, 3:02 pm

    Aww your son is really cute:) When I travel I always make sure to start my day with fruit and green tea, something about it makes me stick to healthier choices all day long!

  • Sarah @ Yogi in Action March 5, 2013, 3:32 pm

    Sounds like you’re doing a great job on being healthy.

    The ways that I stay healthy:
    1) Commit to a small amount of exercise everyday- this year I was working out of town and working 14 hour days- so I committed to 20 minutes of yoga a night. It was small enough that I could convince myself to do it when exhausted.
    2) Stay in hotels with continental breakfasts. They always have oatmeal packages so I can make up my oatmeal, peanut butter, honey and banana breakfast that I would usually eat. Plus there’s fruit to throw in my bag for a snack later on.
    3) If lunch options are limited, I’ll over-order at dinner and pack up my leftovers to have the next day. This is only helpful for one area that I work at- where we work is 40 minutes away from anything besides deep fried crap, so I’ll just bring my own lunch.
    4) Don’t stress about it. If I do my best and I still end up having crappy meals and no exercise, I just let it go and get back on track when I’m home.

    Good luck with keeping healthy!

  • Jessica R @ fromthekitchentotheroad March 5, 2013, 3:38 pm

    I love hotel sleep! If the hotel is nice that is. We have stayed in some clunkers! I hope I remember that thrift shops exist when I have a baby. I am a nanny so I see the money some people spend on baby/kid clothes and toys and I think they are insane.

  • Katie @ Peace Love and Oats March 5, 2013, 3:39 pm

    Oh I loved when my parents brought home gifts from their trips!!! Made is feel a little better after a few days with a babysitter!

  • Nikki March 5, 2013, 4:23 pm

    I like how in the video Kristien is trying to reason with Henry, and it actually looks like Henry is considering the advice!

  • Heather March 5, 2013, 4:44 pm

    I seriously think that’s the first time I have ever heard your hubby’s accent. It’s thicker than I imagined!

    • Sarah W. March 6, 2013, 1:17 pm

      I’m not quite sure what I imagined for Kristien’s accent, but it was far different than expected. I listened to it twice to make sure my sound was accurate.

  • Clare @ Fitting It All In March 5, 2013, 4:54 pm

    My spin bikes in STL have those monitors too and I love it! Though I sometimes watch the miles too much…knowing my RPMS makes me push harder!

  • Kelly @ Kelly the Culinarian March 5, 2013, 4:59 pm

    When I travel, I will end up going to a lot of restaurants. Since I’ll likely have at least one bagel and cookie meal at some point during the trip, I order the healthiest items I can in restaurants so I don’t wreck my healthy eating patterns completely when I have to grab and go for a meeting meal.

  • DadHTP March 5, 2013, 5:21 pm

    the only trouble with bringing presents back is the first thing you hear is “what did you get me?” not -“oh I missed you THIS much!”

  • Jelena@ FabLifePhd March 5, 2013, 5:23 pm

    Here in Germany there are three healthy food chains at every train station and we use trains a lot. You can get a yogurt with musli, chopped pineapple or salad for like 2.5 euros (3$). I guess that it’s competition that makes the same cost of a salad and 2 cheeseburgers. Works for me 🙂

  • Katya March 5, 2013, 5:32 pm

    ha, Henry is awesome. My son has started trying to climb the tub too 🙂 (he’s a week younger than Henry). Too funny, but yes, be careful little ones!!

  • Angela @ Eat Spin Run Repeat March 5, 2013, 6:16 pm

    I’d say you’re doing a pretty great job of staying healthy on the go, Caitlin! I also love riding the spin bikes that have the RPMs and distance on them. I recently switched gyms and the bikes have this, so I feel like I’m able to measure my workouts so much more effectively. Enjoy the rest of your travels (and that comfy bed!)

  • Elisabeth March 5, 2013, 6:58 pm

    Kristien’s accent is thicker than I imagined! 😉

  • Allison March 5, 2013, 7:14 pm

    His accent is fantastic! The fact that you want to be healthy on the go is more than most people strive for. I think you’re doing great 🙂

  • Lee March 5, 2013, 7:36 pm

    Future rock climber for sure! It was fun to hear your husband’s accent.

