3 Things to do to Prepare for Eating Balanced While on Vacation By Whitney Vaughan
3 Things to do to Prepare for Eating Balanced While on Vacation
I’m currently on a beach vacation, and it got my thinking about the next topic for this week’s article. Since it’s summertime, I have a lot of clients ask about what to pack and take on vacation as far as snacks go. I like to share what helps me.
1. Prepare Your Body and Mind
I spend several weeks before vacation preparing for my trip. For me, that means I really focus on my eating and exercising. I keep my structured meal schedule and meal plan so that when vacation starts I won’t have to stress about weight gain. (Even though the scale may go up, the actual possibility of fat gain in a week is slim.) Also when I’m on vacation, I don’t focus on meal timing or how much of something I’m eating. I enjoy the things I love while also using what I’ve learned to live a healthier lifestyle.
2. Plan Ahead
Before I head out for vacation, I have an idea of what I’m going to be eating while we’re gone, especially for dinners. I plan a menu of easy, family friendly meals like tacos or spaghetti which are also easy to modify for macro friendly meals if desired. If I think we’re going to eat out at a restaurant, I take a look at the menus ahead of time to see what I’ll be having and plan my day around it. Remember, I don’t weigh my meals or count macros while I’m vacation, but I’m still mindful and try not to binge eat.
3. Pack Snacks
I always throw together some of my favorite snacks that help me say no to bags of chips or sleeves of cookies. I like to pack protein powder or premade protein shakes, my Vital Proteins- Collagen Peptides, protein bars, and Heavenly Hunks…these are little chunks of oats & chocolate chips that remind me of eating a homemade oatmeal cookie fresh out of the oven. One ‘heavenly hunk’ is just enough to satisfy my nagging sweet tooth. I still enjoy the occasional ice cream bar or bite size brownie, but for the most part these are just some foods I turn to now that I’ve consistently eaten this way for a few years. I love to purchase fresh fruits and add those to my breakfast or lunch. They make great snacks on the beach, too!
Top Snack Choices
• PEScience protein powder > (click the link for $10 off your first purchase) • Fairlife pre-made shakes
• Barbells protein bars
• Heavenly Hunks
• Quaker rice cakes
• Pepperidge Farm Chocolate Collection
Most importantly, enjoy your vacation without feeling guilty! If you splurge on pizza, go for it! Eating is about keeping things balanced and enjoying certain foods in moderation.
