A Gypsy Soul

The title of this blog is misleading, like really misleading. Anyone how knows me knows that I wouldn’t really be considered laid back. I do try to go with the flow sometimes, but the universe is working against me. I am the oldest child with a very strong personality. I like to plan, which is nothing like the free spirited gypsy soul that this blog is titled after. For a long time, road trips gave me a lot of anxiety. I always ended up getting sick, and I was stressed out about what I could eat or if I was being a burden on everyone. Which is the last thing I would ever want. So logically, I have to be very prepared (or skip out altogether). I want to give you all some insight on how to stay on track and healthy while you travel, while also enjoying balance.

I was very very excited about this road trip, and other than the fact that Nashville is a cool city and I got to be with some of my favorite people in the world, I also got to finally use my Yeti cooler! I was given my Yeti cooler for Christmas this year, and I cried when I first saw it. My boyfriend has been on this very long health journey with me, and has seen me sick too many times to count. He wheeled “Lara” (my coolers name) in the room, and I just started crying. It wasn’t just about the cooler, but about the peace of mind it gives me. Anyway, I was pumped! I am really good at pre-planning my meals at this point, because I have been doing it forever. So, I wanted to share with you all the types of food I brought with me:

-Corn tortillas, deli turkey, and living lettuce (to make little wraps with): These foods travel really well, and are pretty balanced meal.

-Ground turkey and microwavable sweet potatoes: The SP is wrapped in plastic; so you can pop it in the microwave and have dinner is 6 minutes.

-Larabars and RX Bars: I always carry bars with me when I travel, or even just during the day. They are good emergency foods, if you don’t know when you will eat throughout the day

-Watermelon, apples, and bananas: I cut up watermelon and bailey and I snacked on that during our drive instead of eating unhealthy gas station food. We cut up the apples on the way home.

- protein powder and cashew milk: so I can get a protein shake without having to put much effort in.

Traveling is all about convenience and preparation. All of these foods traveled well, and all of my meals were made of only a few ingredients. That’s the key. I no longer stress about traveling, because I know that I have my food as a backup and I don’t have to put my health into anyone else’s hands.

The coolest part about packing all this food is that you don’t have to eat all of it! This week I still enjoyed going to dinner and hanging out with my loved ones. I did not have one emotional thought towards what I ate. I enjoyed myself. I have no regret about eating a burger that had country ham, bacon and a fried egg on it. It was delicious, like really delicious. I make sure that none of my food allergies are involved, and I live my life! It’s all about balance and finding what works for you. I don’t stray from my food very often because it makes me feel bad, not because I think that a burger is going to make me fat. Consistency is so important, and if you ever get anything from my blogs, please remember that. Consistency. If you do everything right 90% of the time, you can enjoy your life. A night off from your plan will not derail your progress.

Being in Nashville and getting to be around some free-spirited souls helped me to enjoy the moment, and not worry about my food or anything stressful. I might not ever have a gypsy soul, but I am completely okay with that. The freedom I felt this week made me really happy. Yes, I was prepared with my own food, but I also enjoyed the city, and ate out with friends. It may be a small battle, but I’m proud of that. That’s what it’s all about. The seemingly small victories in life. Being healthy and enjoying every second of your life along the way.

I also wanted to share something not food related with you all, and is partly the reason for the title of this blog. My little sister Bailey (she is my marathon/life sidekick) is the kindest most creative soul I have ever known, and she doesn’t know this, but she teaches me a lot. On our way home from our trip, we were talking about how much we enjoy talking to people different than we are and how interesting other people’s lives/stories are. I have been sharing stories on the blog a lot lately, and I don’t plan on stopping. I want to encourage my readers to slow down and listen to what people have to say. Put down your phones and care about people. You don’t have to agree with them, or have the same beliefs as them. Just be kind and loving towards humans. You may never be a free-spirited hippy, I know I sure won’t, but I am working on being free with my time.