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WEIGHT LOSS ON HOLIDAY
Some of you will have the opportunity to go away this Christmas/New Years. Hopefully it will be to a tropical location, like Mexico, Cuba, Jamaica or somewhere warm.
My experience is that it's cheaper and easier to book "all inclusive" vacations.
The problem is that "all inclusive" offers buffet style meals, as well as unlimited amounts of alcohol, little (if any) real exercise (other than some volleyball and water polo). And, who wants to go the gym while on vacation.
I know I've always struggled with this problem. Every time I go away I end up gaining at least 10-15 lbs, and come back puts me back at least 6 months as I lose my motivation (and drive) to lose that weight. Also, disrupting my routine and discipline makes it even harder to re-establish my healthy habits.
To give you an example...last time I went away I gained 15 lbs in 2 weeks. I also stopped working out when I came back because my workout routine was difficult to kickstart again. I then gained an additional 10 lbs (for a total of 25 lbs), before I was able to catch myself and start working out again. It took me 7 months before I was "back on the wagon".
What do I suggest you do in this situation?
Here are my tips for anyone going away who wants to "have fun" and yet keep their weight loss goals:
Pre-trip:
1. Work your ass off and lose an extra 5 lbs before you go. You will probably gain those lbs back while on vacation.
2. Don't slack off. Workout every day, even the week before you leave.
While on vacaction:
1. Don't worry about your weight. You paid good money to enjoy your time off, so the last thing you should do is watch your waistline or worry about how many calories you're eating.
2. Drink lot's of water. This is the key to making sure your body is able to handle all the extra calories you might be consuming (especially alcohol).
3. Do some type of mild exercise 3 times a week...whether it's walking, snorkeling, swimming, or playing a game of volleyball. Do something to keep your heart rate above normal.
4. Don't feel guilty about not visiting the gym. Working out is not the primary goal of a vacation.
When you get back:
1. Don't do any exercise or dieting for the first week. Just make sure you are getting good rest and are catching up on emails/work/etc.
2. Starting the 2nd week after your come back, make sure you get to the gym at least 3 days for roughly 30 minutes per day. This is not meant to burn off any calories, but just get you back into your normal routine. This is an absolute must for getting back on track.
3. Starting the 3rd week you should have re-establish your normal exercise routine and start back at regulating your diet. This is the "hardest" step, and the most critical. If you don't establish healthy habits by the 3rd week you will miss the wave of momentum and motivation you created prior to going away.
4. During the 3rd week back, tell a friend, family member or a co-worker about your weight loss goals. Also, make sure you tell them your pre-trip workout routine. Let them know that you are going back to that routine. By verbally making the commitment explicit to another person, you're more likely to carry it out. Nobody likes to be seen as dishonest, and so you will have to (or be forced to) get back on track through doing this.
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