Vacation Eating! 10 Smart Tips to Travel Without Gaining Weight

Pearl One

One

Make a contract with yourself. About two weeks before a trip, the first thing I do is have a writing conversation with myself using my journal. I write about how I see my vacation unfolding and what I most want to experience in my getaway. I include “time at the pool” or “dinner at Max’s”, and I always include “planning how to not gain weight on vacation.” The goal is to not allow my stomach to get so crazy hungry that I’m likely to go Cookie Monster on vacation food.

I note which days of my trip will likely be challenging. For example, if on day one I have a five-hour flight, I plan to have a PB&J sandwich in my purse. Two if necessary. I’ve also gotten a lot of mileage out of cheese sandwiches. And sliced apples are always a good idea. (Apples are amazingly filling.) Getting hungry at the airport and on the plane? A thing of the past.

Two

Two weeks before the trip, I consciously eat really well. I basically eat to be at the lower part of my four-pound weight window. I give up wine, breads and amp up the fruits and veggies.

Three

Motivation. In the days before we leave, I pump myself up by journal-writing about what really matters most to me on this particular trip (my responses usually have nothing to do with food).

I tether myself like an umbilical cord to the what-matters-most thought. Here’s how: I “put” the thought into a bracelet or ring and tell myself that each time I look at the bracelet or ring I’ll remember what it’s representative of i.e. you’re building smart eating habits and you no longer confuse food-porn with a blast of a vacation. Lusting for food-porn is merely a sign that you need food-food.

Four

More motivation. Music! Pick only one song to use for your trip-song. Might I suggest Tom Petty’s song “I Won’t Back Down” (“they can stand me up at the gates of hell, but I won’t back down”); Katy Perry’s “Roar”; and Kelly Clarkson’s “Stronger (What doesn’t kill you”). Adopt one song that you “hear” in your head and carry with you on your trip. Use your song as needed and share in the comments below which song you chose!

Five

How I eat. I know with the fad eating styles out there, it might be hard to hear what sounds like one more, but the eating style that’s worked for me: breakfast like a king, lunch like a princess and dinner like a pauper with two afternoon snacks included. Science backs my personal experience with this study here.

Six

Small is big. I was in the fancy concierge lounge of a cruise ship recently and marveled at the beautifully prepared small sample-bites the staff laid out. Sometimes we’d find savory bites and sometimes sweet, but it was always just two or three-bites worth of food. And just those few bites really filled me up. Color me blown-away. When I’m pondering a second scoop of ice cream or more lasagna, I default into remembering how filling three bites can be.

Seven

I always do this. Always, always. When I come across desserts in the evening or even cookies in the afternoon I save the treat to eat in the mornings only to have with my coffee. Read more about how sweet breakfasts work here: Brownies for Breakfast.

Eight

Adjusting. Be real about what you “have to” taste at your destination. If something is so iconic that you “have to try it” like Italian ice cream in Italy, just plan for it. For example, if I eat a large breakfast and medium-sized lunch, I might have two scoops of gelato around 4:00 pm, but then not eat dinner on top of the gelato.

Nine

Staying full. I keep fiber and/or protein bars in my purse at all times so that I never get too hungry to make smart food choices. Again, hunger is not a friend at least for now. Letting yourself get hungry is the exact path to careening off the Smart Eating Path. So keep bars in your bag.

Ten

Smart. I keep a running log on my phone about what I’ve eaten and count the calories or points for each food. Tracking our food has been studied and the most successful at weight loss and preservation are the trackers.

Planning and tethering to “what matters most” in a trips is what let me return home at the weight I choose to be. ♥

Pearl Two

Grab your journal and write to these prompts:

• What could I do to mess up my trip?
• What can I do to set myself up for solid success?
• How do I usually eat when I’m on vacation?
• If your trip eating habits start off well, but then peter out what can you introduce into the equation to achieve success?
• Is it not a fun vacation if you don’t “eat and drink” big?
• If yes, then ask yourself what will take the place of “eat and drink.”
• If you’re following Pearl One, does all the work involved feel off-putting?
• What are your thoughts on this topic: “I take my smart eating habits with me on trips just like I bring my prescription medication.”
• Go through the ten tips in Pearl One and write about each topic and include what doesn’t worry you and what very much does worries you.
• Are there solutions to address what does worry you?

Does the idea of planning and prepping seem like an excessive amount of work for a one-week trip? Over time, you’ll embed smart travel eating habits and it’ll be far easier to take habits on a trip. While it’s not easy, there’s nothing like returning home having gained all of six ounces. ♥

Pearl Three

Sequencing is taken directly from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). The purpose of sequences is to help us move from reacting to circumstances to responding. I encourage you to do a sequence a day in your journal. Powerful stuff.

Automatic Sequence

This sequence is about me in my high school years.

• Situation (be super concrete): I have a memory of being in the quad and complimenting one of my favorite teachers and she replied, “Wendy, you’re being a brown-nose.”
• Automatic thought: I’ve done something wrong,
• Feeling: Cringe
• Action: I fled the scene of teachers and students.
• Result: I stopped commenting on when someone’s hair looks particularly pretty or they got cool new glasses, I stayed mum for many years.

Chosen Sequence

• Situation (be super concrete): I have a memory of being in the quad and complimenting one of my favorite teachers and she replied, “Wendy, you’re being a brown-nose.”
• Chosen thought: Mrs. Harris deflected my compliment because she felt too in the spotlight.
• Feeling: empathy.
• Action: While I didn’t know as a teen how to create better sequences for myself, I’ve since learned to compliment others.
• Result: I had to re-learn a long time ago that everyone loves to get an authentic, from-the-heart “nice boots” every day of the week. Or as Mark Twain said, “I can live for two months on a good compliment.”

Pearl Four

Books love us and want us to happy.

I have a great memoir for you today. It took a second or two to get into but The Next Day, Transition, Change and Moving Forward by Melinda French Gates, is worth it. NPR calls it,”Deeply personal… [Gates] takes readers inside the moments that have defined her.”

She writes about her values, and children and divorce. I loved this memoir. ♥

Pearl Five

Every small step you take is a promise to the part of you that still believes.” ♥

Anonymous

If you enjoyed reading this post, I’d appreciate it so much if you’d share it with others.

Make it a beautiful week! And I hope to see you on Facebook.

♥, Wendy

You know the scoop: I’m an Amazon affiliate. If you buy from a link in my post, I’ll receive money, but the arrangement won’t cost you a dime.

Are you new to the Inspired Eater? Welcome!! This blog won’t make much sense until you first read the Aunt Bea post (and you’ll find Aunt Bea on this page to the right under my short bio). On your cell you’ll see it immediately following the first post. After you enter your email address, the Aunt Bea article will be sent to your email’s inbox. If it’s not there, you might check the spam folder. And always feel free to email me at Wendy@TheInspiredEater.com and I’ll get Aunt Bea right to you!!

I am not an expert, doctor, surgeon, nurse, dietician, or nutritionist: the information within TheInspiredEater.com is based solely on my personal experience and is not intended to be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.