It's THAT time again

Today we are headed home for this summer! Wooohoooo!

But with all the excitement I am also worried about all of the temptations! I DO NOT want to undo all of the good I have done! It is ALL IN THE MIND. I can already feel "vacation mode" coming on when I am faced with food. Vacation mode for eating is all about convenience and taste. It will be a challenge, but a challenge that I am up for.

Here are some worries and my PLAN to attack them!

• We are heading to the US from China via Dubai and London. That means jet lag induced laziness. I will set out my work out clothes before I fall asleep. That way when I wake up in the middle of the night due to jet lag I can throw on my clothes quickly and utilize the 24 hour fitness facilites at the hotels we are staying at. Working out helps combat jet lag!
• Straying from my work out routine. I am a creature of habit and usually a change even in scenery could send me into a tailspin, but I already began modifying exercises away from machines and even weights by applying my own weight resistant exercises (push ups, sit ups, etc). The good thing about running...you can do it anywhere! I have already visualized my runs in California. It will be nice to actually run outside in clean air!
• Burgers, fries, ice cream...oh my! Good food choices will be the challenge for me. Before we get to California we will be faced with resort food. In Cali I will be faced with all the food that I have not had since Christmas (my mom's cooking, In N Out, See's candy, my favorite ice cream parlor). I have to keep telling myself that feeling healthy is WAY BETTER than the taste of any of those things. Plan A is to consistently work out. For me, once I have exercised I am much more apt to eat consciously.  Plan B (not an "or" but an "and" plan) is to start on a shake implementation as soon as I can get my hands on it.  I would like to do a shake two times a day when possible and allow myself some indulgences for one meal a day. This was not a temporary life style change and this summer will prove that!
• Keeping my head on straight. The balance is to allow myself to be on vacation and enjoy my cherished time back home without totally going crazy and then beating myself up for doing so. That will just lead to an awful downward spiral. So, my goal is to maintain for these next several weeks and not lose at all. Then when I get back to China I have another chunk of months where I can continue on with my weight loss. 
• Bask in the greatness! I am known to not fully enjoy trips because I am self conscious about the way I look. I want to take the focus off of how I look in pictures, what I look like to others (i.e. swimsuits) and bask in the glory of where I am and what I am doing and who I am with. Good mental health right? I will not waste one single second on negative self talk!

I will keep you posted!

 Until then, happy trails!