Does vacation eating mean your weight loss goals are going to suffer? They don’t have to! Experts share healthy tips for keeping your weight on track during vacation — all without depriving yourself of enjoyment.
If you’re on a path to lose weight, going on a vacation may stir up a mix of emotions. There’s excitement for some well-deserved time off, but there also might be some anxiety over whether you’ll be able to maintain healthy eating habits during your trip.
While we all deserve relaxation and fun on a vacation, it’s possible to indulge without letting it completely derail your health goals. Read on for expert tips on how to maintain weight while on vacation so you can fully enjoy your trip and return home nourished and rejuvenated.
In one study, scientists followed 122 adults before and after they went on vacations of one to three weeks, and found, on average, the weight gained was only 0.32 kilogram (approximately 0.7 pounds), which doesn’t seem like all that much.
However, that weight gain persisted even at a six week follow-up weight check. That means that over time, the researchers said, “this gain could be a significant contributor to yearly weight gain in adults and therefore affect obesity prevalence.” Getting back on track after a vacation could be an important way to prevent a small weight gain from becoming a bigger one.
Another way to think about vacation when weight loss is one of your current health goals is to approach your time away as a period to maintain, rather than lose, weight, says Anna Smith, in-house registered dietitian nutritionist for LoseIt!, who is based in Nashville, Tennessee. “I’d rather my clients maintain [weight] on vacation rather than gain,” she says. “Temporarily switching your goal to maintenance can take off some of the pressure so you don’t feel as restricted.”
It’s tempting to fall into a “vacation mindset” when it comes to eating on vacation — not giving much consideration to the food you’re putting into your body or whether you’re hungry enough to eat it. This is especially true when it comes to snacking.
Smith says her top tip for weight maintenance on vacation is to avoid too much inadvertent snacking, especially if those snacks are replacing consistent meals. Snacking accelerates your caloric intake and is often done with little thought.
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