How to Lose Weight While on Vacation

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Updated: 2/1/2021 | How to Lose Weight While on Vacation

You spent MONTHS working out and eating right so that you could look hot while on vacation. Why stop there?

While we love traveling, one thing that we’ve experienced again and again is weight gain. It’s caused us to feel bad about traveling, trying new things, and much more.

Traveling often forces us to change our normal habits. We tend to eat and drink more. Our choices are not as “good.” We’re more relaxed and may want to choose to be sedentary over staying active. The list goes on.

First things first, don’t let the thought of weight gain ruin your vacation. If you go into your vacation fearing that you’ll gain weight, you’ll be miserable. Be easy on yourself and remind yourself that a vacation does not have to result in weight gain. Start with a positive mindset and you will naturally make positive choices while traveling.

With that said, here are some ways you can prevent vacation weight gain.

How to Lose Weight While on Vacation

#1 Choose Healthy Meals

If you’re a foodie, you’ll want to try everything on the menu. I’ve made some difficult decisions which included ordering a salad over a delicious steak with potatoes because it’s a much more sustainable and healthier option.

If you need to cheat, try sharing a cheat meal with your travel buddy or splurge on a decadent meal a few days each week while you’re on vacation. There is no need to eat heavy meals every single day.

And, sometimes when you make healthier choices, they might turn out ot be the best salad you’ve ever eaten in your life! (see below)

Gado Gado salad with Mahi Mahi from Mala Tavern in Maui, Hawaii

#2 Eat Smaller Portions

This is SUPER important for weight loss. I can’t tell you how insane a lot of portions are, not only in the US but around the world. While US portions are definitely bigger, you’re better off eating half portions wherever you go.

Try to split your meals with a friend if you can. This helps to reduce your caloric intake AND allows you to try more things at different establishments.

And if there are kids’ portions, ask if the server if you can purchase that instead of a full meal. Kids’ meals are typically smaller portions and less seasoned and salted. You get to enjoy dining out without having to eat a heavy meal.

#2 Cook Your Meals (If You Can)

If your lodging space has a kitchen, make use of it. We typically head to the grocery store to stock up on ingredients, snacks, drinks, and more when I travel for long periods of time.

Not only is it much cheaper than eating out, but it’s also healthier because you know exactly what you’re eating and can portion your meals out. You can also prepare meals with less sugar and salt, which is often a huge contributor to vacation weight gain.

And, when you prepare your own meals from scratch, you tend to eat less processed foods.

#3 Stay Active

Get out and see the world!

You don’t need to have a gym to stay fit. Plan hikes, go swimming at the beach, rent a bike and ride around town, etc. There are so many ways to stay active without having to use gym equipment.

Get creative and combine physical activities with your sightseeing plans.

day owl backpack review schimiggy hiking

Hiking in Seattle, Wash.

#4 Exercise

If your hotel has a gym, use it!

No gym? No worries!

Bring your resistance bands and follow these online workout classes. There are also plenty of free ones on Youtube that allow you to work out anytime and anywhere.

And if you’re looking for travel friendly gym equipment, try these out:

ProsourceFit Resistance Bands – We never travel without our resistance band set.
YOGO travel yoga mat – We are SO OBSESSED with our YOGO mat.
Your bodyweight! Do some yoga on the sand. Go for a swim! Move where you are.

YOGO Ultralite Travel Yoga Mat

#5 Drink Lots of Water

Drinking water has many benefits. Staying hydrated keeps your body working as it should. It also helps to curb your appetite and support your metabolism. It’s definitely how you lose weight while on vacation.

We recommend drinking one full glass of water when you wake up and before you go to bed as a general rule.

While we’re on the road, we always travel with our LARQ water bottle. It has a UV filter that sanitizes water, making it potable (drinkable) wherever your travels take you.

#6 Avoid Impulse Buying

Impulse buying is the worse! I try to plan my meals ahead of time so that I do not order what I don’t need and overeat. Use a calendar or scheduler to plan your mealtimes.

Another great way to avoid impulse buying and eating is to adopt the 8/16 intermittent fasting plan.

While on vacation, I stick to eating between 12pm to 8pm (I set alarms on my phone). This helps me control my eating and forces me to find other things to do during the times I cannot eat.

#7 Be Flexible and Improvise

If you are a creature of habit, traveling may throw you for a loop.

We recommend finding products that are similar to what you would eat and drink at home. You may need to do some research to find out what’s available around you, but we are sure you’ll find something comparable.

For example, you want vegetable soup but a restaurant serves it with pasta. Ask them to take out the pasta and drink only the broth and vegetables. Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want because after all, it’s your body and you’re paying them for the product. It also helps to prevent waste.

#8 Ditch the Alcohol

I know…this is sad but very true. Alcohol causes weight gain. It causes you to retain water weight which is what most of vacation weight is.

If you want to indulge in an adult beverage, opt for a low-calorie beverage like alcoholic seltzers or wine.

Limit or avoid sugary cocktails altogether. We typically limit ourselves to two craft cocktails a week and avoid all other sugary drinks when possible. By sugary drinks, we mean drinks that are filled with fructose corn syrup and other sweeteners.

Another option is to buy ingredients to make beverages yourself, that way you know exactly what you’re putting into your body. A drink that we love making while traveling is this simple citrus cocktails (3/4 part lime + orange, 1/4 part tequila, and a splash of Cointreau).

Craft cocktail from the Blind Tiger in Puerto Vallarta

Final Thoughts

It’s not hard to lose weight while on vacation. It just takes some awareness and dedication. Adopt a positive mindset and you’ll achieve your weight goals wherever you are.

And if you’re concerned about keeping your vacation weight, remember that when you get back home and fall into your normal routine, the vacation weight typically goes away. We end up losing 5-7 pounds within the first week of returning home.

Don’t forget that your vacation should be relaxing and fun! Don’t let weight gain weight you down (pun intended)! Worry about it when your trip is over.

We’ll leave you with one of our favorite quotes, “Worrying is like being in a rocking chair. It gives you something to do, but gets you nowhere.” – By Van Wilder

And with that said…safe travels!