How we don't gain on vacation....

The crew

IT COMES DOWN TO  what you do every other day of the year....read on:

So I'm back from our 14 day vacation in Bali, it was my sister, her husband and myself and my husband. It was SPECTACULAR. We grew up in Indonesia for a bit so Bali is not unfamiliar territory, but it has been quite a while! I'll include some fun pics...the culture and the company always make a vacation great.

Monkey forest temple

BUT as women we always seem to worry about weight...from losing it to gaining it, and ultimately food stresses us out so then vacation is not fun....

How many times have you heard people say they're losing weight for their upcoming beach getaway...only to come home and say they gained 5-10lbs while on this amazing vacation?

local foods...veggies, meat, rice

Do you ever go on vacation and look forward to (or salivate just planning!) the food and all the different dishes you're going to indulge in because you were so strict before you left? Do you go hog wild on vacation and eat everything and anything because "it's vacation, why not?"?

Why would you want to undo all of the very hard work you put in to get ready? It can take 4 months to get physically changed and take 1 or 2 weeks to put back on quite a bit....That just doesn't seem fair!


SO HOW do we vacation and never put on pounds? I don't step on the scale...lol. It's true.

But for REAL:  First, we love vacationing...I have even been called a vacationing PRO by a client (I'll take that title any day!). I grew up lucky enough to have parents that liked adventure and change, so we got to travel, and learn how to do it right (right according to us at least!).  Vacation is something that is important for your health, even a stay-cation. I'm not talking about only going exotic places...but wherever you do go, make it worthwhile and use it as vacations are intended, to destress and relax (Sound familiar? The first steps in health and fat-loss, right?!), experience and learn.

Second, we eat local. Why? well, it's cheaper! But also....because when you're not in America, you don't get served American sized portions, therefore we eat smaller amounts at meal times. Plus, you may find new, healthier dishes that you never knew you liked. So try new things. Local also means in-season fruits and veggies, staples in anyone's healthy diet. Focus, as always, on veggies and protein and the rest will fall into place naturally while on a vacation.

Local fruit, Salak

Third, we MOVE A LOT! And come prepared. Vacation is not a different lifestyle, it's part of the lifestyle.

EVERY morning we'd get up, make coffee and walk either to town from the resort or along the beach sipping coffee or literally, my husband and I walked around the resort hallways just exploring...we have no time to beat, no clock to live by, just walk. That's the beauty of vacation, you get to go at your own time.

run followed by some SUP

Most places have a gym, but you may not want to be in a gym a lot so....  Some days I'd go for a run then go back to the room and use the resistance bands I brought with me and do a fast circuit to pump up my muscles and get the blood flowing before heading out for the day to lay around and read. The BEST was sprints on the beach at night. Or push-ups while laying around...no one is looking, no one cares. You might even inspire someone to move too.

We'd leave the hotel and WALK to lunch, and later walk to dinner, saying "no" to every taxi driver along the way...
Besides walking you can do lunges down the hallway, you can snorkel, you can swim for 20 minutes, you can do water aerobics in the ocean...the options are endless.    But we did make sure to do something EVERY DAY.


By why do so many people plan vacation around the food, or get excited when the cruise has unlimited buffets 24 hours a day?  Probably because they're not living a balanced life during normal times. They're so restrictive that when you get to a special place, all you can think about is food. It doesn't have to be that way!  Food is fun, food is delicious and you can anticipate a great meal...but living to eat 4 burritos a day while in mexico, simply because you're there, is not the best way to approach a vacation. It's the best way to put on a lot of weight and get some serious heartburn!

If you live a balanced and active lifestyle before vacation, once you get to vacation you will still live actively. You won't feel the need to OVER indulge, or OVER splurge.... you can just regular indulge and regular splurge...it is vacation after all!

Take this workout with you sometime: