For many individuals, maintaining a diet during vacation is a real challenge. The very essence of a vacation is surrounded by concepts such as relaxation and freedom. Individuals who are on a very restricted dietary regimen may be looking to "let go" temporarily in both an emotional and a dietary manner. However, all the hard work of a stringent diet can be easily affected in a negative way by even a short one-week vacation. The trick to minimizing diet damage during a vacation is to mentally prepare yourself for the task and foresee any threats to your self-discipline.
A Real Vacation
Vacation is a real chance to cut loose. Binding diet and weight loss habits are a hindrance to the freedoms proposed by a vacation. Individuals traveling outside the country may be excited to experience the unique culinary delights offered by a different culture. This experimentation may result in an extreme breakdown of one's self-control.
Unfortunately, self-control is the foundation of a successful diet and this requires practice and a lot of effort. Even a brief vacation and a more relaxed position on diet may be enough to undo months of painfully acquired self-discipline. Some individuals will come back from their vacation binges only to discover they no longer have the self-control to practice their diet. This is a real problem.
Redefining Vacation
Maintaining self-discipline during your vacation is the key to minimizing dietary damage. Indeed, the cuisine of foreign lands is appealing and it isn't necessarily untouchable. However, an attitude of "just this once" simply will not work for individuals who really have to strive to maintain a certain weight. MedicineNet.com reports some dieters are actually "programmed" to regain weight. The majority of dieters on a restricted regimen will eventually regain the weight they have worked so hard to lose. Self-control remains the barrier to such weight fluctuations.
For dieters, the word vacation must be redefined. Vacation should not be viewed as a chance to cut loose from binding regimens. It should be seen as an opportunity to release stress while continuing to cultivate healthy lifestyle habits. A vacation that causes your body more stress and health damage will not leave you for the better when your trip has ended.
Healthy Vacation Habits
For individuals who are self-disciplined, vacation can still present problems where dieting is concerned. Airports, travel stations, and road trips will not always provide healthy foods. Airplane snacks and meals can pose a real temptation. Committed dieters work around such issues by bringing their own snacks in order to avoid the lure of vending machines and food kiosks. Fortunately, airports almost always sell bottled water. CNN hails the importance of drinking water for weight loss and maintaining a sense of "fullness." When traveling, always reach for water instead of vitamin drinks, sodas, and fruit juices.
If your vacation is extensive or diet is severely restricted, choosing accommodations that offer a kitchen can help you maintain your regimen. Restaurants involve a lot of guesswork for dieters. Having your own kitchen gives you the option to prepare the sort of meals you would if you were in the comfort of own home. For persons who cannot afford such measures, be sure to research the restaurants in the areas to which you plan to visit. Most restaurants offer salads and there is almost always a food market that sells fresh fruit and produce.
Fad Dieting and Vacations
The group affected most negatively during vacations is fad dieters. Fad diets are the most difficult to maintain. They are often the most restricted. Individuals whose diet consists mainly of items such as cabbage soup or curious food combinations may find it difficult to obtain these foods during vacations.
Final Considerations
The more balanced your dieting regimen is, the easier it will be to maintain during most vacation plans. Moreover, the firmer your self-discipline, the less likely it will be that you'll abandon your healthy habits over the course of a few days or weeks. If you honestly feel a vacation will derail either your diet or willpower, you'll probably need to plan a vacation conducive to your regimen or forgo the vacation altogether.
