Now that you know how to get your sweat on, here are some tips on ways to eat healthy on vacation.
Alternate heavy and healthy days of eating
This is a trick I use for dieting on vacation. I find moderation tough (who likes small portions on vacation?) so I use a system on checks and balances. I eat junk for one day then healthy the next. I also know my triggers: I know my discipline will be weak the first day I arrive, on holidays, after 2 days of skipping a workout and when here are crackers in the house. I let that happen and exercise my will power where I can: weak here, strong here.
Balance those big meals
I happily binged on crackers and cheese, chips and salsa and dry cereal all afternoon. So guess what? when I went out to eat at a pizza place with my cousin after lifting, I got a spinach salad. it wasn’t pizza, but it was decedent and I felt better after the meal. I knew homemade elk burgers were on the menu tomorrow. Check and balances, that is the way. When I am at home, I strive for 80% healthy choices and 20% chaos. On vacation, I do 50/50. It’ easier to keep track of when you are only eating 1-2 meals a day.
Regularly skip a meal
This is very effective during the holidays when every meal seems like a big deal. When you are visiting Mom or other family members, you pretty much know the menu; what are the big meals and when to cook for yourself. Some times when visiting other family, they just try to feed you all the time; three times a day, food is put in from t of you as if you have never seen a meal in your whole life. It’s ridiculous. Lets be honest, do you need a feast first thing in the morning? especially when you had a feast the night before and will have another one at lunch and dinner? Probably not. Skip on breakfast. may be have it once or twice in the holiday week, but make sure you are skipping some meal regularly. Just deal with it. your waistline with thank you for not having to work SO hard when you get back to normal life.
Eat intuitively
This tip takes practice. It is better suited for the person who has been working out for at least 6 months and can listen to their body. You body tell you what it wants, seeing cookies, advertisements of cookies and chick flicks tell you to eat cookies. Most desires for unhealthy food are external cues. Of course we all have cravings - an internal cue. Next time you want something healthy or unhealthy, go 20 minutes into the future and think about how you will feel after you eat it. Does your body want this? Listen to your stomach - not your guilt - and gauge how it feels when think about the food in question. Make the choices that make you feel good after the deed is done and the food is gone. I do this a lot; sometimes I go for the chocolate or burger, sometimes I switch out the salad for a hearty lentil soup and other times having 2 plates of moms cooking is totally the answer. With your goals in mind, your body will tell you how to get there enjoyably.
Eat at the grocery store and/or food markets
This is my best tip for travel. Quit wasting money and eating out 2-3 times a day when on vacation. it is so stressful for the digestive system. I save money and calories by buying a large volume of my food intake at the grocery store. If I am staying at a hotel, I just ask for a salad bowl and a fork, or a knife and plate. I live off of nuts, hummus, apples and peanut butter and veggies and dip when I am on vacation. Then I eat like a king at dinner. With Air B&B, i can stay at a place with a kitchen and do my own cooking. Yes, I still eat out but not as frequently. Load up on snacks and save your hot meals for eating out. Take back control of what you are eating.
See this as an adventure and a challenge
Your fitness is going on vacation too. Not time off but time to seek and explore new things. You are never not moving and eating. these are essential to life and part of the human experience. It is up to you to decide HOW you want to eat and move, so technically you can never really take a vacation from it. See how you can take a vacation from gym life and go on a zip lining tour or rafting adventure. If you have built up all of these strong, pretty muscles, go use them for something great! Move differently and find balance differently. It is possible and you will love that you are able to be mobile with your health and fitness.