9 Tips to Stay Fit on Vacation

As discussed on Episode 7 of the Wise Eats Podcast

Well aloha, mahalo, and welcome to another episode of Wise Eats. In today’s article, I want to share some diet and fitness tips that I took away from my recent trip to Maui that you can apply to your travels in life, not just for vacation, but in other areas of your life:

Tip #1: Food Prep

Prepare food to have in your carry-on bag. Cook meals where you’re staying, if possible. On this trip, my carry-on was loaded with protein bars, energy Bowl, cauliflower fried rice (recipe pending), sweet potato, and other healthy snacks. I had enough food for our 13-hour trip and then some. It was the same theme on the ride home. We cooked everything we had leftover and packed it to go on the plane, so we ended up with chicken, vegetables, energy bowl, potatoes, and rx bars. All we left behind food-wise was a couple extra cases of water.

Many people think you can’t bring snacks on a plane, which is not true. You can bring snacks, prepared food, just have to watch out for fresh produce and liquids.

Resist the urge to given into convenience and stay accountable by preparing your travel meals. Avoid airport food and in-flight snacks whenever possible. Stick to real food and wise choices.

Tip #2: Grocery Shop

Obviously, this doesn’t really work if you’re going on a cruise or all-inclusive. One of the reasons we chose Maui was because we enjoy going to a place where we have the freedom to prepare our own meals when we want. We rented a condo on the ocean stocked with a full kitchen, freezer, refrigerator, blender. There’s a Costco in town, along with a local farmer’s market and grocery store.

No matter what my circumstance, on vacation or in normal life, I need to have healthy options on hand. So, after we got off the plane, we went to Costco which was right around the corner from the airport. We stocked up on healthy options like chicken, rice, fresh and frozen produce, water, and other essentials. We even placed orders on Amazon and had them shipped directly to our room so it was waiting for us when we got to Maui.

Tip #3: Cook Your Own Meals

I know this probably sounds so boring. But I don’t care if I’m on getting on a plane to go across the world or driving across town to a family function, I always stay prepared when it comes to food. I have healthy meals as back up and plenty of filtered water. You need accountability for the things you’re putting in your body, so the more you can control that, the better off you’re going to be.

On this trip, we made breakfast every day: Scrambled eggs, gluten-free pancakes, fresh fruit, energy bowl, protein shakes with kale, and others. We often made lunch or dinner, as well. Of course, we ate out at times, but it was usually only one meal or so per day, not the entire time.

Vacation should involve a break from your normal routine, but it’s not a free pass to just eat crap for a week straight. Eat well as much as possible and save unhealthy meals for the moments where it will truly be memorable, like a nice dinner out or something you know you’ll really enjoy in the moment. A sub sandwich and bag of chips on a plane is not memorable or good for your body.

Tip #4: Control Your Portions

I fight myself with this all the time. Pick your poison, but try not to overindulge. Instead of eating half a pizza or a whole pizza, have a slice or two. Easier said than done, but the more you focus your mindset toward restriction, the better you’ll do in the long run. Portion control is something I struggled with for years, and still fail at from time to time, but has gotten much easier. I did overeat quite a bit on this trip, but it was usually healthy foods. Plus, who’s got time for calorie restriction on vacation? It’s time to enjoy yourself, of course! But you can do that while making wise choices in the process.

Tip #5: Not Every Meal is a Cheat Meal

Treat yourself, but get in as much home cooked, healthy prepared meals as possible to go along with it. If you completely binge the whole time like I used to, you’re going to come back needing a vacation from your vacation. We cooked many meals that we would normally have at home, but also enjoyed some local flavors and fresh produce. We actually enjoyed some sort of “bad” food every single day. We simply limited it to one meal and surrounded it with other healthy meals so we didn’t go too far overboard.

Our favorite dishes from this trip: Carrot cake (fresh made daily), fresh baked pie, tamales, pizza, shave ice, sushi, haupia

Tip #6: Get Moving

I’m not saying you have to sign up for a nearby gym for the week you’re on vacation, but if you can, it’s not a bad idea. In my previous trip to Maui, I focused too much on getting to the gym, but you have a built-in gym inside you. Take a break from your normal routine and just do some bodyweight exercises. Pushups, squats, lunges, jumping jacks, running, walking, stretching, playing. There are so many things you can do outside of a normal gym routine. Enjoy nature, get in the water, the sand. At a minimum, keep a mindset of movement.

