Don't worry about your diet when you are on holiday

Aaaah summertime! Time to pack your bikini (or hiking shoes), and off you go! Beach, sand, exotic food… You worked so hard to get that rocking’ bikini body. You probably lived on lemon water with ice for a week, haven’t you? Or was it ‘juicing’? In any case - you suffered from looking good on the beach. Your toes are digging into the sand - so now what?

How do you make sure that the hard work wasn’t for nothing? How do you make sure you enjoy your (well deserved) vacation without gaining weight? So many of us won’t fit into our bikinis by the end of our holiday. Is there anything we can do?

YES!

What to eat on holiday without gaining weight?

I understand that many of you are saving for the trip, and the last thing you want to worry about is your diet, right?! But do you have to gain 5-6kg of ‘holiday happiness’ and feel bad about it as soon as you get home?

An essential part of any vacation is to try the local specialties and enjoy yourself. And you can do that without the ‘vacation gut.’ You don’t have to restrict yourself, just be more selective. If you don’t have a sweet tooth - skip the dessert!

Avoid bad airplane food

On the majority of airlines, you can pick your ‘special’ food. Pick something healthy, filled with fiber and protein. Stay hydrated as much as you can. I always carry my snacks: hummus and carrots, peanut butter and banana, raw almonds, or my Shakeology packet.

Find the local supermarket and stock up on some basics

I love to go to local grocery stores and see what they have. It also allows me to get some basics for breakfast, like oatmeal, eggs, fruits, and veggies. If you always rely on the hotel’s breakfast buffet, you are more likely to start indulging as soon as you wake-up.

Carry snacks

It is where the local grocery store comes in handy. I have two little girls who are always ‘starving’ so I always have snacks in my backpack. Nuts, bananas, apples, and carrots. It doesn’t get spoiled in the hot weather, and my husband likes it as well.

Research the restaurants and their menus ahead of time

Whether you spend a day on the beach or sightseeing, you are bound to get hungry. If you wait to find a restaurant until your tummy rumbles, chances are you end up in the first restaurant you see. Oh well, let's be honest, you’ll end up at Burger King or Mcdonalds!

Do your research so you can pick a place with healthier options. Be aware of the portion sizes! Man, we spent a part of our vacation in Italy - the portions were humongous! We ordered things we usually don’t eat back home (I can make spaghetti with marinara sauce any day!), and we shared. So we tried multiple specialties without committing to a whole plate or bowl!

Start your meal with a healthy appetizer

Start your meal with a healthy appetizer and choose your main dish wisely. Just because you are on vacation, doesn’t mean you have to overeat at every meal. I like to start with a soup or salad (no bread, thank you!) So I’m not starving by the time my main meal arrives. Or we order only appetizers, and we share.

Do you really feel like eating when it's so hot outside??? As for your main dish - look for healthy items such as grilled, baked, and steamed foods instead of fried or battered. The majority of restaurants don’t mind swapping your fries for a green salad or wrapping your burger in lettuce. Just ask!

Choose one ‘treat’ food

As I mentioned before, we visited Italy, Tuscany - the land of bread, wine, and desserts. Tripple yum, right?! I advise my clients to decide between these three items. If you take all three every day for every meal (well, maybe not at breakfast, but you never know) - it starts to add up. So I chose wine.

Squeeze in a workout every day

You can workout anywhere. Does your hotel have a gym? Good! Get going! Roll out of bed, throw on some workout clothes, and off you go! Oh, there is no gym? You can call me, and I’ll make you sweat in no time! And if that's not your cup of tea - there are so many fitness apps available - pick one and let us go!

And if you don’t like to work out - you can always make an effort to walk places or swim in the pool (or the ocean).

The Takeaway

Vacation is time to unwind, relax, and enjoy all there is. But it does take some work to stay on track while on vacation, but planning, portion control, and exercising can help you make smart decisions in any situation or place. But it is also essential to be kind to yourself should you fall off the wagon. If that happens, don’t wallow in guilt. That will undoubtedly lead to “oh well, I blew my diet so I may as well keep eating and drinking” state of mind. Don’t let one ‘high-calorie’ night to throw you off your path. Look in the mirror and remind yourself how far you have come - and move forward.