As I mentioned in my last blog, my sister and I are rotating week by week taking care of my mom after surgery, and before I left for my stint this week Caroline reminded me, “Mom likes to plan her days, so make sure you do that with her. I know you like to plan too, so it works out perfectly”.

I do like to plan! Those of you who signed up for my 7 Secrets to Getting Unstuck, know that I love scheduling (secret # 2), which is part of planning.

When I am out of town like I am now, it becomes especially important to plan or my nutrition starts to backslide. For some people, their exercise routine goes awry (read: disappears) when they are away from their routine at home, but our healthy habits can be easy to maintain if we plan ahead. We don’t have to gain weight just because we are traveling! Before I left for this trip, I figured out what gym I was going to work out in and I looked up the hours of the local health food store so I could buy the food I like as soon as I arrived. I packed staples like my vitamins and protein powder, and made sure I had workout clothes with me. For me, starting the day with the same breakfast (the acai bowl for which I gave the recipe in last month’s newsletter) and getting a work out in each morning sets me up for success. For you, it might be something different.

Each night, my mom and I discuss what we each need to do the next day, and we figure out how it can all get accomplished. I feel balanced and happy here and I am a better caretaker for it.