Vacation-Mode Eating

Let me be clear: vacation is no time to start a weight-loss plan. You are not going to be in the mood to change your habits or restrict your choices when you are in the vacation frame of mind. However, what to do if you've been on a weight-loss plan and are seeing results ... then vacation arrives. Maybe you've been trying to slim down to look good for this particular vacation, or maybe it just happened to coincide with your newfound healthful habits. The question remains: what do you do? Attempt to adhere strictly to your new plan, or throw caution to the wind and eat whatever and however much you want?

Naturally, I wouldn't recommend either of these options. Vacation is a time to loosen up and enjoy life, so trying to follow your eating plan to the letter is probably going to backfire one way or another. You're most likely going to be exposed to lots of tempting food and drink, and denying yourself is a recipe for disaster: it's an invitation to binge when your guard is down.

Still, throwing all the rules away and overindulging in all kinds of off-the-plan foods doesn't make sense either. Why undermine everything you've been working so hard to achieve? Plus, once you return home, it will be that much harder to go back to eating healthfully, and you'll have put yourself in yo-yo dieting mode, which isn't good for you or recommended for smart weight loss.

I suggest you take a 75/25 approach to your eating plan while on vacation. Seventy-five percent of the time, make healthful choices: fruits, veggies, high-fiber carbs, lean protein--you know the drill. Then, the remaining 25 percent of the time, allow yourself to taste some of those tempting items. Have a margarita before dinner, maybe share a slice of decadent chocolate cake with someone. It's a balancing act.

The key to successful vacation eating, I believe, is portion control. I proved this to myself years ago when I went on a cruise with a friend and came back a few pounds lighter than before I left. How? There was so much food to choose from that I couldn't possibly eat it all, so I decided to choose only the foods I really wanted, and only eat until I was satiated--not full. And it worked! I didn't feel deprived, and I lost weight during the trip (I was probably the only person who ever lost weight on a cruise!).

I'm thinking of all this now because I have a vacation coming up soon and I want to have a maintenance plan in place before I go (so if you don't see me post for a few days, you'll know why). Keep these tips in mind for the next time you go on vacation, and you'll still fit into your jeans after you come home!