I feel all over the place after getting back Wednesday night from being out of town for the past 8 days. While it was a really good trip with lots packed in it, I got home yesterday feeling so behind on everything. I think I originally thought I was going to have a lot more time to work on the road…but I totally overestimated the time I would have…but upward and onwards!
I didn’t get a post up on Wednesday which hasn’t happened in a really long time…but as much as I wanted to, there weren’t enough hours in the day to get up a post and finish a freelance project. So thanks for understanding 🙂
I know I’ve done a couple recap posts of the trip (here and here) and planned on writing a heartier post today on body image, but when it came to write my brain went blank. Like….BLANK. I feel like this has been happening a lot lately. I sit down with full intentions of putting all my thoughts and ideas onto paper (or the screen) and then I literally cannot compile my thoughts into coherent sentences. I’m trying to just roll with it but it’s so frustrating.
Hopefully I’ll hit my stride this weekend when I sit down to write out some content for the week. In the meantime I thought I’d share some eats from the past few days in southern GA. So I hope you all enjoy and if you were looking forward to a different kind of post…tune in next week!
Before leaving Monday evening I spent the day at The Pour, an adorable coffee shop in Panama City Beach. I ordered a large coffee and a bacon, egg and avocado breakfast sandwich and got to work.
And then bought one of their house made cinnamon buns to snack on in the car because HOW CAN YOU PASS THIS UP? It smelled like pure cinnamon magic.
I drove from Panama City Beach to Camilla, GA on Monday evening for a trip with the National Peanut Board. I had no idea who would be there so I was excited to know at least one face when I spotted Sarah who has written a couple guest posts here on the blog. It was fun to meet her in real life! I also got to hang with the coolest pediatrician from LA who was 60 and full of life, could easily become a real life friend and also loads of medical advice.
I didn’t snap pictures of the amazing southern dinner we had Monday night – local quail with gravy, biscuits, wild rice, roasted butternut squash with peanut sauce and homemade peanut butter pie. I went to bed full and happy.
Tuesday morning breakfast was scrambled eggs, more biscuits with butter and jam {people in the north have no idea how to make biscuits I’ve discovered….these were legit} and the most buttery grits ever.
I did get a picture of lunch on Tuesday. After being outside in the heat and humidity all morning I was more than ready food. Brunswick stew, sweet corn, potato salad, broccoli slaw, bbq pork and sweet tea. Followed up by apple crisp and vanilla ice cream. I was nothing short of well fed on Tuesday.
We spent the afternoon riding on a pontoon boat down the Flint River. We were out in the middle of nowhere and it was really refreshing. I got to meet people so unlike myself and see a completely different way of life.
And I had never seen a cotton farm. Right before harvest they call it Georgia snow…ha.
We wrapped up the day with dinner at White Oak Pastures where I died and went to southern foodie HEAVEN. I highly recommend reading this article from the New York Times to understand how truly unique and impressive this farm in Bluffton, GA truly is – I was fascinated learning about this operation and how much it provides for the local community and economy.
We ate dinner at the restaurant which was prepared by chef Virginia Willis.
I also drank three dark and stormies (is that the plural spelling?) throughout the night because they were soooo good and refreshing.
I didn’t snap photos of everything I ate, but I did get pictures of a few things…know that everything was incredible.
I snacked on a peanut fried chicken wing with curry peach sauce. I don’t usually like wings but these were fab.
Plus a few bites of a grass fed burger with peanut butter and tomato jam. And the rest of the dinner included all of the below…
The skirt steak and brussel sprouts were my favorite. The romesco sauce was so thick and flavorful…I’m still thinking about it. Actually, still thinking about it.
And the mac and cheese was also delicious. I haven’t made homemade mac in so long and now I’m inspired.
I was tetering past fullness by the time dessert came around, but couldn’t pass up trying it. The pb mouse was a smooth and fluffy dreamboat in my mouth. An incredible dinner to say the least.
Wednesday morning I left early for the Tallahassee airport since it was an hour away and I had a 10am flight. I ate an Rxbar + banana and pb for breakfast and then grabbed this asian chicken salad from Corner Bakery during my layover in Atlanta for an early lunch. I get really anxious on planes and can’t eat, so knew I need to eat something before takeoff.
Despite only a mini panic attack on the takeoff from Atlanta I made it home in one piece. Does anyone else have severe flight anxiety? I realize it could be way worse and I’m thankful I can get on planes, but the intense anxiety and fear I experience on planes makes traveling that much more stressful. So if you have any tips, please share them in the comments!
Lastly, a couple podcasts I’ve been on in the past couple weeks you can check out if you’d like include:
The Chasing Joy Podcast –> this episode is about hormones, managing stress and learning to accept and even love the body you live in. Georgie is an incredible women that has a positive message to share so check her out too!
