7 Summer Tips for High Energy Eating on Vacations, Travel, and Picnics

As I prepare for a partially empty nest and celebrate my oldest son’s successful completion of high school, my emotions are bitter sweet.

Given the trials and tribulations of early adolescence, I am thrilled that he managed to mature into a rather amazing young man. And, while 4 years ago I was ready for him to fly the coop and joked about sending him to boarding school, he’s now such a joy to have around that it saddens me to cut the cord.

It’s a transition — just like out growing diapers, going to kindergarten, and learning to drive.

Life is a series of milestones and transitions, and you can either fight it and get all melancholy or hold fast to the happy memories, appreciate the joyful experiences, and anticipate with gleeful optimism what the next chapter holds in store.

Whether you’re dealing with an aging parent, an unpleasant relationship, tumultuous puberty, or a low energy body that you would love to get up off the couch and on to the playing field, how you feel and react has more to do with how you think about it than the situation itself.

Relationships can come and go, children leave the nest, loved ones pass on, and really the only constant in your life is you. You are the one you can count on to be with you in all your ups and downs and on your dying day. So making friends with yourself, treating yourself with the love and respect you show others, and celebrating your wins rather than constantly criticizing your shortcomings are the best things you can do for yourself.

I believe we all have gifts locked inside and I, for one, am not interested in being stingy with them.

If you haven’t listened to the call I did called Revitalize and Shine, I urge you to click on the link below and tune in.

Click HERE to register for the free recording!

Love, Health, and Joy,



Dr. Ritamarie

P.S. If you are a new member of our just opened VITAL Heath Community, welcome!

I look forward to connecting and getting to know you.

We have all kinds of activities planned for the summer, so hop on board. Take advantage of our very special trial membership where you can check out all the membership benefits for two full months for only $9.97.

http://www.VITALHealthCommunity.com

The “VITAL Healing Kitchen” live video classes alone are worth more than the price of admission!

P.P.S. I Almost Forgot to Mention the Fire Walk!

I am so excited about an event I am attending this Saturday that’s all about letting go of fear and limiting beliefs. It’s a firewalk and it’s happening right here in central Texas. Walking barefoot over hot coals has been practiced by people all around the globe for thousands of years. It’s a representation of the power of human consciousness to transcend and transform fear from an enemy to an ally.

If you are in or around Austin, and this sounds intriguing, contact David Gawain at docdavid@healthboss.org or Ken Cadigan at 808-573-3633 for details.

Summer is the time for outdoor fun – picnics, beach trips, family gatherings, and vacations.

In order to fully engage in the fun, your health is more important than ever.

Isn’t it ironic that just when you need high energy and a fit body the most, there are more opportunities than ever to let go of your health promoting practices in favor of “traditional” picnic fare and restaurant food?

The burgers, hot dogs, and potato salad call your name. Chips, convenience foods, and iced tea sing like sea sirens and, before you know it, you’re energy is dashed on the rocks of processed foods and unrelenting waves of new cravings.

The question I get asked all the time is, “How do I enjoy all the fun of travel and summer celebrations AND maintain the healthy eating and exercising habits I’ve been working on with you?”

My clients love their newly slender bodies, fit and strong muscles, and focused minds; yet, the celebration foods call out loud and clear.

This is a Test.

Yes, it’s a test.

How committed are you to your new healthier and slimmer body?

How much do you really love the clarity, the energy, and the freedom from aches and pains?

Whether you are well on your way to those health improvements that bring you comfort and joy, just starting out and still struggling a bit, or brand new, this article is for you.

You see, like I said, this is a test.

Every month brings a new opportunity for celebration, throwing caution to the wind, and saying:

“I Will Start After…”

Fill in the blanks.

But will you really?

For how many months and years have you been telling yourself that you’ll “start after”…

• Your birthday
• Your big trip to Europe
• Your sister’s wedding
• Your kid’s graduation
• Your [any MEMORABLE event or journey]
  (aren’t you hoping to have as many of those as possible throughout life?)

The list is endless and so are the opportunities to stay stuck in a body that is tired, achy, and unfit and a mind that’s unfocused, slow, and foggy.

It’s Your Time, Health-Seeker!

It’s time you shed the plan for when you’ll finally, fully commit to your health and just do it.

• Commit.
• Take action.
• Get support!

In my Revitalize and Shine call, I talked about the traits of successful people.

