Weekend in Bethesda and DC

This weekend I went down to Bethesda and Washington DC to spend some time with my husband. I did not know how much I would get to see him because his schedule can be crazy, but we actually were able to spend some quality time together—Woohoo! 

I missed this guy!

Another motivation for this trip down to Bethesda, is the fact that there is a high possibility that we will be spending the next 5+ years here. The Naval hospital has an ideal pediatric neurology position for him...so chances are we will most likely be there. Last year I had an awful first experience in Bethesda, thus the mission of this weekend was to fall in love with the city. 

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Mission: Accomplished.

We had an awesome weekend. Bethesda is super cute and has an amazingly active community. They have tons of farmer’s markets, walking/running paths, and a great overall vibe! That part of the trip went well.

I also loved Washington DC. The last time I was there was my 8^th grade class trip, so this was an incredibly awesome experience. DC is a wonderful town!

 We stayed at the Fairmont DC. 

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It was perfection.  It smelled like a spa. They served you lemon-infused water upon check-in and the room was spectacular. 

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Chase and I grabbed dinner, where he proceeded to take poorly-timed pictures of me. Awkward.  

After a lovely meal we walked several blocks down to the White House. How cool is that?! 

While I did not feel like we did a lot of walking, by the end of the day we had racked up 9 miles—WOW! I could get used to walking-friendly city living!

When we woke up this morning we went on a run to the Lincoln Memorial. It was so much fun. Also, I am one of those crazy people who LOVE running stairs, so running up those steps was amazing!

The problem with this trip was that I had a hard time eating 100% paleo. While I fully embrace the whole 80/20 perspective, my stomach really does not. I felt lousy this weekend. 

I dipped into the bread basket, and I paid for it big time.

We had several meals with some of Chase’s new friends, and I suddenly felt a great deal of pressure to “fit in” with their food choices. When they wanted to share dessert, or passed me the bread basket I instantly morphed into a shy and insecure middle schooler willing to do anything to “go with the flow.” What the heck? I was so frustrated with myself when I was doubled over in pain. I am an ADULT. I can choose to eat and not eat whatever I want. 

And then, when my stomach was dying, I suddenly became overcome with a terrible shadow from my past, the "I already fell of the bandwagon, nothing else matters now" attitude. Don't get me wrong. I enjoyed my frosting shot from Sprinkles Cupcakery.

Sadly, deliciousness is temporary; a spastic colon is forever. I paid dearly for this mistake. 

While I am now back on the saddle again, I am still paying for my dietary indiscretions. It seems like the farther I get into paleo (and the better I feel), the worse my body feels when I have a gluten/dairy interaction. I am headed home to Kentucky at the end of the week, and I am already trying to mentally prepare to bring my Paleo A-game! 

Any advice on how to stay the course with tricky dietary preferences? Do you ever feel food peer-pressure around friends?

Paleo Eating on Vacation Part I

This is my first vacation as a Paleo eater and it is going well. At first I was a bit stressed out because I am a perfectionist and SUPER type A, so I always want to obey rules. However, I am learning that life is all about balance and flexibility. I keep hearing the words of Sarah Fragoso (author of Everyday Paleo), echoing the importance of 80/20. I can eat solid Paleo food 80% of the time, but sometimes this is not possible or preferable--enter the important 20%. Vacation is definitely a time where 20% is going to come into play.


For example, my eats yesterday were pretty solid. I tried to choose Paleo options as best as I could. Two things I really recommend is to 1) Try to have access to a fridge/kitchenette and bring your own food and/or 2) Seek out Whole Foods! I did both yesterday!

For breakfast, we found Whole Foods mecca on our way through Bethesda. Not only was I able to FINALLY find coconut butter (YAY), I was also able to score some yummy paleo eats at the hot bar.
Here is my Paleo breakfast/brunch:

This meal plus a banana kept me satiated for a good long time.

I also made sure to pack Paleo snacks so I had an apple and some almonds later in the day.

For dinner, we went to one of our favorite places in Williamsburg, The Blue Talon Bistro. It was actually fairly easy to order Paleo here.

I was starving for some veggies, so I ordered a side of broccoli (steamed with a bit of butter--no big deal), and the asparagus salad (hold the cheese and croutons). The vinaigrette was simple oil and sherry vinegar. This meal was PERFECTION. It seriously hit the spot.

For any non-Paleo eaters, you can see the splendid dividing line between Paleo and SAD (Standard Americen Diet). Chase, my husband, ALWAYS orders "The Burger."

This entails a GIANT hamburger complete with cheddar cheese, bacon, a fried egg on a giant brioche bun. He always orders the burger "Without the salad." AKA do not give me the Lettuce, Tomato, or Onion. Tonight he also ordered the Macaroni and Cheese on the side--decadence at its highest heights.

(Chase is not throwing gang signs; this trip is a late celebration of our 4 year anniversary).


So where did the 20% come in--Yesterday I met some old college friends at a cafe for iced tea and biscotti. I enjoyed every bite of that little biscotti and reminisced with friends. This was our tradition and there was no way I was going to deprive myself of this moment!

Later, I also enjoyed a small cup of FroYo. It was delicious and refreshing and an important memory. This is vacation--time to live a little. Happily, my stomach did A-ok with the tiny dose of dairy.

Today, I have started the day with a banana and almond butter and a dash of coconut butter. It will be perfect Paleo fuel for my run this morning. As for the rest of the day, I am not sure, but I feel confident that I can enjoy the day to the fullest.

What are some of your vacation tips? Do you get stressed out about maintaining your eating style? Are you an 80/20 eater?