Not too long ago (and also what seems like a lifetime ago!), I went on an ah-maze-ing vacation to Hawaii (The Big Island) with my bestie of over 30 years! We saw all the sights, did hikes on volcano rims, wanders through rain forests, enjoyed visits from sea turtles, & beautiful sunsets. And, lots of relaxing times with good conversation.
The burning question...did I track while I was away?
Short answer: nope!
For realsies! Here’s what I did do:
I brought some protein bars with me, because I know that it can be a challenge to get protein in while traveling
I brought pre-portioned snacks with me that I know I like and would reach for when feeling snacky
I brought pre-portioned oatmeal/ground flax/chia/powdered peanut butter for my daily breakfast
I stopped at the local grocery store upon arrival to pick up ingredients for well rounded meals, additional portable snacks, and fruit and eggs/egg whites to accompany the oatmeal breakfast I brought with me
I enjoyed a some foods over the course of the 2 weeks that I don’t regularly have, but didn’t completely throw in the towel on my nutrition plan, still eating foods that I know will treat my body well
A few things to consider:
I spent the better part of the last 8 years setting myself up for this kind of situation. I built a buffer by being consistent with my nutrition for an extended period of time, resulting in the ability to take 2 weeks off without it affecting my overall goals for wellness, performance & aesthetics
Through that same long-term consistency, I molded the ability to eat intuitively, & not fall prey to a slippery slope of heading back to the way that I used to eat - emotionally, with no focus on overall health, performance in the gym, & body composition
I don’t travel often. If I traveled more than once every few months, I would make a point of tracking for at least a portion of the time I was away - maybe tracking every breakfast, and then ensuring I got enough protein in each day
I know that I have no trouble getting right back to regularly scheduled programming when I get home
So, here I am, back on home base, and back to usual routines. I’ve learned that I needed to track most of the time in order to get myself to a place of intuitive eating. I also know that I have tracking in my toolkit to pull out whenever I sense that things aren’t quite right…performance in the gym, energy levels, fit of my clothes, hunger levels, digestion, and so on. Also, I am a creature of habit - it feels good to be back to the structure and familiarity of food on home base, and tracking.
Want to know more about how to fuel yourself for wellness, gym performance, body composition, &/or vacation days? Want to set yourself up for intuitive eating? Want to create habits and behaviors that support your overall health & wellness? I can help!
P.S. The bonus behind bringing food with you is that, as you consume it, it leaves space in your suitcase for souvenirs! Win-win!
Keep coming forward - Coach K
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