Happy WIAW! As always a big thanks to Jenn.

Before I dive into a full day of eating, I wanted to discuss one thing. As you may know, I just got back from Maui. While there, I ate what I wanted and had happy hour nearly every day. I wasn’t trying especially to eat healthy at all; dessert after lunch and dinner? Yes, please (that’s how my family does vacations). I just tried to eat in a way that I wouldn’t feel like death, and would feel good enough to enjoy my time there. In the past, I’ve had a lot of guilt and anxiety associated with vacation eating. This year was different. I’m at a different place in my health journey. I trust my body a heck of a lot more than I used to. I trusted that I could eat whatever I wanted for a week, and nothing crazy would happen. I trusted my body to return to normal when my eating returned to normal. Because honestly, it’s not that serious. Even if I gained a few pounds on vacation, so what? If it comes on, it can come off in due time. And guess what? I was the happiest I’ve been on vacation. And my body looks and feels the same as when I left. Go figure.

Breakfast (pre-yoga):

A flapjacked S’Mores mighty muffin and a honeybell orange.

Post-yoga/pre-teaching spin snack: strawberries.

Lunch Part 1:

I tried the new Flapjacked smoothie mix! I love the muffins, so I figured why not? I mixed it with 8 oz of milk. It was good! Definitely the best powder to drink protein beverage I’ve had. That being said, it’s not that low in sugar, but it was perfect post workout. Plus some crackers.

Lunch Part 2: I spent an hour or so working on a presentation and then broke into my salad. It had deli turkey and herb goat cheese with balsamic vinaigrette.

When I got home mid afternoon, I was craving something sweet. I felt like after a semi-rough day, I just needed something emotionally. Again with the trusting my body, I decided to go with it and choose a healthier option that actually had some nutritional value. I scooped myself a big bowl of chocolate Halo Top, and got my chocolate fix in, with some protein to fuel my body.

For dinner, we had open faced turkey and havarti sandwiches with apple, broiled in the oven. Plus steamed brussels sprouts.

I wanted something a little more substantial for dessert, so I had a Cliff bar.

After dinner, I hung out with some friends and was a little hungry when I returned, so I had half of a rice cake with sunbutter and half a banana.

How do you approach vacation?

Hello! I’m hitting you guys with the final Maui post!

Saturday morning, I woke up a couple of hours before everyone else, so I started my morning for 3 miles on the treadmill. Yes, the scenery there was beautiful, but sometimes it’s easier to just go inside and get it done.

Breakfast:

The mangos this trip were just insane. We found a great little fruit stand, so it was all about the mango. Plus some passion fruit, and a yogurt, cheerio, guava jam, and sunbutter bowl.

We spent the morning poolside. It’s safe to say I’m a different color than when I left for Hawaii. That’s not to say I’m tan per say, just less ghostly.

We made lunch in the room, working on eating up the last of the food we bought. We had a massive Hawaiian avocado to eat, so I made it into guacamole with a little lime, Maui sweet onion, tomato, and salt and pepper.

I had my with a few chips, but mostly in salad form. I squeezed a little lime juice with salt and pepper over lettuce, the added a little cheddar, lots of guac, and an egg.

Guava kombucha on the side.

Our afternoon expedition took us back to Lahaina to Lappert’s for some Hawaiian ice cream. I had mango ice cream with mango sorbet swirls.

By the time we finished our ice cream, walked around Lahaina, and cuddled with pigs one last time, we were ready for happy hour!

I had a passionfruit beer at Kohola Brewery, and we picked up a couple of crawlers (32 oz cans) of that to take home with us.

To be honest, I think we were all sort of burned out on food at this point. Alas, we dressed up for one final dinner out, at Roy’s.

For my meal, I had seared ono (Hawaiian fish similar to Mahi Mahi) with butternut squash puree, and some shrimp that were staring at me (which my dad kindly took off my hands).

Sunday was travel day. Strangely enough, we had to be out of our hotel at 10, but our flight wasn’t until 3:30. I hit the hotel gym for a quick workout before we had to leave. It was surprisingly killer for a 30 minute workout with nothing but dumbbells. I’m super sore still 2 days later! Try it out:

4 rounds: 8 split squat each leg (I used 25s)/8 single leg squat to a low box (pistols)

4 rounds: single leg RDL with heavy dumbbell

Then, I did a few minutes of abs. My legs were shaking like crazy from the squats, and movement was tough on Monday in the glute area.

