Dave and I just got home from 4 days at the best resort I have ever stayed in. The Palmilla in Cabo mexico. I was determined to maintain my weight and workout routine while on vacation.  I weighed this morning and only gained 1.5 lbs on the trip.  I consider that a huge victory.  Here is a few things I learned and practiced this week that helped me to maintain my weight while on vacation….

#1Mindset

Personally in the past when I was on vacation or traveling for any reason I would always think to myself: This is a rare occasion you might as well indulge.  Treat yourself Jana you will never be here again.  I would find myself having to much to  drink and eat and my vacation quickly turned into a marathon of trying everything to the point of being to full and not feeling well.  Lately I have been traveling with a different mindset.  I say to myself : This is your life, you travel you see things, you have experiences, its beautiful, this trip is about having experiences with your loved ones and being in the moment not all about the food and drinks. Here is a cool article on changing your mindset while traveling.  Having this mindset has helped along with some practical things listed below.

#2.  Plan your workouts ahead of time.  I know that while your on vacation you don’t want to feel pressure to workout and do anything you don’t want to do.  However, you are a person who cares about your fitness and it’s a priority.  Set aside 1 hour a day that is devoted to your mind, body, & soul.  I worked out every morning on this trip and I am glad I choose the am b/c I found myself having a glass of champ at like 4pm a few days and y’all know I ain’t going to the gym after I had a drink.

#3.  Bring healthy snacks and food.  On the way to the resort I asked the driver to stop at the nearest grocery store. We bought oatmeal, fiber one bars, fruit, bottled water, and carrots.  This was a lifesaver! I ate oatmeal every morning and always had plenty of water to drink.  I ended up eating healthy throughout each day and saving my calories for a few drinks or a heavier dinner with Dave.  I actually did not even look at the menu they brought poolside.  I knew I had my fruit/veggies and bars so I was good to go!

#4 Plan activities For instance I woke up at 445 am one morning to have coffee then capture the sunrise.  So I made sure to go to bed early the night before.  We also went for long walks on the beach and took laps in the pool.  One night we skipped dinner and soaked in the outdoor hotub star-gazing.  I found it very helpful to plan things to do that didn’t involve food:)

#5  Make it about Renewal

I was totally struggling the 2nd day the trip.  There was this voice in the back of my mind telling me to just let go indulge have that big piece of chocolate cake and then some! I dug deep and found this sense of peace.  This vacation is not about satisfying all of my sugar cravings and going on a food tour.  This precious time was about renewing my energy and treating myself with some quite time and relaxation.  I started viewing it more like a spa trip.  I ended up spending more time in the spa then the restaurants yay! I would really take my time after my workout and go steam then sit and the hot and cold pool and meditate.  I was able to tap back into a place of gratitude and be more present.  I have always struggled with overindulgence because I LOVE having experiences and tasting new things and chocolate is like my favorite thing in the world.  But as I get older and think about the woman , wife, and mother that I want to be I have made a decision that I want to be very healthy, active, in shape, and I want to feel good about myself.  For me that means I am always ready to go to Cabo.  Its not something I have to take weeks to prepare for and diet like crazy before I go then indulge like crazy when I get there then feel terrible about myself when I get back from the trip.  In essence, its a lifestyle. A healthy, calm , productive, grateful lifestyle.  Truthfully this doesn’t come easy for me but with practice I know it will be easier everyday.  I hope these tips help a little and if you have some tips please share! 

Stay Inspired!

Jana