Eating Healthy While on Vacation - Dieting & Weight Loss Tips
So you’ve changed your life; you’re eating healthy and exercising moderately 3-5 times a week. You feel good about your weight loss goals and you have learned to stay on track when someone offers you a plate from the company potluck or a donut in the morning. You’ve worked hard and it’s time for a vacation time to let yourself go, but not completely. Many people think that because you’re on vacation you can eat and drink anything you want, and that’s simply not the case.
Everything in Moderation
If you want to stay on track with your weight loss goals and be able to get right back into your new healthy lifestyle it’s important that you splurge in moderation. Remember that most of what you’ll be eating and drinking on vacation will be full of empty calories and excess salt, sugar, or fat. Make sure that if you are splurging on one thing that you moderate another and try not to over-do it on anything.
Pick Three Out of Four
Eating healthy on vacation can be hard because you spend a lot of time eating out. When you go out to eat you have four choices: drinks, appetizers, entrees, and desserts. Picking two to three of these options instead of getting all four will save you from the extra calories and save you money on your bill. Also try sharing your appetizer and desert in order to control your portion sizes. Pick healthier options off of the menu and when you have to splurge make it your only big splurge of the day.
On Road Trips Pack Your Own Food
Bring along whole grain bread, peanut butter, and jelly and make sandwiches for the trip. Waffles are easy to make and only require you to pack a bowl, the mix, sugar free sugar, and the waffle maker. Often you can find hotels or motels that often kitchenettes that enable you to cook small meals in your room. Eating out every so often is okay but eating out three times a day for three to four days can be hard on your waistline and your wallet. Pack a cooler with water and juice drinks to minimize soda intake and remember to stay hydrated to keep you feeling full. Packing fresh grapes and other fresh fruits are another great way to have a sweet snack that’s good for you.
Find Healthier Options When Available
When you are in Philadelphia, you’ll probably want to get a cheese steak and if you are at Oktoberfest, you’ll probably want to splurge on a large stein of beer. It makes sense to let yourself enjoy the pleasures of your travels. But when you are in a position to pick and choose from a variety of foods try and pick the healthier options. For example on the boardwalk or at the pier you can choose between getting a slice of pizza, a funnel cake, or a deep fried Snickers bar. Obviously the pizza and funnel cake aren’t much better for you but deep frying a chocolate candy bar seems a bit excessive. At Disneyland many people go straight for the kettle corn or churros stand, completely bypassing the much healthier corn on the cob or barbecued chicken from the Bengal Barbeque.
Coming Home
When you get home make sure to get right back into your fitness routine. Have a super healthy dinner the first night your home and celebrate your return to you healthy lifestyle. Go out for some exercise but take it easy for the first few days and just enjoy getting back into your workout routine. Remember that being healthy for life means taking it slow and staying in your comfort level. After a week or so, depending on how long your vacation was, you should be able to start challenging yourself again.
Having a healthy lifestyle is about making healthy eating a part of your life. By incorporating it into all facets of your life, including the time you spend relaxing and enjoying yourself. You’ll be able to stick with it and live your life in a healthier way.