Leave the diet at home: realistic vacation planning

Are you getting ready for a week in a cozy cabin with long hikes in the forest? An all-inclusive getaway on a beautiful beach?  Or maybe your vacation will include roller coasters and other thrills?

As we go through our packing list – the socks, sunscreen, and power cords – I have a few ideas of things to skip and how to think about your eating plan. 

No, you don’t need to be “on a diet” while on vacation. And honestly, I don’t recommend being on a restrictive diet at home, either. (This might be surprising, coming from a registered dietitian.)

Here’s the thing: the right eating and lifestyle plan helps you to feel energetic and well in your body. It doesn’t feel like a drag 24/7 to follow. The right plan is flexible and includes foods that you really love. 

The wrong plan, which many of us are following, feels restrictive, forceful, and the reasons for following these kinds of plans often stem from a place of shame. Basically, if your eating plan feels like a house of cards that can fall down with the slightest misstep, it isn’t a good plan.

As I have been working with my clients this summer, we have been having a lot of conversations about how to adapt our goals and expectations when we are on vacation and following a more relaxed schedule.

In this case, what my clients and I are talking about is the flip side of goals, which most of us aren’t usually thinking about. Usually, we are thinking about our best-case scenario: what is the max we can do this week, in order to make good progress towards our overall goals. 

For vacation, I like to think about the opposite. Here we explore the minimum goals to set to help my clients feel happy and energized on their vacations…not like a constipated, grumpy couch potato. Talk about a vacation ruiner, right? 

For most folks, the meals that make them feel the most excited about being on vacation are the yummy dinners out. Great: enjoy them! Have the dessert and dig into the cheese dip.

Instead of trying to healthify every bite and cultivating resentment about your eating goals, let’s try another approach. Leading up to dinner, what kinds of breakfast will help to balance your blood sugar, help to prevent constipation, and boost your mood? Can you make sure that you have a solid dose of protein and fiber in the morning (lookin’ at you, eggs, fruit, and whole-grain toast) and stay well hydrated, and then lick your lips as you enjoy the yummiest dinner? 

And while you might not feel like doing your usual strength training routine on vacation, can you make time to go on a few walks and stretch a bit so that you can lessen any travel anxiety, take a break from anyone who drains your energy, and protect your peace?  

If you love nothing more than snacking on crunchy potato chips while devouring a fluffy novel by the pool - enjoy! Please don’t feel guilty for relaxing and enjoying this time. But - if it would help your digestion to add some watermelon cubes and a few carrot sticks, add those, don’t shame yourself for also having the fun foods, too.

I’ve had a few clients tell me that they have packed a scale while traveling. Ugh. This breaks my heart. Our bodies are adaptable - one week of fun eating and less gym time that doesn’t align perfectly with your usual routine is ok! But the stress of trying to comply with an unrealistic plan can suck the joy out of the vacation you deserve.

It’s just a week. Taking a restrictive diet on vacation is going to cause far more stress and harm than a few fun meals.

If you’re looking for support with finding the right plan to nourish your body at home and on vacation, registered dietitians are here to help!

Holly Larson, MS, RD is a local registered dietitian who specializes in women’s health and diabetes management. To learn more, visit hollylarsonnutrition.com - your visit may be fully covered by your insurance plan.