Vacation 2013

Vacation 101:  How Not to Undue All Your Hard Work

1. Resist the Urge to Splurge
While on vacation, you know that by being away from your home, you are technically eating “out” at every meal for as many days as your vacation is long.   Don’t think that you can splurge on every meal, and still maintain your weight loss.  Eating “out” in most cases provides more calories, grams of fat, and sodium, and less fruits and vegetables than you may have had if you had prepared your own meals.  So choose lower fat, higher fiber foods, consider splitting an entree with your partner, or order 2 appetizers instead of an appetizer and a main course.
2. Ask for Your Food Your Way
Ask how foods are prepared.  Questions like “Is it fried?”  or “Can I get that broiled with no sauce/ or sauce on the side?”  will help identify ingredients and calories.  “Can I have a salad or steamed vegetables instead of the potatoes?”  “Do you have brown rice, whole wheat pasta?”  You get the idea.  If you don’t ask, you won’t know.  Restaurants are more interested in pleasing the customers now and understand the healthy requests.  Often items are even listed that highlight lower calorie, lower fat, “heart healthy” options.
3. Enjoy the Scenery/ Enjoy the People you are with/ and Enjoy the Food
Remember the reason why you are on vacation.  Is it to enjoy the beautiful beach, the city, the country, the mountains, to spend time with your family, or is it to eat?  Most often it’s some combination.  Sure you want to have enjoyable meals in new places with whoever you are on vacation with, but you did not go on vacation just to eat (unless of course you are in Italy, and your favorite thing ever is a good bowl of pasta).  Have small portions of your favorite food, practice moderation.  Skip the bread basket if you are having dessert, or skip dessert if you have a piece of bread.
4. Walking and other Physical Activity
I love a good walk, as I’m sure you do too.  If you are on a beach vacation, go for a walk on the beach, listening to waves crashing as you feel the water on your feet. If you are somewhere that you can go for a bikeride, play a game of tennis, go for a swim (laps/ not drinking cocktails at the pool bar), then do so.  It will be fun and help offset all the extra foods and drinks you are likely to consume.
5. Choose Your Extra’s Carefully
Realistically, can you have that one extra treat a day?  Maybe you can sacrifice the french fries for the ice cream cone (single scoop), or maybe you can safely add a croissant with eggs and cheddar cheese for breakfast but then have a salad for lunch.  Limit your “extra” to one a day and you won’t feel deprived, you will feel like you made a wise choice.
6. Water
While at home we know to drink 8 glasses of water a day, so why change this when we are away.  Too often we are surrounded by sodas, ice teas, lemonades, coffee, and alcoholic drinks, and then we forget to drink out water.  Bring a water bottle with you and keep filling it up when you can.  It will keep you hydrated, less hungry, and less likely to fill up on high calorie drinks.  Order seltzer instead of a drink or water with lemon or lime.  If you do drink alcohol, remember the limit of 1 drink for woman and 2 for men - tops.
7. Fill up with Fruits and Vegetables First
Make an effort to get at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day, just like when you are home. It will make meals seem more filling and satisfying. It will provide enough fiber in your diet to help keep your intestines regular. And it will keep your levels of antioxidants and important vitamins high so you are less likely to get sick.  If you are having trouble finding fruits and vegetables on menus, stop by a local fruit stand or grocery store, and grab a few apples, peaches, cherries, berries, or string beans.
8. Eat When You're Hungry and Don’t Overdue it
When you are on vacation the meal times may be more (or less) structured and you may have to be flexible to other’s schedules.  Try and listen to your stomach.  If you are at dinner but aren’t really hungry, then order light.  If you are starving for breakfast and everyone is still sleeping, see if you can find some fruit to munch on till everyone wakes up and is ready to eat.  And when you are full, then stop eating.  It doesn’t matter that there is still half a portion of your meal left if you are full.  It’s better to leave it on the plate than for it to sit in your stomach and then travel to your fat storage cells, your thighs, your butt, etc.
Have a great week, vacation, and summer!
Carena Lowenthal, MS, RD, CDN  917-882-5033 carena@carenalowenthal.com
www.carenalowenthal.com  eatingwell365.blogspot.com