wildone forever, health and fitness,
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Giving In to Wanderlust Cravings

Summertime usually means road trips and that means I’m stocking up the cooler and snack pack with my wanderlust cravings.

What is it about long car rides and snacking that completely sabotages a diet? I’ve replaced my normal water bottles with soda pop and my healthy fruit and fresh veggie snack platter with pretzels, Goldfish and M&M‘s.

From Florida to visit my bestie in North Carolina is about a 12-hour drive and diet be damned. My snacks aren’t just sustenance, it’s comfort food for a pretty uncomfortable ride.

Let’s not forget the fast food drive-thru plazas for a quick bite to eat. Yes, I’d like a cheeseburger, chicken nuggets and large fries. Super size it with a chocolate shake, please.

Empty wrappers are all over my car and by the time I reach my destination I’m feeling pretty gross and my car smells like the sweaty gym clothes I forgot to take out of my bag and wash… a week later. Gross!

I keep telling myself I should do better about my wanderlust snack habits but for some reason my brain forgives and forgets how crappy I eat on the road once I get to my friend’s house. That’s probably because we go out to restaurants and bars to let loose and get caught up with one another. It’s vacation for me and I don’t want to feel guilty about anything.

But for those of us who are counting calories and promise to hit the gym and get back on track with diet and fitness when we get home, I’ve put together a quick snack journal so I don’t feel so guilty!

Wanderlust Snack Journal

Just letting you know that this is my wanderlust choice for drive-thru fast food and not in any way an endorsement nor paid advertising for McDonald’s.

  • cheeseburger: 300 calories
  • 4 piece chicken nuggets: 220 calories
  • Large fries: 490 calories
  • Medium chocolate shake: 630 calories

wildone forever, travel, diet, wanderlust

20 oz. cola: 240 calories per bottle

55 pieces of Goldfish (does anyone ever eat JUST 55 pieces?): 140 calories

1 large soft pretzel: 483 calories

1.7 oz. package of M&M’s: 240 calories

I’m not even counting the coffee refills, random chocolate bar, Pop Tart or granola bar. Just the calorie count alone equals 3223 calories for a 12-hour road trip to my bestie’s house!

Did you know that according to a LiveStrong article, a 30-year old, 5’4″ woman who wants to maintain 140 pounds, she needs about 1424 calories to maintain “basal metabolic function” – more if she’s active.

We can agree that driving is anything but active. You’re just sitting there trying to stay awake. No wonder I feel like crap by the time I get home!

I’m a creature of habit. Driving long distance and snacking is my thing and I don’t think I’ll change any time soon. If I cave in to my wanderlust cravings once or twice a year, I own it.

What do you snack on during your road trips? Leave a comment below.

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