Tag Archive for: vacation eating

Intuitive Eating on Vacation

Have I mentioned yet that summer is my favorite season? Yes, it is!

 

The hot weather, spending time outdoors, longer days, time off…I can on and on. I just love it.

 

Whether you’re planning a weekend away, a visit to a tropical island, or a staycation, food and eating challenges might come up, especially for those who are in the process of recovering from dieting. If this is you, then keep reading!

 

If you feel the urge to say, “I’m on vacation, I’ll enjoy myself and start over when I get home”, then please know that you’re not alone. This is what’s called the “vacation mindset.” When you’re on vacation, the sneaky diet mentality and food police might join you.

 

This never pans out well. So, let’s discuss how you can continue your intuitive eating practice while you’re soaking up the sun!

 

  1. Avoid the All or Nothing Mindset

If you go into vacation thinking “I won’t eat anything I shouldn’t, or “I’m just going to eat and deal with it when I get home”, you’re thinking in extremes. Instead, commit to staying fully present while on vacation, and continue to make purposeful food choices, just like you’re doing at home.

 

  1. Pay Attention to Your Fullness Signals

Go ahead and explore new foods and enjoy familiar ones. Remind yourself to check in mid-meal to see how you are feeling. As you become more satisfied, remind yourself that you can come back and order this food again. You don’t need to eat it all, to a point of being overfull and uncomfortable. That just takes away from the whole experience.

 

  1. Listen for Hunger

When you’re out and busy trying to jam all the activities you would like to do into a short time frame, you may forget to stop and eat lunch and then feel overhungry by dinner. Throughout the day check-in with your body and listen for those hunger cues. Make sure you carry snacks with you so you can answer the hunger when it calls.

 

  1. Make Movement Fun

Going to the hotel gym on vacation may not be your cup of tea, and that’s okay. However, there are many movements you may enjoy doing, that you can do while vacationing. Or you may want to try something new, such a hiking as local trail, or kayaking in the clear waters. Find an activity that is appealing to you, and remove all expectations. Just have fun!

 

We all need a break, and the summer is a great time to take a vacation! Tell the food police they are not welcome and enjoy yourself while making memories!

Another Look into My Intuitive Eating Journey

I know I’ve made the right decision to give up dieting! It was a tough decision, trust me! Having dieted for many years, the thought of not tracking my food anymore was frightening.

The Backstory

I didn’t think I was dieting, I truly didn’t. I just chose healthy, wholesome foods. I ate three meals per day, 1-2 snacks, I measured everything I ate, and I kept a log of all I consumed daily. And this kept me in a nice, slim body that I was proud of.

But you know what?

I wasn’t always eating the foods I wanted. There were many times when I wanted that pizza, mac and cheese, ice cream or cookie and I just did not allow myself to have it.

That’s when I knew I was dieting. While I wasn’t on any formally named diet, I had lots of rules for myself and would be upset if I broke a rule.

It was this moment when I realized this, that I decided to stop dieting in all it’s sneaky forms and really learn to embrace intuitive eating.

The Present

Through my journey back to intuitive eating, I was able to reclaim body trust. My journey wasn’t a straight path, as would be expected. Every twist and turn brought me a new lesson learned and personal growth.

I just returned from vacation. Actually, I took 2 vacations this summer and, on each vacation, my husband and I ate out every evening. During our hectic schedules all year, we rarely eat out. So, this was a special treat.

I didn’t fret about what would be on the menu. I was confident that if I arrived at the restaurant in a “just hungry” state, versus ravenous, I would give myself the space I needed to listen to what my body was telling me. As I looked over the menu, I had no expectations and no worries. I merely allowed my body to guide my choices as I read the menu options.

The Result

Being able to trust my body has allowed me to relax around food and to no longer worry how eating a food will affect my body or my weight. It has allowed me to enjoy a variety of eating experiences with family and friends and not be the “one” everyone always says “oh, look how “good” she is!”.

The Effects on my Body
It is not possible to know what will happen to your body when you embrace intuitive eating. The key is to allow your body to do whatever nature intends it to do. If you come into this journey having suppressed your weight for years through dieting, then it is possible that your body will bounce back and regain some weight to what is more in line with your genetic blueprint.

I know this might be a tough pill to swallow. I’ve been there. I’ve acknowledged that for years, I suppressed my weight through unconscious dieting. Through this journey, my body has returned to what is natural and healthy for me. It doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks about it, it’s my body and I’ve come to accept and respect it for all the hard work it does keeping me alive every day.

Want Support?

I’d love to help you accept and respect your body while reclaiming body trust through intuitive eating. If this sounds like something you would be interested in, book a free call with me and let’s chat.

I Ate a Cinnamon Bun (and an Egg Roll)

Vacations are wonderful. At least now they are since I’m no longer dieting. In my dieting days, it would be very difficult to find a restaurant to go to for dinner that had food options on the menu that I “can” eat. I was so very careful of everything I put into my mouth, and honestly, I can say now that I was a party pooper back then.

 

This vacation was different. I just returned from a week in Florida where my husband, daughter and I went to visit my parents. We spent a few days at Hutchinson Island in Jensen Beach. It was so nice. The first night we were there, my parents wanted to take us out to dinner. Everyone voted on Chinese food. I don’t usually eat Chinese food, mainly because of the sodium content, I just find the food too salty. But I agreed to go.

 

Chinese Dinner

As I was looking over the menu, I took my time to see what I wanted to eat, versus what I “should” eat. I decided on a Tofu with Chinese Vegetables dish. And, because we went for the early bird (before 5:30 pm!), every dinner included a vegetable egg roll. Now, let me share 2 things with you. First, if I ever did order Chinese food in the past (which was rare), I would order it with a white sauce on the side. Second, I would NEVER eat an egg roll. I can’t even remember the last time I did.

 

My meal came (see pic below). It was delicious! And, yes, I ate most of the egg roll too! I stopped eating when I was comfortably satisfied and took the remaining portion home. When I left the restaurant, I felt satisfied and happy that I was open to eating Chinese food.

 

 

Pastry Shop

During the week, my husband and I went to Wynwood Walls in Miami. Have you ever been there? It’s a cool place to visit! Anyway, there’s a great food place there that we were told we just “had” to eat at. They are famous for their pastries, so as part of our meal, we ordered a cinnamon bun and almond pastry to share. Again, I stayed mindful during my meal, and enjoyed every bite. Later that night, I said to my husband “aren’t I more fun now that I eat all foods?” Without hesitating, he said YES!

 

Releasing Food Fear

What about you? If you are still dieting or you haven’t yet rebuilt the trust in your body and your ability to make food choices, do you find that this affects your relationships? Comment below!

 

More often than not, when you experience food fear, it prevents you from living your best life. You miss out on social opportunities and it may even be the cause of a relationship breakup.

 

I am so happy that I am free to eat what I desire, without guilt and without any worry of overeating. I’d love for you to experience this as well.

 

Getting Started

How do you start? By joining the free Break the Spell of Diets in 3 Days Experience. Just enter your name and email below to get started now.

 

If you’d like to view my intuitive eating course offerings, click here.