When you are trying to set up a new healthy routine, vacation can be a real struggle. Especially if you are still at the beginning of your weight loss or prediabetes reversal journey. So let me give you some very easy tricks that will help you stay on track while having a blast.

Vacations: what are my health options?

First option

You forget about everything you have been trying to do so far, indulge non-stop: at the buffet, at the bar, at the ice-cream parlor. Of course, you pay the price for it when you get on the scale after your come home .

Second option

You are super firm and dedicated, you stick to all your rules, you do not enjoy the buffet, you do not allow yourself the luxury of a few drinks or treats, and you sweat on the treadmill rather than relax at the beach. You come back like you haven’t had a vacation at all. Chances are your efforts were probably not worth it.

Third option

Then there is a 3^rd option, and this is the one I’d like to talk to you about. This is the option where you find a compromise. That is, you don’t let go of your healthy principles, but you also focus on enjoying your vacation 100%, and in my opinion, food and drinks are part of that deal.

It's all in your healthy head!

So how do you compromise?  The idea is that you need to stay in that healthy mindset that you have been working on for a while. In your head (and that is VERY IMPORTANT!), you have to stick to the healthy person that you have started to become. Because if you get up every morning, thinking of yourself as someone healthy, you will make healthier choices during the day than if you were waking up thinking of yourself as someone who doesn’t care about wellness, about feeling good and energized, about improving blood counts, etc.

Be the healthy person you want to be

So what can you do to be in that healthy mindset? Small things actually, tiny simple things:

#1 First thing in = water

Every morning, as soon as you set foot on the ground, drink a large glass of water. At least 10 or 12 oz. This makes you feel clean inside, and will make you less inclined to put junk food in your stomach at breakfast. Even better, you can do that regularly during the day. Before every meal or snack, drink a cup of water. It will help you stay hydrated, which is very important when you travel, and it will help you feel better and eat better during the meal that comes right after that glass of water. Try it, you might get addicted to it!

#2 Move BEFORE breakfast

Check out if there is a yoga or a stretching class offered at your hotel (if you stay in a hotel). If there is one, sign up for the early morning class, and take it BEFORE breakfast. If there are no classes or you are camping or in a condo, go for a 20 or 30-minute brisk walk or do some stretching on your own. Again, do that BEFORE breakfast. If you start your day with some gentle exercise and go to breakfast afterward, you won’t feel like eating heavy greasy stuff. You will be hungry, but you will feel like eating foods that are good for your body, because you’ve just done a workout that IS good for your body and you won’t want to spoil that.

Be careful though. I am not advocating a 10-mile run or a boot camp session before breakfast! First, because you need fuel for that kind of exercise and usually shouldn't do it without eating a little bit beforehand. And also because the idea here is to keep the workout gentle, so that you feel like you have done something good for your body, but it doesn't give you an excuse to eat as if you were recovering from a marathon. You see what I mean, right? Stretching, yoga, or a 20-minute brisk walk don't require you to eat more than usual. They are good activities for your body, but they won't burn many calories. If you don't feel comfortable moving around before you have swallowed something, no worries, have a piece of fruit right after your glass of water when you get up and then, head out and move!

#3 Make it half and half

When you are at a buffet, whether it’s for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, start by covering half of your plate with fruits, veggies (potatoes and French fries don’t count!) and/or leafy greens. Then only, you can focus on the rest and fill up the other half of your plate with whatever you want. And make sure you enjoy the entire plate! If you go for seconds or thirds, no problem. Just do it all over again. Cover half of your plate with fruits, leafy greens, or veggies and eat them first. Use the same rule for dessert. You want a Sundae? Have one! But have the equivalent volume of fresh fruit with it. And start by eating the fruit. Chances are you won’t have a second sundae, or you might not even be able to finish the first one!

If you eat at a restaurant, keep in mind that the amount of food on your plate will most likely be two times what your body really needs. Unless you eat in a very gourmet/fancy restaurant, try to only eat half of what is brought to you. Split with someone else or save half or your dish for later if you have a way to keep it cool and reheat it. Ideally, you can ask your server to put half or your order in a box before it even reaches your table. You will see, it will still be a very reasonable amount of food. If you feel like it's not big enough, order a side salad, side veggies (greens!) or a cup of fruit that you can eat as a dessert, to finish on a sweet note.

#4 No elevator in the lobby

Wherever you go, take some stairs! Your room or condo is on the 10^th floor? Start with 2 flights and then finish with the elevator. After a couple of days, you might be able to do 3 flights of stairs, or 4. Why not 10 by the end of the vacation? Give me one good reason why you would not take the stairs! You can’t find them? Ask at the front desk! You are too tired? Don’t worry, you will rest in a few minutes. It takes forever? Well, you are on vacation, right? The kids don’t want to take the stairs? Go on your own if you can, and enjoy a few minutes of silence :-). Otherwise, try to challenge the kids, make it a game, who can go the highest!?

I am not saying that you cannot take the elevator. What I am saying is: start with the stairs and go as high as you want. After that, you can always take the stairs to the top.

It’s always the same idea: if you have been taking the stairs every day, 3 or 4 times a day, you might think twice when the bag of potato chips starts requiring your attention. If you want to get more motivation and ideas around elevators, you're in luck! I am quite passionate about elevators and could not resist the urge to write a full article about them! Read "Elevators are killing us", there is some good stuff right there! 

 #5 Walk around for health