Keeping Off the Weight on Vacation

So here we are coming up to vacation season, and it's always a challenge to at least maintain your weight when you're away from home. When you plan for a vacation you of course plan out your itinerary, car rental, flighs, hotels, etc. But what about your food & workouts? My husband and I are going on a little getaway soon here, and I've been busy planning all of the above...including our food & workouts. Call me crazy, but I really don't want to throw away all of the hard work I've put in these last few months. I want to enjoy my vacation, but I don't want to bring back more than just souvenirs, and that includes a few extra pounds along the waistline. So, here are a few things that we're doing to avoid that problem.

1. Rent a condo or hotel room with a small kitchen. We like to do this because then we're in charge of our food for at least breakfast and dinner. We always plan on going out to eat for dinner, but at least we know the first two meals of the day and snacks will be healthy. 

2. Look up the menus for restaurants online. Since we do go out for dinner, I like to look at the menus  for the restaurants we plan on going to. Plan out what you're going to eat ahead of time, and stick to it! These are well known things, but always stick with grilled lean protein, veggies, salads (no creamy dressing). Get a to-go container if the portions are too big. You have a kitchen already with a refrigerator. Use it! You could always eat the leftovers for lunch the next day. 

3. Plan a grocery shopping trip for your first day of vacation. Write out a detailed list of what you plan on eating for breakfast, lunch, and snacks for each day. Then stick to your list when you're at the store! Don't forget bottled water if you'll be on the beach. You need to stay hydrated. 

4. Workout first thing in the morning. Get it out of the way so that way you can enjoy your day and not have that nagging feeling lurking over you of "Awww man! I still have to workout today!" At least that's how I feel if I don't get my workouts done in the morning. :) Bring exercise DVDs and resistance bands to use in your room if your hotel doesn't have a fitness center. Or if it does, plan to run on the treadmill first thing in the morning. 

5. If you know there's a special treat you want to have while on vacation, plan for it. There's this little ice cream shop that my husband loves to go to when we're on vacation, so if I know we'll be going there that day, I like to account for it with the rest of my food that day. That might mean forgoing those pancakes in the morning and swapping them for a healthy veggie omelette. 

6. Last but not least, don't get down on yourself if you don't make the wisest of choices on vacation. That's the whole point is to get away to rejuvenate your mind, body, and soul. So enjoy yourself, but make sure that you won't regret it too much! :)

Happy start of summer!