Breakfast:

We ate an early lunch near the airport at a health foods store with a nice deli area. I had BBQ chicken and a salad with avocado that had a delicious sesame maple dressing.

We also had made one final stop at the GF bakery, so my mom and I split a Lilikoi cupcake and a lemon bar.

At the airport, we shared Brazilian cheese bread.

I haven’t ordered food on a plane in forever, but I decided to go with it and get a fruit and cheese tray.

I think this is a pretty decent option to actually get some real food in on a plane, although I learned quickly I’m not as big of a cheese person as I might have though.

Our final bakery item was eaten on the plane: a passionfruit muffin. Delicious.

Monday when we got back, we were feeling the need for some health!

Monday night, I had a great Crossfit workout. It had everything I could want: heavy lifts in the WOD, and a movement that I can do and enjoy but needs work. It was:

21-15-9 hang power cleans at 95# and toes to bar. I got talked into Rxing this workout, and I’m really glad I did because 1. it’s good for me and 2. it didn’t feel terrible.

For dinner, I made the simplest salad. I massaged kale in olive oil, then tossed it in balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Then, I added parmesan, dried cranberries, and roasted butternut squash (most of which didn’t make it from the pan to the bowl). Served with an egg.

That’s Hawaii! Look out for a full day of eating tomorrow!

I started Wednesday morning with a workout in paradise.

I dropped into Lahaina Crossfit and got a great workout in. Clean and jerks and front squats for strength, then a 6 minute AMRAP of 42 double unders, 30 wall balls, 18 toes to bar, then 5 minutes rest before another 6 minute AMRAP of 21 doubles, 15 wall balls, 9 toes to bar.

Not a bad backdrop to workout to!

Breakfast continued to be all the tropical fruit. Passion fruit in yogurt is delicious.

For lunch, we went to a little local food restaurant, Ono Kau Kau, for my dad to get some lau lau. I got a salad with BBQ chicken, which was perfect with full access to my dad’s rice.

Basically this whole trip, the weather report showed rain. However, there was very little rain up to that point. Right before we left for lunch, the rain started. After lunch, we headed into Lahaina for gelato, and right as we drove in, the rain started going insane. The drops were huge. Even stopped, we had our windshield wipers go all out. As a result of the sudden, crazy rain, the streets of Lahaina were a river.

The things were do for gelato. Salted caramel.

Naturally, we picked up more GF goodies for later. Later that afternoon, we had happy hour in our hotel with nachos and passionfruit beer.

For dinner, we made the same salad as before, since we had a ton of leftover ingredients. Plus leftover pizza.

Dessert:

Another lilikoi chocolate donut, lemon tart (surprisingly a winner) with lilikoi glaze, a whoopee pie, and pumpkin bread.

The following morning, the storm clouds cleared and we headed to the pool to catch some rays and try to even out my tan lines.

Then, I headed inside for a 3 mile treadmill run. Yeah, it was beautiful out, but sometimes it’s just easier to hop on a treadmill and get it done.

For lunch, we went to the Maui Tropical Plantation. We used to go there when I was little; it’s a beautiful property with all kinds of fruits and vegetables growing, a pond with ducks and fish, a little shop, and now zip lining and a restaurant. The restaurant was really nice. Check out the view from our table!

For my meal, I ordered a salad with local greens, root vegetables, ricotta, lemon dressing, carrot puree, and fish.

We walked around the beautiful property a bit before taking a tram tour.

They grow all kinds of things there: from mangoes, avocado, and macadamia nuts, to dragon fruit, coconuts, and starfruit.

After the tour, we got ice cream on the property. I had pineapple.

When we finally made it back to our hotel, we slipped into the end of happy hour discounts, and enjoyed $5 drinks by the pool.

I met a new kitty friend outside the elevator. He was super sweet and purry! Naturally, my trip to the room to get ready for dinner took far longer than anticipated.

For dinner, we walked over to a restaurant of a neighboring hotel. We got a really interesting appetizer of fruit with cinnamon sour cream dip.

My meal was a vaguely Greek chicken chop salad.

I’ll probably have 1 more post of Maui adventures to come. 17.2 later today!