The Best-Laid Plans (and Forgotten Layaways

Since I have started Program, I have been focusing on keeping organized and planning my food sheet in advance. I’ve shared tips and tricks to make both of those tasks easier. Using sticky notes and flow charts.

What happens though when you don’t practice what you preach?

Simple – you don’t move closer to your goal.

This past week – I had a perfect work week. Mistakenly, my weekend was not so perfect.

As I mentioned before, I have taken up a side gig hosting speed dating events. I enjoy it very much and each event has been engaging and fun. Still waiting to meet Mr. Right but it’s fulfilling watching other couples meet.

Last weekend, I decided to be ambitious and volunteered to host an event in Malden, Massachusetts. If you are not sure where this is (which I didn’t either until the event was offered), it is 10 miles or 30 minutes outside of Boston.

Despite not being a city girl, I booked a hotel with JetBlue points and turned a one-night event into a small weekend getaway.

So, being the planner that I am, I planned my two-and-a-half-hour drive to be complete with carpool karaoke music to sing along with. I went to the location first for a drive-by before going to the hotel. I opted for Uber for the event that night instead of driving due to crazy roads and limited parking. I even got a ticket in advance to visit the Franklin Park Zoo the following Sunday.

My weekend was planned perfectly.

Okay… maybe not completely perfectly as I forgot one key element to plan. My food.

Saturday, I had a great lunch – chickpea salad sandwiches with lots of veggies. Saturday night, I found a restaurant that delivered to the hotel while I was getting ready and had a beautiful burger (with half the bun), a baked potato, and salad. I even used my extra to grab a drink at the event.

What I didn’t bring with me – and forgot entirely about eating – was my fruits and milks. I missed FOUR layaways that day. Oops!!

Sunday, I assumed the hotel would have breakfast (as it said so on their website) and also assumed I could grab lunch at the Zoo.

You know what they say about assuming things…

When I ventured to the breakfast area, what awaited me was not as advertised. Cold, hotel-scrambled egg remains, muffins and pastries that I am assuming were stale, and a dirty, rusty, probably overused waffle maker. Even the orange juice was empty!

Thankfully, they did have low-calorie yogurt cups, so I was able to have something along with scrambled egg crumbs. At least I was able to have some protein and milk.

I checked out of the hotel and made my way to the Zoo. Again – not a city girl and driving there was a nightmare. Also – because I have perfect timing – it was also the Boston Half Marathon that day so finding a parking spot was worse than driving there.

Despite the challenges, I made it!

The Zoo itself was really cute – under construction and some of the exhibits were closed for the season – but worth the craziness of Boston traffic. My favorite thing to do at zoos is to take pictures of animals with their tongues out—it’s a silly little mission, but it always makes me smile and reminds me to find joy in the small things.

However – I do not recommend eating there. The one place for food that was open was bare bones and not a vegetable in sight. The hamburger I ordered, which was the only thing not fried, was naked. No option for salad or fruit. They must give all the lettuce and tomatoes to the animals.

On the way home, I did stop at the Providence Place Mall and was able to grab a salad with chicken and a potato which was nice. I also popped into Torrid and learned that my shirt size has gone down which is a nice win.

By the time I got home, I did not have the energy to go grocery shopping and missed additional foods… another milk, two fruits, and my extra.

While planning trips and our lives is important, it is also important to not forget about Program and keeping a balanced diet daily.

Thankfully, I got lucky and didn’t put on any additional pounds, but I also didn’t lose anything this week. As a reminder to everyone, and to myself, plan your food sheet and if traveling, bring what you need or find a grocery store and get what you need.

This week’s loss: 0 pounds

Total loss so far: 47 pounds

47 pounds down!