The Real Talk RD Round Table –> I’m chatting with other RDs on taking the anti diet approach with the IE/HAES philosophy. You can read more about the round table here and register for access to the recording here.
Hope you find these helpful as you go into your weekend!
![New Things Coming For You! [and some talk on self care + body image]](https://www.thereallife-rd.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/IMG_3079-150x150.jpg)
Oh my goodness, every single plate looks amazing. I’m now inspired to make something extra delicious for dinner!
Robyn, I LOVE these types of posts of your travels and recent eats. We can do the heavy posts later. No guilt! Writer’s block is real! Glad you had so much southern fun!!
thanks for your kindness and support Alisha <3
Hi Robyn,
I love reading your blog and the positive message you are spreading for women, thank you!
In regards to flight anxiety, I have struggled with it for a while. My sister is in the Navy and has flown in helicopters, jets, and many small airplanes. Something she told me to help me feel less anxious is that these pilots are very highly trained, they don’t want to crash the plane and are going to do everything possible to have a safe flight! This seems like common sense but I had never really thought about it before. I can sometimes be a worst- case- scenario thinker so I try to think about this when I am flying and it has helped me a lot!
Also, lavender oil is great and helps me feel a little more relaxed- rub it on your pulse points and temples. And a great playlist never hurts!
Hope this helps!
Hey Jackie! That is really helpful so THANK YOU! Your sister sounds way cool 🙂
Re Flight anxiety – Robyn you may like to book SOAR. It’s all about cortisol in the brain and how to break the cycle of stress. That said, I have had fight anxiety for as long as I can remember. I have done a lot of different things to try and combat it including therapy. Finally, my therapist and doctor agreed I needed Xanax to help me break the cycle of anxious thinking on p[lanes. This helped tremendously because now I don’t associate flying with anxiety and panic attacks. However after being on the medication periodically for about two years (I have a very small dose and take it when needed while flying) my doctor recommended switching to a daily maintenace anxiety medication because I was noticing symptoms elsewhere. It was very eye opening for me and my life is SO. MUCH. better now that I have identified my triggers and symptoms of daily anxiety which would build up and explode when flying. I really recommended exploring all options! And try to break the cycle of anxiety flying – the sooner you can help train your brain that you DON’T get anxious on planes the better you can feel consistently.
Your trip looked amazing. As a former GA girl it was so nice to read about southern meals. I miss them! The Midwest is great but you can’t beat southern comfort food. Flight anxiety has become a part of my life in the last 4 years out of nowhere but there is an app called SOAR that has helped. My hubbie thinks I am nuts but it calms me down before and during a flight. You can look at a map in the app to see where they are forecasting turbulence. There is a section that explains each part of the flight like take off, cruising and landing. There is a part that you can use while in flight during bumps that shows the G-force of the turbulence with parameters on what is normal and excessive. It is comforting that even in a bumpy flight the G-force meter never reaches outside of the limits marked that a plane can handle. You’ll have to check it out I am not explaining it well. Hope it helps! Sometimes wine helps on flights too 😉 Have a great Friday!
You all know how to cook down there! I will definitely have to check that out – thank you! Nick thinks I’m nuts too ha
Hey! I used to have mild to moderate flight anxiety as well. It arrived seemingly out of nowhere around 3 years ago, and was a pretty significant source of stress in my life since I travel all of the time. It was never enough to prevent me from flying, but definitely enough to cause stress and panic throughout the entire flight… not fun! I tried a lot to move past it (self-rationalizing through cbt, looking up statistics, etc), but nothing was really working. I know that this may not be the right solution for everyone, but I eventually talked to my doctor about going on a super, suuuuuper-low dose of Xanax. I was incredibly hesitant to pursue that option as I had never taken an anti-anxiety medicine, and was concerned about the side-effects/dependency/etc. It has honestly, however, been the biggest blessing and has helped me with flying to the point where I don’t even really need to take it anymore (and I don’t! unless I get super panicky for whatever reason). Side-effects are minimal (don’t feel loopy or tired, able to carry-on as normal), but I feel completely comfortable with flying and do not stress at all while on the medication. I will note that I do not have an addictive personality, so have never felt a need to take it outside of the few times that I’ve needed it while flying. I know that a lot of people are against using medication for flying but I feel that the benefits for me far outweigh the disadvantages. Just wanted to pass along my experience since I know exactly what you are going through! You will move past it! Best of luck!
Xanax is definitely something that has crossed my mind – I”m trying to avoid it right now, but I do think there is a time and a place for medicine if the right parameters are in place 🙂 so glad you have found relief with it!
hey robyn!
i <3 your blog but haven't commented before, but i'm getting my phd in clinical psychology and have worked with psychologists who treat severe flight anxiety. have you ever looked into a brief cognitive behavior exposure therapy for flight anxiety? usually it can be (very close to) cured within a few sessions. also highly recommend the book soar (link here: https://www.amazon.com/Soar-Breakthrough-Treatment-Fear-Flying/dp/0762788003), written by a pilot-turned-clinical psychologist. hope these thing help :)!
allie
I purchased the book!! THANK YOU
I live about 30 miles west of Camilla, and I must agree.. southern biscuits are the best 🙂
yes yes YES!
