Dear Coach Gila,
I’d like to lose weight, about 30 pounds to be exact. I am not on any specific diet or plan. I follow you closely and I am listening to your advice. I eat three nutrient-dense meals a day and snack if I need to. I exercise a few times a week and increased my water consumption. I no longer rely on packaged processed foods; rather, I am eating real food. I am definitely losing weight and I feel great. But, I am worried about winter vacation. In the past we ate out often and I had a hard time making healthy choices when everyone else was indulging. I am looking forward to spending time with my family but really want to keep up with my exercise routine and healthy habits while on vacation. Whenever my routine has been interrupted, I ended up giving up. Any help you could give me with this would be really appreciated.
Thank you,
Fearful of Vacation
Dear Fearful,
Thank you for your question, as it is timely and I am sure others have similar thoughts and concerns. While it is definitely easier to exercise and keep to your eating routine in your own home, it is possible to maintain your focus and commitment to your goals while on vacation.
As I am not sure if you are driving to your destination or flying, I will give you helpful ideas that apply to both situations. Those enjoying a staycation with their families can apply many of these tips as well. Even when in your own home, when the kids are not in school and you are not in your “normal routine,” it can be hard to stay on board with your plan.
Mindset: Remember that you are in charge of you! You are in control of your thoughts and your actions. Adopt the mindset of success. You can have an amazing time on vacation with your family and not sabotage yourself. Don’t leave your healthy habits at home. Make a list of your goals for the week and then break them down to daily goals. Bring this list with you on vacation.
Plan your food: Whether you are home, flying or driving, plan out your meals for the week. Know when you will be eating out and when you will be preparing food. My secret weapon on vacation is my crockpot. I make a fabulous dinner in the morning and let it cook on low all day.
Packing your healthy essentials: After you prepare your menu you are ready to begin shopping and prepping your healthy essentials. I always pack or plan on purchasing containers for lunches to go. I always pack a frying pan and a pot or two along with snacks that I may not be able to find easily at my destination. If you don’t have access to a kitchen, you can purchase an electric burner and take it with you.
Snacks: Decide which snacks you are bringing with you and which items you will purchase at your destination. Some healthy snack ideas: fruits and raw vegetables, nuts and seeds, homemade granola, beef jerky, canned tuna, salmon and sardines, Artisana coconut butter packs, nut butter packs, olives, plantain chips, Enjoy Life seed and fruit packs, Larabars, mini guacamole, mini hummus containers and chia seeds for chia seed pudding.
Eating out: Don’t be afraid to ask your server to prepare your food the way you want it prepared. I do this all the time in restaurants and find that for the most part the kitchen is eager to accommodate. When I make healthy selections I don’t feel badly for myself, I no longer feel deprived. I used to go through the motions of ordering and then eating my healthy choices but I used to wish that I didn’t have to. I eyed all the fried, sweet food and wished I could eat those meals without gaining weight. Now I only order a healthy version of exactly what I am in the mood for. No regrets, no negative emotions involved. I am grateful that I choose to feed my body what it needs.
I used to think of eating out as a treat that allowed for, if not demanded, straying from my healthy eating plan. My relationship with food has changed. The way I choose to “treat” myself is by eating tasty nutrient-dense food. The two are not mutually exclusive. Make sure you enjoy what you choose so you don’t feel derived.
If you choose to sample food that you don’t normally eat, that’s okay too. Remember, it’s your body and your choice. The idea is to mindfully savor your sample, enjoy it so you don’t need to eat three servings. Once you’ve made the choice to eat something, enjoy it fully, with no guilt!
Water: Water is your friend. Bring along your favorite water bottle and stay hydrated. You will most likely be walking more than usual and possibly be in the sun; both will leave you dehydrated if you do not stay on top of your water intake.
Exercise: You may not be able to go to the classes that you usually attend, or work out for your normal length of time, but you can definitely fit something in to keep you feeling great. Look into the place where you are staying—is there a fitness room and/or classes? Bring a DVD or follow a workout from YouTube. Have your family join you; you’ll be creating lasting memories before you even leave for your daily adventure. You can also plan activities on your vacation that involve movement. My family loves hiking, biking, boating and beach soccer. We once paddle boated for hours, but that’s another story for another article.
You can and will be successful! With a mindset shift and advance planning you will bring your healthy habits with you on vacation.
Coach Gila
Coach Gila Guzman JD, CINHC is the director of Main Asset Health LLC. She can be reached via email at [email protected] or at (917)647-1788. Coach Gila is currently offering all Jewish Link readers a free 50-minute breakthrough coaching session. For recipes, meal ideas and inspiration for healthy living follow Coach Gila on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/MainAssetHealth/ and Instagram @mainassethealth.
By Gila Guzman
