Thoughts on Benefits of Long Range RVing

[honda03842]

We've begun our loop of the USA, our 6th or 7th. This loop has been highlighted by our annual physical with our Docotr who has left NH and moved to NC causing our trip south to be more 'scheduled' because we have a great doctor and insisted on tracking him down.

Over our 13 years our health from year to year has improved, I think because being on the road for about 8 months of the year is healthier than being at home.

The outward signs are obvious, we weigh a lot less, our vital medical signs are all better and our mental attitudes are significantly improved, particularly mine.

I do recognize that being away from 'home' for long periods sacrifices an established part of one's life...holiday celebrations, birthdays and familiar contact. As much as there is pleasure in these home events, there is a measure of associated stress. We are so much more relaxed as we travel.

I think the effect of stress in one's life and health is significant and often under stated because it's so much a part of everyone's existance.

Part of our physical improvement is that we eat better and less, yet we are totally satisfied by the food we eat and in general finding ourselves exploring new foods as we explore regional eating.

Another part is the mental stimulation of travel, of seeing new places, of hearing new thoughts from new people, from sharing our views with each other stimulated by the new and different.

Probably understated but real is that we have more time for each other.

It is clearly apparant that we both sleep well, even in our 44" wide bed. One of our intial small trailer concerns was the size of the bed. It has disappeared in how well we sleep, how rested we feel each morning. Part of it is we find ourselves going to sleep earlier than we do at home, partially tired from a more active day.

I'm sure there's many more benefits to the on the road life style. Each trip reveals a little more of makes it wonderful, each trip we grow more into the joys of travel together. I freely admit it has been a process that took time, but each trip we become more and more comfortable with our life on the road, convinced we never want it to stop.

Safe Travels

[cpaharley2008]

For some reason I'm always tempted to forgo my watchful diet and splurge while camping, finding new and different foods to taste is not always healthy. But, kudos to Norm and Ginny in getting healthier while rving.

[frank_a]

I copied your post and sent it to the wee lass. She is not a forum reader or enthusiast so I have to do all the heavy lifting.

Thanks for the thoughtful post.

Frank

[honda03842]

Frank,
There's always a measure of expanding each others world. it's one of the great things about being on the road together.

Jim,
I think part of the reason eat well and actually lose weight every year since in part we're gone for long periods. Our consciousness about food has changed.

Actually I think a small trailer can change your consciousness about what's important on many levels, particularly what one needs to live happily.

Safe travels to all but particularly travels to all.

[Ian G.]

Thank you for your word of experience.
You are modeling the life style and adventures we are dreaming about for our own retirement ....

[honda03842]

Jim speaking of food...

I need to tell you that as I was replying to you Ginny and I were at Parkdale Farms on route 92 in Plant City, FL. We each had a milkshake, she had strawberryand I had strawberry and banana...$1.79 each. Now absolutely not healthy though delicious but we did buy a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables.

We treat the milkshake like lunch and hence justify it at least from a caloric sense.

As we travel about we like special and different places to eat. Generally age requires us now to split meals and more frequently, to help with digestion, eat them at lunch time.

Our reality is that over 13 years we have each lost weight, Ginny's is a national secret while I''ve lost 60 and hope for another 10 this year.

Ian and Joan..thanks for the kind words. We simply have had such a wonderful time, and in the truest sense of wonder, that I feel compelled to share the good news. Ginny, in her protective mode, always adds "of course it's not for everyone.".

[Frederick L. Simson]

Originally Posted by honda03842

I think the effect of stress in one's life and health is significant and often under stated

Part of our physical improvement is that we eat better and less, yet we are totally satisfied by the food we eat

Another part is the mental stimulation of travel, of seeing new places, of hearing new thoughts from new people, from sharing our views with each other stimulated by the new and different.

Probably understated but real is that we have more time for each other.

It is clearly apparent that we both sleep well, even in our 44" wide bed. One of our initial small trailer concerns was the size of the bed. It has disappeared in how well we sleep, how rested we feel each morning.

Since my activities are restricted by by the work I do, I tend to use food for comfort, not for sustenance. Food is not fuel, it is stress and pain relief. I had a telling conversation with my partner about how he defined hunger and appetite early in our relationship. To me they were synonyms. He said no, they are distinctly separate feelings. He said he could be hungry, but without appetite he could not eat. I was gobsmacked! "Hungry" yet unable to eat?!?! That is the most un-heard-of thing I have ever heard of. This got me meditating on the subject. I have a voracious appetite. You can call me anything, but don't call me late to dinner. But hunger? I don't think I have been truthfully HUNGRY in over 25 years. To me food is the universal substitute for all of life's pleasures I can't have.

I applaud the balance you have found Norm. Now that I know it IS out there, maybe I can find it too.

[honda03842]

Frederick,

The need to eat regardless of hunger is an interesting topic. Ginny and I have gone onto a few restrictive diets, to a degree as a mental test. Presently we're on a no or better yet very limited wheat diet (I hate to use the word 'diet' because that implies wanting to lose weight and that's not necessarily the reason but may be a result.)

We just visited our doctor and his input for the second year in a row is that restricted, actually severely restricted caloric input, is very good for your health. We for a period of weeks tried a 600 to 1000 calorie per day intake. It shocked me how quickly we were not hungry, suprising because we were just eating so few calories.

To this date we restrict ourselves to about 200 calories a breakfast, one egg, one piece of bacon, a piece of toast and coffee.

