diet

Improving Your Diet on Vacation

Are you tired of COVID-19 and quarantine and just want to take a fun and relaxing vacation? Don’t worry, going away for a while doesn’t mean you’ll ruin your hard work when it comes to dieting and exercise. While it might be tricky, you can stay on your healthy eating and workout habits. Here are some tricks that will help you improve your diet on vacation. 

Stick to your exercise regime

Set a goal when it comes to running, lifting or doing HIIT and stick to it. Don’t go overboard (you need to have enough energy to enjoy your vacation) and aim for two or three workouts per week. If you need help with staying accountable, track your vacation workouts and post on social media. You can’t lift or run? Walking is a great vacation activity, so try to do all your exploring on foot. To make it fun, track your daily steps and see how much you walked when you come home. 

Use the kitchen

If you have a room with a kitchen, stock up on your favorite healthy food options and try cooking at least once a day. This trick will save you money and allow you to control your calorie intake. When cooking, try to experiment with healthy recipes with your travel buddies and prepare something local and full of nutrients. It’s a great way to experience your destination and fill your plate with healthy and filling foods. 

Focus on protein

If you’re looking for a way to fill up your stomach, stay away from heavy carbs and opt for protein instead. These macromolecules are great energy sources that also build and repair muscles, so they are essential for fitness. If you can’t find the time to eat a lot of protein, you can pack your favorite protein powder. Pick out the best whey protein for daily protein intake necessary for building, rebuilding and maintaining lean muscle. These protein powders produce delicious drinks that will also satisfy your sweet tooth so it’s a win-win situation. 

Eat more fruits and veggies

Adding veggies and fruits to your vacation meals is easy. You can introduce them to your snacks, put them in your morning sandwich or omelet or choose a healthy smoothie. When hitting the beach, pack an assortment of fruits and veggies to have as a healthy and delicious snack. 

Fill up on water

You might be indulging in a little bit more alcohol when on vacation and that’s totally understandable. However, all alcoholic drinks, especially cocktails, have high-calorie content, so make sure to limit your intake if you want to stay healthy. Alcohol even triggers some people to eat more and make bad food choices! So, strive to drink more water, especially if you spend a lot of time in the sun, and use alcohol as a treat. 

Set limits

While you want to enjoy your vacation and all the amazing foods you can find at your destination, try to resist some things and set reasonable limits. For instance, set a limit of one restaurant meal a day, two ice creams per week and one fast-food cheat meal per vacation. When eating out, examine the menu and decide between a dessert and cocktails. 

Use a food tracker

This can be a great way to stay accountable and conscious of your vacation eating habits. Letting go of your food journal completely is a slippery slope and going back to your regular eating habits when you come back might be extra hard. So, don’t hesitate to track your food—even partial food tracking will allow you to maintain your weight and form. For instance, you can just track your water intake, your workouts or your dinner. 

Sleep in

Sleep is very important for fitness, just as much as diet and exercise. Researchers realized that sleep deprivation makes the brain more sensitive to taste and the pleasure food brings which can lead to cravings and binge eating. So, unless you want to stop for ice cream at every parlor you pass, make sure to get a good eight hours of sleep every night. Sleep is also great for muscle recovery, so your workouts will be more powerful and effective. 

You don’t have to come back from your vacation with extra weight and muscle loss. These diet and workout tips will help you stay on track with your fitness schedule while you enjoy your time off. 

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Peter Minkoff

Peter Minkoff is a gay travel and lifestyle writer. Besides writing, he worked as a travel journalist for many publications in Australia and the UK. Follow Peter on Facebook and Twitter for more tips. Peter Minkoff ist ein schwuler Reise- und Lifestyle-Autor. Er arbeitete als Reisejournalist für viele Publikationen in Australien und Großbritannien. Folge Peter auf Facebook und Twitter für weitere Tipps.