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Philadelphia Here I Come

#1

SunshineCA , 07-15-2009 02:40 PM

Happy Hump Day everyone!

I'm going on a business trip in a few weeks to Philadelphia (Downtown). I will be there for about 10-12 days. Most of my time will be business but there will be free days for fun.

I will be on Phase 2 by then so that makes it much easier for me. I'll have more food options and flexibility. However, I'm staying in a hotel and will not have the luxuries of home to effectively plan and prepare my own meals. A friend of mine said the hotel will provide a small refrigerator upon request. That will help me somewhat but will still be limited to how much I can store.

I've already told my friends and colleagues that I'm not going to overindulge as I did the last time we did this type of trip 2 years ago. Before, I ate at restaurants all day, ate unhealthy snacks and had way too many Starbucks specialty drinks and delights. I lost a great deal of weight before the trip and gained a lot of it back.

My restaurant plan so far is to order from the appetizer menu, split an entree, eat salads, no sodas and no desserts. I will stock up on what fresh fruit and veggies I can for snacks, etc. I will also purchase a case of water to keep handy in my room.

Please share any ideas, tips or advice you may have to help me stay on plan. If you're from Philly or know the area well, please let me know where to visit, eat, shop, etc.

Thanks in advance for your time and suggestions.

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#2

Pnut Butter , 07-15-2009 03:40 PM

Sunshine, i am about an hour outside of philly and am in love with the city! if you wanna shop, try south street but don't just stick to the main roads, there's awesome thirft stores and jewelry stores down the side streets. try visiting the eastern state penitentary, they do day tours (i went for halloween-REALLY scary) and it's where Al Capone stayed. Now for the hard part, eating. Philly is known for cheesesteaks with the #1 killer-bread. They have a few japanese based restaurants on the strip if you like sushi, stick with something with seaweed instead of rice. But mainly, stick to south street. It's such a lively area of town, with tons to do and see! Good Luck! Enjoy the city, very beautiful place..mostly.

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#3

SunshineCA , 07-15-2009 03:54 PM

Sounds great!

The hotel is on Market Street. How close am I to South Street? I love sushi, by the way. Asian cuisine is my fav!

The penitentiary sounds like fun. I love stuff like that. I also want to do the haunted tours.

I know I'm going to end up somewhere for a Philly Cheesesteak. 1 of my friends has already included this on our itinerary. I'll have to find my own multigrain or whole grain bread.

Thanks so much for the tips.

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#4

Pnut Butter , 07-15-2009 04:12 PM

not totally sure how far you are exactly from south street. if you need to eat the cheesesteak just do so without the bread, that way its only borderline-cheating (something i love). be sure to check out the city though, i can't stress it enough. i'm from a small town so philly is such a rush. enjoy sunshine! let me know how it goes

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#5

SunshineCA , 07-16-2009 01:20 AM

Thank you! I will have a blast! A good and staying-on-plan blast!!!

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#6

SunshineCA , 07-17-2009 02:07 AM

No more SBD tips while on vacation? No more Philly people?

I will also take my laptop. That way I can stay connected to 3FC. I'll check in as often as possible to keep me honest and accountable.

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#7

Lexxiss , 07-17-2009 04:22 AM

Keeping in touch was going to be my suggestion. You'll have a great trip and planning ahead is the key.

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#8

Jessers , 07-17-2009 05:54 PM

My first trip after starting the SBD was to Philadelphia, too! I had a great time, it's really an awesome city. I was only there for a few days, so I don't have a lot of advice about where specifically to go (I was with a couple of friends who were real planners, and tended to just follow them around).

I think your eating strategies sound awesome, and that you'll do great! I found it helpful to bring some food with me to keep in the room in case I got hungry at non-meal times. I brought with me some South Beach protein bars (I know other people on this board have had trouble with the protein bars causing cravings, but that hasn't been the case with me; I just find them super handy), low-fat string cheese, nuts, apples, and a jar of natural peanut butter. Apples and peanut butter have been a lifesaver for me.

Good luck, you'll do great!