Normally, I lift weights 5-6 days per week, so I usually try to have a gym nearby whenever I travel, but that was not an option on this trip. In preparation, I really pushed hard in the weeks leading up so I could feel good about taking time off for recovery. Instead of going to the gym, I moved as much as I could every single day. I walked in the airports, did bodyweight squats on the plane, stretched, bodyweight, ab routines. Instead of chest day, I did a push-up challenge. Instead of leg day, I did a bodyweight squat challenge. I also made it a requirement to jump in the ocean every single day: real hard, I know. The idea is to embrace the opportunity to take a break from your normal training routine and try some different things that make you feel good.

Tip #7: Stay Hydrated

Water, water, water. Drink it, a lot. Swim in it. Play in it. Live in it. Staying hydrated will help keep you from overeating and also feeling energized. Hydration is a very simple hack to optimize your health all the time, not just on vacation. We bought like 8 cases of water from Costco and it lasted our entire trip. We were never without fresh water and challenged one another to drink as much as possible every day.

Tip #8: Limit Alcohol Intake

Oh boy, this is the holy grail. Wes, what good is a vacation without alcohol? Trust me, I get it. I used to drink every day whether I was on vacation or not. Wes from 5 years ago doesn’t even know who I am today.

My vacations used to be centered around alcohol. Room was always fully stocked with bottles. Whether I was on vacation or headed to a sporting event or concert, I would travel with mini bottles full of vodka so I always had quick access to free booze.

These days, however, it’s a much different story. Out of our 12 nights in Hawaii, we only drank alcohol twice and never got drunk, just had a few drinks. I really just enjoyed myself more without the alcohol. I want my body feeling good and to enjoy my surroundings fully. I want to rest fully and wake up feeling refreshed, energized, and ready to take on all of the amazing wonders Maui has to offer. I’m not saying I never drink, but it’s less and less all the time because my goals are so much bigger now, and alcohol is a poison that only detracts from those goals. If you want to drink and party all the time, that’s perfectly fine, and I won’t be mad at you because I’ve been there. But if your goal is longevity and vitality, you may want to rethink your priorities like I had to.

All that said, we enjoyed a few local beers while we were in Hawaii, so shout out to the Maui Brewing Company. Loved their nitro brewed coconut hiwa porter. Fantastic.

Tip #9: Enjoy yourself.

Eating healthy and exercising are great, but at the end of the day, it is vacation. I encourage you to make as many wise choices as you can, but at the end of the day, advise you to worry less, and relax more. Have some fun and don’t be so hard on yourself!

In closing, don’t use vacation as an excuse to just eat junk the whole time. A getaway is a chance to recharge your batteries and come back feeling better than you did when you left. It’s not a week long session of poisoning yourself and then spending a whole month just to get back to where you were before.

I might sound like a boring date to take on vacation, but trust me, I’ve been on both ends of the spectrum. From being focused on nothing but eating and drinking myself into oblivion to slowing down and enjoying myself in other ways beyond food and alcohol. I want to feel good on my vacation. I don’t want to be tired, lethargic, or hungover. I want to fully enjoy my surroundings and remember the great times I had.

That’s gonna do it for the lifestyle tips while on vacation. Shoot me an e-mail with any questions or comments you have over at WiseEatsPodcast@gmail.com. I turned my life around completely by focusing on health and fitness, and want to do whatever I can to help you do the same. I haven’t found some magic bullet or special diet or fancy supplement or a quick shortcut. What I did was make a conscious decision to change my lifestyle, then made small positive changes that grew into a permanent lifestyle over time. It’s all about developing a mindset that centers around movement, gratitude, hard work, and real food. So, thanks again for reading, please let me know how I can help, and until next time, aloha, mahalo, and make wise choices!

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Wise Eats Approved Foods / Grocery List

Here is a complete list of Wise Eats approved nutrition. It is broken into categories based on the three dietary macronutrients: Protein, Fat, and Carbohydrate. Any items outside this list should be consumed with discretion. There are other healthy foods that are not mentioned, but these are the ones we use on a regular basis and consider to be ideal for a healthy, varied diet. If it’s on this list, it’s definitely a wise choice! Constructing your diet based on these real foods will help you lose weight, build muscle, increase energy, fight depression, prevent disease, and feel amazing.

If there is a food you believe should be added or removed from this page, we’d love to know why! Please contact us.

