In Praise of Meal Replacements

My husband and I began the first leg of our vacation today, traveling from Cleveland to West Palm Beach, Florida. In the process, I was reminded how grateful I am for meal replacements--especially when traveling.

Instead of having to choose between bagels and donuts for breakfast at the airport, I enjoyed a nice protein bar with my coffee this morning. Then, when hunger set in around 10:30 a.m. I poured 8 oz of water into my Blender Bottle, added the contents of a protein shake, and shook my way to a satisfying snack that held me over until 1p.m. Later, when our flight was delayed and we had to wrangle with the car rental facility about a price adjustment, putting us into our final destination much later than planned, another protein bar saved the day.

You see, in any one of those situations, had I not been prepared by having the right snacks on hand, the combination of hunger, fatigue and frustration might have led me right into the arms of Ronald McDonald. But, because I know the incredible importance of having quick, healthy options on hand when traveling, today's events barely required a second thought. There's some real truth in the statement that if you "fail to plan, you plan to fail." Thankfully, my mindful planning paid off today.

We'll see how well I can apply these lessons over the next week as I prepare to board the ship we'll be cruising on tomorrow. I look forward to sharing more with you all when I return in seven days time.

In the meanwhile, safe travels as you navigate this tangled path to maintenance. It is, as they say, "a jungle out there."