If there's anyone who knows how difficult it is to stay healthy while on vacation, it's me.
In January, I went to Israel for a month and came back TEN pounds heavier. I felt disgusted with myself, not only because of my weight and my outside appearance, but because of how I felt internally. For me, it's always been less about my weight/outer appearance and more about how I feel mentally and physically. I felt tired, weak, bloated, sad, and most importantly, was always craving FOOD. I was hungry all the time, and even worse, I had constant cravings for foods and drinks I normally wouldn't touch. In the whole month I was in Israel, I worked out only twice, and not with as much effort as I usually would at home. I felt sluggish and guilty for the way I treated my body.
I've never been the kind of person to "pig out", eat tons of junk, sit at home and be lazy all day, or drink tons of alcohol. Even when I go to Israel for almost a month every year, I eat tons of salads, whole grains, fresh fish, healthy fats like olive oil, avocado, and high quality dairy, and fresh fruit. I rarely drink soda or a crazy amount of alcohol, and when I do it's a treat. I'm lucky enough to have a family that eats a relatively healthy diet, which is essentially an all natural Mediterranean diet; however, their diet doesn't come close to the "crazy" way I eat when I'm at home, and to this day they still always make fun of me for the way I spend thirty minutes making my breakfast at home every morning and for how long I spend every day cutting up fresh fruits and veggies :p
Even though I'm a "health freak", and I agree with the saying that healthy eating should be a way of life and not something temporary, when it comes to certain situations I believe that it's necessary to adapt to others around you, because if not, your love for healthy eating and fitness suddenly becomes an obsession which can easily turn into an eating disorder. In other words, when on vacation with other people, I always try not to be as picky about my eating and fitness habits, I try to adapt to the eating habits of others, I "go with the flow", and most importantly, I "let go" and try to just enjoy my vacation- it is called a vacation for a reason!
That being said, I would NEVER eat at a fast food restaurant, eat fried food, eat meat, drink milk, or eat something that looks unsafe or unappealing to me. Lucky enough for me, I have always traveled to other countries and places that have healthy options. As well, my parents, who I usually travel with, support my eating habits and always try to find healthy restaurants for me to eat at. My mom is just as picky as me, so I'm lucky to have someone that understands the way I like to eat. Even when I travel somewhere with my friends or my boyfriend, I make sure to stay healthy, and since they already know my eating habits, they completely support me. Of course dealing with me and the way I eat can get pretty annoying at times, but anyone who really cares about me respects me and loves me enough to deal with it.
Lucky for me, my family in Israel eats very healthy; I would even go on as to say that mostly everyone in Israel eats very healthy. No one in my family eats fast food, and they hardly ever go out to eat out for that matter. All of my aunts spend hours cooking and baking in the kitchen every day, and everything they make is fresh from scratch and all natural. Israelis naturally eat TONS of salad, whole grains, tahini, hummus, fresh fish, good quality yogurts and dairy products and eggs, which is what I grew up eating. The majority of their salads are seasoned with salt, olive oil, and pepper, and they hardly ever use mayo or store bought dressings. Even going out to eat is NEVER a problem; there are always TONS of salad options, fresh squeezed juices, freshly baked whole grain breads, hummus, tahini, and fresh smoothie options on the menu. "Than what's the problem?" You're probably asking yourself right now.
Just because you're in a place that has tons of healthy food options, doesn't mean there aren't delicious UNHEALTHY food options. Yes, Israelis eat tons of salad, whole grains, fruits and veggies, but they also eat TONS of baked goods, cheeses, pastries, falafel, and drink tons of caffeine. Their dairy products (yogurts, cheeses, ice cream, and chocolate) are to die for. As a matter of fact, all of their food is to die for, and that's exactly the problem!
Since I'm a HUGE foodie, and the food in Israel is my absolute favorite from anywhere else in the world, it's hard for me to stay away from the unhealthy foods when I visit, especially since it's during my vacation and I just want to enjoy myself. Not only that, but since I only get to spend three to four weeks with my family in Israel every year, I never go to the gym more than three times during my whole stay, and I just want to spend the rest of the time with my family; this takes a huge toll on my body every time, since it's extremely hard to get back into shape and motivated after stopping for such a long period of time. Most importantly, when I'm in Israel, I go out with my friends and cousins and drink a LOT more than I usually would at home. Drinking a lot of alcohol takes a huge, unnecessary toll on your health, both mentally and physically, which is why I normally hardly ever drink; however, when you're on vacation and want to have fun with your friends and family, I know how hard it is not to. Now, I'm not by ANY means saying that you have to drink alcohol to have fun, because I completely disagree with that statement; what I am saying is that, for me, it is enjoyable to go out and drink with friends once in a while, and I normally choose to do it only when I'm on vacation.
Basically, what I'm trying to say is that, in my opinion, a vacation is supposed to be a vacation in every aspect of your life, including your eating and fitness routine. On the other hand, however, you should never completely abandon your healthy eating habits and fitness routine just because you're on vacation. It's completely unhealthy to gain ten pounds in one month (which is the most weight I've ever gained in such a short period of time), especially if you're as small as me, and it takes months to recover for your body to recover from it. Not only does it take a toll on your health externally, but it takes a huge toll on your health internally, which to me is the most important.
As much of a health and fitness freak as I am during my normal daily life, I do have a different mindset while on vacation, and I know that it's not easy to stay healthy while on vacation; however, it doesn't have to be difficult. For me, it's all about finding a balance; I normally think 80% of your diet should be healthy, while the other 20% should be indulgence, but when on vacation, I think 70% of your diet should be healthy, while the rest should be indulgence. For the first time in my life, I completely crossed my boundaries while in Israel this past January, and therefore, was the unhealthiest I've ever been when I came back. Because of this, I decided to vacation differently this time, and vacationed the right way.
Stay tuned for my next post where I talk about how I stayed healthy in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, and how I came back feeling rested, relaxed, healthy, and better than ever :)
xxxx
Rachel
