The Travelin' Blues

So, I haven't been posting much for the last week because most of the time, I haven't had my laptop with me and I HATE this two finger typing on my iPad. As some of you may know, I'm a partner in a law firm in VA, but I live in San Jose, and travel out here for 7-10 days at a time 5-7 times a year. And this trip, I've been really busy, including attending a two day geekfest of IP attorneys for CLE credits and networking. And of course, because I'm busy with parking my butt in uncomfortable seats for hours at a time (where oh where did my butt padding go??), suddenly several clients at once need last minute emergency work, none of it simple. Oh well, that's why they pay me.

At eight years out, I barely pay attention to my eating anymore - not that I'm careless, but because I have my routines down to where they are simply second nature. But a trip like this just MESSES with my routines, and BOY I can get discombobulated quickly! I don't have all my go-to protein snacks, or my Fresca handy all the time, and my schedule is WAY off. Throw in having to get up at the ass crack of dawn this morning (5 AM!) to get to the conference and register, and my morning poop routine is screwed to hell - AND I didn't want to go downstairs to get coffee from the breakfast bar, so I made it in the room and had to use milk rather than non-dairy creamer, and by mid-afternoon, I was gassy and had to go poop in a public bathroom! AARRGGGHHH!

And then when we got back to the office at 6 PM, I needed to do about 4 hrs of work. Fortunately, I had forgotten a few ounces of sliced roast beef and a cheese stick in the fridge at work - and then as I was walking back to the hotel at 9:58, I noticed the Thai restaurant was not yet closed - shrimp Tom Ka Goong (coconut soup) and chicken satay for dinner insteadnof TV dinner! Now I'm waiting for the Lunesta to kick in so I can get up at 6 AM and do it again tomorrow.

But I've been good - getting a lot of billable work done, hanging out with my partners (omg - took clients to dinner last night at a Lebanese restaurant - fabulous heavily meat-based meal - little grilled lamb chops!), friends and family, and even networking with former colleagues from my previous jobs. It's just that I feel a bit "off" all the time - including my poor feet, because working from home most of the time, I hardly ever wear proper shoes - walking around DC in heels - owwie!

But my guts not feeling right is the bigger issue. I just don't do well when I'm not on my usual schedule. I must be getting old.

 Hi Diane, sorry to hear that your normal routine has been screwed up a little. I am 6mos out and unemployed and still learning my "routine". I can sympathize a little b/c when i visted my dad in June, (3mos out), I adopted their food schedule (they eat 2x per day and no snacks), instead of a good DS schedule. 

It messed me up a bit... Sigh....I do not go out to dinner all that much, so I have not had to use public restrooms yet. However, I am a little terrified of my stink, so when I do go out, I carry that Ozium, oh boy (Thanks DS'ers for the tip).

Heels r evil. I do not wear them.

Can't wait to be 8yrs out also....

Diana - I understand completely. I am such a creature of habit the same thing happens to be (albiet I don't travel as much as you seem to do). Usually my biggest issue with I travel is water more than anything else.

I have no words of wisdmom....but I'm glad to see you post anyway......your experience is always helpful to me!

My school schedule is killing me with that routine issue, too. Amazing what creatures of habit we are huh.

Heels are the devil, only when necessary.  Or have a big enough bag for a comfortable pair to change into. 

Traveling, work, playing, I always take enough protein bars to get me through.. My family thinks 2 meals a day is generally enough, if you eat a late breakfast, you don't need lunch.  I do the Premier Protein bars at 30g and 3 flavors, or the Cliff bars Choc and Peanut Butter at 20g.  It's quick and I know I'm getting my protein in, plus, it quiets the tummy until the next meal. 

My guts would be raising havoc... Flagyl and spray.

Maybe the rest of the trip will be better.

 Diana
I hear ya',  I travel for business frequently, too.  One of the best things for me is to stay somwhere with a kitchen, like a Residence Inn or Homewood Suites - is that an option for you?  

I dont cook there - God forbid :) - but I find the fridge really handy for storing stuff from the grocery store.  Real cream for my coffee, Greek yogurt, cheese, etc.  I do a little shopping at the grocery store and get some essentials for a few days.  It really helps me.

In fact, I stay at a Residence Inn, and I generally do what you wrote. I go downstairs for breakfast after my morning poop, and get coffee with half-and-half and vanilla creamer, scrambled eggs and whatever meat they are serving. But with having to get up so early, I made coffee in the room and used milk, which I generally only use in the evening for some cereal. I go to the grocery store as you said and pick up diet sodas, protein-heavy frozen or other prepared foods, ricotta cheese, fruit cups (I put in the ricotta), and of course some port for my nightcap.

I was pretty uncomfortable again today. I might take a 1/2 Flagyl before getting on the plane on Sunday.

On a related note, I don't think I'm happy with the new probiotic I'm trying instead of Primal Defense Ultra. I don't have the bottle with me, but I think it's Benebiotics.

 You had me at nightly port.  Pre DS I used to have a piece of dark chocolate and a small glass of port every night before bed.  I was just thinking the other night how much I missed that.  Time to hit the liquor store and candy shop, methinks.

Costco has a nice port - I think it's called Six Grapes - that is about 2/3 the price it is in the grocery store. I drink about 2 oz each evening, so a $16 bottle lasts a couple of weeks. The chocolate doesn't interest me quite as much.