4 Strategies to help you stick to your health goals while on vacation without giving up your favorite foods and drinks

Traveling used to be the hardest time for me to stick to my health goals. I would diet and workout so hard before a trip so that I would look good and then once I was on vacation I would eat and drink everything in sight. I thought that was how you were supposed to act on vacation. But when I got home I would be so frustrated that I had gained so much weight back and I’d fall back into my old, unhealthy habits. It took me a long time to learn that you don’t have to fall victim to that cycle! You can make healthy choices on vacation without giving up eating out or drinking.

Traveling and enjoying vacations is a huge part of living a happy and healthy life. So, I make sure that I teach my clients how to enjoy a vacation without giving up the foods they love, without saying no to every drink they’re offered, and without coming home to guilt, shame and regret.

The Macros Made Easy Program isn’t another fad diet. It’s a lifestyle change - which I know you’ve heard before when it comes to diets, but the difference between Macros Made Easy and the other diets you’ve tried is that you learn how to make healthy choices all the time

I know that you’re not going to be able to track every single piece of food you put in your mouth from now until you die, and I don’t expect you to! Part of healthy living is learning how to set yourself up for success in any situation. 

I decided to ask the mamas in my Macros Made Easy program what their favorite traveling tips and tricks were because I wanted you to see that these women, who are busy moms, working moms, stay-at-home moms, have learned how to be happy and healthy without saying no to having fun with their families!

The four strategies I’m going to share with you are the ones they recommended and used. If you’re traveling for spring break soon, then make sure you use these so that you can enjoy the food and drinks you love without throwing out all of your hard work.

Make sure to have plenty of protein options

Protein is the most important macronutrient, but it’s the one most people enjoy the least! I have had people tell me they can eat a whole container of Oreos in one sitting without realizing it. But I’ve never had anyone tell me they accidentally downed three chicken breasts! I know that protein isn’t as much fun to eat as carbs and fat, but eating enough protein will help you avoid gaining weight when you’re on vacation!

Protein has a higher thermic effect than fat and carbs, which means it takes fewer grams of protein to fill you up and it takes more energy for your body to burn it. This means it’s going to help you in two ways. 

First, when you eat more protein, and especially when you start your day with protein, you’re less likely to overeat because you’ll feel fuller sooner. 

Second, you’re less likely to give in to cravings because protein is satiating and you won’t feel hungry as often!

My clients recommend keeping protein handy while on vacation. Having a protein bar or protein shake in your bag for emergencies, like if you’re not able to eat when you thought you would, can help you still make good decisions!

Have pre-packed snacks

Mindless snacking is one of the easiest ways to put on extra vacation pounds. Snacking can be a very social thing, and it’s easy to not pay attention to how much you’re eating when you’re deep in conversation.

A great tool to avoid over-snacking is to have pre-packaged snacks ready to go. You can buy snacks or even portion out whatever foods you want. Think of this like meal prepping for vacation. If you spend some time each morning throwing together your snacks you won’t have to think about them again! You can just grab a baggie and go!

I like to do this for my kids as well because I don’t want to be up getting them a snack every 20 minutes! Mama is on vacation, she’s not spending the day running around grabbing food for everyone! If you have snacks portioned out, your kids can help themselves and you can relax, mama!

Plan ahead for eating out and drinking

One thing we talk a lot about in Macros Made Easy is having a plan. A lot of mamas are resistant to planning because they feel like it takes away from the freedom of eating whatever you want, but let me tell you a secret that every single mama realizes during the program. When you plan for the food you want, it’s completely gets rid of any guilt, shame or regret that comes with overeating, binging or just enjoying your food!

We’ve all been in the place where we wanted the pizza, the burger, the cake, and we’ve said “oh screw it!” eaten it and instantly regretted it. If you’re making decisions in the moment and you’re relying on your feelings to make healthy choices, you’ll always end up feeling bad later.

However, if you know you’re going to want to have a burger for lunch, or you want to have ice cream with your kids later, then plan that into your day! Know that you’re going to make that choice and then choose to eat lower fat or lower carbs the rest of the day to account for the food you want to have.

Knowing what you’re going to eat each day, even if it’s just a loose plan when you’re on vacation, will also take the mental burden of eating off of your plate so you can relax and enjoy your vacation!

Don’t be afraid to say no

This is one of my favorite tips and I’m so proud of my clients for learning to say no! I know that women can really struggle to say no, but it’s one of the most empowering things to learn how to say!

One of the most powerful lessons you can learn is that you are the person who has to live with the consequences of your nutritional choices. If you’re being pressured to eat dessert, and you eat it even though you’re completely stuffed, you’ll get a stomach ache. No one else has to live that stomach ache, but you do.

If someone pours you a drink that you don’t want and you drink it and get a headache. Then you have to live with that headache. It doesn’t affect the person who poured you the drink.

You do not have to accept something just because someone else wants it for you. They don’t have to live in your body, but you do. So you get to make the choices that will impact your body.

I’m not saying you shouldn’t ever eat dessert or have a drink, but you should listen to your body and think about how that decision plays out long-term. There’s a time to say yes, and a time to say no. You get to make that decision. 

One of my clients, Nicole T. was recently on a work trip and she learned the power of saying yes to something and no to others.

“I knew going to New Orleans that there were some things I wasn't going to say no to and I gave myself the freedom to do it. I also said no to what I didn't want. I totally irritated the waitress in the jazz club by not ordering alcohol, but I tipped her well because I knew I was impacting her livelihood and let it go.”

I love that Nicole was able to stick to her goals, and had the awareness to help the waitress as well. She could have felt guilty because the waitress was annoyed and just ordered a few drinks. She could have been annoyed that the waitress treated her differently. Instead, she chose to honor her nutrition and still treat the waitress with respect. It was a perfect balance!

Mama, you don’t have to choose between being healthy and enjoying your vacation. You can have them both! If you constantly feel the pull between having your freedom and making good choices, then it’s time to look at the Macros Made Easy program. I can help you find total food freedom by teaching you how to think about food in a new way that only benefits you!

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