Halfway through my recent trip to Madrid, I realized I don’t always follow my own advice about how to eat healthy while traveling. So often in my private practice, my patients drill me on what they should do to avoid weight gain while away from home and return without feelings of guilt. They’ve worked so hard on their goals and don’t want to blow it while they’re away. Truthfully, I tell them not to sweat it if they only take one trip a year. But sometimes, even that one trip off course can put a dagger into their good intentions, causing a spiral of no return.
Here’s what I suggest to help ensure diet success while traveling:
1. Be prepared
Preparation starts long before you get on that airplane. First, set an intention for your trip with regards to eating healthfully. If you say it out loud — and especially to others — you might be more likely to stay on track. Second, buy some healthy snack foods such as almonds; a granola-type bar that’s high in fiber and low in sugar, or roasted chickpeas that you can bring on the plane with you. This way, you are less likely to grab something sabotaging in the airport before your flight, which can set an unhealthy tone for the remainder of your trip. Lastly, scope out healthier dining options online so when you arrive at your destination you are not blindsided.
2. Drink up
Water, that is. The plane ride can be dehydrating, so I suggest that you start gulping the water versus the cocktails onboard. Continue staying hydrated throughout your trip to avoid misconstruing thirst for hunger.
3. Allow yourself one indulgence a day
Who’s kidding whom here? You are on vacation and are definitely going to want to be more adventurous with your food choices than usual. And I salute that. However, if every meal is an adventure, you’ll probably wind up going home heavier than when you arrived. I say pick and choose. Whether it’s at breakfast, lunch or dinner, allow yourself one more decadent choice than usual per day.
4. Count your cocktails
Please note: I didn’t say no cocktails. But if you’re starting the day with a Bloody Mary, moving on to margaritas at lunch, a piña colada or two at the beach, and then more cocktails and lots of wine at dinner, chances are, weight gain will be inevitable — not to mention some mean hangovers. Negotiate with yourself about the quantity and type of liquor you choose. Maybe it’s only one piña colada the entire trip and more vodka with seltzer than you would usually choose the rest of the time. Or perhaps you nix cocktails at lunch in order to make more room for them at dinner. You decide.
5. Say “no thank you” to the minibar key
This is a fairly simple one: Do not take the minibar key under any circumstances. Besides saving yourself from a lot of unwanted calories, you will also save a lot of money.
6. Stay active
Interestingly enough, I do have patients who lose weight on vacation (even though that doesn’t have to be the goal) because they are more active during vacation than they usually are. And that’s typically without using a gym or finding the closest Soul Cycle. Take advantage of walking more by exploring cities on foot or enjoying the sandy beaches. Include stairs whenever possible — forget taking the elevator, for instance, to your third-floor hotel room. Try some new activities, such as windsurfing, yoga or hiking. And don’t forget the airport, where you can physically walk rather than take the moving walkway. Every bit counts.
7. Get back on track
Sometimes, our best intentions are simply not enough. If, for whatever reason, you were not able to eat healthy while away, what really counts is what you eat when you return. Immediately resume healthy eating. Do not pass go; do not collect $100, just do it. Enough said.
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7 Tips for Healthy (Enough) Eating on Vacation originally appeared on usnews.com
