4 Tips to a Mindful Summer Vacation

It’s the middle of July, placing us right in the heart of summer. While this is a favorite season for many, some feel anxiety and stress about how family trips, outings, and beach days will impact their intuitive eating journey.

Do you feel the same?

These feelings often arise from past or lingering diet mentalities. You might have dieted before vacations to “splurge” while away, only to return home feeling guilty for “blowing it again.”

Or you might restrict yourself during the trip and miss out on the delicious foods available.

This behavior perpetuates the diet rollercoaster.

Let’s ensure the diet mentality stays quiet as you plan for a rewarding and intuitive summer.

Here are 4 tips to help you navigate your intuitive eating journey during your summer getaway:

1. Stay Strong Against the Chatter

Your internal monologue may be screaming “I have to lose 10 pounds before vacation!” This will only put you back into diet mentality and onto the latest quick fix, which will keep you riding the dieting roller coaster. Continue your intuitive eating journey with confidence. When the inner chatter starts up, have a comeback to put that voice in its place. And, if you are contemplating starting the journey, now’s as good a time as any.

2. Be Aware of Mindless Snacking

Oftentimes when you’re on vacation, you have less structure to your day. You might be lying on the beach where your friends are passing around the snacks; or touring through a new city, walking the streets and trying the local fare. So just pay attention and have an awareness of whether you’re hungry or not before you dig into the snacks.

3. Be Prepared

Whether you are sitting at the pool, lying on the beach, in an amusement park, or on a full-day tour, you are going to get hungry at some point. It’s very important to be prepared and have snacks with you so you don’t have to wing it. Remember, one of the principles of intuitive eating is to honor your hunger. If you wait too long, you tend to overeat, so be prepared.

4. Stop When You’re Comfortably Satisfied

Do not wait until you’re overly full. I know when you’re on vacation it’s so tempting, especially if you’re at an all-inclusive resort hotel. This means that all the food and beverages (including alcohol) are included in what you’re paying for the hotel. It’s very tempting to just eat and eat and eat to “get your money’s worth”. This is not staying true to your intuitive eating journey.

While on vacation, remember to listen to your body, stay mindful, be present, and enjoy yourself!

Honor yourself and honor your body by paying attention, being aware and making conscious food and beverage decisions. Stop when you’re comfortably satisfied so that you can enjoy your vacation without regret and guilt.