Look Great During Vacation
March 4, 2013 // Fitness, Nutrition, Wellness
Eating right and exercising is a daily effort that works best with routined practice and consistency, but how does someone look great during a vacation? Vacations are great for rest and relaxation, but can be difficult for someone to put in effort to improve their health. It’s unrealistic to eat clean and exercise everyday, but there are ways to keep your hard work from fading quickly. Let’s outline what you can do on vacation to stay lean and still enjoy the experience.
Recently, I traveled to Florida for a friend’s wedding and found there to be some interesting health challenges for all the attending guests. This also happened to be the same weekend I was shifting my eating habits for getting lean for the upcoming warm seasons. Celebrations like weddings have multiple course meals with endless amounts of alcohol and treats. Even the strictest eaters like myself are tempted with the overindulgence of decedent foods and the accompanied drinks. I had my work cut out for me.
[Tip #1: Take a fish oil supplement everyday]
First thing I did was bring a weekend supply of fish oils to ensure I was able to off-set the abundance of Omega-6 fatty acids that comprised most of the foods during this weekend. Quick Review: Omega-6 is a fatty acid that causes inflammation within the body, along with a host of other health issues. Fish oils are an easy, guaranteed way to reduce the inflammation and also help with boosting the metabolism and fat burn (Yes, good fats help reduce body fat). Even if you are a fish lover, you can’t be sure the source of the fish and its availability. Plus, do you know how it’s prepared? There is no butter coating on fish oil supplements.
[Tip #2: Exercise for 10 minutes before breakfast]
I love exercise and so do many others. Even on vacation, I look forward to walking into a new gym and getting in a good hour. There are also a lot of people that don’t get excited at the thought of working out. I get that and that’s ok. Instead of going for a run or a visit to the local DavidBartonGym, take a few minutes (let’s say 10) and exercise to failure before breakfast. I do this often when my day doesn’t revolve around the gym. It’s quick and easy. Do a set of push-ups to failure, followed by squats and planks to failure. Repeat as many times as you can for 10 minutes. Reward yourself with a delicious breakfast. The pay-offs are far greater than the 10 minutes of torture.
Push-Ups
Squats
Plank
[Tip #3: Eat the nutrients first]
Conscious eating is one of the most important habits I teach my clients. When it comes time to clean your plate, strategically choose when you eat which foods. This was challenging for me at the wedding because I had no control over the food being served. What I did is eat the protein and vegetables first, since these are the necessary nutrients for a strong and lean body. After I devoured the important stuff, the rest was the optional and less tempting since I was starting to feel satisfied. If I wanted to try the risotto or the mashed potatoes, a bite or two would be plenty for me. I didn’t deprive myself of any tastes and I knew that the meal was going to significantly help my body grow stronger. Win-Win.
[Tip #4: Leave room after each meal]
Full is not cool. In fact, full sucks. Once in a while, I’ll eat way beyond what I need because I still associate an empty plate with an accomplishment. I pay the price later on and always say “I’m never doing that again.” A good way to avoid this consequence of overindulgence is to practice stopping early. On this vacation, I knew there’d be an abundance of delicious foods throughout the day so it would benefit me more to leave some room after each meal and taste them all rather than splurge on a meal and miss out on other ones. Plus, it tastes your mind over a half-an-hour before it can register when you are “full”.
[Tip #5: Drink as much water as alcohol — 1:1 ratio]
Cocktail hour followed by wine at dinner and topped off with a few nightcaps socializing with guests. This occurred multiple times during my trip, and I felt the effect on the second day. I could avoid the alcohol altogether, but I’d be lying to you and myself. Instead, I wanted to flush out the liquid poison from my body as quickly as possible. For every glass or cocktail, I had that much in water. Yes, it’s pretty ridiculous but so is drinking for hours. I still enjoyed all the social functions and woke up feeling hydrated, rested, and still could see a lean body.
[Tip #6: Move and exhaust your body right before you eat the sweets]
Also, I had to consider the sweets, especially the wedding cake. No one skips out on the wedding cake. I had my eyes on this 6-foot tower of sugar the minute I walked into the reception. This was a classic example of preparing for the inevitable. Was I to going to avoid one of the sweetest parts of the wedding? Absolutely not, that’s an unrealistic expectation. So, knowing the amount of sugar I was about to ingest, I had to plan for a blood-sugar surge: a burst of high energy followed by a crash in energy. To offset the impact of the sugar, I needed to temporarily exhaust my body. Something simple like dancing would do the trick. I went on the dance floor and moved like John Travolta prior to the cake consumption. Though my dance skills are best amateur, the amount of body movement just before the sugar intake helped reduce the impact of the cake (and added for a few laughs on my account).
I’m ready for cake.
Anyone can maintain or even improve their health and fitness levels while on vacation. Plan for the challenges with these tips and tricks. Let’s review.
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Look Great During Vacation
• Take a fish oil supplement everyday.
• Exercise for 10 minutes before breakfast.
• Eat the nutrients first.
• Leave room after each meal.
• Drink as much water as alcohol (1:1 Ratio).
• Move and exhaust your body right before you eat the sweets.
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