Fail to Plan. Plan to Fail.

I've had a bit of a struggle getting back on track post vacation. So I decided I needed to take the initiative to plan some meals in advance. As I don't enjoy cooking and tend to eat out often this was a not a usual habit. I listed out a number of healthy options for breakfast (oatmeal, eggs, cereal and fruit, smoothies) and lunch (eggs, pita pizzas, soup) that I knew from past experience had the right blend of protein, carbs, and fat and that all weighed in at around 250-300 calories.

For dinner I did an inventory of my fridge and cupboards and came up with a list of meals using up meat I had on hand and integrating a ton of fresh veggies. I then went to the grocery store armed with a plan. Upon my return I pre-cooked staples like brown rice and mini potatoes that I could easily add to a meal without the weight time of cooking them then.

The week went incredibly well. I was actually excited about the meals I had planned so not easily deterred off course. Because I had pre-planned and pre-purchased the ingredients the meals were quick and easy to put together. Cleaning up my eating kept me full of energy throughout the week which I felt in my riding.

This was one of the biggest changes I've made yet. Within a week I was able to lose 5 lbs of the "vacation weight" that had crept up on me. I am now planning to see what I can do for next week!

Living the Good Life on Vacation

While it’s nice to go to an all-inclusive and have people wait on you hand and foot, my favourite vacations have been the ones where I could be active. On some of my best vacations - exploring Scotland and France by foot, a fitness retreat in Utah, running and surfing in Australia - I have actually managed to lose weight while on vacation!

Recently I spent the most amazing 2.5 weeks in Costa Rica. The first week I saw much of the country via a mountain bike tour while the second week I went to surf camp.

Rather than pack on the pounds while I was away I made a point of instead indulging in all the amazing tropical fruit, eating the local staples of beans and rice, and focusing on fuelling my body for my sports. I did indulge in the odd bevvy and a nice dinner out but instead of the vacation being about the food I kept my focus on the activity part of my trip and set myself up for success to climb volcanoes and pop up on my surfboard.

I didn’t end up losing weight on vacation but as importantly I didn’t gain it either. And judging from how long it took me to recover from it, I was incredibly active while away! I’m hoping my major gains from the vacation were in fitness rather than in pounds!