Hey Everyone,
Sorry it took so long to write this post. I was moving from Saint Louis, Missouri all the way back to Ventura, California and then had to unpack everything yesterday. The journey was long, boring, and kind of lonely but I wanted to challenge myself to make it the entire way without drinking soda or eating fast food. This is how I made it..
*disclaimer — I do make sure to do my research from reputable sources before I publish any information on my posts, HOWEVER, I am not a dietitian and do not claim to be. I am only writing my suggestions based off my research and what has worked for me.
So I set off with a plan to start the long trek on Monday morning and stop in Wichita, KS for the night to visit one of my best friends, Caycee and her husband Kyle. The next morning I left Wichita and set forth to California in one straight shot. The end result was a very tired and semi delirious Ryan that was very ready for a bed.
**WARNING: I AM IN NO WAY ADVOCATING DRIVING WHILE TIRED AND WOULD NEVER SUGGEST THAT SOMEONE DRIVE THAT FAR WITHOUT RESTING**
Prep Work:
- 1 bundle of bananas
- 2 packs of trail mix
- 1 jar of peanut butter
- 1 bag of rice cakes
- 4 cooked chicken breasts
Day 1:
The drive to Wichita was nothing special and really took no extra planning. I stuck with water mixed with energy mixers. I have tried multiple brands like Crystal Light, However, I have actually found that I liked the Walmart brand, Great Value, the best. At 120mg of caffeine a serving and zero sugar, it is definitely a nice change from just plain water and gives you a nice burst of energy without the crash.
Before I left the house to go to Wichita I had some eggs and a protein shake so I never got very hungry on the road. I did have a banana and a scoop of peanut butter around the halfway mark. Remember that not all sugars are the same. The sugar you get from candy and the sugar you get from fruit are different. The sugar you get from fruit take longer to metabolize than processed sugars from candy. The protein in peanut butter is great for long lasting form of energy.
Day 2:
I woke up at 5:45 AM and got on the road at 6 AM. I started off with a banana, 2 rice cakes with Peanut Butter and a protein shake to get the day going. I continued to drink a lot of water with the energy shots in them throughout the day to keep going. In between my breakfast and my lunch I never got to hungry, However, I did keep a bag of trail mix right next to me to snack on. The nuts will give you a good mix of fat and protein for slow sustaining energy. Just remember not to have to many at once. Too many carbs can cause a drop low blood sugar.
Right around 8 hours into the trip I decided to break out the cooked chicken breasts and eat two of them for a meal. I had another banana and a protein shake to go along with 2 out of 4 of the cooked chicken breasts. It was no amazing feast but it was also more satisfying to the challenge than breaking down and having a greasy burger.
For the sake of not repeating myself, the next 8 hour block was pretty much the first 8 hour block…on repeat. I think even the scenery was the same. Lots of flat land, straight roads and the occasional sign of society.
On my last leg of the road I did semi break the “no soda” rule. I stopped off and picked up some of the Rockstar Pure Zero Energy Drinks. They are a great substitute for soda if you really need to feed that urge. These have Zero Sugar, Zero Calories and Zero Carbs which will help with the you avoid the drastic sugar rush and sugar crash from regular soda. Give them a try…
After 24 hours of driving on day 2 I finally made it to my home in Ventura, California and went straight into a comatose state that did not last nearly as long as I wish it would of.
A few last things I wanted to address regarding this topic…
- Road trips are boring. Try and keep your mind occupied and do not eat just because you are bored.
- These same principles would be great to apply to people that are stuck in offices for a lot of their days.
- Preparation is key. Pack healthy snacks, lots of water bottles, and plan your route.
That is all I have for now. I thank you all for reading again and look forward to the feedback.
Until next time…
-Ryan
Here are a couple pics from the journey…
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