Eating Properly On Vacation?

Diet and Nutrition
1

I’d like the knowlegeable TampaTerry to share with us as I’m definitively not the only one in this situation. Anyone is bound to go somewhere where eating right and exercise may not be readily available. If others have some thoughts about this, please do share!

Hi Terry,

I’m wondering if you have threads around about eating properly while on vacation. I’d like to educate myself before I go. I know what is good for me but I won’t have a scale over there. Also, my macros requirements will be hard to meet as I won’t have my tub of whey and my bottles of olive and flaxseed oil with me.

I’ve been working hard the last 4 weeks on my diet. I don’t want to sabotage it. I’ll have 1 week (of 2) at an all-inclusive resort. I won’t be drinking alcohol this time. I’m pretty commited to what I have achieved. Because we know that it is easier to gain than to lose.

I want to continue on my progress upon my return… not starting it all over.

Any tips?

Thanks!

2

Vacation is a vacation, so don’t stress out too much about your diet.

That being said, you should be aiming to stay at maintenance level during the vacation, which is good for you anyways. Your body will appreciate the break. Being on a diet and all, you probably already know what maintenance is. Make a mental note about how much you’ve eaten throughout the day and try not to go overboard.

So here’s a few general tips:
-avoid bread/rolls etc… during meals
-drink water or sugar free beverages
-stick with higher protein dishes (steak, chicken, seafood, etc…) and avoid the starchy stuff (pasta, rice).
-snack on things throughout the day to avoid binge eating. try to avoid the whole vacation binge on dinner and sleep thing
-stay active, hit up the gym they have, go for walks, swim

Sounds like stuff you should always be doing right? Anyways, my point is this… It is really really really difficult to gain weight if you maintain healthy habits. People always make it out like it’s the hardest thing ever, but it really isn’t.

Hope it helps. You’re not supposed to live your life feeling like you’re supposed to be on a diet. Just make general healthy choices and you’ll at the very least be staying where you’re at.

3

[quote]Evilmage wrote:
So here’s a few general tips:
-avoid bread/rolls etc… during meals
-drink water or sugar free beverages
-stick with higher protein dishes (steak, chicken, seafood, etc…) and avoid the starchy stuff (pasta, rice).
-snack on things throughout the day to avoid binge eating. try to avoid the whole vacation binge on dinner and sleep thing
-stay active, hit up the gym they have, go for walks, swim
[/quote]
I plan on this. So I guess it’s really simple then. My mentality as changed about the trip since I worked so hard. In the past, yes I was restricting myself and working out much before leaving to be beach ready.

While I was there, although I didn’t binge while I ate, I binged-drank. The gym sucked and it was too hot to run outside. When I’ll go, there will be a gym for 1 week then I’m on my own but I now have a better knowledge of a bodyweight workout.

I guess this is what worries much on vacation. I’m still new to eating lots of protein. And I remember when I went south some years ago that there where many fried things. But at that time, I was on a low-fat diet and it was easy to go over the 1200 calories. And I drank alcohol. So I gained.

[quote]
Hope it helps. You’re not supposed to live your life feeling like you’re supposed to be on a diet. Just make general healthy choices and you’ll at the very least be staying where you’re at.[/quote]
I’ll make it work! Thank you for reassuring me Evilmage.

4

Hey, there, MC! Long time, no speak. (grin)

I handle vacations different ways, different times. Most of the time I tell people just to go and enjoy themselves. Do as many good things as you can (that have become ingrained) without weighing, measuring, counting and recording what you are eating, and minimize the bad. You don’t have to be 100% perfect 100% of the time to achieve very nice results and to continue to improve your body composition over time.

Let’s say you want to eat relatively cleanly, though. Carry Metabolic Drive protein powder, fruit and raw (not roasted) nuts with you wherever you go. That’s your emergency food.

As far as eating out goes, do things like go to the Outback Restaurant and order salmon and two extra servings of steamed veggies without butter. I already know that a serving of salmon is 9 to 10 ounces and that it will make 3 meals for me. I get a meal and two more to go. I expect that you’ll have a mini fridge in your room. If not ask for one or ask the front desk where you could cold-store it.

So carry a bag with a couple of small Tupperware or Rubbermaid containers in it and portion out your meals.

Order steak and veggies while you’re out. Ask the waitress to ask the chef how much they weigh raw so that you know how to divide it up.

Have shrimp cocktails. Hit a grocery store while you’re running around and stock up on exotic, decadent fruits. I love star fruit (carambola), gooseberries, blueberries, raspberries, mango and kiwi.

Avoid breads, pastas, sweets potatoes, rice and anything starchy, except for PLANNED FOR deviations.

I think you should plan a few special meals and have a few drinks on your trip. It is a vacation. You can make your deviations activity based on activity. Where I live it’s hot, but I still walk. I just walk early and late. Walking is delightful when the sun goes down. (grin) And after an hour’s walk, there isn’t any reason you couldn’t have a glass of wine before dinner.

Knowing your goals, I’d recommend you plan to eat relatively clean, but plan a few diversions or deviations do that you don’t feel too deprived.

One thing I did do on a vacation that involved a lot of walking and hiking (we went to the Grand Canyon) was to eat fruit as much as I needed to keep my energy levels up.

Have a plan going into it that is reasonable and fair. Don’t deny yourself entirely. If it all ends up falling apart, just shrug and smile and get back on your diet the minute you walk through the front door. Any damage done can be corrected … probably a lot more quickly than you expect.

Have a good time, girl!!! (grin)

5

I really like your tips! Thank you Terry. And I will try my best to apply everything from this thread. I can only hope for the best. I do plan on enjoying myself but do plan to at least work out for it.

