Chewy Many people encounter challenges in their weight loss journey. Staying on track toward your goals can be extra tough during the holiday season when almost every day seems like a feast. If you’re traveling somewhere else to celebrate, you’re even more likely to give yourself a break and not worry about how much you eat or work out.
However, doing so can negate all your efforts to lose weight so far. Researchers find that Christmas can impact your eating behavior by making you more likely to eat more and gain weight. Traveling at this time of year can exacerbate this effect, especially since it’s easier to forget self-imposed rules on strict diet and exercise on vacation. So, if you’re trying to lose weight for better health, fitness, or other personal preferences, you may want to take these extra steps to make sure your efforts don’t go to waste:
Keep moving
Going on vacation means taking a break from the hustle and bustle of daily life. And while you should take this opportunity to relax, that doesn’t mean you should stop moving around altogether! Instead, integrate exercise into your travel activities. Our tips to stay healthy on vacation find that one thing you can do is rent a bike, which you can use to explore new cities and the unique holiday traditions they uphold. You can also include more physical activities, like hiking or surfing, on your itinerary. That way, you can stay on track to lose weight without sacrificing your vacation experience.
Plan your meals
Vacations can be more fun with spontaneous moments, but adding spontaneity to your diet can jeopardize your weight loss efforts. Planning your meals ahead can save you a lot of time and help regulate the food you eat. You don’t have to be too strict with yourself, either—especially if you’re celebrating Christmas or New Year’s abroad!
For example, you can simply plan where you eat. Instead of leaving yourself the choice of eating at local fast food chains during your stay, look at menus online to see which restaurants serve balanced meals. That means you don’t need to deprive yourself. You can still try local holiday delicacies like France’s Bûche de Noël or Peru’s spiced hot chocolate while still eating the right amount of fruits, vegetables, and protein—and even having opportunities to share larger servings with family and friends!—to stay consistent with your weight loss goals.
Attend virtual weight loss workshops
Maintaining weight loss during vacation can be especially challenging because of all the new food you want to try and the lack of will to stay active. If you’re traveling alone, it can be extra hard to stay motivated. Studies find that a support group can help you stay locked in on your fitness journey by motivating you to reach your goals.
A simple search for ‘weight loss workshops near me‘ can help you find people you can rely on. You can get up-to-date vacation weight loss tips from fitness experts virtually, and you even get to choose your own coach based on your time zone and availability. You’ll only need a mobile device to attend 30-minute sessions, which won’t eat much of your vacation time. This way, you’ll get insights from expert coaches that will help you maintain your weight loss efforts while still allowing you to enjoy your holiday vacation.
Set up phone reminders
It’s easy to forget our normal routine when traveling to another place. If you take vitamins, dietary supplements, or weight loss medications, be sure to remind yourself by setting up medication reminders on your phone. This can be as simple as using software like the iPhone’s Health App to list your medications directly and set reminders for when to take them. You can even connect these reminders to your Apple Watch for easier tracking on the go during your next trip! Alerting yourself that it’s time to take these supplements can help you stay consistent in your weight loss journey.
Embarking on a weight loss journey while traveling this holiday season can be challenging. With a little creativity, you can stay on track while celebrating in a new place!
