Sunday, October 10, 2010

Weight Gain doesn't have to be a Souvenir

So, I have one post left from Disney, and I'm sorry I forgot to throw it in with the others. I wanted to talk about the food a bit. I try to keep this blog from being all food and exercise, but eating is one of my passions so I can't help but mention it. Humor me, please. 

I know I read that Mama Pea went to Disney Land and had no problem whatsoever finding good vegan food to eat, but I'm sorry to say Robert and I didn't have as simple an experience (and we are only pescatarian). Now, the food was amazing and we didn't go hungry, but seeking out healthy meat-free options wasn't exactly a cinch unless we wanted to eat cheese pizza for every meal. I was also nervous about gaining weight while down there. Usually vacations spur a breakdown in my normal eating routine which leads to gastrointestinal issues, tight pants, and regret. I wasn't going to let that happen this time, and I actually managed to come home about a half a pound lighter than when I left. Essentially maintaining, but considering I was eating dessert on a regular basis and not running, I think that's pretty good. So here is a brief look into our experience with the Disney Dining Plan. 

We each got two meals and one snack per day. A meal included two drinks and an entree at breakfast; or one drink, one entree, and one dessert at dinner or lunch. A snack was anything you wanted in the park- drink, ice cream, popcorn, fruit, chocolate croissant... you get me. 

There are two different types of meals at Disney- table service and counter service. This is an example of the table service meal we got at Mama Melrose in Hollywood Studios. This was for all intents and purposes our first real meal at Disney, and we started off on the right foot by sharing/not cleaning our plates. I ate all the fish and most of the veggies for example, but I left a third of the orzo and half of the dessert. 

This was a typical breakfast and counter service meal. Lots of water and going easy on the sodas was helpful, although I had to use a snack credit for that fruit cup. Wasn't happy about that. A Mickey-shaped waffle and bacon is not a good breakfast, dear Disney. I should at least be able to sub the meat out for something! (An issue we ran into frequently. Can a girl get an apple around here without paying extra?)

The table service meals were a bit more accommodating. This was the pasta dish we got at the Whispering Canyon Cafe. There were absolutely no vegetarian options on the menu, but the chef was more than happy to make us some pasta with veggies. It was delish! (A good example of Disney redeeming themselves.)

Here was one of our snacks. Typically we got a bottle of water with one credit and a snack to split with the other. This was a Dole Whip Pineapple float- pineapple ice cream in pineapple juice. Very yummy, and Momma was obsessed with these. 

S'mores cheesecake... *Drool* Oh dear. The dessert alone could derail you at this place! But then again, it's not something you want to miss out on either. This was phenomenal! Robert and I made sure to share (with each other only, everybody else was sick), and just decided to enjoy ourselves! I walked a lot, and as long as I didn't leave the table stuffed I didn't think I had done too much damage. 

For our counter service meals, Robert and I tried to split the entire meal depending on how hungry we were. The portions were huge! So this is what my plate ended up looking like most of the time. Such a waste, so splitting was a good idea unless we were starving, as you shall see below. 

Quick reminder- we walked a lot. A Mickey waffle only goes so far, so sometimes a meal like this...

Ended up like this. Gotta listen to your body right? :)

And a final lesson- don't leave your coffee mug near a 10 month old. It's a bad idea. 

So to sum it up- 1. Split your meals when practical. 2. Leave a little on your plate. 3. Walk a lot. 4. Enjoy yourself and don't stress. 5. Keep liquids away from infants. That is all!

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