As summer approaches and the weather begins to heat up, many people will begin to take vacations. Along with those vacations comes the temptation to eat and drink everything under the sun.
Don’t get me wrong, in the past I have always treated vacation as a time to overeat and drink a few more beers than I should. In the last year or so however, I have been trying to do a better job of finding the balance between enjoying myself and staying on track with my diet goals all at the same time.
Vacation is an awesome time to be enjoyed, but if you want a few tips on how to not completely derail your body recomposition progress while relaxing by the beach, then this article is for you.
Tip #1: Limit Your Snacks and Enjoy the Meals
I understand that someone telling you not to snack on vacation sounds like a crime, but it’s truthfully the best way to limit unwanted calories.
Everyone already knows that alcohol consumption is likely to go up, several meals will be eaten at restaurants, and there will be a lot of lounging happening at the same time.
This could be a recipe for disaster if you decide to snack to your heart’s desire on top of the above. Unfortunately, calories still count even when you’re on vacation.
The best option, which seems reasonable, is to avoid meaningless snacking altogether if you can help it. It’s probably the simplest and easiest ways to prevent excess calorie accumulation while you soak up the sun.
On the other hand, I fully realize that some of us need snacks to survive, so if that’s the case…
Tip #2: Bring High-Protein Snacks
If you have to snack (hello, this is me) then the best thing you can do to help yourself is to pack high protein snacks for your trip.
Given the fact that you know you are probably going to be consuming extra calories in alcohol, and most likely eating fattier meals down at the local restaurant, your physique will likely benefit from consuming a little more protein with your snacks.
I personally think snacks higher in protein are a little more satiating, and I know that when I go on vacation my protein consumption will be lower than I want it to be if I don’t have my own snacks.
My personal high-protein go-to snacks are:
Protein Powders
Protein Bars
Beef Jerky
Greek Yogurt
Tuna (I know…)
Pro Tip: Buy these snacks and pack them before you reach your destination, as prices at vacation destinations tend to be inflated.
Obviously, don’t do that with the Greek yogurt… unless you just happen to enjoy drinking lukewarm, melted yogurt.
Tip #3: Practice Healthy Eating Habits
I took the time to write a blog post on this topic not long ago which you can find here if you want a more in depth reason behind these healthy eating habits:
Put your fork down between bites.
Don’t stuff yourself full every meal.
Drink a LOT of water.
Find a balance between food as fuel and food as enjoyment.
The only one I will touch on again here is this: If you are traveling to a place with a warmer climate and plan on being very active, it’s probably smart to drink plenty of water - not only to avoid any risk of getting dehydrated but to act against overeating as well.
Tip #4: Enjoy Yourself and Relax
At the end of the day, you are ultimately in charge of your own actions and you know yourself better than anyone else.
If limiting yourself in any way on vacation will cause you to feel a sense of restriction or does not allow you to enjoy spending time with friends and family for some reason, then make the choice that works best for you.
Given the crazy year we have had so far in 2020, everyone could probably use a short amount of time to let loose and deeply enjoy the company we are with and the things we plan to do on vacation.
However, if your body composition goals are important to you and you still want to enjoy yourself on vacation, bookmark these tips and put them into practice the next time you head off for the horizon!
Speaking of fat loss goals, we currently have spots open for body composition coaching!
If you feel like you are struggling to get your body into vacation shape and you want a better plan and want to make some meaningful progress, reach out to us here. All it takes is one small email to get the ball rolling… just one!
Also, while you are here, take a look through some recent posts and what we have going on Instagram, and let us know what you guys think!
Enjoy those vacations,
Josh