And off I go! The plane leaves in the AM. (We haven’t had a chance to talk about what to do on a long flight… oh well!)

I’ll get in touch when I come back! :stuck_out_tongue:

MC

[quote]Tampa-Terry wrote:
Hey, there, MC! Long time, no speak. (grin)

I handle vacations different ways, different times. Most of the time I tell people just to go and enjoy themselves. Do as many good things as you can (that have become ingrained) without weighing, measuring, counting and recording what you are eating, and minimize the bad. You don’t have to be 100% perfect 100% of the time to achieve very nice results and to continue to improve your body composition over time.

Let’s say you want to eat relatively cleanly, though. Carry Metabolic Drive protein powder, fruit and raw (not roasted) nuts with you wherever you go. That’s your emergency food.

As far as eating out goes, do things like go to the Outback Restaurant and order salmon and two extra servings of steamed veggies without butter. I already know that a serving of salmon is 9 to 10 ounces and that it will make 3 meals for me. I get a meal and two more to go. I expect that you’ll have a mini fridge in your room. If not ask for one or ask the front desk where you could cold-store it.

So carry a bag with a couple of small Tupperware or Rubbermaid containers in it and portion out your meals.

Order steak and veggies while you’re out. Ask the waitress to ask the chef how much they weigh raw so that you know how to divide it up.

Have shrimp cocktails. Hit a grocery store while you’re running around and stock up on exotic, decadent fruits. I love star fruit (carambola), gooseberries, blueberries, raspberries, mango and kiwi.

Avoid breads, pastas, sweets potatoes, rice and anything starchy, except for PLANNED FOR deviations.

I think you should plan a few special meals and have a few drinks on your trip. It is a vacation. You can make your deviations activity based on activity. Where I live it’s hot, but I still walk. I just walk early and late. Walking is delightful when the sun goes down. (grin) And after an hour’s walk, there isn’t any reason you couldn’t have a glass of wine before dinner.

Knowing your goals, I’d recommend you plan to eat relatively clean, but plan a few diversions or deviations do that you don’t feel too deprived.

One thing I did do on a vacation that involved a lot of walking and hiking (we went to the Grand Canyon) was to eat fruit as much as I needed to keep my energy levels up.

Have a plan going into it that is reasonable and fair. Don’t deny yourself entirely. If it all ends up falling apart, just shrug and smile and get back on your diet the minute you walk through the front door. Any damage done can be corrected … probably a lot more quickly than you expect.

Have a good time, girl!!! (grin)
[/quote]

6

Well, although it was a vacation, I like that it’s finally over.

I was lucky to have access to a gym everyday for the past two weeks. Before I left, I learned new exercises and I was able to practice and progress.

I ate relatively clean for the first week with my 5 small meals. Sometime though, the last two were combined. This last week, I was in a resort. I tried having frequent meals but it was hard and easier to stick to 3. I know I ate too much but I made conscious choices… no bread, protein, salad instead of starch. I indulge in a few pina coladas and some dessert. Good thing I had the gym!

I gained some body fat. I shared the concern with my trainer before I left and he said it would get back on track… I hope so! I’m finally back to eating clean! I’ll challenge myself in the next few weeks.

7

Haha in my 4 week bridge off the velocity diet I have planned (I’m still only one week into the velocity diet itself mind!) my parents suprised me by telling me they had booked a holiday… smack bang in the middle of it.

Ive just ordered a box of 21 protein bars each containing a meaty 50g of protein a piece (Don’t worry I checked for gelatin and theres non there =]) My plan is to have 3 a day for my 3 morning meals with 1-2 pieces of fruit with each serving. Then for evening Ill be having 3 hardboiled eggs or a tin of tuna + a handful of nuts/seeds… and in the evening when we will probably end up going out to dinner I will most likely go for something high fat, high protein =]

Calories will probably be lower then my other weeks but then so will activity - there are no local gyms that I know of so I will be keeping up with my 3x30min runs a week (insulin sensitivity and all that jazz) and perhaps 3 full body, bodyweight workouts. Ah well it will give my body a chance to recover I guess.

Initialy I was going to get myself a powerbar for pullups… but then I had this horible image of the thing breaking through a loose bit of plaster.

Ill do what I can =]

8

A vacation is always nice but it sucks when you had a plan. I hope for you that you will be able to stick to protein bars. Have always them on you specially for the plane ride.

Also… water! Carry your bottles and refill. I was surprised I couldn’t have it as much as I wanted too. Places down south have a different perspective of veggies I think… they are also rare. Beware of the fried food.

Anyways, good luck!

[quote]benmoore wrote:
Haha in my 4 week bridge off the velocity diet I have planned (I’m still only one week into the velocity diet itself mind!) my parents suprised me by telling me they had booked a holiday… smack bang in the middle of it.

Ive just ordered a box of 21 protein bars each containing a meaty 50g of protein a piece (Don’t worry I checked for gelatin and theres non there =]) My plan is to have 3 a day for my 3 morning meals with 1-2 pieces of fruit with each serving. Then for evening Ill be having 3 hardboiled eggs or a tin of tuna + a handful of nuts/seeds… and in the evening when we will probably end up going out to dinner I will most likely go for something high fat, high protein =]

Calories will probably be lower then my other weeks but then so will activity - there are no local gyms that I know of so I will be keeping up with my 3x30min runs a week (insulin sensitivity and all that jazz) and perhaps 3 full body, bodyweight workouts. Ah well it will give my body a chance to recover I guess.

Initialy I was going to get myself a powerbar for pullups… but then I had this horible image of the thing breaking through a loose bit of plaster.

Ill do what I can =][/quote]