Z. Johnson
Feeling guilt after eating on vacation? Stop! Seriously… If you’ve been constantly struggling with food obsessions, bingeing, thinking about dieting after you return from vacation or a trip, you’re not enjoying in a healthy way. Maybe, it’s time to reconsider things and shifting your mindset all together. I know this sounds weird, because many of us have been taught about two different extremes. Eat, splurge and be merry during vacation, because it’s the only time we can enjoy “forbidden” foods (rolling eyes), or be extra cautious with what you eat and binge only on fruit salads while you’re at the pool, because you need to keep your “diet”. As you may know, none of the two extremes are good, since they usually cause more stress on your body and mental health. I’ll show you what’s the real approach to healthy eating on vacation.
Relax! You can enjoy foods while on vacation and still stay in shape!
This is the key to getting rid of food rules and the vicious cycle of restriction-bingeing that comes with guilt. Going on vacation is about being excited for new interactions, opportunities to meet new people, know different places, and of course, savor new food! Unless you’re still struggling in finding your own balance with food and healthy living, you really don’t need to worry about losing your shape while being on vacation. Healthy eating on vacation means that you can let yourself enjoy from a variety of foods, knowing that you won’t need to make serious changes to your regular eating regimen.
When you learn to have more balance in your life (and that includes eating), to be at peace with your food, and you’re regularly physically active, your body is at ease and works better. What I mean by this, is that you don’t have to fear about “screwing your metabolism” while being on a trip, as many people would say. This is because you’re already used to balanced eating and other healthy habits on a daily basis. Therefore, allow yourself to develop a healthy and positive mindset around food. Stop worrying about saving up for the “bingeing” or coming back to the “dieting cycle” because that’s the norm during vacation.
Healthy eating on vacation: Smart ways to eat without guilt
1. Embrace intuitive eating
Learning to tune into your body while you eat is one of the best ways to enjoy your food without guilt or fear of losing your shape. I know you’ve been working for that “bikini body”, which is awesome! You will be able to keep those beautiful abs and curves while you enjoy healthy eating on vacation.
Intuitive eating allows you to eat based on your body’s desires and needs. I always love to apply this to my daily life. This is so true because I feel at so much ease when eating a variety of foods. It is more than just a hack, it is a way of life and it’s actually really learning how to eat the right way. There are no food obsessions, no excessive food restrictions. You just eat what you most enjoy when you feel like it, knowing that there is variety and balance. You also know that you can savour every bite of that specific treat, while enjoying the moment slowly. Also, when it comes to healthy eating on vacation, you honor your hunger levels and eat until you’re full. Follow your eating intuitiion! Free your mind, your body will thank you.
2. Include the foods you’ve always enjoyed in your daily eating regimen
As mentioned before, eating smart gives you a balanced approach, rather than restriction-bingeing cycle. For me, to be honest, there is no such thing as “cheat meals”, there are treats. Treating yourself to the foods you love from time should not be part of only vacations, but all year round. Why? Because, this way, it is more sustainable and realistic to maintain a good eating lifestyle and healthy weight. Think about it, when was the last time you enjoyed a slice of pizza, or that delicious cup of ice cream without feeling guilty the following day? Your body deserves it anyway. It’s part of your social life.
If you sometimes include these foods when you are out and about socially, you’ll notice less stress when on vacation. It all goes down to being used to a balanced diet that includes all food groups like fruits, veggies, protein foods as well as the famous “cheat meals” from time to time. Trust me, I abide by this myself and I’ve been able to stay in shape and keep my body toned for longer, than if were in some sort of crazy or fad diet.
3. Ditch the dieting mindset: Forget about labeling foods
This should be pretty much a no-brainer. But, unfortunately, again our “dieting” culture has taught us that we need to label foods as good or bad. That there are “forbidden” or toxic foods for our organism. It really relies on how your healthy eating habits have developed. Personally, I think that the less stress you put on foods, the smarter decisions you’ll make about what works best for you. It’s simple, you learn about which foods you should eat more frequently daily and which others you can enjoy of at times.
