The month of May in Indianapolis means one thing – the Indy 500! For many of us, that means a month filled with festivals and fun. For me, it’s a month of temptation filled with opportunities to tailgate and celebrate.
The month kicked off with an invitation to “carbo load” with friends the night before the Mini Marathon. Sounds delicious, but I didn’t even run the Mini this year so why did I eat so much pasta and bread?
The rest of the month is filled with tailgates at the track, family fun at festivals and parades, my birthday (!!) and of course, Race weekend parties. So, when and how do we fit in healthy eating? Good question.
Truth is, I don’t have the answer. But I can offer a few options that I’m going to try this month:
- Before the party, I’m going to fuel up on healthier options so I’m not tempted to fill up on junk food.
- During the festivals and parades, I’ll set the pace for my family by packing turkey sandwiches and fruit for our lunches.
- I have a new favorite healthy potato salad dish that I’ll be bringing to the party.
- At the track, I’m going to take a few laps before heading to the first table filled with food. Maybe I’ll find pretzels instead of chips; fruit instead of meatballs.
I know I won’t be perfect this month. I know I’ll hit turbulence. But when the checkered flag is waved, I’m going to be ok with a few bumps in the road and will make plans to get back on track tomorrow.
Tags: eating healthy, Indy 500
Related Posts:
Good post Kelly!
I like your idea about taking a few laps before starting the hectic day. I always try to get a solid workout in before heading to an event like this. There’s a true rush from sweating and pushing yourself hard in the early morning to help prevent those later cravings AND help you feel motivated for the rest of the day!
And packing lunches is definitely the way to go. It’s amazing to me how many people rely on vendors, fast food, etc to help fuel them throughout the day.
In fact, our family vacations always include grocery bags and coolers full of healthy foods and drinks…plus, it’s a lot more cost-effective! And, to park at a rest stop or park for a picnic is just as quick as a stop at a fast food place. And more fun!
Nicki: We have a roadtrip planned next month with the kids and your idea about packing a cooler and stopping at a rest stop is a great one. I’m definitely going to plan that – much better than a drive-thru, which is often what we resort to because it’s easy and fast. Thanks for the suggestion and the post.