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Article: Healthy Ways to Watch your Weight while on Vacation
By Roslyn Franken 

You’re striving to shed your unwanted pounds, get in shape and live a healthy lifestyle. You’re finally starting to eat better and feel better, but there’s only one problem – you’re about to go away on vacation and can’t help but wonder how on earth you’ll be able to maintain your healthy diet while away from home and out of your usual routine and environment. The good news is you can put your worries aside. Going on vacation doesn’t mean you have to throw in the towel and revert back to all your old unhealthy habits that got you into trouble in the first place. Here are some healthy vacation eating and lifestyle tips to help you manage yourself well while away from home.

Be realistic: Whether you’re traveling to another country, going to an all-inclusive resort, going on a cruise, or just going for a weekend road trip, for example, there is no doubt that temptation will abound with new and interesting restaurants and foods you’re going to want to sample. It’s all part of the fun of being on vacation. Is it necessary to completely deny yourself these new taste experiences in order to maintain your healthy weight and lifestyle?  Not so.  You’ll be much happier if instead you choose to allow for some special treats and indulgences WITHOUT guilt.  Just be sure to recognize that there will be a price to pay if you over-indulge or indulge on too regular a basis. I suggest you pay close attention to portion sizes of these special treats. Focus on having less than you normally would of these less healthy indulgences and fill the gap with healthier low calorie choices. Many people can gain anywhere from 5 – 10 pounds over a holiday.  If you can manage to maintain your weight or only gain a pound or two, that would be phenomenal.

Minimize Stress:  Many vacationers like to plan itineraries filled with lists of activities to do and sites to see. Do you not already have enough To-Do lists at home?  If you put pressure on yourself to get everything done that you planned on, you may be just as stressed on your holidays as you are at home rushing from one place to the next and having to get everything done on your To-Do list. This type of pressure creates stress that can lead to poor eating habits such as skipping meals resulting in overeating at meal time and possibly with not the best food choices, all of which translates into weight gain.   So ease up on yourself and go with the flow. Avoid being too rigid. Remember things don’t always go as planned. Be sure to take time to eat properly throughout the day or bring some healthy snacks with you to tide you over till your next meal when in a pinch. When you get too hungry you can become impatient and irritable which will just take away from your enjoyment. 

Increase your Physical Activity:  While on holidays you can’t use the excuse that you don’t have time to exercise. Be sure to make time for some additional physical activity to help burn off some of those extra calories you may have indulged in earlier in the day. Go for an extra walk around the deck if on a cruise, walk instead of taking buses and taxis while touring, go for a swim in the ocean or pool or hit the dance floor at the disco or bar.  Just keep moving and HAVE FUN!

Watch the alcohol:  You might be tempted to give yourself permission to have more alcohol because you’re on “vacation”, but remember those extra “vacation” drinks can throw off your better judgment leading to poor food choices and overeating.  Remember the alcoholic drinks alone can pack on loads of extra calories which translate to weight gain. Again, indulge a little here and there, but recognize there will be consequences when you indulge or maybe even over-indulge on too regular a basis.

By keeping these healthy tips top of mind you can come back from your vacation continuing to feel great about yourself. Be sure to give yourself permission to indulge from time to time and focus on making healthy choices the rest of the time. Also be sure you get extra physical activity in to burn off some of the extra calories consumed. Have a great trip!

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Roslyn Franken is the author of The A List: 9 Guiding Principles for Healthy Eating and Positive Living, a powerful self-directed guide for achieving your long term health, lifestyle and weight management goals.

To purchase The A List book and for more information on Roslyn Franken’s personalized counseling and professional speaking services, please visit www.roslynfranken.com. Take your complimentary online Readiness Assessment and be sure to sign up for your FREE Healthy Hints newsletter.

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