My "secrets" to NOT gaining weight while traveling or on vacation!

 

No one wants to go on vacation and say “NO” to EVERYTHING! NO, I can’t eat that! NO, I can’t drink that! NO, I can’t do that! NO, I have to workout or go to the gym! The list goes on and on and on!!!

I used to be that girl that flat out said “NO” to going vacation or a weekend away, because I was so scared of the temptations it would include and that it would completely ruin my progress or fitness goals.

Here are the things I learned, that has helped me to go on vacation without gaining weight OR loosing progress! Follow these steps and you will be saying “YES” to vacation, “YES” to that meal, “YES” to that drink and “YES” to living life!

1-      Get your 7-8 hours of sleep!

If you are going to bed a little later, sleep in a little bit! Traveling can be super hard on your body. Ensuring you get an adequate amount of sleep, will help to keep the stress levels in you body low, assist in food digestion, regulate mood and the hunger sensation AND it will give you the energy you need to enjoy your trip.

2-      Workout in the morning.

Get up! Get dressed! And go to the gym! Chances are that your friends want to go to brunch, go sightseeing, go to the beach, go do some random activity or if your friends are like mine, they want to have bottomless mimosas! So while your friends are still snoozing, get up and do a quick workout. This can be a 20-30min workout (OR longer if you are an over achiever, lol). It’s better to get your workout done in the morning, because this will not only free up your day, but also your mind. You did it, it’s done and you don’t have to worry about it! Have that mimosa!

3-      Full Body workout.

This tip is connected to step 2! Chances are you can’t workout everyday and that you don’t have all the time and equipment available that you usually do. So this is NOT the time to break up your workouts by muscle group. You goal is to sweat, burn calories and to get those muscles working! So choose exercises that will target all the main muscle groups and get your blood pumping! Also remember that you are on VACATION!! Go on a bike ride, hike up a mountain or walk 20 000 steps to see all of Paris 😊 ! Go make those memories while also staying active!

4-      Pick your protein!

This is something I tell my client’s to do daily when cooking and every time they go to a restaurant. Find the protein! Once you find the protein, you can choose or build your meal around it! If you fill up on protein, you are less likely to fill up on unhealthy carbs. We all have a favorite protein we actually ENJOY eating. For me that is salmon and chicken. I ask to add it to my salad, pizza, pasta or whatever it is I’m craving. And if my Entre already includes one of my favorite proteins, I will adjust the side dishes where needed.

5-      Don’t skip meals!

There are two reasons you don’t want to skip meals. 1- You stand the chance of slowing down your metabolism, because your body is holding on to your meals, not knowing when it will receive another. 2- The next time you eat, you will likely OVER-eat! Keeping the timing between your meals consistent, will prevent you from becoming over-hungry and then over-eating. Also have protein bars or other healthy snacks close by for when you are on the move and need something to hold you over until the next meal.

6-      Pay attention to portion sizes.

Pay attention to the portions being served, as most restaurant serve more than 1 serving.  Rather eat what you desire/crave, but eat a little less of it. You can have that pizza you crave, but it doesn’t mean you have to eat a Large by yourself 😉 !

7-      Drink lots of water!

This is probably one of the most important points! Drinking lots of water will not only keep you hydrated, but it will help with reducing cravings when you aren’t really hungry. It will also keep your skin from getting super dry while traveling, assist in the digestion of your food and will also help prevent you from over-eating. My friends always make fun of me because I carry a water bottle everywhere I go, but having a bottle with me that I can easily fill and refill, makes it easy for me to drink all the water I need!

8-      Choose your drink wisely!

Nothing screams “VACATION” more to me than a Piña colada! So it’s typically the first drink I order. It satisfies the craving, is wayyy too sweet and makes me not want more, lol! Like one salad won’t make you skinny, one sugary drink won’t make you fat! So have that drink you crave! But after that, choose drinks that are lower in sugar. Opt for Rose’, a Vodka soda or a skinny margarita! And once again remember to drink lots of water in between! It will make you drink your cocktail slower and help avoid that nasty hangover in the morning!

Safe Travels!!!

Marcelle
(Personal Trainer @ Balance Me Fit) 

Tips on succeeding in your New Year's "FITNESS" Resolution

Are you struggling to follow through on your New Year’s Resolution? Have you already given up? Or, maybe you never even started? You are not alone!