When you stop labeling foods, you give your mind the opportunity to make smart food choices based on your own needs. It’s about what you learned are the right proportions and nutrition for you. When you’re out and about, traveling or on vacation, expect to eat a little bit different than your normal schedule and routine. This is true especially if you travel abroad. But, you know what, it’s ok. It’s totally fine that one day you ate some chillies with tacos or delicious dips for lunch rather than the normal plate of food you have when you’re at home. Giving yourself permission to enjoy these foods will help your body not only get used to working more efficiently, in terms of metabolism, but having a more relaxed approach about food in general.
Other facts…
You may also eat past your hunger levels at some times. And you should not feel guilty about it. Once you learn how to include intuitive eating in your healthy eating on vacation regimen, then you’ll notice little to no difference in appetite. Now. of course, don’t go overboard! Don’t abuse thinking that you can binge on all the caloric food at once, because then, you’ll likely develop guilt and go back to the need of “dieting”. Forget about the cleanses, and so called detoxes when you get back home. If you include veggie juices normally in your diet, then why would you need to a juice cleanse after vacation? Just go back to your normal eating schedule.
4. Healthy eating on vacation: Have a food budget prepared when needed
Let’s face it, eating out while on vacation can become more costly to our pockets too. But if you plan a budget according to what you might spend, it will cause less stress on you. One thing is about fear of overeating or indulging, but what about your wallet? Something I always recommend doing when going on vacation is planning your budget based on the activities you’ll do and the types of places you’ll visit.
Consider exploring around different locations when you’re out and about, and of course, compare prices. If you have a tight schedule or get really busy during vacation, it might be a little tough to do so much planning. But at least, go for different places with different pricing. If you visit family relatives, it may be much easier. Just as if you go on a family cookout or dinner, these options usually become inexpensive. Believe it or not, saving and budgeting is another smart hack about healthy eating on vacation.
5. Healthy eating on vacation: Discover new flavours and experience new combinations
This pretty much is a must!!! Yes! Especially if you go to a new place you’ve never been to before. Take yourself to that nice dining experience or try new dishes. This is also part of having a healthy relationship with food. Explore new flavors, try new combinations, let your body enjoy savouring new foods.
The more you allow yourself to enjoy varieties of different foods, the less need you’ll have to binge on the same foods you already know. Besides that, you’ll notice that you’ll have less cravings. I remember when I first tried some traditional mexican dishes while I was traveling, I really allowed myself to enjoy the taste of these foods to the max, without bingeing on them. It really makes a difference, and of course, it becomes an enriching experience from your vacations or travels.
6. Get busy with different activities, other than eating
Vacation is not just about food! We all know this, therefore, it is a shame that sometimes we keep stressing on food and fear of weight gain when getting back from vacation (sigh)… As if eating is the only thing we do, lol! I don’t know about you, but when I travel, I always go minimal when it comes to taking with food with me… Most of the times, I’m on the go! You can always take some healthy, on-the-go snacks with you anyways, just for the sake of curbing any cravings, especially when road trips or before taking a flight. But the point I’m trying to get to is that there are many things to keep busy with during vacation.
While being on vacation, enjoy the experience of knowing new places, taking those good rides, participating in other social activities, and meeting new people. After all, that’s the main objective of taking a vacation right? Taking a break from the routine and nurturing that mental wellness you’ve always being aiming for. I just even love how it sounds! It’s part of your wellbeing, it’s so great for your body and soul.
Finally,
Focus your energy on enjoying the experiences that a good vacation can bring. Get rid of food obsessions and the unhealthy mindset around food. Be at peace with food, as well, embrace balance over perfection. There is no perfect diet nor regimen, therefore, be realistic. Continue including all those daily regular healthy habits in your life. Healthy eating on vacation means that you can be at ease and delight in new foods and adventures. What have been some of your food experiences while on vacation? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.Share this with your friends!
Xoxo.
