Staying On Track While On Vacation

Vacation can be tricky if you want to stay on track with healthy habits you have created while being at home. And when I say tricky I mean REALLY fricken tricky.

Now, vacations do not happen often - for me, maybe max three a year.  So, while I am away I am okay with enjoying myself and trying new foods, celebrating my sisters birthday with donuts and froyo and having an occasional drink on a Tuesday night just because I can; however, what helped me stay on track was making good choices throughout the day so when I wanted a treat or fried food I can enjoy it. Without feeling ANY shame. 

I'll admit, day one of my trip was crazy. Waking up at 4:00 am, the time difference, airports, eating out, not having any food ( except 3 protein bars and that is what I ate). Man. I went crazy. I ate ALL the food. But Day 2 I got back on track, ate well throughout the day and was able to enjoy FroYo without any regret. 

Here are some tips:

Eat a big breakfast - I had an egg sandwich with fruit or yogurt everyday. It's the same breakfast I would have at home. Some days if I knew we would be gone until the afternoon I had a 700 calorie breakfast that held me over until 2:00 pm. 

Drink your water - I had a 1L bottle and I tried to drink four throughout the day + drink lots while out at restaurants. 

Remember alcohol has calories! I know some people like to drink LOTS on vacation. I get it. Fortunately I have realized that I can say no to drinking and it is super easy for me. I way rather eat my calories than drink them. If you do want to drink, maybe skip desserts. 

Go heavy on the protein while you are at home. You'll always be able to find something you want without lots of protein (again, I did egg sandwiches that had 30g protein + huge salads for lunch with lots of meat). 

Skip the bun! Eating a chicken, cheese, tomato, pickle sandwich is amazing without the bun. The bun is an extra 300-400 calories (they are huge and often have added butter because they warm/grill them). I mean would you not rather have dessert?

Track your food! Ok, I know on vacation you do not want to be on your phone lots but it seriously helps. I was able to stay on track because I still knew what I was eating. 

Plan ahead before going to restaurants. I looked at the menus and knew two days in advance what I would be ordering. Then I could plan my day around my chicken + cheese sandwich or whatever I wanted. 

When out and about pack a snack!  I did apples + quest bar, because neither can melt. 

Workout if possible - thankfully I stayed somewhere that had a workout facility in the complex. But you can easily do body weight exercises or run/walk. Just continue to move your body. 

Lastly, take a deep breath and enjoy yourself. Thankfully vacations do not come often and they do not last forever. If none of the above works for you and you fall off the wagon with whatever healthy habits you have formed, THAT IS OK. Forgive yourself and get back on the wagon the minute you get home.