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#9

SunshineCA , 07-17-2009 06:00 PM

Quote:
Originally Posted by Lexxiss
Keeping in touch was going to be my suggestion. You'll have a great trip and planning ahead is the key.
Thanks!

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#10

cottagebythesea , 07-17-2009 06:12 PM

Have fun in "my" town, Sunshine! I've been having problems with my internet, so that's why I haven't responded. There are plenty of restaurants with healthy options here, so you aren't limited to cheesesteaks, soft pretzels and Tastycakes! We have gained a bad reputation as one of the most unhealthiest places to eat in the USA, and have been taking great strides to change that. Make sure to include a stop at the Reading Terminal Market while you are here.

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#11

SunshineCA , 07-17-2009 06:16 PM

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jessers
My first trip after starting the SBD was to Philadelphia, too! I had a great time, it's really an awesome city. I was only there for a few days, so I don't have a lot of advice about where specifically to go (I was with a couple of friends who were real planners, and tended to just follow them around).

I think your eating strategies sound awesome, and that you'll do great! I found it helpful to bring some food with me to keep in the room in case I got hungry at non-meal times. I brought with me some South Beach protein bars (I know other people on this board have had trouble with the protein bars causing cravings, but that hasn't been the case with me; I just find them super handy), low-fat string cheese, nuts, apples, and a jar of natural peanut butter. Apples and peanut butter have been a lifesaver for me.

Good luck, you'll do great!
Funny you were on SBD in the same place.

I'm going to bring a few things with me and stock up at a local store when we get there. I didn't think of getting peanut butter. Apples and peanut butter would be quick and easy.

Thanks!

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#12

SunshineCA , 07-17-2009 06:24 PM

Quote:
Originally Posted by cottagebythesea
Have fun in "my" town, Sunshine! I've been having problems with my internet, so that's why I haven't responded. There are plenty of restaurants with healthy options here, so you aren't limited to cheesesteaks, soft pretzels and Tastycakes! We have gained a bad reputation as one of the most unhealthiest places to eat in the USA, and have been taking great strides to change that. Make sure to include a stop at the Reading Terminal Market while you are here.
I've been waiting for your suggestions and wondering where you were.

I'm glad to know I'll be able to eat healthy things while I'm there. I was getting a little nervous. Looks like I'll be fine as long as I stick to my guns. I was just on the phone with 1 of my friends who's going. He was just asking about our meal plans. I just reminded him the details and that he's going to be on my team to make sure I keep it legal.

We're actually going to be right near the Reading Terminal Market! That's where I planned to pick up my produce and good eats. Thanks for confirming this is the right place to be.

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#13

SunshineCA , 07-18-2009 03:35 PM

The Applebees commercial has been on a thousand times this morning! So, I decided to check if there's one near the hotel in Philly. I found one very close and they also deliver. They have a pretty decent menu and also offer Weight Watchers items. I'm not on WW but I figure I can double the veggies or eliminate the rice or whatever comes with it. I'm going to check the nutrition information on a few of the items I may be interested in.

This is the 15th Street Applebees. Has anyone eaten at this location?

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#14

Ruthxxx , 07-18-2009 04:40 PM

I was in Philly for a short stay with the rest of the 3FC Mods and visited Reading Market - fabulous place! I also took the trolley bus tour - leaves from near there - and it was well worth the $$ and the time. I usually do this in a strange city so I know the lay of the land and also see places I might want to visit in depth.

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#15

SunshineCA , 07-18-2009 05:54 PM

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ruthxxx
I was in Philly for a short stay with the rest of the 3FC Mods and visited Reading Market - fabulous place! I also took the trolley bus tour - leaves from near there - and it was well worth the $$ and the time. I usually do this in a strange city so I know the lay of the land and also see places I might want to visit in depth.
I am so excited about going to the Reading Terminal Market. We are unbelievably close to there!

I want to do the trolley tour as well. It looks like fun to me. We're showing up a few days before our event so this would be a great 1st day or so activity. 1 of my friends was a little skeptical about this. Now I can tell him you gave it a thumbs up. Thanks!!!

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