You’ve earned time off from work, you’ve made reservations and you’ve prepared to take that well-deserved vacation.
Only one thing plays in the back of your mind: “How can I keep weight off while on vacation?” What a relief it would be to focus not on weight, but on how to be healthy.
We’ve become so obsessed with weight, the latest fad diet and foods we won’t eat that we’ve lost sight of the fundamental basics of nutrition. Healthy nutrition begins with a positive attitude about one’s body.
We all have different types of bodies, and we must first embrace who we are and what our strengths are, and love ourselves for how we are uniquely made. We must give ourselves permission to not compare ourselves to others, but remind ourselves daily that we are beautiful and loved. This reset of attitude will start you on a positive path to approach food, exercise and health.
If we love who we are first, we make choices in life that are good for us. We make choices based not on guilt or negative emotions, but on how to take care of our bodies and have a healthy future. You can keep weight off because you are positive and find inspiration to eat and live healthfully.
While you are on vacation, take the time to be have a positive or inspirational thought each day, and adopt an “I am loved!” attitude. So if you love yourself, the question of weight drops away and the focus is on health.
What do you need for health? Sleep is very important to health. People who sleep deeply and soundly trigger their metabolism to function optimally. That’s easy enough; make sure to get enough sleep while on vacation.
We all need regular amounts of water to maintain hydration, so start your day and each meal with a full glass of water.
Get up and get moving! Exercise every day. If you’re on the beach, take a walk or tread water instead of just lying there. View exercise as medicine to your health.
Exercise can jump-start your metabolism, improve your heart health and strengthen your muscles and bones. Love, sleep, water and exercise – all common-sense stuff, but it can make a difference in overall health, even if only over a short period of time.
Instead of thinking about what you can’t eat, let’s look at what you can eat while on vacation.
-Start your day with protein and have protein at each meal. Protein provides nutrients important to healthy function of your body, and it will leave you more satisfied and less hungry throughout the day.
-Add whole grains, nuts and high-fiber foods every day. Fill up on these types of foods and pass on white flour foods, such as white bread, as these convert to sugar in the body and leave you less full.
-Eat five servings of fruits and vegetables every day. Keep in mind that a serving is about the amount that fits into your hand. Fruits and vegetables are packed with antioxidants and nutrients that help the body function at its best.
-Add three servings of dairy each day. A serving is a glass of milk, a slice of cheese or a crumbled bit on your salad. Dairy has cell generative abilities.
Some other healthful hints include things to do such as reading the ingredients on labels and eating foods that are all-natural. Don’t focus on calories; rather, focus on the ingredient list. If it’s full of dyes, preservatives and ingredients that are foreign to you, find a more natural alternative.
Eat regularly and don’t skip meals. Eating stimulates your metabolism and energy, while fasting causes the body to store food as fat. Enjoy a variety of foods in moderation. Focus on taste and health rather than quantity.
Now you’re feeling good and have a great start to focus on health even while on vacation.
Loving yourself also means that you will want to avoid those things that zap your health. Drop those habits – overeating, fried foods, sweet drinks (including artificially sweetened drinks), processed foods, fast foods, white bread and overly salty foods. Keep sweets to a minimum and in moderation; just taste, don’t eat a full serving. With so many healthful foods, why poison yourself with foods that bring you down rather than build you up?
Vacations can be a time to rejuvenate and reset your health goals. By keeping a healthy focus, you’ll find that weight will stay off, and you’ll come back recharged.
Tracy Ingram is executive director of Healthy New Albany and a registered dietician. Feedback welcome at gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com.