  • Erin @ The Elliptical Chronicles March 5, 2013, 8:32 pm

    Falling into a lush hotel bed for a blissful sleep is such a delight!

    I think you did really well overall with your healthy eating & exercising attempts. Way to incorporate a spin class into your visit with a friend! It’s always so difficult to maintain a healthy routine when travelling. I think your specific choice of a hotel with a fridge and microwave and your little grocery stop will definitely set you on a healthy track for the remainder of your travels!

    Good luck and enjoy 🙂

  • Jacquelynn March 5, 2013, 9:12 pm

    I was a flight attendant on private jets for about 8 years, so I spent more time traveling than not. Learning how to make healthy choices was a process. It is so easy to just eat out, eat junk or order room service – all of which are (usually) pretty bad for you. Depending on the amount of time you have, I recommend going to a grocery store to pick up a few things on the way to the hotel (in case you are like me and once you get to the hotel, you just want to max and relax). Also, most hotels will bring you a little fridge if you ask, free of charge… a LIFE SAVER!

  • Karen @ Runner Girl Eats March 5, 2013, 9:32 pm

    I could sleep forever if I had blackout curtains…which is exactly why I will never have them lol I always wonder how many miles I cover in a spin class but my spin bikes don’t have the bells and whistles either.

  • Holly March 5, 2013, 9:57 pm

    Oh my goodness! Henry has phenomenal gross motor skills for an 8.5 month old. And he is SO dang cute! My husband has auburn hair and I hope so much for a reddish headed baby like Henry! 🙂 Too cute!!!

  • Alexa March 5, 2013, 9:57 pm

    I love his accent! And how cute, “I know it’s exciting, but be careful.” I love that we as adults think kids actually get what that means. =)

    I think you have the healthy travel tips down pat. My biggest weakness on vacation is thinking I “deserve” dessert at every meal because it’s a treat, and I’m at restaurants I may never get back to, especially when they have a gluten and dairy free dessert option. But, I have to remind myself how gross I’ll feel if I don’t keep desserts as treats.

    I also make a point to set my alarm a bit earlier and get in a workout. Even if it’s just 20 minutes on the elliptical in the hotel gym, it gives me so much more energy for the day and I feel better after doing it.

  • Amanda March 5, 2013, 10:08 pm

    Kristien saying “I know it’s exciting, but be careful” is literally the cutest thing I have ever heard. And Henry’s little legs kill me!

  • Babs March 5, 2013, 10:10 pm

    I love accents! I’m married to an Australian and I used to love his Australian accent, however now I don’t even hear it anymore 🙁 In fact, I don’t hear any Australian accents now that I’m living in Australia. It’s funny how you adjust.

    • Jill March 9, 2013, 10:37 pm

      I’m the exact same way, as a Canadian living in Australia (& dating an Aussie) I don’t really hear Aussie accents either. In fact, I can hardly hear Canadian/American accents either here either 🙁

  • kathy March 5, 2013, 10:30 pm

    “I know it’s exciting but be careful” kills me….best dad award!

  • Sweta March 5, 2013, 11:11 pm

    You should get Kristien to do the accent vlog video.

  • Sarah @ Hungry and Healthy in Houston March 6, 2013, 8:02 am

    I always throw some crackers and mixed nuts in my car when I’m driving on long road trips! It keeps me from buying all of the temptations at the gas stations!

  • Whitney March 6, 2013, 8:38 am

    OKay we need more of the Hub’s accent on the blog!! haha What a cute little video 🙂

  • Lauren March 7, 2013, 6:30 pm

    I also travel a ton for work, usually to smaller towns without a lot of hotel and dining options. My favorite tips are:
    1. Bring packets of instant oatmeal to make using the coffee maker if you’re staying in a hotel without a microwave or continental breakfast. Coffee maker oats have become a specialty of mine 🙂
    2. When staying at a Doubletree or another hotel that offers fresh cookies at check-in, I always *try* to pass up the cookie at that time by telling myself I can grab one after dinner if I’m in the mood for something sweet. Best case scenario I forget it altogether, worst case scenario I eat 1 cookie instead of 2.
    3. I keep a bunch of fun circuit workouts saved on Pinterest so that if I’m in a hotel with a crappy gym I can still get an awesome workout in without risking my life on rickety equipment.

    Happy travels!

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