Vacation: A mixed bag

Vacation is a mixed bag of what you put in and make of it! Vacation is what you want it to be. So why not fill your mixed bag of vacation fun with FITness, happiness, laughter, good healthy balanced eating? Some folks put an incredible amount of energy into dropping weight or working on a bikini beach bod ONLY to spoil it all up while on vacation.  Don’t buy in to this bull corn, short-term mentality.

My “all about their health and FITness purists” are like “what is she talking about.”  This is because we FITness fanatics live a healthy “mixed bag” life year around, vacation or no vacation.  What we practice at home is howe we do life.  We take it with us on the road, work or vacation.  Sure there is allowance for letting loose. When in rum, I mean ROME…one might get friendly with fruity island desserts or an alcoholic beverage or two while resting by the pool. BUT…nonetheless I eat healthy and maintain some form of exercise. Yes, even on vacation! ALWAYS ON VACATION! 

About two months ago many of you fine folks panicked when you realized you had no real vaca plans and that beach, pool, lake, shorts and tank top season was creeping up.  You took to the world-wide web and started hunting and pecking away.  You made some plans and at last confirmed your Summer vacation spot.  Confidently you clicked submit on that VRBO beach front condo, Air BNB cottage house or hotel confirmation but behind the scenes you were sweating.  You did a quick self-evaluation and vowed to get back on the wagon and spring into exercise action.  Girl, you committed to weekly workouts and cleaned up your diet.   Now, two months later you’re reaping the labor of your grilled chicken veggies and sweaty tabata workouts.

 

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The time is drawing near and you are days away from your long-awaited vacation spot.   You can barely wait to get there and sit in your ocean side bungalow and swing from the hammock.  Many of you plan to park it and that’s that. Others plan to sit and sip umbrella drinks, read, relax, lounge and soak up all things VACATION!  You can already smell the ocean salt water and taste the fried calamari.

Here is a little dose of Abercrombie & FITness mixed bag vacation advice.  That same committed disciplined mentality that you embraced….  that steel iron tough focus that helped you drop 10-15 pounds is something fierce.  Take that same mindset into your vacation only a little softer.  

By all means, enjoy yourself.  I even invite indulging in some Summer staple treats and eats.  After all, this is what you have worked so hard for right?  Just be cautious and don’t blow it sky-high.  Least you forget that irrestiable spaghetti strap sundress is packed and in the suit case along with your bathin suit!  

Some things to consider and remember:

It’s a vacation not a free for all.  It’s vacation, enjoy but don’t go crazy.

Sweetie, you completely earned the buffet breakfast. Go for it.  Have an egg omelet to your liking and a quarter of a waffle and some fresh fruit. Eat the eggs benedict and you have my permission to pack in the pancakes. But then…dial it back at dinner time.  If you crave a cheese burger and fries, eat half. May I suggest splitting a meal with your travel companion and possibly skipping out on the cheese.  Make a simple savvy choice and choose sweet potato baked fries instead of fried french fries.  EASY PEEZY!

My most recent brunch photos. I skipped/ ditched the hash browns onto Mr. Chicken Fry’s plate.  I licked the platter clean including the English muffin with honey!  ✅

Try a grilled chicken salad with fresh avocado and tomatoes for a lite simple no bloat lunch.  Jazz it up with salsa and lemon!

Dining out isn’t that hard.  Exercise some discipline and order a grilled chicken breast side of rice and steamed veggies!  It’s super filling and guilt free!

Now, let’s suppose you did in fact totally wig out.  What if you temporarily lost your mind and ate your way through Florida or Europe?  What if you didn’t lift a finger or a toe and from dusk till dawn for 7 -10 days you only ate bacon, burgers and fries.   Then what…

I can guarantee you won’t come home happy. ☹️😡 I can assure you that you will come home feeling defeated. You will come home lethargic, depressed and moody.  Is it worth it?  NOT REALLY…

Why…because it doesn’t have to be this way…. Alll you have to do is find your balance.  Find that vacation happy medium and dig in!  

And what about exercise?

Carpe Diem!  Sieze the change in scenery.  Walk the beach or hit the weight room once or twice.  Sand volleyball is always a HIT…no pun intended!  Enjoy a family hike.  Take a stroll or bike ride.  For heavens sake use the pool and go for a swim. Don’t wade in the water, use your arms and legs and move!  Do something active that’s out of your wheelhouse.  Hello, half the fun of vacation is actually doing something you wouldn’t ordinarily do!  Make stupid memories and play paddle board on the beach or toss the football!

Mixed bag

A mixed bag is always fun.  You put in a hand, reach around and anxiously await to see what you pull out.  Will it be a piece of bubble gum or a jolly rancher?  Vacation is similar. Travel and vacation offer a mixed bag variety.  In your hypothetical goodie bag are choices like activity level, food selections, drink options, fast food, healthy food, treats and snacks. Shake it up and pull out something good.  Suppose you are on a road trip and you drew Whataburger.  Order a grilled chicken salad no dressing, skip the cheese and a large water with lemon.  This is that better bad choice, aka the simple savvy selection I was talking about.  Say you are on day three of your lush vacation…draw from the bag…activity time.  Pick a healthy hearty protein packed breakfast and follow it up with an hour power stroll on the strand.  By 2 pm you will have burned through your breakfast and ready to eat a snack.  Draw again.  Everyone wants ice-cream.  Fine…but order up the fro yo or sorbet!  When everyone is eating burgers, order the grilled chicken or turkey burger.  Save up for the sunset bottle of red wine you have been day dreaming about!  See what I mean? EASY PEEZY!

The more you practice the easier it gets.  “Anything is a hassle before it becomes a habit.” ~ Angi Abercrombie

Keep persuing your new-found healthy FIT lifestyle year around which includes vacation week!  Don’t fall back into the trap where you always feel like crap. Come home truly refreshed this year.  Do an experiment and see if for the first time in your vacation taking life you notice a significant difference.  I bet you a free workout you will!!! 

Last Summer I wrote a post called: Vacation FAT or FIT ? ↵ Check it out here. 

Love, enjoy and drink in the La Croix!  

Angi

xo

 

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