To be successful at reaching your goals on a consistent basis you need to:

• Know where you’re going.
• Keep your energy and enthusiasm high.
• Tap into your unlimited potential.
• Wake up from any dark illusions and fears that hold you back.
• Let go of limiting beliefs.
• Overcome obstacles.
• Build community.
• Contribute.
• Shine your light and radiate your beauty.

How to Tackle the “Summer Excuse-itis” Obstacle and Meet it Head On

How do you keep your energy high, your body fit, and your health intact and still enjoy vacations, travel, eating out and summer picnics?

It all starts with a commitment to — guess what — yourself!

Clearly visualize the “You” you’re ready step into.

Is she fit, strong, powerful, successful?

Does she move her body with ease, unencumbered by aches, pains, and physical ailments?

Does she fit attractively into her skinny jeans, slinky dresses, and – heaven forbid – her bathing suit?

Create a You-Collage!

It can be online or offline. You can use Google images to find those pictures that call to you, those that represent the you that you are committed to step into.

You can take a stack of magazines and cut out all the images that draw you in and cause you to say, “YES!”

It can be large or small.

One of my clients created a double sided collage.

On one side she had a picture of a fit woman, around her own age, running on the beach. She surrounded the image with photos of gorgeous produce – fruits, vegetables, greens.

On the opposite side she pasted a photo of a sickly looking woman, again around the same age. She was worn, overweight, and very unhappy. This picture my client surrounded by photos of — you guessed it — hot dogs, soft drinks, burgers and fries, along with pies and cookies and ice cream.

This served as a reminder of where she desired to be headed and where she desired to move away from, and the vehicles she could use to get to each.

Treat Each Day as its Own Memorable Journey!

I know this started out as a travel and picnic tips article, so bear with me, we will get there, I promise.

But first and foremost, in order to follow through on new behaviors, you need to be focused on the outcome and shift your beliefs and attitudes.

So once you are committed to the outcome, truly committed, the steps will be easy once I lay them out for you.

So here they are…

7 Summer Tips for High Energy Eating on Vacations, Travel, and Picnics

1. Always carry food with you when travelling or going to restaurants. For details about what to bring and how to pack for car trips and airplane travel, as well as when going to restaurants, listen to my blog talk radio show HERE and read my travel article here:
   
   https://drritamarie.com/wp-clone/materials/TravelingRaw.pdf
   
   
2. Ask for a refrigerator when on vacation or staying at a hotel on the road. Many of the national chains even have rooms with kitchenettes. Even the mini-bar refrigerators in many hotels can be used. I teach you how on the radio show. The article shows how to set up your room for food success.
   
   
3. Take your blender with you on car trips and consider a mini-blender like a Magic Bullet for airplane trips. I carried a mini-blender made by Tribest on my family reunion trip to Alaska about 6 years ago and it served me well. I made smoothies in cramped hotel rooms and cruise line suites as well as in tiny bathrooms. Have a smoothie or some veggies or fruit before you go out to take the edge off your appetite and keep you from caving in to the temptation of the warm bread.
   
   
4. Bring along some basic supplies and shop for fresh food when you arrive at your destination.
   
   Some of the basic equipment to bring along includes:
   
   – A blender
   – Thin chopping mats available at most stores
   – Baggies and/or small reusable plastic containers
   – Big thermos/bottle brush
   – Small ice chest
   – Fork/knife/spoon combo
   – Lemon juicer
   – Peeler
   
   The article contains a complete checklist of foods and equipment to bring. In our VITAL Community Resource Library there’s a power point presentation and presentations on travelling and restaurant eating that has even more detail.
   
   
5. Stop at the very best fast food place on the road — the grocery store. You can always fill up on fresh produce, avocados, nuts, and seeds.
   
   
6. Ask for what you want. Listen to the radio show for my story of how my family got gourmet meals at a remote Alaskan national park – just by calling in advance and making our needs and preferences known.
   
   
7. At picnics and family gatherings, bring a dish to share. Make it something you’d be willing to eat a lot of, in case it’s the only thing available to eat. Our Raw Food University Picnic and BBQ online course and recipe guide has lots of ideas including low-glycemic “potato” salad made with jicama that tastes like the real thing and “hotdogs” made with high energy ingredients like Irish moss and veggies. Enjoy summer favorites like:
   
   – Strawberry Shortcake
   – Coconut Whipped Cream
   – BBQ Burger
   – Burger and “Not Dog” Buns
   – Ketchup (Catsup)
   – Mustard
   – Mayonnaise
   – Cole Slaw
   – Onion Rings
   
   All recipes are made from 100% whole, nutrient-rich plant foods and taste exceptional! This class is on sale for the month of June!  Save $7 off and thrive this summer!
   

