Tips to Eat Healthy on Vacation

Vacation is a time to relax and enjoy ourselves.  Last week, I snuck away with my husband for a few days, without the kids.  I knew that I was going to indulge, but didn’t want to feel awful from eating poorly  or gain weight during the trip.  Here is a peek at how I indulged on vacation while still nourishing my body and soul.

Meals
I started each morning with my usual 2 glasses of filtered water and a probiotic.  At the all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet, I had a plate of fruit followed by a veggie omelet made with 1 whole egg and 2 egg whites and the occasional side of bacon!  The whole egg has tons of protein and lots of nutrients, so don’t skip the yolk on all your eggs.  It also guarantees you are eating real eggs, rather than the processed liquid substitute!

For lunch, we were usually doing an activity, so we planned ahead to eat local vegetables and fruits with organic yogurt, seeds and nuts and drank lots of water.

Dinner included both a starter and a main, which is definitely an indulgence for me.  To reduce portion sizes, I often ordered two starters – one as an appetizer and one for my main course.  For my starter, I always chose something with vegetables, even if it was just onions with my escargot.  Since we were in Puerto Rico, grilled fish was an option on almost every menu. I had halibut, salmon, trunkfish, to name a few, with several servings of veggies. They were simply prepared with spices and a bit of butter or olive oil. The food was incredibly delicious; I was not deprived!

Drinks
Hydration is critical!  Try to drink half your body weight in ounces of water each day.  So often, we think we are hungry, but we are really only thirsty.  In the hot weather, this is even more important to avoid dehydration.

Alcohol is my biggest splurge on vacation.  To avoid blood sugar spikes and excess calories, I limited my alcohol consumption to red wine, flavored vodka or rum with sparkling water and fresh fruit.  I also alternated between water and an alcoholic beverage – so one glass of water after every alcoholic drink.  This helped me to drink less alcohol, consume less empty (albeit delicious) calories, and stay hydrated – and avoid a hangover the next day!

Activities
We were active for much of the day – snorkeling, walking on the beach, hiking, — and we even had time to go to the gym before dinner. That definitely helped to ward off extra pounds. There is no question I ate more than usual, but the added activity, helped keep my weight stable.

Enjoy yourself when you are on vacation. Enjoyment doesn’t need to be centered around unhealthy food and lifestyle choices.

Here are some easy tips to keep you on track:

1. Focus on your family and friends.
2. Stay hydrated – which also helps to keep you from overeating.
3. Indulge, but do it mindfully, so you don’t feel bad about your choices and don’t feel poorly afterwards.
4. Add in extra activity to offset the additional calories (and some extra sleep).

If you overindulge a bit on vacation and want to shed those pounds quickly, here are tips from 26 experts (look who is quoted in #23!!) with suggestions on how to stick with a low calorie diet to ditch those extra pounds!

Tip & Recipe of the month
Guacamole is one of my summertime favorites, but it’s tough to make the exact amount.  I hate when I have leftover guacamole, since I know it will brown by morning. I have a simple trick to avoid this: put your guacamole in a small bowl nearly filled to the top; use a knife to even out the top of the guacamole; put a very thin layer of water on top, and cover it tightly with plastic wrap or a secured lid.  When you are ready to eat it (within 2-3 days max), pour off the water and voilà – it’s not brown! The water inhibits the oxidation process which turns the guacamole brown.

Since we are talking guacamole, here is my favorite easy guacamole recipe!

My Next Clean Eating Program
I am currently preparing my Fall Healthy Eating Challenge, which contains new seasonal recipes.  The program begins on Monday, October 6th, with an optional preparation phase beginning on October 2nd.  The kids will be back to school and on a regular routine, so it’s time to focus on YOU!

Why not – Boost your energy.  Improve your immune system. Alleviate chronic symptoms – like belly bloat, gas, brain fog, indigestion, skin rashes, and headaches. And, LOSE a few pounds in the process!

Yours in wellness,

Elizabeth Girouard, CHHC
www.PureSimpleWellness.com