Portugal and Spain - Food, Fitness and Fun!

A month is a long time to be away from home but I certainly made tons of great memories and met amazing people along the way.

This trip certainly had it's challenges for me dealing with my eating disorder thoughts, living arrangements and household responsibilities, completely uprooting my routine, etc. etc. The blessings and memories far outweigh the challenges I had to overcome and I'm glad I did challenge myself. Challenge leads to growth.

I spent the first three weeks in Portugal near the capital, Lisbon. I engaged in volunteer ministry work there. We did a ton of walking but I did run several times as well! The cobblestone streets were a new experience but I managed okay and it was fun to have a change of scenery.

Running on Cobblestone!
We took a few day trips into nearby cities and even did some hiking near palaces.

The last week we spent in Spain. We spent a few days in Barcelona and a few days in a nearby coastal town. Again,we walked and walked and walked! It's a good thing I brought comfortable socks and shoes. We saw many sights in Barcelona including works of Gaudi, the arc de triomf and the monument to Columbus. We went out to eat more in Spain since it was harder to grocery shop for just a few days. One night we enjoyed tapas and sangria! The patatas bravas were amazing!


Though I wasn't able to do much weight training, follow my macros, or run on a regular schedule, I was still able to be active, eat good foods and have fun. Traveling is always a good reminder of the truth in the phrase: "memories over macros".
Paddleboarding in the Mediterranean Sea! 

Have you traveled abroad? Do you find it challenging to break routine? Where should I go next?

25 de abril Bridge at Sunset (Portugal)
Boca de Inferno (Portugal)

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