Rachel's Fit Health

I’ve been getting some frantic messages about spring break! This weekend, I’m going away with friends to go skiing, so I thought I’d share my own tips for eating while on a trip.

1.      Food

As someone who consistently eats a healthy diet, I used to dread going on weekend trips with friends because of the awkward feeling I’d get as I said, “No, it’s ok.. I’ll just have this.” I am somewhat of a people pleaser by nature, so I used to feel very guilty about turning down food (Can you imagine how difficult it was to live with an Italian mother when I studied abroad in Italy?? My friend even ate a little of her shrimp despite the fact she had an allergy!  Can’t turn down an Italian mama!)

If you are absolutely certain the people you are vacationing with do NOT eat healthy food, offer to go grocery shopping or simply bring/buy your own food, like chicken breast, vegetables, yogurt, fruit, sweet potatoes, almonds, oatmeal, brown rice etc.

In my case, the friends I am spending the weekend with are healthy eaters. I will prep some of my food ahead of time, but I will be able to eat what they are eating for dinner (helps when you can volunteer to cook!).

If you will be venturing out during the day- whether it’s skiing, the beach, an amusement park: PACK YOUR OWN FOOD!

Ski lodge and amusement park restaurants rarely have the options I’m looking for, so it’s best(health-wise and money-wise) to bring your own food. Yes, I will probably be skiing with a chicken breast in my pocket ;)

For my spring breakers:

As crazy as it sounds, I would bring your own food for the daytime and store it in your hotel’s fridge. Chicken breast, oatmeal, homemade protein bars, protein powder, peanut butter (can’t get a jar through security, so purchase it at your destination), snack size bags of carrots. snap peas etc. For the chicken, cook ahead of time, freeze, and put it into a cooler before heading to the airport.  It can function as your ice as well! If you have a long day of traveling, make sure to keep gallon size ziplocks in your cooler so you can re-fill the bags with ice at one of the airport restaurants.

Most college spring breakers spend the day drinking by the pool.. and rarely leave the hotel to get a bite to eat! This is why I say- bring your food for the day, and enjoy dinner out with your friends at night. Most likely, your friends won’t notice you’re missing, and will actually wish they did the same thing!

2.      Drinking

This is part of the frantic-ness in the messages I’ve been getting. “I’ve been dieting and exercising for spring break. I’m SO afraid I’m going to gain it back with the drinking! Plus, when I drink, I eat unhealthy food! HELP!”

These are very real concerns. I know many girls resort to eating as little as possible before spring break, so this can be a disastrous situation because your body is in a very fragile state. 

Let’s say you drink 4 drinks during the day, and 4 at night. Odds are you’ve consumed close to 1000 calories from drinking alone. You somewhat justify the fact that you “didn’t eat anything all day” since you’ve skipped breakfast and lunch. You enjoy a big restaurant dinner. You have a great night out and are hungry when you leave the bar. Late night meal before bed, and repeat.. for a week.

Are you going to gain weight?

Most likely, YES.

Should you ruin your spring break worrying about gaining weight?

NO!

1.      Always, Always, Always EAT BREAKFAST! Go alone, get a carry-out egg white omelet or bring a friend.

2.      Eat during the day- Whether it’s your own food, or a restaurant meal (not the free greasy pizza by the pool), please eat something. Side note- the only thing that makes you more sober is TIME. Not a big bowl of starchy carbohydrates like pasta. Drinking water will also help increase your dropping hydration levels.

3.      Stay Hydrated- Do not neglect water, especially if you’re in the hot sun! Take advantage of the time between the pool and getting ready for dinner to drink H2O.

4.      If you feel up to it, go for a jog outside(if safe) or use your hotel’s gym. Try to go at least 2 times while you’re there. If you know your hotel does not have a gym, bring resistance bands or a plyometric routine. You want to keep your metabolism moving! (Although, I would say sticking to healthy eating is more important (and realistic) than trying to exercise every day.)

3. Last note

            Do not forget: you are your own food and drink moderator.  So many people are worried about late night eating. Instead of trying not to eat anything, bring some healthy snacks for yourself. If it’s a granola bar or bag of almonds in your clutch or pocket, then that’s great! You can always wait until you get home for your snack as well. While it’s best to not eat at 4am, giving yourself a healthier option is better than trying not to eat anything, only to cave in and eat Taco Bell.

            Concerning drinking, I doubt your friends will notice if you drink an alcoholic beverage, then water, and repeat. This is a great way to keep your hydration levels(and judgement) up! And if they notice, who cares! (can you tell this is my philosophy for most health-related criticism??)

This may seem like a lot to think about, but a little preparation goes a long way. Enjoy your spring break or weekend vacations! You’ll be proud of yourself if you’ve made some preventative measures to stick to healthy eating while on Spring Break.. consistent food intake + hydration also decreases the chance you’ll make a fool out of yourself.. or spend your spring break looking like this :)