What Will You Pack This Summer?

The rewards for the extra effort are enormous.

Most people come back from vacation with extra packed-on weight and then need to work even harder just to get back to the pre-vacation weight and fitness level. Wouldn’t it be great to return from vacation slimmer, trimmer, and more energetic?

You can do it, Health-Seeker. I know you can.


Dr. Ritamarie’s Healthy Summer Travel Resources:

• “Healthy Travel Tips” Radio Show
• “Traveling: Tips for Maintaining a Raw Food Diet on the Road” Article
  
• VITAL Community Resource Library: “Green Tips for Travellers” Slide Presentation and Recording
  
• VITAL Community Resource Library: “Making Green Choices in Restaurants” Slide Presentation and Recording 
• Raw Food University Mouth-watering, Energy-enhancing BBQ and Picnic Class: Special Savings this June!
  

Once a month, you can join us LIVE in Austin, Texas for a local raw food potluck where you can:

• Meet like-minded people and make new friends.
• Learn new and exciting recipes.
• Gather valuable health and nutrition information.
• Feel supported on your health quest.

Click HERE to learn more about the event and find out all the details on what to bring and what to expect.

Upcoming Dates

(last Saturday of every month unless noted otherwise):

• Saturday, June 30th, 6:30 p.m. central
• Saturday, July 28th, 6:30 p.m. central
• Saturday, August 25th, 6:30 p.m. central
• Saturday, September 29th, 6:30 p.m. central
  

What our attendees have to say about recent potlucks:

• “I had a great time meeting new people and gained new knowledge and wisdom regarding blood sugars and the importance of a clean, whole food diet. The food tasted amazing and the display of all the dishes looked wonderful. Thank you to Dr. Ritamarie, her husband and all of the people who contributed to make this connection possible. What a great experience.”
  — Bridget
  
  
• “Incredible! The food was awesome. You won’t leave hungry. Lots of very interesting people. Ritamarie was a wonderful host. She shared some extremely helpful information on health restoration. I wish now I had brought three more people to hear this information. She was so gracious, answering questions and sharing her knowledge with wit and compassion.”
  — Yvetta Myers 

Watch a Video of a Dr. Ritamaire Potluck in Action!

Click HERE to join and follow this Meeting Group.

Dr. Ritamarie’s Vibrant Health Solutions Radio Show: combining experience, education, and practical advice to make healthful eating fun again! Click here to learn more.

Future Show Schedule:

• Thursday, June 14th – Dousing the Fire of Autoimmune Disease with Dr. Ritamarie Loscalzo and Dr. Tom O’Bryan
  
• Thursday, June 21st – Over 40, Fit and Fabulous! with Dr. Ritamarie Loscalzo and Revvell Ravati

You’ll find a wealth of free natural health resources when you visit our radio shows archive! Look for the most recent shows in the sidebar of the Vibrant Health Solutions Radio Show homepage.

Here are the latest shows we’ve added:

• Health Travel Tips with Dr. Ritamarie Loscalzo
  
• What Do YOU See When You Look in the Mirror? with Dr. Ritamarie Loscalzo and Laura Fenamore
  
• Cross-Contamination and Your Gluten Allergy with Dr. Ritamarie Loscalzo and Dawn Aubrey

Register for access to this free webinar recording and learn:

• My favorite tools and tricks for keeping your energy and enthusiasm high.
  
  
• Simple steps that allow you to tap into your unlimited potential.
  
  
• How to wake up from any dark illusions and obstacles that hold you back.
  
  
• How to live a contributing life that shines!!

Click HERE to access the free recording!

Barbeques, picnics, and family celebrations are all a part of summer!

Perhaps your desire for a bathing-suit-ready, fit, and healthy body will square off with your longing to fit in and hang on to the summer foods that sabotage your success.

When those competing desires start pulling and tugging, you just may cave unless you have a plan — and some super yummy recipes that allow you to have the best of both worlds!

Burgers, hotdogs and potato salad are sure fire ways to expand your mid-line, unless you use our Raw Food University belly trimming, energizing recipes.