Carbohydrates (40-50% of Daily Calories) – Complex, Slower Digesting – Ideal for Normal Meals & Workout Fuel

  • Grains – Oat Bran, Steel Cut Oats, Buckwheat, Quinoa, Amaranth, Millet, Barley, Spelt
  • Beans – Garbanzo, Black, Kidney, Pinto, Red, Fava, Lima, Hummus
  • Sweet Potato
  • Brown Rice, White Jasmine Rice, Wild Rice
  • Pasta Variations – Quinoa Flour Pasta, Red Lentil Pasta, Other Gluten-Free Pastas
  • Ezekiel Bread, Dave’s Bread
  • Green Vegetables – Spinach, Kale, Asparagus, Broccoli, Zucchini, Brussel Sprouts, Celery, Collard Greens, Cucumber, Wheat Grass, Barley Grass, Green Beans, Parsley, Snow Peas, Peas
  • Other Veggies – Bell Peppers, Tomato, Onion, Beets, Carrots, Cauliflower, Eggplant, Mushrooms, Olives, Radishes, Water Chestnuts, Artichokes, Squash, Pumpkin, Cabbage (Sauerkraut), Heart Palms, Salsa
  • Sea Vegetables – Dulse, Kelp
  • Flour – Tapioca Flour, Coconut Flour, Almond Flour, Pamela’s Baking Mix

Carbohydrates – Fast Digesting – Ideal with Protein for Pre/Post Workout

  • Coconut Water
  • Rice Milk
  • Fruit – Blueberries, Strawberries, Raspberries, Blackberries, Acai, Goji, Cherries, Lemon, Lime, Pears, Apples, Oranges, Mangoes, Bananas, Pineapple, Melon, Grapes, Kiwi, Peaches
  • Dried Fruit – Goji, Mulberries, Raisins, Cranberries, Dates, Apricots

Protein (30-40% of Daily Calories)

  • Greek Yogurt, Goat’s Milk Yogurt
  • Cottage Cheese
  • Eggs (Organic, Pasture-Raised), Egg Whites
  • Chicken Breast
  • Ground Turkey
  • Grass Fed/Organic Beef
  • Venison or Other Wild Game
  • Fish (Wild Caught) – Tuna, Sardines, Salmon, Cod, Flounder, Tilapia
  • Protein Powder (Hormone/Antibiotic-Free, Organic, Grass Fed, Naturally Sweetened) – Whey Isolate, Casein, Hemp Protein, Egg Protein
  • Bone Broth – Beef, Turkey, Chicken

Fat (20-25% of Daily Calories)

  • Cooking Oils – Coconut Oil, Avocado Oil, Grass Fed Butter, Ghee, Olive Oil, Peanut Oil
  • Non-Cooking Oils (Salads, Smoothies) – Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Hemp Oil, Flax Seed Oil, Walnut Oil
  • Avocado, Guacamole
  • Nuts (Raw) – Almond, Cashew, Walnut, Pistachios, Pumpkin Seeds, Hazelnuts, Pecans, Macadamia, Brazil Nuts, Pine Nuts, Unsweetened Coconut
  • Nut Butter – Almond Butter, Peanut Butter, Cashew Butter, Sunflower Seed Butter
  • Hemp Seed, Chia Seed, Flax Seed
  • Cheese (Organic and/or Grass Fed) – Feta Cheese, Goat Cheese, Cottage Cheese, Ricotta, Pecorino Romano, Vegan Cheese

Drinks

  • Purified Water (Reverse Osmosis, Spring Water, Berkey Filtered)
  • Natural Sparkling Water – No Carbonation Added (Pellegrino)
  • Lemon Water
  • Coconut Water
  • Green Tea
  • Herbal Teas (Unsweetened, Organic)
  • Raw Vegetable Juice
  • Organic Black Coffee
  • Kefir
  • Kombucha
  • Milk Alternatives – Almond Milk, Rice Milk, Coconut Milk, Cashew Milk, Goat Milk

Flavor Enhancers, Electrolytes, Other Nutrients & Minerals

  • Sea Salt
  • Liquid Aminos, Coconut Aminos
  • Mustard
  • Hot Sauce
  • Balsamic Vinegar, Apple Cider Vinegar
  • Mixed Seasonings & Spices (Basil, Thyme, Parsley, Cumin, Garlic, Ginger, Turmeric, etc)          
  • Natural Sweeteners – Monk Fruit, Stevia, Xylitol, Erythritol (if it’s non-GMO)
  • Sugar Sweeteners – Raw Hone, Maple Syrup
  • Vanilla Extract, Almond Extract, Peppermint Extract
  • Peanut Butter Powder

