The travel dilemma . . . how to make healthy choices when there are no healthy choices

I rarely travel. I mean the kind of travel requiring navigation of an airport and getting on an airplane. The Husband travels quite often, I have found that one of my "jobs" is to tell him what to eat while in the airport, wherever he is. He will call me and ask me whether he should eat one thing or another and I give my best advice. Some airports offer very little by way of healthy options. And we all know that airplane food no longer exists, so unless you really plan ahead and pack your own healthy snacks the choosings are often pretty sad and limited.

I recently made a really quick trip to New York in order to catch the Middle Son in his school's select chorus group perform at Carnagie Hall. While he didn't think this opportunity was that "cool" I thought it way cool and HAD to see it! I basically flew up one morning, walked all over New York with another mom, saw a few seconds of the Middle Son during a rehearsal, walked a few more miles around, then saw the Middle Son a couple more seconds before the performance, watched the performance with a full symphony and conductor which was fabulous, and flew home the following morning. Talk about a whirlwind trip! But SO worth it!

Anyhow, to get back to the jest of this post, the flight home was at that time between breakfast and lunch and arriving home in the afternoon, basically skipping the first two meals of the day. While meandering around La Guardia airport in New York I found a couple of new things that made the day a little more enjoyable and helped alleviate getting the "hangries" during the flight home. ("hangries" is the plural for hungry which is the point of hunger that makes one extremely angry. I'm sure you've been there)

These are the things I found.

Had I not been in such a hurry I might have noticed that the yogurt contained little dark chocolate chips and raspberry fruit. While quite delicious it would have been better as an afternoon treat than a breakfast item. That did not stop me from finishing it, though. It was really tasty and with grams of protein I knew it would stick with me. This may not be a new item to you, but my normal grocery stores haven't carried it so I felt as if I had made a discovery.

I have not been a "bar" person lately, especially after completing the 21 Day Sugar Detox. I have been focused on more natural, whole foods for meals and snacks. When you are in an airport, though, you have to just make do with the best you can! This was a good choice. It is packed with protein, and this particular one had little pieces of cashew throughout that I appreciated for the "chew" factor. You know, sometimes you just want to feel like you've really eaten or chewed on your food.

I did some research into gomacro and must say I loved their website and their principles. Their five Core Principles are Vegan, Macrobiotic, Wholesome, Sustainability and Giving Back. Check it out here. I think you'll agree. I will definitely purchase from this company again. This is NOT your normal, processed protein bar. Check out the nutritional values and wholesome ingredients below.

The bottle of water is likely nothing special, but a must when traveling. This particular brand of water is new to me, but I am not really a picky water drinker. I do try to drink before and during a flight to stay hydrated which also helps keep my energy up. There is something about travel, airports, dealing with baggage and maneuvering through airports, cabs, etc. that can just sap your energy. Water is always a big help for that.

Lastly, I discovered a new magazine. How did I not know about this publication? I am just a health/fitness magazine nerd. I will buy any and all I can get my hands on. So much so that, honestly, they can all start running together with the same type of articles and tips. Have you seen this one?

I admit I'm a big Dr. Oz fan. I think he has some very useful, down to earth tips on health. I also think he's a great example of someone who "practices what he preaches" as far as living a healthy lifestyle and making healthy choices. A magazine is a perfect platform for sharing more of his expertise and answering questions we all want and need to know. The health, wellness and fitness arena is constantly changing, moving and updating itself. I usually feel as if I can rely on him to keep us abreast of new trends, studies and outcomes.

I admit I'm a big Dr. Oz fan. I think he has some very useful, down to earth tips on health. I also think he's a great example of someone who "practices what he preaches" as far as living a healthy lifestyle and making healthy choices. A magazine is a perfect platform for sharing more of his expertise and answering questions we all want and need to know. The health, wellness and fitness arena is constantly changing, moving and updating itself. I usually feel as if I can rely on him to keep us abreast of new trends, studies and outcomes.

The magazine covered articles ranging from an in depth look at multi-vitamins, to skin care, the importance of knowing your family health history, a look at probiotics, and some great looking healthy recipes along with Dr. Oz's famous green drink recipe. Take a look below. They were all articles I was familiar with, boosted what I had already learned on some subjects and gave me a better understanding of others. It seems to be a pretty no-nonsensese, not filled with fluff, magazine. I appreciated the articles, tips and answers to readers' questions. Check it out. Let me know what you think.

Dr. Oz Green Drink

(makes 4 10 oz servings)
2 cups spinach
1/2 cucumber
3 stalks celery
1/2 bunch parsley
3 carrots
2 apples, cored
1/4 orange, peeled
1/4 lime, peeled
1/4 lemon, peeled
1 bunch fresh mint
1/4 pineapple, peeled
Place ingredients in a blender (leaving skin on cucumber and apples if desired)
and puree, adding water or ice as needed.

Each serving; 122 Cal; 1 g fat; 3 g protein; 30 g carb; 19 g sugar; 6 g fiber, 82 g sodium, 0 mg cholesterol.

I have tried this and while it might not sound like some folks' cup of tea, it really is good. It has such a nice, fresh and refreshing taste!

All in all, I was happy with my new food finds and a new magazine to read. It all made for an easy trip back.

Now, just because I can't help myself I'll share a couple of photos from Carnegie Hall.
This is the poster outside announcing the show. Below is a photo of the performance. Fabulous!

The Lovett Singers are the guys in suits and ties and girls with long black dresses without the gold draped robes.

By the way, I'm still working on my 40 Days of Joy. I hope some of you are secretly or openly doing this along with me. It really makes a big difference to make it a point at the start of the day to find Joy in that day. I've found that I am more focused on making myself smile, not take myself too seriously, take time to look at the clouds, the moon, or the birds, find humor in my boys' grossness and get tickled at my cute pups' craziness. It makes for much better days. By the way, there's still time. It's not too late to begin . . . .

Do you travel often? How do you make healthy choices while traveling? What have you found new lately? Are you making any changes, challenges or deletions during the Season of Lent? How is it coming?

Have a Joyous Day!