Busy Army Wife- Stayin' Fit on the Road

It's time to PCS (permanent change of station) again!  Our movers arrived this morning at 9:00am-"ish".  I left Shane home to deal with the boxes while I took the twins with me to the gym!  Ahhh.... such a nice change.  Last summer (when we moved to the DC area from KY) I had to do EVERYTHING on my own!  You better believe this summer I'm taking full advantage of my husband's presence.

I'm very excited about being featured on a fitness blog this June or July (I will announce it when all of the details become finalized), but I'm also NERVOUS about submitting current photos after a stressful and time-consuming move to another state.  Exercising always takes a back seat to setting up your new home, registering kiddos for school, locating and signing up with a new gym facility, etc. etc. etc.  And,,, it is always more challenging to eat an ideal diet while being denied access to a full kitchen stocked with healthy basics. 

My diet and exercise program isn't going to be perfect over the next few weeks, but I don't want to derail my good habits.  Here is my game plan to stay in shape while I transition to life in North Carolina:  I hope you can use these tips the next time you travel!

1.  Fit in workouts whenever feasible.  It is so easy to dismiss workouts because you don't have time.  I am going to make time.  If I have to set my alarm for 5am to get in a workout in the hotel gym
while Shane and the Bs sleep,,,, then I will!  When I arrive in NC, I will give myself permission to train for my goals.  Life is about balance.  The children need exercise too.  No matter how tired I may feel, I must take them to the park, or to the pool, or on early evening nature walks, or all three!  The house doesn't have to be set up in a day.

2.  Stock up on protein powder.  I post protein powder recipes on my FB page Cave Princess and blog all of the time.  I prepped, baked and froze many protein pancakes, protein bars and protein muffins to sustain me during this transitional phase.  I made sure to set aside multiple coolers and ice packs to use while hopping from refrigerator to refrigerator.  The powders I use are all natural and chemical free, so I feel comfortable giving the children these same snacks.

3.  Protein shakes are also easily mixed while on the road.  In a pinch  all you need is powder and water.  My new favorite powders are SunWarrior (vegan) and Tera's Whey (organic whey protein from a small Wisconsin farm).  My favorite flavor so far is the Bourbon Vanilla,,,, but the Fair Trade Dark Chocolate is pretty darn good too!  You can find Tera's Whey in health food stores, but I also know amazon.com carries it as well.  Tera's Whey mixes well, tastes good but more importantly...  in their own words....


all of our products, whether they be rBGH-free, organic, or goat, are made from:

• fresh whey sourced from the heartland of Wisconsin - direct from the small, artisan cheese makers.
• natural flavors that we selected for their taste and healthful functionality - high antioxidant superfruits, real fair trade dark cocoa, and real natural vanilla.
• low glycemic index stevia or an unsweetened, plain option.

unique products. we were the first manufacturing plant in the U.S. to concentrate organic cow and hormone-free goat proteins:

• organic whey: offers an alternative to conventional products for people who are concerned about chemicals in their environment and bodies.
• goat whey: contains the same high level of protein as our cow whey proteins and is a valuable alternative for people who cannot tolerate cow dairy products.
• rBGH-free (hormone-free) whey: provides a source-identified, hormone-free protein concentrate option.

4.  Stock up on tuna fish.  One of my favorite things to eat for lunch is tuna packed in olive oil, German mustard (brown mustard), and a handful of chopped walnuts (super brain food).  I use various cut up veggies as my utensils or I like to grab a big collard green leaf and roll the tuna inside.  This week my knives have been packed, so people have enjoyed watching me eat my tuna with a whole cucumber....

5.  Turn sandwiches into salads.  When dining on the road just ask if you can put the sandwich ingredients on a bed of greens!  You won't even require dressing.  I do it all of the time with happy compliance from most restaurants!  Not ideal.... but in times of need even Subway offers salad options. 

6.  I'm not a huge fan of protein bars.  Most taste like chemicals to me (probably because most are loaded with crazy additives and harmful sugar substitutes).  In a pinch, however, I have been known to eat Think Thin bars, Lara Bars and Luna Bars.  The "Chocolate Covered Nuts" Think Thin bars taste good and are low in carbs....and the "Lemon" Luna Bars are actually DELICIOUS.  I try to eat grain free, dairy free all natural foods that I have created, but these protein bars might help out when you just need a quick fix.


I hope these strategies keep me fit and healthy the next few weeks!!!


Here is my favorite protein pancake recipe I've been eating this week! I'm sitting here thinking about warming up another!

2 scoops Tera's Whey Bourbon Vanilla protein powder
1/4 cup egg whites
1/2 mashed banana
1/8-1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 T chia seeds
1/4 tsp pure almond extract
Stevia to taste (I find with the banana I don't need any Stevia)

Mix everything up in a little bowl, and make yourself one big healthy and delicious pancake!  Top with chia seed jam.  You can find the link to that recipe on my Facebook page Cave Princess.  Thanks for visiting me!