“Fitness Resolutions” are one of the most popular New Year’s resolutions. You say, “I’m going to start working out OR lose weight OR eat healthier,”…AND THE LIST GOES ON!  These resolutions are made with good intentions, but often end in self-disappointment.  By following the next few steps, you will definitely increase your chances of success and HOPEFULLY even check this goal off your list!

1.       PLAN! PLAN! PLAN!

Don’t wait until New Year’s Eve to decide on your resolution! Make time in the weeks leading up to the New Year to think about what you want to change or do differently and start putting plans in place for how you will achieve your goals.  For example: If your plan is to “start working out,” decide if you want to apply for a gym membership or look into programs you can do at home.  Then look at your schedule and see what days and times work best and start creating your calendar.  Invest in things like ‘daily planners’ to help you get organized.  If you have a plan set in place, you will feel more prepared and this will definitely spike your motivation to succeed. If you didn’t have a plan set for this year’s resolution, it’s not too late! Don’t wait until next year to do it right, start brainstorming now and put your plan into action tomorrow.

2.       REALISTIC & SHORT TERM GOALS!

Set yourself up for success by being realistic!  (Let’s stick to the, “start working out”, example.) My goal is to, “Workout 5 days a week/ 60min per day.”  Chances are, that if you are only now ‘starting to workout,’ your fitness level is pretty low.  Now you walk into the gym, kill yourself for 60min (hating every minute) and dread going back the next day. Day 2 you return and the 60min feels even longer and more painful.  Your body is hurting so you are forced to take a couple of days off, but then start dreading going back.  Eventually your gym days decrease and by February or March, you are paying for a membership you don’t use. This is why setting short term/realistic goals is so important.  Set goals that are more achievable and that will eventually lead up to your end goal! In this case your goals might look more like this:

·       Week 1-2 (3 days/week for 30min)

·       Week 3-4 (3 days/week for 35min, including a 30min walk over the weekend)

·       Week 4-8 (4 days/week for 35min, including a 30min walk over the weekend)

·       Week 9-12 (4 days a week for 45min, including a 30min walk over the weekend)

Until you eventually reach the point where you are working out 5 days a week for 60min, without feeling like you want to give up or die, work towards those small ACHIEVABLE steps leading to your end goal!

3.       REWARD YOURSELF!

Reward yourself for every step you complete or short term goal you achieve! This will give you something to look forward to and motivate you to work hard to achieve your next goal.  But be careful! Choose rewards that will be beneficial to whatever your goal is. Don’t reward yourself with a pizza buffet! Rather opt for something like those resistance bands you saw everyone using, a new hair cut or a new pair of leggings (coz we all know a girl can never have too many pairs of legging!!!). Whatever it is that is going to motivate you and get you excited about getting back in the gym!

4.       BUDDY SYSTEM!

Everything seems easier when you have someone who is going through it with you.  This can be someone working with you towards the same goal OR even your spouse or friend who’s checking in on you and motivating you.  Discuss your goals with other people.  Making your goals public, will help keep you accountable. With this being said, you will also have to learn to say ‘NO’ to that friend who is leading you astray. Friends who care about you, will also care about helping you achieve your goals!

5.       RECOVER!

Sometimes we pick immediate satisfaction over long-term satisfaction. This is especially true when trying to eat healthy and then being tempted by the unhealthy snacks at a friend’s party! That BBQ chicken wing is signaling your brain to produce dopamine, resulting in immediate pleasure and broken resolutions! Who can say no?! Watching your favorite movie instead of going to the gym OR staying out/up late and being too tired to work out in the morning.  You need to remind yourself WHY you decided to make this change and the benefits of accomplishing your goal.  Try your best to avoid ‘high risk situations,’ (like standing too close to that plate of chicken wings) and don’t let a moment of weakness turn into a full relapse of bad habits! Make sure that you get back to your healthy eating habits after that party or to make up for the workout you skipped when you decided to watch that movie.

Ultimately, New Year’s Resolutions should not be entered into lightly.  Failing at your goals can take a major toll on your self-esteem.  Stay confident in your ability to carry out your plan from ‘Step 1’ and remember that it takes an average of 66 days to create a new habit.  Happy New Year! :D