We’ve all been there. We get home from a week-long vacation and feel…awful. The “I’m on vacation” mindset gets the best of us, and our stomach pays the price. After all, isn’t vacation your chance to indulge and just eat whatever you want?
We get it. When you finally take the vacation you’ve been planning for months, the last thing you want to think about is eating healthy food. But what if you approach your next vacation with a different mindset and plan on eating mostly healthy.
Eating “Mostly” Healthy
What does the “mostly healthy” plan look like? Here are a few suggestions:
In the Car
If you’re road-tripping, one way to eat mostly healthy is to avoid fast food places as much as possible. When you need to make a stop, look for a grocery store or small market instead. These places will have much healthier food options.
But let’s say you’re 300 miles into the middle of nowhere, and fast food is the only option. In this case, try to make the best choices available. Keep your portion sizes small and avoid anything too sugary (like soda).
If you know you’re headed to a destination where the food options are limited along the way, plan ahead and pack a cooler. Bring some healthy snacks with a good mix of protein, complex carbohydrates and good fats.
On a Plane
When traveling by plane, you don’t really know what food or snacks they’ll serve on the plane. So don’t leave your eating options up to chance and pack your own snacks.
Also, make sure to drink water plenty of water. Bring an empty water bottle with you through security and fill it up before you get on the plane.
In a Hotel
Exercise restraint and leave the mini-bar alone. Instead, bring your own snacks or make a grocery run when you arrive so you’re not tempted by that can of Pringles or the “sharing size” bag of peanut M&Ms.
If your hotel serves a breakfast buffet, walk through the line first and see what all your options are. Then, start adding to your plate. Try to take just one trip through the line. If you see multiple treats that you like and you’re staying a few days, spread out the treats across your stay. You don’t have to eat everything in a single meal.
Other Tips
Here are a few more tips on how you can eat “mostly” healthy while on vacation.
Speak up: If you’re with a group of friends or your family, speak up when you’re deciding where to eat. For example, if you know of some healthy-ish places with good options, recommend those restaurants to the group.
Find a balance: Try to find a good balance between relaxing and enjoying your food and staying relatively healthy. When something looks amazing, and you want to try it, don’t limit yourself.
Beware of liquid calories: If you’re going out for the night, you might tell yourself that you’re not going to eat too much and end up drinking your calories. It might seem like a good idea at the time, but your body may not agree. Especially when you wake up the next day dehydrated and with an empty stomach. Remember to drink plenty of water and don’t skip meals.
Split a dish: When going out, splitting a dish is a great way to get a fantastic meal while avoiding an extra-large portion.
Eating mostly healthy is all about finding a happy medium between eating whatever you want and feeling good during your vacation. So, try to make good-ish choices while staying active (and perhaps sneaking in some workouts on-the-go), as well.
To learn more about Rhapsody Fitness in Charleston and our range of programs, get in touch with Team Rhapsody today.
