This blog post was inspired by an event I attended in partnership with mindbodygreen and Naked Juice.

I just got back late Sunday night from mindbodygreen’s fifth annual revitalize conference, and I feel like I’m still processing what a great experience it was. I was doing 1:1 nutrition sessions and also attended a bunch of great workshops and classes. It was wonderful to meet so many different people and to hear their stories and learn about what they do. Going to  events is also great because it gives me a sense of what people are interested in and what their struggles are so that I can get a better understanding of what problems I can help solve.

My sessions where sponsored by Naked Juice, which just released a line of chilled fruit, nut, and veggie bars. You guys know I’m picky about who I’ll work with and what products I recommend, so I really appreciated that these actually are made with real-food ingredients (including actual vegetables). I’m all about helping people simplify their wellness routine, so I love finding new ways to sneak extra veggies in. I wouldn’t say a bar is a substitute for a balanced meal (physically or mentally), but when you’re on the go and need to get creative or refuel fast, it’s good to have options that support your goals

Photo courtesy of mindbodygreen

The event took place at the Ritz-Carlton Dove Mountain hotel in Marana, Arizona. All day there were lectures, workshops, and exercise classes. The food was also amazing—lots of fresh ingredients, with an emphasis on organic and sustainable options. Meals were served family style, and there was a great balance of casual “sit wherever”-ness at breakfast and lunch and thoughtfully assigned seating at dinner. There was also an abundance of delicious teas from Pukka, Kevita kombucha, freshly made smoothies, bottled beverages, and even wine (Dry Farm Wines was on hand sharing and discussing their products) plus lots of snacks.

For this week’s What I Ate Wednesday post, I’m sharing a look at what I ate over the weekend. I haven’t done a long WIAW post like this in a while, so why not? I think it’s good to show that dietitians are not perfect #cleaneating creatures and that it is possible to enjoy things like wine and bacon (or whatever your personal non-negotiables are) in the context of an overall healthy diet.

Because of travel and being jet lagged, I found myself needing to break meals into smaller parts to keep my energy up over the weekend. Sometimes I see clients get wigged out when they travel because they’re hungrier than normal or find they need to change up their mealtimes, but going with it and planning ahead can help dial down the drama.

Friday was a travel day, which meant I started at 3:30 a.m. NYC time and didn’t ent up going to bed close to 11 pm, Arizona time. Definitely needed to step out of my usual routine to keep going.

• Pre-airport snack: Plain yogurt with cocoa powder ; coffee ; Amazing Grass Green Superfood Powder
• Breakfast: an egg white and vegetable omelet ; iced coffee
• Plane snack: cherry tomatoes ; about half of a very sad Greek salad ; collagen powder stirred into coffee
• Lunch: A salad with salmon, avocado, pickled red onion, broccoli and cauliflower; apple cider vinaigrette ; kombucha to drink
• Dinner: 2 glasses of cava rose between Happy Hour and dinner ; pickled veggies, shaved Brussels sprouts salad, chicken, fish, veggies—I was so tired I could barely read the signs to remind myself what they were. I didn’t even make it through dessert. I just had to go faceplant into bed.
• Bedtime Snack: A banana and a packet of Natural Vitality Natural Calm in hot water.

Saturday was a full day with lectures (here’s a great recap from mbg, and I was also really into what Sunrise co-founders Dave Morin and Rebecca Brachman, PhD about depression) and a couple workout classes (a yoga-dance fusion class led by Zoe Welch, and later, LEKFit led by founder Lauren Kleban) and an amazing sound bath led by Sara Auster. I also had lots of fun conversations with people I met throughout the day. Lots of delicious food again.

• Breakfast: greens powder and then a bit later, an omelet with a side of grilled tomato and mashed avocado and a piece of grass-fed bacon. . I did a yoga fusion class that turned into a dance party (that apparently was live-streamed online—oh dear) then attended morning lectures.
• Snack: Crispy chickpea snacks I’d brought from home (not pictured)
• Lunch was sponsored by Applegate Farm and featured delicious organic, grass-fed, and non-GMO meat plus an array of beautiful veggies—including a kick-ass buffalo cauliflower.
• Dinner: I was so engaged in conversation with the people at my table I forgot to take photos beyond appetizers, but we had a lovely salad with baby kale, avocado, and strawberry, and then the main course there were yellow and green beans, mashed sweet potato, fish, and steak. The desserts looked beautiful but I wasn’t able to try them because of my allergies. Good thing there was chocolate waiting for me in my room!

Sunday was another travel day. I was up way too early because of jet lag so I walked on the treadmill at the hotel gym while I checked emails and killed time before breakfast. I was able to enjoy a leisurely meal before heading to an amazing 7 am meditation led by Light Watkins. I had more nutrition sessions from 9-11 before it was time to get ready to go to the airport and back to NYC. I almost didn’t want to come home! I was so thankful for a smooth trip back—it felt like the perfect little blessing to end a beautiful weekend.

• Breakfast:  Greens powder again and then I enjoyed another delicious breakfast outside (this time with kale instead of bacon), looking out at the mountain. At first it was just me and my journal, but some of the other speakers and other attendees came and sat with me.
• Snack: Crispy Chickpeas (not pictured)
• Lunch:  After my morning counseling sessions wrapped up, I stopped by the pool party to grab some food to take to my room so I could eat lunch while I finished packing to leave. I had an Applegate Farm turkey burger with greens, lots of crudités, and avocado, plus a ton of pickled red onion and pico de gallo. I also had a orange for dessert.
• “Dinner”: My plane left at 3:30, Arizona time, which meant it was scheduled to land around 11 pm, NYC time. Sometimes I pack or buy dinner to bring on the plane, but this time I ate what snacks I could cobble together. Having front-loaded my day with greens, protein, and healthy fats, I wasn’t ravenous, and was able to get through with jerky, beet chips, a banana, and some crunchy roasted chickpeas.
• Bedtime Snack: Plain Greek yogurt with frozen berries

Um, wow. Long-ass post. Thanks for sticking with me!

What are some of your favorite things to eat when you’re traveling? 

To see more WIAW, check out founder Jenn’s blog Peas & Crayons or visit host Laura‘s blog.

Disclosure: This blog post was inspired by an event I attended in partnership with mindbodygreen and Naked Juice.

***This post may include Amazon affiliate links