How to Stay Fit on Vacation

Do you dread gaining weight on vacation? 

We often believe that our hard-worked results at the gym and healthy eating habits will go down the drain if we take a week or two to indulge on holidays. This is simply not true.

Luckily, there are things to do before, during, and after your big vacation to ensure that there are minimal changes to your physique. Oftentimes, if you feel a little more bloated after vacation, it’s mostly water retention.

Let’s explore some ways to stay fit during vacation, so you no longer need to stress about it on your next trip.

Before Embarking on a Trip

In the month leading up to my vacation, I always try to stay extremely diligent about going to the gym and eating relatively balanced and healthy. The gym, might not be the best place for everyone— some people enjoy kickboxing, yoga, sports…whatever it is, make sure you are consistent about it.

 Primarily, I focus on building muscle. Why? Because muscle mass increases your overall resting metabolic rate. Meaning, during times when you’re moving less—your body is still burning calories at a higher rate. Cardio is great for that extra shed, but on its own, it doesn’t do much to help you build that muscle you need.

Staying Active During the Trip

You might not have access to a fitness facility, and that’s perfectly fine. You shouldn’t be stressing about working out on the trip. The point is to have a relaxing, restful vacation. 

Resting is underrated. We need abundant recovery time, especially if we’ve been working hard for the months leading up to this. Let your body rest, so you can bounce back faster and stronger than ever.

Don’t be afraid of switching up your routine. You can always find other (fun) sources of activities that help you stay active. Go for a scenic bike ride, a swim, explore new hiking trails, or simply take the option to walk wherever you want to go for sightseeing. Dancing all night long also counts! It just takes a simple decision on your part to incorporate these easy activities into your day.

Practice Mindful Eating

Unfortunately, in a culture that is heavily invested in diet culture, health and fitness— the dark side of this is that many of us have lost touch with what it means to eat intuitively. 

Taking a vacation is the perfect way to challenge ourselves to slow down and savor what we have in front of us. Some of these unique, cultural foods are something we can’t get anywhere else but in this particular place. I had plenty of ‘aha’ moments on my trips, that made me really appreciate the food and the people that complimented the experience. 

Eating no longer was a survival mechanism, but it had truly become an experience. Alcohol, something that is often shunned as unhealthy and addictive became a complement to the experience. I had beautiful wines in Spain that really were meant to be paired, shared, and savored under the hot sun.

Sound simple enough but, eat when your body desires it, not when you’re bored. Mindless eating over time can lead to weight gain. Keep yourself entertained with people and activities. In my last post, I discussed the importance of simply eating with people. Staying relaxed also helps as many people tend to stress-eat. Keeping food separate from your bedroom can also help you abstain from reaching for that extra cookie before bedtime.

Shifting Our Mindset Around “Bad Foods”

Food is often misconstrued as either good or bad. Truth is, the more we antagonize certain foods, the more we want them. Instead, if we allow ourselves to have everything we want in moderation, we gradually over time will become less inclined to those Oreos we’ve been craving all along.

 Having certain indulgences could be part of a celebratory act. It doesn’t mean we eat chocolate cake every single day, but on the occasion, it can bring us a lot of mental satisfaction and joy. When we crave certain things, it’s best to honor our bodies— sometimes we just need a little kick of sugar, extra carbohydrates, or hearty protein to feel replenished.

For example, I had buttery, flaky croissants every day while in Paris for two weeks. Do I continue eating croissants every day back in Vancouver? Of course not, I satisfied that part of that cultural desire and I’m more than happy to go back to my usual routine of eggs and whole-grain toast.

Stay Hydrated

Drinking plenty of water will help you stay full longer and also sustain you when you’re drinking a decent amount. Carry a water bottle around, or make a rule of it that for every glass of liquor you order that you also order a glass of water.

Sleep in!

We’re a culture obsessed with jumpstarting our bodies at a certain time— in order to maximize our productivity. When you’re on vacation, turn off your alarm clock and let your body get the rest it truly wants. If you wake up later, you might find yourself eating less throughout the day. One, because you’re well-rested, your cortisol levels are probably pretty low. Two, because you have breakfast—or lunch later, your eating schedule is pushed back.

After your Trip

The aftercare for your vacation is pretty self-explanatory. Go back to your own routine. You might find yourself more motivated to work out after getting the proper replenishment you needed. Go back to cooking your own meals, eating well-balanced ones. If you managed to gain a few pounds post-vacation (which is very normal), you’ll find that after a couple of weeks your body will naturally rebound to what it’s used to.

 Our bodies are smart—it has a natural set point that it likes to hover around. As long as we’re mindful and eating according to our natural cues, we will naturally fall back on a certain weight. Of course, we can continue to work hard to build results such as muscular tone around this weight.

Conclusion

There are simple ways we can reframe our minds so that the fear of gaining weight around trips is mitigated. We need to be intentional about what we’re putting in our bodies. Respect our body’s need for rest and circulation. We can easily incorporate exercise and healthy foods in between heavier meals and indulgences. Overtime when we learn to trust and nourish our bodies the proper way, having a few weeks off from our regular routine should never derail the progress we’ve made.