Staying on Track During Vacations

Many of us have spent a lot more time at home over the past 15 months, probably a lot more time than we wanted to spend. On a positive note, it can be easier to follow the Basic Principles when you are mostly eating at home or packing food to take to work. But now that things are opening back up, many of you will probably be doing some traveling this summer. I think all of us are ready for a change of pace and deserve some rest and relaxation. So how can you enjoy your vacation without completely getting off track with this program? 

Plan Ahead

• As you are planning your trip, look for accommodations with a kitchen or at least a small refrigerator and microwave. Plan out easy meals and snacks before you leave and make sure you have any recipes you need with you.
• If you like to exercise in a gym environment, look for a hotel/resort that has a gym or exercise room. Do your workouts first thing in the morning before you get busy with sightseeing. Be sure to pack some workout clothes and tennis shoes!
• See if there are some good hikes nearby to ensure you get plenty of steps. See if you can rent bicycles for sightseeing (or take bicycles with you if you are driving) or take a walking tour. Walk whenever you can: to the store, to a tourist site, along the beach or on a trail, etc. Make sure you pack good shoes for walking/hiking.
• If your vacation spans 2 months (e.g. last week of July and first week of August), take your free meals for both July and August during your vacation (consider having one dinner and one brunch). Or if you are only on vacation in July, perhaps you could take your August free meal early while you are still on vacation. Then you would skip your free meal for August once you are back at home. 
• When you do eat out at a restaurant:
  • Look at menus online ahead of time to make sure there are some healthier options available prior to choosing a restaurant.
  • Consider going to a local restaurant rather than chain restaurant since you will likely find regional cuisine with fewer processed ingredients. 
  • Split a meal with a family member or friend so you are less tempted to overeat. Or get a to go box at the beginning of the meal and put at least half of your meal in the box before you start eating.
  • Ask for salad dressings and any sauces on the side so that you can eat less of these items. Some restaurants may be willing to make some changes to the menu items such as steaming vegetables instead of sautéing them, substituting brown rice for white rice etc. You can always ask! 
  • Focus on eating slowly and savoring your food by putting your fork down between bites, sipping water often, and engaging in conversation with family/friends as you eat. This will help you enjoy your food more and give your stomach time to communicate with your brain to let you know when you are full.
  • Stay away from buffets/all you can eat situations. It is very difficult to not overeat when there are numerous choices. Even if you take small amounts of the foods you want, your plate will be very full before you know it. Typically once it is on your plate, you will be tempted to eat all of it.
• Before you leave for your vacation, make sure you have some meals in the freezer or some easy to fix foods to eat when you return home. There is always a lot to do when you return home (grocery shopping, looking through your mail, doing laundry etc.) so make you life a little easier by having some meals ready to eat so you are not tempted to get takeout food.

Be Prepared

• Once you reach your destination, go grocery shopping so you have the foods you need to make the meals and snacks you already planned out. Consider buying some frozen vegetables or precut fruits and vegetables to make meal prep easier. If you don’t have a kitchen, buy some easy to eat food items and store any perishables in a cooler with ice. Replenish the ice frequently. Plan on grocery shopping at least a couple of times rather than overbuying on the first trip to the store.
• Check out local Farmers Markets that will have fresh produce that is unique to the area. 
• If you are traveling by car, make sure you have some healthy snacks and meals in a cooler.
• Pack snacks and lunches each day to take with you when you are heading out for sightseeing. Consider having a smaller cooler for your day trips. Think about having fruits and vegetables that don’t require cutting such as apples, mandarins, grapes, bananas, nectarine, plums, baby carrots, grape tomatoes, and sugar snap peas.
• Continue the habit of eating frequently, including breakfast, and don’t let yourself get too hungry. It’s always more difficult to make good decisions about what to eat when you are ravenous!
• Don’t forget to bring refillable water bottles to help make sure you stay well hydrated. Take one where ever you go and refill it frequently.

Change Your Mindset

• Think about what you can do to relax besides eating and drinking such as spending time lounging by the pool or soaking in the hot tub, reading, walking in nature, playing board games with family/friends, watching movies, etc. Make sure you pack your swim suit, a book and board games!
• Focus on really enjoying your vacation and don’t think of it as an excuse to overindulge. You can focus on the healthy habits you’ve developed and still enjoy your vacation at the same time.
• Stress can creep into a vacation: you and your family may be very tired from traveling by plane or car, you may get lost, or maybe you are trying to cram in a little too much sightseeing. Make sure to plan some downtime during your vacation to keep stress levels low. Have some quiet time, practice deep breathing exercises or take a few minutes to think about what you are grateful for every day.

Following the Health Plus program does not need to be an all or none situation. You don’t need to throw in the towel and completely stop trying to follow the Basic Principles if you have an “off day” (or even several “off days”). If things aren’t going well one day (e.g. ate more than you planned on, drank quite a bit of alcohol, didn’t get your steps in, etc.), look at the next day (or even at the next meal or snack) as an opportunity to do better with following the Basic Principles and get right back on track. Vacations are a time to relax, have fun and explore new places (or sometimes familiar places). With some planning, preparation, and changing your mindset you can have a wonderful vacation while still staying on track with your weight loss.