We all want to enjoy ourselves on vacation, but how do we do this while not totally derailing our progress? Here are some of my tips on how to vacation, stress-free about gaining weight!
We recently celebrated my niece’s birthday in Murphy, North Carolina. We rented a cabin up there, which I won’t review on here because there were several issues that we were less than thrilled about. However, all things considered, we had a great time decompressing and relaxing with very few distractions for a couple days. Plus, I got to indulge in (maybe a few too many) mimosas! It definitely felt like I got to hit the reset button on life for a minute.
My niece turned 9! It’s crazy how fast time flies. I can only imagine what that’s going to feel like with my own kid one day. It’s awesome seeing them grow up, but it makes you do a double take on your own life. Where did all the time go??
Anyways, being that it was vacation, I WAY overdid on the junk foods and alcohol. Sometimes we just need that. Plus, I have been planning to do a 30 day detox (posts to come) for a while now, so this weekend was my last weekend to live it up. Live it up I did. I spent a weekend stuffing my face with cake, cookies, candy, champagne, and ice cream. So how was it that I got back from vacation and was only up 1 pound (which is probably just inflammation from all the junk) on the scale?
I always stay active on vacation. There are tons of activities to do in the mountains- hiking, climbing, ropes courses, kayaking, biking, etc. Although it rained for the majority of the time we were there, we still managed to get a hike in around the area we were staying in. I also came prepared with a set of dumbbells and a mini resistance band. My sister and I got a workout in each day we were there. Check out this workout that we did on day 2-
4 rounds for time-
20 burpees
16 kettlebell or dumbbell swings
12 dumbbell push press
20 v-ups
rest 90 seconds
Even if you are flying somewhere or just can’t manage to tote around a set of dumbbells, you can always do bodyweight exercises at intensity for a short period of time and still get in a great workout. Take the above workout. Modify to this-
4 rounds for time-
20 burpees
20 air squats
12 pushups
20 v-ups
rest 90 seconds
Simple and effective, and it would probably only take you 20 minutes tops! Everyone has 20 minutes to sacrifice out of their vacation to feel good and get a little pump going before you hit the hot tub or pool ;). This is my greatest tip to you for traveling! Find some time to be active each day, whether it is in your hotel room, trying out a class at a local gym, planning a fun activity that requires moving around a lot, etc. You won’t regret it!
But that can't be the only thing that contributed to staying on track while enjoying ALL the junk food and drinks. Truthfully, I have learned to somewhat limit the amount of splurges I have even while on vacation. Even though I am letting loose, it has become a habit of mine to think about the amount of protein, carbs, and fats I am taking in, and make sure that I am not overdoing it. There are a few tricks that I have adopted to help stay somewhat on track with nutrition without having to weigh, measure or track everything I am eating on vacation. Try these out next time you head out of town:
1. Pack some healthy snacks and meals that you know you will enjoy eating in your downtime. Make sure you pack things that will fill you up so you aren't always having to go out to buy food. This is a great tip for the airport or on a flight also. Did you know that you can pack food in baggies in your carry-on, as long as it doesn't contain liquid? That means you can make your own sandwich at home, bring protein bars, fruits, nuts, pre-chopped veggies, etc! Then you don't have to worry about running around the airport searching, sometimes to no avail, for something healthy.
2. Go to the grocery store ahead of time, or while you are at your destination, if at all possible, to buy fresh fruits, veggies, lean protein, and other healthy snacks. That way, you are setting yourself up for success when you are not out indulging.
3. When you are unable to get to a grocery store or don't have access to a cooler or fridge, make sure that you try to eat as healthy as possible for most of the day, saving room for some treats when you want them. For example, I will order an egg white omelet for breakfast, have a big salad for lunch, then feel stress-free about having a burger and dessert that night!
4. Maybe you are just in need of an entirely guilt-free day where you don't think about what or how much you are eating. That's fine too! Consciously make a decision to take a "treat yo-self" day, enjoy the hell out of it, and wake up the next day ready to get back to business. Just try to make sure this doesn't happen everyday, and make sure to stay active on these days and the rest of the time you are on vacation!
Stay tuned for another post to come with a complete mini band workout that can easily be done in your hotel room!