Hi- not sure if you’ve tried this already, but hypnotherapy has a good success rate for helping people overcome flight anxiety. I used to struggle with it myself (mild, though, not severe) and a couple of hypnotherapy sessions made all the difference for me. It might be something to consider if you haven’t looked into it already!
Loved your episode with Georgia 🙂 Can’t wait for a body image post or something along those lines, but, as someone who loves to write, I totally get the going blank thing. Sometimes I have so many good thoughts while doing mundane things like laundry, showering, etc., but then nothing makes sense outside of my head HA. I was born and raised in Georgia, and I do love a good biscuit! Have a great weekend Robyn!
that is my exact issue right now – so many thoughts but I can’t put them together!
hey robyn!
i <3 your blog but haven't commented before. i'm getting my phd in clinical psychology and have worked with psychologists who treat severe flight anxiety. have you ever looked into a brief cognitive behavior exposure therapy for flight anxiety? usually it can be (very close to) cured within a few sessions. also highly recommend the book soar (link here: https://www.amazon.com/Soar-Breakthrough-Treatment-Fear-Flying/dp/0762788003), written by a pilot-turned-therapist. hope these thing help :)!
allie
My flight anxiety has gotten really bad in the last year or so (for no particular reason) and reading ALL ABOUT planes and pilot training has been really helpful for me. It might not be helpful for you, but knowing that pilots have to safely land the simulator in ALL types of emergency situations before they ever even fly a plane, or that planes have like 3 entire systems so if one part of the primary system fails there are 2 back-ups, has helped me keep from spiraling into full blown panic attacks a few times!
I’ve read that the back of the plane tends to be bumpier too, so I always try to sit towards the front. A few times I’ve been seated next to flight attendants or pilots and seeing how little they care about turbulence was calming too. (But honestly xanax is the only thing that TRULY helps. It’s obviously not ideal, but anxiety is so exhausting.)
I should read up more I think – great tips, thank you!
hey, Xanax is helpful when the time and place is right…I’ve definitely considered
Oh my goodness, yes PLEASE. If anyone can share tips for overcoming flight anxiety, I’d be so grateful. Knowing I have to fly/deal with airports stresses me out long before I even have to go! It’s so frustrating. Like, I’m thinking I need to ask my doc for xanax next time.
I used to get flight anxiety and now travel weekly for work. Two things have helped:
1. Learning – about how planes work, what turbulence actually is, statistics of a plane crash vs car crash/other freak accident etc. Can now confidently say that it’s safer to fly in a plane all day every day than walk around NYC! When I get nervous on flights now I repeat my little factoids to myself. Think this all started with reading the flying chapter in Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers
2. Acceptance – there is nothing you can do! Unless you want to live your life bound by land travel, you’re absolutely powerless when you’re on a plane. I know that seems dark (and many people who I explain this to don’t agree with me) but I find a sort of comfort in just accepting that what is going to happen is going to happen, and my worrying will have 0 impact on the outcome. When you think about flying in this way, menial tasks such as walking to work, biking across the city, etc suddenly seem so much more dangerous since there’s larger room for error and you’re the one in control. The way I see it, if I don’t get anxiety when I willingly jaywalk across Park Ave during lunch hour, I sure as heck shouldn’t get anxiety about flying given safety statistics and my complete lack of power as a passenger
Ha, Nick tells me that all the time! He’s like…you BIKE in the city!
The way I see it, if I don’t get anxiety when I willingly jaywalk across Park Ave during lunch hour, I sure as heck shouldn’t get anxiety about flying given safety statistics and my complete lack of power as a passenger
^^ that jaywalking comment is so true and that is me…you are so right! thank you <3
Hi Robyn! This is completely unrelated to your blog post, but do you have a post with your itinerary when you went to Italy? I’m currently planning a trip to Italy in the spring and am looking for some ideas of what to do while there! Thanks 🙂
I don’t but I did recap the trip if that’s helpful! Email me and I can send you some stuff 🙂
I saw in a recent post that you use the Headspace app. Have you tried to ‘Fear of Flying’ mediation on that site? I unfortunately can’t relate because I love flying, and I realise it might depend on how severe your anxiety is, but thought it might be worth a try …
I havne’t but now I’m thinking I must check it out!
One thing that has really helped me on flights is just reading God’s promises and His love for His children and reminding myself that no matter what happens, He has me in the palm of His hands, and whatever happens is not outside of His plan.
I love that you got to experience a slower, quiet way of life and some amazing looking Southern food. The South has such a friendly, sweet, hospitality about it that I really love.
Thanks for sharing the above information. Glad to read all these information.