Bright blue skies, white sandy beaches, and a refreshing piña colada in one hand—err scratch that, you’re on a diet! Sound familiar? Well, don’t fret because I have quick tips for you to have fun on vacation without ruining your diet plan!
- Change your MINDSET – Just because your mind is in vacation mode doesn’t mean your diet needs to be in vacation mode too! Instead of focusing on treating yourself with unhealthy food, sugary sweets and sugary drinks, shift the focus to treating yourself by going to a special event or show, a relaxing morning at the spa followed by a beach day, or do something out of the ordinary and go on a fun, wild excursion—literally anything but food! Changing the way you view food, from food as a treat or reward to food as nourishment and energy, is such a crucial step to sticking to a diet as well as making a lifestyle change. You’ll be able to enjoy your vacation more so, focusing on activities, and not feeling guilty after a not-so-healthy meal.
- PLAN AHEAD –Similar to how you would search for activities to do while vacationing, plan ahead which restaurants you want to eat at. I always look up different cafés or restaurants in the area and check out their menu online to see what healthy food options they serve up. Before you even go on vacation, actually choose what food item on the menu you will order when you get there. Of course, it’s vacation and not everything will be perfect (spontaneous people shout out!), but if you create a plan ahead of time, you are more likely to stick to it!
- Enjoy a CHEAT Meal—Allow yourself one, ONE, cheat meal! It’s vacation; you deserve it, in moderation that is! Choose one special night where you are going to allow yourself a meal you don’t usually eat, dessert, or a fancy cocktail to drink. For me, this usually involves one special dinner out with my boyfriend and we will say yes to the dessert menu; if it’s a girls’ trip then I’ll choose one night out where I’ll allow myself to indulge in no more than two sweet cocktails. Dining out with a big group? Go for tapas style or order a few items from the menu to share; this way you can indulge without over stuffing. Allowing yourself a cheat meal will help keep you on track during your trip and will teach you to pick and choose your poison. You won’t feel like you’re missing out saying no to a huge bowl of pasta if you know the next night you have dessert coming!
- Don’t Stress About Food –Look, you’re on vacation…this is a stress free zone where you can just sit back and relax. Don’t spend too much energy worrying about food. Being on vacation may change up your daily schedule, but it doesn’t have to take you out of your healthy lifestyle or diet routine. Stick to the tips above and stay active; if you do this, one little cheat meal won’t make a dent!
Try incorporating these tips on your next vacation! If you stay healthy, you’ll not only feel good about yourself both mentally and physically, but your body will thank you from the inside out! Cheers and Enjoy!