6 Tips to Prevent Weight Gain on Vacation

6 Tips to Prevent Weight Gain on Vacation

Wow, is that an oxymoron?  I know most use vacation as a time to destroy bags of Cheetos and hang out at all you can eat buffets for hours.

This is not my idea of a vacation, but that does not mean you need to be all worried about your nutrition every waking hour–it is VACATION remember?

The question I get is what to do on vacation so that you don’t return 5 lbs heavier than when you left.

This past Nov Jodie and I went on a trip to S. Padre TX and since we are in Baja right now,  I thought this would be a great time to give you an inside peak into the vacation fridge and offer up some tips.

A look in my vacation fridge

 

Here is one tasty breakfast we had!

 

6 Tips to Vacation Nutrition

1) Pick an active vacation

If you move around more, it is just way easier to burn calories.  This does not mean you need to do marathons for your vacation (although I know those that do, which is cool), but sitting in the sun for 7 days in a row rubbing coconut oil on your ever expanding gut gets old.

2) Hit up the grocery store

You don’t need to troll the buffet for every meal!  Get a place with a fridge so you can store some healthy foods and save some dinero too

3) Bring some basics

I like to bring a good protein powder with me, just in case I stuck somewhere without much for food.  Proteins are usually the hardest to get when traveling and most of the time they require the most prep too.  If you have a good protein powder (I like protein factory), you can easily find some veggies or fruits to go with it.

4) Intermittent Fasting

Yikes, I just said that you can fast on vacation!  I know that sounds insane, but if you know you are having a crazy travel day, food may be hit or miss and airport food is crap-tastic, do a 24 hour fast.    It would be a great way to start off in a bit of a caloric deficit too.     Check out the interview I did with Brad Pilon of Eat Stop Eat HERE (1 hour of audio free).

Review of Eat Stop Eat : Intermittent Fasting to Lose Body Fat

5) Exercise!

I know that sounds nuts too, but go for a run on the beach, do some body weight exercises or bring your TRX Gym in a bag (I brought mine to S Padre and I have it here in Baja with me too)

Push Up Variations

6) Exercise volume

I like to plan my deloads around my vacation time and this works well with clients too.  If you know you are going to be gone in 5 weeks, I have them do a ton of volume (again, I use the Gym Movements DVD on biofeedback to help plan day to day variations) before they leave.   On vacation they can just hit up some work from #5 above and they are set.

The downside is that you may be a bit sore during the first day or two, but it works great.

Summary

There are my 6 tips to prevent the travel/vacation weight gain.   I normally tend to lose weight on vacation and I do enjoy a dark beer (no piss water please) during the evening watching the sunset with Jodie.

If I have a great kiteboard run, my treat is pop tarts.   You don’t need to be neurotic, but it takes a bit of planning.

What tips do you have?  Let’s hear ’em!  Leave them in the comments!

Rock on

Mike T Nelson

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