From purely a being-on-a-diet standpoint, vacations can be a two-edged sword. Obviously, vacations are amazing and we all strive to go on them as much as possible. However, they can also be the beginning of the end of a person’s diet. People go away from their routines and home kitchens when on vacation, and remaining disciplined can be very hard to do.
I am on day 53 of a calorie deficit diet and getting ready to go away on a much-needed weekend vacation to the Oregon Coast. On one hand, I would love to reward my hard work and sacrifice with a weekend of eating whatever I want to. But, on the other hand, my dieting momentum is at an all-time high and I want to stick with it and keep chasing my weight loss goal.
With that in mind, I have prepared ahead of time to maintain my calorie deficit, albeit not as far into a deficit as I have been sticking to. For nearly 8 weeks now, I have remained super disciplined, consuming between 1,500 and 1,600 calories every day during that time. I have had no cheat days, no cheat meals, not even a cheat bite.
I plan on staying on the right path by incorporating the tried and true strategy of planning ahead. I have already mapped out all of my meals for the whole 3-day vacation, and that includes eating a handful of meals at some of my favorite restaurants where we are going. I researched their menus and calculated everything out, down to the calorie of every ingredient of every dish. By mapping out a meal schedule ahead of time, I have a plan that I just need to execute.
Additionally, I am bringing food items with me so that I can control my own destiny when not eating at the restaurants. Part of my current diet involves eating one gram of lean protein every day for every pound that I weigh (currently 165 pounds). For protein, I am bringing 5 pre-baked chicken breasts, 2 Muscle Milk cartons, and a pack of deli turkey from Trader Joe’s.
At the restaurants, I plan on eating a lot of spinach-based salads that also incorporate fruits (and diced chicken) as toppings, so dietary fiber and healthy carbohydrates are covered. But, I am also bringing a bag of mini sweet peppers to help fill in any potential gaps.
One place that we are stopping is a burger place that is a family favorite, which is going to be the biggest calorie ticket item of the weekend. For that, I plan on refraining from getting cheese or bacon on the burger, I will not be getting French fries, and I will help mitigate the larger caloric intake of the single-patty burger by sticking with low-calorie meals the rest of the day so that I remain within my calorie goal.
Whereas I was sticking between 1,500-1,600 calories per day for the better part of the last two months, I am ‘opening up the caloric purse strings’ a bit and going with 1,800 to 2,100 calories per day during the vacation, which is still well under my estimated 2,700 daily calorie maintenance level.
I want to rest and enjoy myself on my vacation, but I also don’t want to stop the dietary momentum that I have fought so hard to build. By planning ahead I am hoping to strike a good balance between having a great vacation and keeping my eyes on the prize. Hopefully my experience helps provide some ideas to help you if you are planning an upcoming vacation. A little bit of planning goes a long way 🙂
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