Let’s be honest, we go on vacation to escape reality and what our every days lives are really like. Am I right or am I right? As soon as we leave the house, its like everything goes out the window and we are in a different mindset and ready to rest, relax and have fun. And there is nothing wrong with that. We all deserve some time away and a chance to recharge. But that also means our eating habits may be out of whack. Sometimes we cant control every meal with have, especially if you are staying at a friends house and they are cooking majority of the meals. Or you do to an amusement park one of the days. And that’s okay! We can still make good choices while being away from our normal routines and also indulge a bit.
So I just got back from being at an all inclusive resort and if you know me, you know deserts are my weakness. Which means yes I did have desert every day! If it wasn’t the churros from the stand by the pool it was after dinner. I guess you can say I had FOMO. Fear of Missing Out. BUT, I didn’t always finish the deserts. Either my husband and I shared or they were bite size. I didn’t guilt myself or feel like I was messing with my nutrition too much. I was in the moment and I knew the next day I was going to be at the gym. I preach about this being a lifestyle. I fuel my body so it functions properly, and I exercise so I can enjoy the Dark Chocolate Tarts and Ice Cream. Im thinking about them right now and how delicious they were, but they also satisfied my cravings.
Let’s talk about some key things we can do while traveling to keep our bodies nourished and hydrated.
Eat a High Fiber/High Protein Meal so you stay full longer
Pack your own snacks for the plane or car ride
Drink Plenty of water, this will help curve your hunger. You could be drinking at least HALF your body weight in ounces. (If you weight 150lbs, you should be drinking at least 75 ounces of water every day)
See what your meal options are if you are making a pit stop or have a lay over
Now your at your destination and ready to get into vacation mode. Maybe you are greeted with a glass of champagne or a margarita. Come on, how could I say no! Rule NO. 1 - DO NOT punish yourself or be hard on yourself. You can enjoy vacation and eat the foods you like. Its all about portion control and being mindful. And the same 4 key points from traveling apply when you land at your destination, with the addition of exercising.
Look for Foods High in Protein-Make sure to eat Protein with every meal, as well as your carbs and fats. Remember-PORTION CONTROL.
Snacks Time-This could be a small meal, or something to hold you over until your next meal.
Drink Plenty of water-You want to make sure you are hydrated. Especially when the cocktails start flowing. For every cocktail you have, make sure to drink water in between. And the answer is NO-Alcoholic beverages and sodas ARE NOT part of your daily intake of water.
Check out the menu before you go out to eat or make sure to check out the whole menu before making your choice.-It's okay to have that Mac and cheese that smells so good or order a bunch of appetizers for everyone to try. (Portion Control)
Exercise-Go to the gym before breakfast or do a workout in your room, go for a walk or run on the beach, or join in on the water aerobics that are going on the day. Keep your body moving and find activities that you can do to stay active. Check out downtown and grab lunch then walk it off. Even if it’s only 20 minutes, you will feel better afterwards.
This is a lifestyle, it’s not a one day thing and then the next day you forget about it. Live in the moment and take things one day at a time. Try to stick to your eating habits, and give yourself a little wiggle room to enjoy that desert after dinner, or taking the kids out for ice cream. Please do not get mad at yourself if you feel like you ate too much of something or you think you ruined your body. When you wake up the next day it's a clean slate. Get right back into your routine and stop thinking about what you did yesterday. Be mindful, portion control your meals and snacks, drink plenty of water, and find ways to exercise and move your body.
And now I am back home, doing loads and loads of laundry. I stuck to my routine and enjoyed every moment of vacation. I didn’t come home feeling super crappy or feeling like I needed to fast and not eat for a week. It’s the choices we make today, that will determine how our tomorrow goes. Today its about unpacking, getting back into reality and finally seeing my daughter after 11 days! Oh and did I mention I came from 80 degree weather to 25 degrees…YUCK!
Who else is ready for summer?
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