Pack Simple Snacks
Who doesn’t enjoy a vacation where you can take a break from your regular routine and kick back and relax. But don’t let the long car ride or plane travel keep you from eating healthy foods. It’s not worth giving up on your healthy routine while on vacation. You’ll actually feel better eating foods that are healthy than junk food especially if you have been eating healthy for a while. It might seem like a treat to “cheat” but you will pay for it one way or another. Even if you don’t gain weight you might have some discomfort when your gut rejects the Boardwalk funnel cake, fried in canola oil. Or you might feel a little run down if you eat less protein while you are on the run.
So plan ahead. Take along some healthy snacks to keep you going when healthier choices are not available. Stock up on some raw nuts for quick snacks while traveling. They come in snack pack sizes or buy the larger container and fill up zipper seal bags for individual servings. Bring along fruits that have their own “wrappers” so that you don’t have to refrigerate or bring additional containers. Bananas and apples are easy to eat snacks and don’t required special handling for travel.
Stay Away from the Buffet
Try to stay away from the midnight buffet. There’s research that shows the more choices you have at any one time, the more likely you are to overeat. So even if you have the buffet as your only option, select some sections, not all, that you will take sampling size portions so you won’t overindulge. A small portion of a less than healthy item is better than a huge slab of that Boston cream pie! It is all too easy to fall into mindless eating when in this type of setting. Use a smaller plate and intentionally take portions half what you would normally do. Pick and choose the foods that you absolutely have to eat. Leave behind the second rate food, heated from a package or prepared “manufactured” food. Go for the high quality proteins, healthy fats and the complex carbohydrates of fresh vegetables and a piece of fruit.
Eat Simply
Don’t overdress you food. All the added gravies, toppings and creamy extras just add the stuff you’re trying hard to keep out of healthy eating plan. That’s not to say you can’t enjoy butter on your vegetables or dressing your salad with a balsamic vinegar and olive oil. It means being wise about your choices. If you want to splurge, do it early in the day so it can help fuel the rest of the day rather than a late night eating binge before you go to sleep. Don’t skimp on sleep while on vacation. You will wind up not having the energy needed for all of your activities.
It’s Vacation
Enjoy your vacation and relax. We need to give our bodies the time to recover from the hustle bustle of our regular work week. Treat yourself well. Enjoy a massage, get a facial or some other non-food treat. If you really want to give in to a snack, go for what you want without guilt. Having a special treat once in a while (not every day on vacation) is worth it for a boost in spirit. Then go out for a walk to do some sightseeing or do some laps in the pool.
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