Fitness and Nutrition at D-land?
Oct. 29th, 2007 05:47 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
threadwalkerYes, it can be done. It took me planning, will-power, and a game.
I planned to stay within my Weight Watcher points by packing food and expecting to cart my own lunches into the park. I planned to eat broiled chicken and fish when those sorts of things were offered and to stick to salads or self-prepared meals the rest of the time. I was saving my 35 extra points for Blue Bayou and Club 33. This was a good plan.
I planned to exercise and packed some resistance bands, an exercise ball, some fitness DVDs, and a jump rope. Yes - I brought an exercise ball and inflated it in the room. The kids had to be warned to not kick it around and I disproved the spouse by successfully getting all the air out of it and getting it packed up again.
The Power of the Pin
I also came up with a game that fed my will-power. At first it was just "if I can eat right for a day, I get a gold star. If I exercise, I get a gold star", but these were virtual gold stars. Then I had a brainstorm. There are not many shiny things that could make me go "oooooo" and set aside a fork full of warm chocolate brownie and ice cream. However, for some bizarre and illogical reason I got hooked on the shiny, colorful Disney trade pins on our last trip to D-land. They serve no purpose and live in my treasure box at home, but I loves 'em, prescious..... Tapping into my somewhat competitive nature, I set these as a reward for good behaviour. If I spent the day eating well, I let myself pick out a Disney trading pin. If I exercised (and I mean other than hoofing it around the park), I got another pin. And since I eye-balled so many pins on our first visit into the park that jumped to the top of my "must have" list, this turned out to be a great game.
In fact, I made it through Goofy's Kitchen using a few WW tools and The Power of the Pin. Goofy's Kitchen, by the way, is an all you can eat buffet that is filled with baked goodness and smells like fresh cinamon rolls. First, I planned in advance to ask for an egg white omlette with the assumption that it would be feasible. I also mentally visualized ordering the omlette, ordering the other things that I enjoy eating that are healthy, and specifically visualized how I would walk by the baked goodies without putting anything on my plate. I practiced this visual a lot before I got there. When I was there in person and being tormented by the smells of fresh baked cinammon rolls, I focused on the healthy food I like and I summoned the mental picture of that Malificent's Dragon badge (Disney pin which is now pinned to my purse) and I just avoided that end of the buffet zone. I got an egg white omlette, some sliced ham, and some other low-fat protein. I had one lemon cheese cake thing that was the size of a mini muffin and was barely two bites. I felt pretty awesome and unstoppable in my self-control and owning that badge was far more important to me than some cinnamon roll. After Goofy's Kitchen, I knew the rest of the week would be a breeze.
The Power of the Pin also goaded me to find a way to exercise on the day we were meeting at 8am and on the day we got our wires crossed and spent the morning cooling our heals. On the other days I generally hit the hotel stair-stepper and treadmill for 40+ minutes at 7 am. Then I would go back to my room to work on the exercise ball and do various core exercise that don't require weights. (Thanks to Sally the fitness trainer, there was a lot I could do). However, the fitness center in the hotel didn't open until 7 am, so on the "let's meet early" morning I got up at 5am to discover I could not sweet-talk my way into the fitness center because the roomw as locked and the lobby was empty; I'd assumed someone would be there and failed my luck roll. So I fell back on Plan B and popped in an exercise DVD and worked out for an hour in our hotel room. Frankly, if it hadn't been for the Power of the Pin, I know I would have crawled back into bed. The spouse told me I was wacked, but... I wanted that Mickey-Pirate-Hat badge, dammit, and if leaping around the room with a head set on was going to be my ticket to that pin, then sooooo be it!
On the cluster-communication day (Saturday), I did an early evening run on the treadmill, once again goaded by the Power of the Pin and by the WW points that I correctly assumed I'd need for dinner at Club 33. That run was only 25 minutes, so I spent the entire time doing "hills" and forcing the incline to go from 3% to 6% and then making myself hold 6% that for 3 minute stretches while doing my fastest ohmygodI'mdyingintwoseconds pace. I felt the pain in my legs that night, so it was definitely a quality work out even if it was shorter than the rest.
I feel great. I have no post-vacation eating guilt and I'm not worried about losing ground when I hit the gym this week. I don't feel like I denied myself anything and I feel very self-empowered. Go me!
I planned to stay within my Weight Watcher points by packing food and expecting to cart my own lunches into the park. I planned to eat broiled chicken and fish when those sorts of things were offered and to stick to salads or self-prepared meals the rest of the time. I was saving my 35 extra points for Blue Bayou and Club 33. This was a good plan.
I planned to exercise and packed some resistance bands, an exercise ball, some fitness DVDs, and a jump rope. Yes - I brought an exercise ball and inflated it in the room. The kids had to be warned to not kick it around and I disproved the spouse by successfully getting all the air out of it and getting it packed up again.
