Prior to the start of my health & fitness journey, food largely defined my vacation. Flying? M&Ms in hand for the flight. Driving? Fast food. Duh! Hotel stay? Hamburgers & French fries. Fast forward to today’s lifestyle. In terms of my fitness and nutrition, vacation now means discovering new healthy foods and seeing what kind of treadmill nature will provide. I find these discoveries very exciting!!!

Here is what change over the course of 3 years looks like

This past week, I attended my husband’s annual conference with him in Newport Beach, California. It was great catching up with friends, many of whom I only see once a year. We loved exploring new restaurants, coffee shops and SoCal culture!!!

The first morning at the Resort at Pelican Hill, I ventured out and enjoyed a breakfast bowl which contained organic brown rice, black beans, cherry tomatoes, harissa, black kale and 2 fried eggs. It was nutritious and delicious.

Another breakfast favorite enjoyed at the resort was the Huevos Rancheros. This was a dish of black beans, ranchero sauce, cotija cheese, fried egg, avocado and cilantro.

While my husband was attending meetings, I treated myself to room service for lunch one day and tried the Quinoa Salad wrap with a side of berries. The wrap contained baby kale, cucumber, red onion, avocado, blueberry with citrus dressing. Delicious!!! 3+ years ago, room service would have consisted of a huge pancake breakfast in bed so I could fall over into a carb coma afterwards or hamburgers & french fries for lunch. I’d say this option tastes SO much better!!!

My husband and I went to the highly recommended Beachcomber at Crystal Cove. The avocado toast was recommended, so of course I ordered it, along with bacon!!! Beachcombers is definitely a must if you are in the area. Not only is their food fresh and delicious, they have great service, relaxing environment and you can’t meet the beach view!!!

http://www.thebeachcombercafe.com/_crystalcove/index.aspx

Being a huge “Beaches” fan, we were excited to learn that parts of the movie were filmed next to the Beachcombers Café. We had fun hanging out at the beach house with a local.

Nick’s Laguna Beach was also highly recommended. The area was beautiful and the atmosphere cozy. We tried their “Nick’s original” Bacon Deviled Eggs. Oh my!!! It sure was a treat and after one bite it is obvious why it is a favorite. We shared the California salad which had baby kale, roasted almonds, strawberries, california dates, avocado, goat cheese, green onion, with a champagne vinaigrette. FRESH & DELICIOUS!!! I cannot rave enough about Nick’s. We had their fish as our main course and it was perfection.

http://nicksrestaurants.com/nicks-laguna-beach/

One of the many highlights of our trip was riding electric bikes from our resort to Balboa Island. Don’t let the word “electric” fool you. Yes, it does make hills much easier, however, pedaling is still required.  I have to admit, I was a bit reluctant and intimidated initially, but once I adjusted to operating the bike, it was FUN!!! We rode the ferry across to Balboa Island, rode the bikes along the beach, rode the ferris wheel and treated ourselves to the infamous “Original Frozen Banana”. YUMMY!!!

https://sugarnspicebalboaisland.com

 

My husband’s company was fortunate enough to have Diana Nyad speak at the convention about her book, Find A Way. She was very inspirational and motivating. She spoke of how you’re never too old to live your dreams. At the age of 60, yes 60, she was determined to complete her biggest challenge of swimming from Havana, Cuba to Key West, Florida – over 110 miles. She successfully reached her goal on her 5^th attempt at the age of 64. WOW!!! Diana is a picture of determination, perseverance, grit, strength, courage, and so much more. I have so much respect for her and it was truly an honor to meet her. I was also excited to learn about and join her Ever Walk. See link below

https://www.npr.org/2015/05/31/410855681/from-cuba-to-florida-diana-nyads-final-attempt-at-a-record-breaking-swim

http://everwalk.com

And if you are still reading this(!), the biggest highlight was meeting Keith Morrison. He was very friendly and graciously allowed us to take a picture with him.

I’m still amazed at how much change has happened over the years with my nutrition and fitness. I had an amazing vacation while enjoying and trying new healthy foods, staying active and stepping out of my comfort zone in personal growth. I continue to practice balance & moderation while remaining open to other ways to better my life. I hope that through my experience, I have encouraged you to do the same.

Imagine with all your mind ~ Believe with all your heart ~ Achieve with all your might

Lisa