Iowa II - The Quest for Fruit

More on the Iowa trip...

I have to say that driving long distances is bad for healthy eating. I must do better to prepare next time. It seems that most convenient stores, if not all of them, do not carry fresh fruit. So, on the way to IA, after I ran out of bananas, when we stopped I bought a chocolate bar to snack on along with some bottled water. It was good to eat chocolate. However, soon I started craving something salty to offset the sweet of the candy. So, we stopped again and I got myself a can of Pringles, the lowfat kind, now made with olean...which I do NOT like! So, after eating some of those chips and the chocolate bar, I started really not feeling well. It wasn't as though I was nauseated or anything, I just was feeling "ick".

I started desiring to eat something "hearty" and got my mind set on eating at Rube's Steakhouse, where the steaks are fresh. Cut off the cow, put in the fridge, there for me to put on the grill to cook myself, and then eat! YUM! Tennessee needs some steak places like that! So, when Katie and I arrived and said hello to Deleana, we quickly decided to head to Rube's. Friday night would really be my only chance because they aren't open on Sunday, Saturday was the wedding, and who knows what might come up and I didn't want to miss the chance to eat there. It was delicious! At least I thought so, Katie wasn't impressed with the steaks, but they are the best I've ever had. I guess we all have different tastes. She did enjoy the grill your own steak idea though! If you ever get out that way in IA, you really should check out Rube's!

So, all weekend we ate fairly decent meals, then on the way home, when we stopped overnight in Warrenton, MO, I had a bag of M&Ms and some Cheeze-Its. Ugh. I couldn't even finish the Cheeze-Its. My body really has adjusted to eating much healthier food, so they next day when I awakened, I was craving fresh fruits and vegetables! I have NEVER worried about what I put into my body, until this year, 2005, when I committed to eating healthier. I really have started feeling better and a bit more energetic since eating all the fruits and vegetables that I want. So, when we went to Denny's for breakfast, I actually ordered grapes in a fruit cup! My mom is probably very impressed! I ordered some toast and a couple of eggs, but thoroughly enjoyed my grapes! They were delicious!

Katie and I then hit the road and passed through St. Louis. We stopped about an hour or so into our drive to fill the gas tank and tried to find some fresh fruit to eat. Again, gas stations are not known for their aisles and aisles of fresh produce, so after filling up we opted to continue on down the interstate looking for a place we could buy fruit. We drove quite awhile on past St. Louis and finally found Exit 96...now that place is happening! Walmart! Supercenter! Food Center! YES! So we went in a raided the apples, carrots and fresh fruit bowls. It was a fruit frenzy! Oh, it was sooooooooooooo refreshing! We ate apples, grapes, pineapple, orange, and Katie especially enjoyed some melon. We bought enough to get us the entire five hours to home, and all I have left is one apple and a bit of the fruit frenzy bowl.

After I dropped the kids off at school this morning, I hit up Kroger and bought more! God really has done a miracle here! I'm addicted to fresh fruit! Matter of fact I just finished my pineapple cup!

The secret to my healthy eating is this, I always remember the words Katie spoke to me "you can eat all the fruits and vegetables you want." I never go hungry, and in fact, I feel full most of the time. I like eating healthy! My mom is going to flip out!

So, the lesson learned here is to pack more fruits and vegetables for the road when traveling.