The Power of the Pin
I also came up with a game that fed my will-power. At first it was just "if I can eat right for a day, I get a gold star. If I exercise, I get a gold star", but these were virtual gold stars. Then I had a brainstorm. There are not many shiny things that could make me go "oooooo" and set aside a fork full of warm chocolate brownie and ice cream. However, for some bizarre and illogical reason I got hooked on the shiny, colorful Disney trade pins on our last trip to D-land. They serve no purpose and live in my treasure box at home, but I loves 'em, prescious..... Tapping into my somewhat competitive nature, I set these as a reward for good behaviour. If I spent the day eating well, I let myself pick out a Disney trading pin. If I exercised (and I mean other than hoofing it around the park), I got another pin. And since I eye-balled so many pins on our first visit into the park that jumped to the top of my "must have" list, this turned out to be a great game.
In fact, I made it through Goofy's Kitchen using a few WW tools and The Power of the Pin. Goofy's Kitchen, by the way, is an all you can eat buffet that is filled with baked goodness and smells like fresh cinamon rolls. First, I planned in advance to ask for an egg white omlette with the assumption that it would be feasible. I also mentally visualized ordering the omlette, ordering the other things that I enjoy eating that are healthy, and specifically visualized how I would walk by the baked goodies without putting anything on my plate. I practiced this visual a lot before I got there. When I was there in person and being tormented by the smells of fresh baked cinammon rolls, I focused on the healthy food I like and I summoned the mental picture of that Malificent's Dragon badge (Disney pin which is now pinned to my purse) and I just avoided that end of the buffet zone. I got an egg white omlette, some sliced ham, and some other low-fat protein. I had one lemon cheese cake thing that was the size of a mini muffin and was barely two bites. I felt pretty awesome and unstoppable in my self-control and owning that badge was far more important to me than some cinnamon roll. After Goofy's Kitchen, I knew the rest of the week would be a breeze.
The Power of the Pin also goaded me to find a way to exercise on the day we were meeting at 8am and on the day we got our wires crossed and spent the morning cooling our heals. On the other days I generally hit the hotel stair-stepper and treadmill for 40+ minutes at 7 am. Then I would go back to my room to work on the exercise ball and do various core exercise that don't require weights. (Thanks to Sally the fitness trainer, there was a lot I could do). However, the fitness center in the hotel didn't open until 7 am, so on the "let's meet early" morning I got up at 5am to discover I could not sweet-talk my way into the fitness center because the roomw as locked and the lobby was empty; I'd assumed someone would be there and failed my luck roll. So I fell back on Plan B and popped in an exercise DVD and worked out for an hour in our hotel room. Frankly, if it hadn't been for the Power of the Pin, I know I would have crawled back into bed. The spouse told me I was wacked, but... I wanted that Mickey-Pirate-Hat badge, dammit, and if leaping around the room with a head set on was going to be my ticket to that pin, then sooooo be it!
On the cluster-communication day (Saturday), I did an early evening run on the treadmill, once again goaded by the Power of the Pin and by the WW points that I correctly assumed I'd need for dinner at Club 33. That run was only 25 minutes, so I spent the entire time doing "hills" and forcing the incline to go from 3% to 6% and then making myself hold 6% that for 3 minute stretches while doing my fastest ohmygodI'mdyingintwoseconds pace. I felt the pain in my legs that night, so it was definitely a quality work out even if it was shorter than the rest.
I feel great. I have no post-vacation eating guilt and I'm not worried about losing ground when I hit the gym this week. I don't feel like I denied myself anything and I feel very self-empowered. Go me!
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no subject
Date: 2007-10-30 04:17 am (UTC)I LOVE your trading pin game. I definitely plan to go back to D-land in about 2 years (R and I went this past August), so I look forward to playing that game when I go if you don't mind me borrowing it. What a fabulous idea!
I'm glad you guys had so much fun. I remember taking R when she was about 4 or 5...she couldn't go on all the rides yet due to height, so I know how that goes. We definitely had more fun this time roaming around and taking in the sights.
Yay You!!!
no subject
Date: 2007-10-30 06:41 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-10-30 05:00 pm (UTC)(where, BTW, employees are reprimanded if they are not happy ALL the time)
yes!
Date: 2007-10-30 06:00 pm (UTC)Unfortunately, I lost my Bianca (the Rescuers) because the pin-backs are really wimpy and it was one I got through a trade with a park employee. You can't buy it and I can't find it on line. *sniffle*
As one enthralled by the Power of the Pin, check it out after you lock up the credit card. lol
Re: yes!
Date: 2007-10-30 08:54 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-10-30 05:39 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-10-30 03:58 pm (UTC)But I cringe at a $7 fruit plate or a $2 piece of fruit when I know I can throw a few bananas and apples in my bag and skip the financial blood-letting known as eating in the park.
Frankly, what I need is the fat-free, low-cal churro. When they come up with that, I will be estatic. hahaha! In the meantime, I pinch my nose shut if I happen to be near a churro stand while I'm hungry.
no subject
Date: 2007-10-30 05:52 pm (UTC)We're going to Disney World next Christmas, can't wait.
no subject
Date: 2007-10-30 06:00 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-10-30 06:40 pm (UTC)Also heard that in 2009 a ned theme park is going up. Harry Potter!!!
OMG!
Date: 2007-10-30 06:05 pm (UTC)Sadly, *I* would have gone hog wild.
You are not only fit, but righteous!!
Yay!
Re: OMG!
Date: 2007-10-30 06:53 pm (UTC)