You know you're eating better when . . .

. . . you go on vacation and you prefer (and eat!) healthy foods the whole time.  I recently returned from a trip across two states through snowy mountain passes and onto a college campus full of cafeterias, ice cream shops and vending machines.  I mostly wanted to eat fresh fruits and vegetables.  I brought along some homemade wheat bread and ate bits from that bread bag almost every day.  I missed my green smoothies, but I drank a lot of water.  When I went out to eat, I scoured the menu for salads or soups and ohhhhh, they were wonderful.  The best was from a chain called Zupas -- it was a berry salad on romaine lettuce (I had them add in spinach) with fresh raspberries, blackberries and strawberries.  They also had some toasted cinnamon almonds on top.  It came with a poppy seed dressing, but I asked for it on the side and didn't end up using it.  The berries provided plenty of moisture.  Oh,was it good!

Do you ever stop and admire how your eating has improved?   I used to just set goals and see how I fell short, but now I look back and say things like "Well, I could have done better at that BBQ, but I'm eating so much healthier than I used to" and will look back to years past.

Vacations used to be the downfall of any diet changes I was making.  Now I do just fine.  My biggest trap is probably Christmas, BUT I don't usually fall into the trap now until Christmas eve or Christmas day where before I ate absolutely horribly from about Thanksgiving till Valentines Day or Easter.  (I could never get a grip on it right after New Year's despite all the magazine articles that told me I should be).

I find that if I measure my overall progress bit by bit, I'm much happier with myself and my results. Off to make progress on this fine summer day.  TTFN!