Learn How to Make Healthy Versions of ALL the Summer Foods You LOVE:

• Burgers
• Hot Dogs
• Burger and hot dog buns
• No Potato “Potato” Salad
• Mineral Rich Cole Slaw
• Onion Rings
• Strawberry Shortcake

For the month of June, you can enjoy a summer special pricing when you order NOW!

Click HERE for Summer Savings and a Delicious Discount!

Are the foods you eat making you hungrier?

What’s the Solution to Hunger, Even After a Full Meal?

My friend, Trevor Justice, explains it all his fascinating new e-book: “The Secret To Being Fit Forever: What The Food Industry Prays You Never Discover”.

To download this free e-book, click here now:

https://drritamarie.com/wp-clone/go/FitForever

It also contains a tip sheet called “12 Steps to Becoming Fit Forever” and a nutrient density chart, revealing which foods have the best (and worst) ratios of nutrients to calories. And for a limited time, you can download it without charge.

To download it, click here now:

https://drritamarie.com/wp-clone/go/FitForever

If you want to put “The Secret To Being Fit Forever” strategies into place, then The Vegetarian Health Institute is offering a groundbreaking 90-day Naturally Fit Forever program for 30% off!

https://drritamarie.com/wp-clone/go/NaturallyFitForever

The comprehensive 3-part program includes:

1. Weekly menu plans, grocery lists, and delicious whole food recipes. (All gluten free, vegan, and nutritionally complete.)
   
   
2. Willpower Made Easy… weekly techniques for overcoming cravings, emotional eating, guilt, blame, and shame.
   
   
3. Fitness videos that give you a complete fat-burning, bone-strengthening workout in 30 minutes – using just a set of dumbbells.
   

30% Off Coupon:

Just promise to send the Institute honest feedback about this new program, and you can use the coupon code below to get 30% off:

TESTIMONIAL GIFT

Inspired by his nephew’s love of online games, Sergei Boutenko looked at 150 best-selling games for one that would be educational, cute, and fun.

When he didn’t find one, Sergei resolved to create such a game by himself. The idea of feeding different animals with green smoothie came quickly and in November The Raw Family created a team that included two programmers, an artist, and their family.

They worked with enthusiasm and six months later they created a game. It’s called the “Green Smoothie Game”. It is a completely positive, aesthetically beautiful, and highly educational game you can now enjoy!

The price is $1.99. The game is available on iPhones and iPads.

You may find more information Here.

Other Health Promoting Apps:

Green Smoothie App – The Raw Family

Prepare an array of delicious smoothies from whatever ingredients are at hand. Nutrition data is provided for each smoothie as well as every individual produce item. An identifying picture helps you recognize each smoothie ingredient. Nutritional highlights make it easy to find the foods that best suit one’s own health needs.

The price is $1.99. The app is available on iPhones and iPads.

You may find more information Here.


Wild Edibles App – Sergei Boutenko

Adding wild edibles to your diet will benefit your life in many ways! Wild edibles are packed with vitamins and minerals, they vastly expand your food choices, and give you the upper hand in wilderness survival. This Wild Edibles app is a quick way for people to learn how to identify healthy, edible plants, in a safe and easy manner.

Find more information Here.

Summer just got more exciting!  We’re giving our most popular program, the Green Smoothie Cleanse, a rejuvenating detox of its own.  It’s going to return revitalized and bursting with healing green health!

If you want to be among the first to see and be part of Dr. Ritamarie’s most popular and successful program, sign up here! 

As a bonus, you’ll instantly receive a free copy of my e-book, Blended Greens for Health and Longevity, and you’ll be offered any of our early incentive sign-up bonuses as we approach our release day (TBA) in July! 

Click HERE for your free Green Cleanse e-book!

Why not get started with the goodness of blended kale, broccoli sprouts, and sunflower greens – a mix  that’s guaranteed to boost your summer energy!

Kale Chipotle Soup

Ingredients:

• 4 cups kale leaves
• 1 cup broccoli sprouts
• 1 cup sunflower greens
• 1-inch piece ginger
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup walnut halves (or pecans, almonds, Brazil nuts or hemp seeds)
• 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast (optional)
• 1 pinch cayenne
• 1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder
• 1 pinch salt to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon kelp powder
• 1 avocado
• 3 cups water, or to desired consistency

Directions:

1. Put everything in blender and run until creamy and smooth. Add water for a thinner soup.
2. Serve “as is” or over finely minced raw vegetables or chopped steamed vegetables.