Avoid Gaining Weight

7 Tips to Avoid Gaining Weight While Traveling

By Joyelle E. Jones, Freelance Writer

January 2007

Do you often gain weight while on vacation? I use to. In fact, I gained 8 pounds during my honeymoon vacation. Needless to say, this was not the best way to begin my marriage. While an additional 8 pounds did not pose a serious health risk to my normally petite frame, this was enough weight to make my clothes fit just a bit too tightly. Hence, by the conclusion of the trip, my beachwear hung too low in front and my sundresses rode up in the back. Furthermore, I simply did not feel sexy because of the extra weight.

Still, if you are like me, we do not want to diet while on vacation. I want to eat my fair share of the appetizer and the entrée when dining at an all-inclusive resort. Then, I want to eat fattening, calorie laden deserts without feeling guilty. I also want to drink exotic, carbohydrate filled liquors while lounging by the pool or watching the sunset over the clear blue waters of the Caribbean. Perhaps you share my sentiments.

I could completely disregard healthy eating habits while vacationing if I seldom traveled. However, I travel often, and I recognize that continual, dramatic weight fluctuations are unhealthy. So if you are like me and you typically gain weight while on vacation, I hope to share advice that will help you. I have developed a strategy that will allow you to enjoy the best of both worlds. By following the seven tips presented below, you can partake of delicious food without gaining weight while on vacation.

1. Adjust your attitude.

Have you ever asked a person about their vacation, and all they could tell you about was what they ate? If you feel that food is the highlight of your vacation, eliminate this attitude immediately. While food is an important part of the overall travel experience, food is not the primary goal of travel. You will eat nothing while on vacation that you could not make at home if you had the right cook book. Therefore, convince yourself at this moment that traveling is about more than food.

2. Eat several small meals.

Many fitness experts recommend eating several small meals per day instead of three large meals. By eating three large meals, we train our bodies to maintain slower metabolisms in order to have sufficient energy available until the next meal. Eating frequent small meals quickens our metabolisms since food is constantly available for energy. Unfortunately, my boss would not be happy if he saw me eating a meal every time he passed my cubicle. I am sure he would assume that I never work since I am always eating. Similarly, your lifestyle may not allow you to eat frequently throughout the day.

However, when on vacation, we can eat as often as we want. So this is the perfect time to eat between four and six small meals per day. Eating small meals works particularly well at all-inclusive resorts since food is always available and included in the total cost of the vacation. Still you can exercise the same principle during other trips by keeping an assortment of snacks like fruit, vegetables, and yogurt at your disposal.

Of course, the food is often so very tasty that eating small amounts is difficult. When fighting this battle, remember that you can eat again at anytime you want. Therefore, it is unnecessary to over eat at any meal.

3. Pay attention to your alcohol intake.

You consume calories by drinking as well as by eating. Two strawberry daiquiris, for example, have about as many calories as a Snickers bar. If you are like me and prefer to consume several drinks at a time, keep tip #2 in mind and consider the drinks as a small meal. Therefore, eliminate one or two small food meals and replace these meals with drinks.

Also, be mindful of when you consume alcohol. By drinking wine and spirits in the early afternoon, your body has more time to burn the calories than if you have several glasses of wine with dinner. If you prefer to drink alcohol with meals, be aware of the calories added by your drink. Therefore, adjust the amount of food consumed to accommodate the extra calories.

4. Participate in fun activities.

Upon arrival at your destination, seek all the exciting activities offered in your locale. Specifically, seek activities that involve mild or moderate physical exertion. Whether you prefer scuba diving in the ocean or dog paddling in the hotel pool, any physical activities will help you burn calories while providing colorful memories of your travel experience.

5. Avoid sleeping immediately after meals.

Afternoon siestas immediately after lunch and dinners right before bed time should be avoided at all cost. We get sleepy after meals because sleeping requires little energy, and our bodies would rather store our food as fat than use our food as energy.

To circumvent this hurdle, use tip # 4. Schedule your day so that you must participate in some fun activity directly after lunch and after dinner if possible. If no activities are offered after either meal, take a long walk and absorb the scenery of your destination. Even playing card games or board games may help you stay awake. Allowing at least two hours between meals and sleep will reduce your chance of gaining weight.

6. Exercise in the mornings.

You have always said you would exercise if you had more free time. Well, you have all the free time in the world while on vacation. If exercise is currently a part of your daily routine, congratulations and continue this good habit while traveling. If you do not exercise regularly, now is the perfect time to start.

During your average day, you may not have time to exercise in the mornings and still accomplish all that needs to be done before work. Also, many people do not want to awaken before sunrise just to burn a few extra calories and still get to work on time. Well, you have no excuse while on vacation because your time belongs solely to you. You can sleep as late as you want and then work out.

We all know that maintaining a regular exercise regiment is important. The time at which you exercise is even more important if you want to avoid the unwanted pounds typically gained while vacationing. Cardiovascular training in the morning before your first meal forces your body to burn fat reserves for energy instead of using the food you have eaten. Furthermore, exercising in the morning boosts your metabolism throughout the remainder of the day. Therefore, you burn more calories than if you exercise later in the day.

Many hotels have fitness rooms with equipment for cardiovascular training. However, if your hotel lacks such facilities, consider jogging or walking swiftly outside. If the hotel has at least four floors, climb the stairway from the first floor to the last several times. Do jumping jacks and sit-ups in your room if you choose. Just be creative and get moving.

7. Continue your healthy lifestyle.

Continue all the healthy habits you employ during your daily routine. You take a vacation to get away from your job, stress, and annoying people. You do not take a vacation to get away from good practices and self discipline. Your body will reward you for practicing the healthy lifestyle to which it has become accustomed. Furthermore, you will feel better upon returning from your vacation if your clothing fits as it did before you left.