“Dear Our Lady of Weight Loss (or Janice, whomever! This ‘travelin’ mom’ just needs an answer to my latest weight loss challenge),” Samantha V writes, “I am headed to a wedding. I am nearly out of mind over it all. Three days out of town, food everywhere – even in the hotel room’s mini-bar is stocked to the gills – what to do? Temptation everywhere. HELP!!!”

Here to accompany my Vblog, the skinny on travel!
9 Travel Tips to Sveltesville and beyond!

1. The Hotel Mini-Bar: Prior to take off, call the hotel concierge. Politely (always good idea to be nice), ask he or she to remove all mini-bar items from your room as well as empty the mini-fridge of its many sinful items. You don’t need to have temptation surrounding you 24/7! Do you?

2. Stock It: Assuming that you are flying in, then ask the concierge for the location and phone number of the nearest market. Call the market, have the food delivered to your hotel before you arrive, and ask the concierge to put the ‘good stuff’ in your fridge. If not possible, shop once you get there and load up healthy. Fruits n’ vegetables, please!

3. Bring It: It’s always a good idea to toss a few emergency dry goods into your bag. Melba toast – one-ounce boxes of Raisins – some raw nuts (count them into individual servings and bag ‘em. Do NOT eat from a bag. You’ll lose count and forgetaboutit).

4. Save Dessert: If you are already imagining desserts, alcoholic beverages, and who knows what else, wipe your mental screen clear and put these items on the back burner. Save dessert for your last night in town. If you start with dessert, you are opening the door to big trouble my friends with a capital T!

5. Journal: Bring a book to write in and each and every morning write! Reconnect with your strengths, your soul, your purpose. Reinforce all that you stand for; all that you want.

6. Music for the Soul: Music activates the same feel good center of the brain that food does, so bring your iPod with your favorite music and listen and go for it – shake your booty from here to there and back again!

7. Breathe Daily: Breathing helps on so many levels, but for the purposes of this particular challenge, breathing moves you out of your ‘thinking’ mind and into your body. So – when the cravings and temptations of a trip get to you, breathe and notice how the cool air moves in and through your body. Disconnect from your thoughts; connect to the sensations in body.

8. Ask and Listen: Ask yourself, before you over-indulge, “What does my body have to say about this?” Your body is never wrong. Never! The trick is to actually listen to your body and not override your body’s brilliance!

9. Don’t Freak Out; Reach Out. Remember folks, I am but an email away. Write me! Janice@ourladyofweightloss.com

Spread the word … NOT the icing!
Janice