When I worked I had significant responsibilities with the resultant stress. In reality it did damage to my body. We've worked hard to be conscious about food over the last 13 years of travel. Dad always said, "Life is a series of choices, make good ones". Making good choices requires consciousness.

Making the choice to hit the road in our RV was extremely positive. We've both had the same doctor for 13 years. He is always available to us, giving us his phone number and home email address. When on the road he seeks out good medical professionals for us on those rare occasions we need one, actually we're spending a few weeks in FL to see a specialist he's chosen.

In our Internet world there's plenty of information on food intake, I try to take a little time to learn more about the material input side of life. Being on the road provides an advantageous environment. The business environment can be tough.

[SharonM]

You nailed it, Norm. The age-old question: "Do you eat to live OR live to eat?" is apropos. Most of us, I suspect, mostly vacillate ... restrictive diets to undo the damage of living to eat, or "no holds barred" eating for the pleasure it provides (or as a kind of anti-depressant, or de-stressor, etc. etc.). It can be a vicious cycle, no doubt about it.

Sharon

[honda03842]

SharonM,

Outside of the daily news, there's not a lot of stress left in our lives; no more bigger and better to chase. We are very happy where we are in life.

If inflation doesn't go insane we should be fine until the end of our lives.

We've reached a point when we can focus on each other, find ways to have fun and to continue to learn. Food is a place where there is much to learn and worth learning because we all eat a few times a day. (Now that we've cut way back on wheat, nuts and seeds have become big as snacks.)

We have the accomodation part down. Our little Scamp does a great job of keeping us dry and warm. It holds everything we need to live, just an amazing thought when I consider where we were before RVing, a way too big home and too much, way too much stuff. Our Honda takes everywhere we want to go.

The simpler life suits us well, providing plenty of time for personal growth...but not at the waist line.

[Glenn Baglo]

Before I retired, I went for a physical and my doctor asked me if I was under any stress at work.
I told her, "I don't have stress; I cause stress".

baglo

[carlkeigley]

Diet = die with a t.

Diet never work, but change of lifestyle always works.

[honda03842]

Pretty good Glenn. I'm sure causing stress is stressful as well.

[SharonM]

Norm, you and Ginny have been an inspiration to me from the get-go, to include the purchase of a 16' Scamp. My little age-old question was not directed at you guys, as you've solved the vicious cycle. It was along the lines of a supplement.

If you two are in TX soon, around the San Antonio area, you're welcome to pull your Scamp alongside mine in the backyard (assuming my house hasn't sold by then - have electric and water, of course). Good stuff to see around here for some adventures.

Sharon

[MarkyVasquez]

The wife and I feel the same way. When we go camping we take hikes and before we go to bed we walk around the park. We also eat better while camping.
Marky

[Darrell in Al]

Norm AKA honda03842

You are a very wise man.. every time I find one of your post I learn something.
Thank you.

[honda03842]

Carl,

Very good point, it is about change of life style versus diet. The whole RV travel thing for us was a massive change of life style. In a sense almost a divorice from our past, an acceptance of an opportunity to grow and change.

[honda03842]

We're at The Resort, an Escapee park in Florida for a few weeks. Ginny was talking with an Escapee full timer in the pool today (86F). They have been on the road for 14 years. She said they can not imagine stopping their travels. As a result they have not put their name on a spot at one of the Escapee parks for the time they can no longer travel.

I said to Ginny "Do they plan to pull a Thelma and Louise?". Ginny said funny you said that. The woman said they've talked about pulling a Thelma and Louise but the husband could not decide whether he would be Thelma or Louise. Definitely hope and do assume she was kidding.

It does attest to the power of the road. She clearly stated that 14 years full time was not enough time to see it all.

When we put our name on the list we were 370, we are now 13 with at least 5 spots available. It means that there's a high probability we'll have a spot this year. Of course we're excited but it doesn't mean we'll stop our travels. They'll just rent out our site while we travel.

I've read a lot of seafaring books and one always reads about the call of the sea. I think the road is in the same arena.

Safe travels....One of the best parts about being an Escapee is talking to people about their travels and all the must see spots we've not yet seen.

[accrete]

Greetings Norm & all :-)

Posts have been enjoyable to read. Two things i wanted to chime in on were about the family visits & calorie intake.

On the family visits Cari & i raised our kids with the idea that as they aged there might be times of very limited family contact and not to let separation take away the fact of our bond and love for each other. We also raised them to not put any value on/need of "holidays" (even though we raised them in a Christan home).

On calorie intake... I have been practicing a reduced calorie intake of about 800 to 1000 calories per day (~500 cal main meal/1st meal at ~noon) primarily following a paleo diet before i even knew what that meant! I am content and satisfied with simple eating and full of energy.

Just some tid bits in passing :-)
Thom

[honda03842]

Thom,
Wishing you well on the Paeleo. Virtually every study shows reduced diets to be beneficial.

Holidays. Ginny loves Thanksgiving so we make it a moveable feast, having it when ever it's convenient. Any time is a good time to gather and be thankful.

We have not measured our caloric intake except breakfast, around 200, but eat dramatically less when traveling and we may eat more often, sharing an orange or banana in the middle of the morning.

Spreading out the eating seems to make it easier to reduce the quantity and is less aggressive on the bodies systems compared to the concentrated eating of the business world cycle.