Traveling with an Unwanted Travel Companion

I love the word "wanderlust".  It's the perfect word to describe my insashable cravings to travel and see new places. If money grew on trees I would go some place new every month. I'm talking serious around the world travel here folks!  My list of places I dream of visiting is too long to even list!  And I can't pick my top ten places I want to visit because I could not even began to narrow my list down.  I want to see it ALL!

Traveling isn't always easy. You have language barriers, jet lag, lost luggage, forgotten necessary items, and other travel challenges. However these can be easily remedied and most well traveled folks learn to deal with these inconvienances.

However, there is one travel problem that's a little harder to fix and deal with...bringing ED (eating disorder) with you when you travel.

Because most travel involves being gone a day or more, you have to eat. In the past before ED took charge, I actually enjoyed eating new things and the lazy attitude of giving up control of food to whatever and whenever.  Now, despite working to recover, I struggle with lots of anxiety and guilt around food.  This is even more difficult when travels lead us to staying with friends and family at their homes.

These feeling aren't exclusive to travel...they also pop up at social gatherings, large dinner parties, and sometimes even lunch with a friend. But with travel, it is 24 hours a day for days and days. It honestly gets exhausting.  When ED had control, I had a pretty short list of "safe" foods.  Although I worked with a nutritionist for a short time on expanding my menu, I still have some food hang ups. I still like very specific foods at certain meals. I try to avoid sugar desserts.  I'm a bit obsessed with protein consumption.  I only like specific between meal "snacks"...when I eat a snack.  Partly I think these rigid food ideas give me comfort because I do like things to be the same. I am perfectly happy eating Greek yogurt with pumpkin seed flax granola every morning!  But, I know there will be times I can not eat that and I have to accept that and not let it bother me. Sometimes, that's easier said than done.

So, when I win a billion dollars from a lottery I never play, I guess I will just give up my list of places I want to go visit. It's too hard with ED as a travel companion.  Hello?  I'm not giving up my travel dreams!  Even though it will be challenging and sometimes vey hard, I will just have to deal with it.  Besides, I've had wanderlust much longer than ED. He can stay home! I just won't be buying ED a ticket!