“Super Foods” (Provide Balanced Nutrition, Vitamins, Energy)

  • Cacao Powder, Cacao Nibs, Maca, Carob
  • Moringa Powder
  • Green Superfood Powder (Spirulina, Chlorella, Wheat Grass, etc.)
  • Camu Powder

Supplements (For Optimization Only, Not Required in Diet)

  • Grass Fed Whey Protein Isolate (Hormone Free, Naturally Sweetened)
  • Grass Fed Casein Protein (Hormone Free, Naturally Sweetened)
  • Hemp Protein Powder
  • BCAAs (Fasted workouts)
  • Fish Oil
  • Multivitamin
  • Creatine Monohydrate
  • Caffeine
  • MSM Powder
  • Magnesium
  • Vitamin D
  • Probiotics
  • Green Superfood Powder with Spirulina, Chlorella, etc.
  • Collagen, Colostrum

Tips:

  • Watch your ingredient lists – Eat only real food!
  • Be careful of hidden sugars, artificial flavors, additives, and other harmful chemicals
  • Avoid added sugars and refined vegetable oils
  • Avoid processed foods, convenience foods, and fast foods
  • Buy organic, cage-free, grass-fed whenever possible
  • Get as close to the original source as possible (Farm, Butcher, Minimally Processed, Raw)
  • Supplements are only necessary in order to complement a diet rich in healthy foods or if you are deficient. Strive to get the majority of your nutrients from whole food sources (Fish oil from fish, protein from meat/vegetables, vitamins from vegetables, etc.). Supplements can also help take your fitness game to the next level. Choose wisely!

Where to Shop

  • Grocery Stores/Locally Sourced Markets
  • Farmer’s Markets
  • Amish Markets
  • Costco
  • Trader Joe’s
  • Amazon.com
  • ThriveMarket.com

Sample Meal Plan #1 (Recipes Available Here)

  1. Breakfast: Razor’s Edge Scramble and Energy Bowl
  2. Pre-Workout: Organic Black Coffee
  3. Post-Workout: Whey Isolate with Coconut Water
  4. Lunch: Sautéed Vegetables with Chicken, Quinoa, Spices
  5. Dinner: Chokeslam Chicken Salad
  6. Pre-Bed Snack: Blueberry Yogurt Bowl

Sample Meal Plan #2

  1. Breakfast: False Finish Fried Eggs, Filthy French Toast
  2. Pre-Workout: Organic Black Coffee
  3. Post-Workout: Whey Isolate with Blueberries & Rice Milk
  4. Lunch: Sauteed Vegetables with Salmon and Quinoa
  5. Dinner: Chokeslam Chicken Salad
  6. Pre-Bed Snack: Almond Butter & Apple

Sample Meal Plan #3

  1. Breakfast: Sidewalk Slam Smoothie
  2. Pre-Workout: Whey Isolate with Rice Milk
  3. Post-Workout: Whey Isolate with Banana & Rice Milk
  4. Lunch: Salmon with Veggies and Sweet Potato
  5. Dinner: Chicken Wise Rice
  6. Pre-Bed Snack: Casein Protein w/ Almond Milk

A Note on Calories & Macronutrients

Calorie and macronutrient requirements vary depending on the individual, body type, and activity level. In general, your daily calorie intake should be broken up into 40-50% Carb, 30-40% Protein, and 20-25% Fat. These numbers can be manipulated to your own specific needs based on your goals. For instance, the ketogenic diet utilizes a high fat, low carb approach. A normal diet focused on weight loss should include high quality protein with each meal (about 40% of total daily calorie intake). For someone who is working out vigorously on a regular basis, a higher carbohydrate intake is recommended. Identify your goals, determine your caloric needs, fulfill your dietary requirements, and you are destined for success.

To calculate your daily caloric and macronutrient requirements, visit:
https://www.muscleforlife.com/macronutrient-calculator  

A balanced diet rich in whole foods and low on heavily processed foods will promote healthy weight, muscle growth, high energy levels, strong immune system, and longevity. Take control of your life today by getting these high-quality nutrients in your life!

Wise Eats Approved Foods/Grocery List
http://www.wise-eats.com/approvedfoods

Complete List of Recipes
http://www.wise-eats.com/recipes

12 Lessons Learned from 90lb Weight Loss – Full Article
http://www.wise-eats.com/weightlosslessons

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