10 Tips To Stick To Intermittent Fasting When On Vacation

You’ve just booked your dream vacation and you’re counting down the days. You’ve got your plane ticket, sunglasses, and bathing suit ready to go. You worked so hard sticking to your intermittent fasting schedule to prepare for this vacation and you are feeling and looking great! But now you are worried about losing all of your progress if you deviate from your schedule. Should you even try to stick to intermittent fasting when on vacation?

10 Tips To Stick To Intermittent Fasting When On Vacation

The answer is yes! Intermittent fasting is an amazing tool to minimize weight gain while traveling by naturally lowering your appetite and calorie consumption. However, since your time on vacation will look much different than your normal day-to-day routine, your eating patterns will also be different. Keep reading for 10 tips to stick to intermittent fasting when on vacation.

1. Be Flexible

There are a lot of different intermittent fasting schedules to choose from. You don’t have to stick to the one you normally follow. What works for you in your daily life may not work for you on vacation. For example, you may sleep later while on vacation so shifting your eating window to later in the day would accommodate your shift in schedule. This will make your vacation more fun and convenient.

If you’re traveling to a different time zone, don’t stress about staying on a strict fasting schedule while en route. Wait until you arrive at your destination to adjust your schedule to the new time zone.

2. Stay Active & Explore

You’re in a new and exciting place, possibly one you’ve never been to before. Don’t waste your time sitting around a hotel room- get out there and explore! Besides the obvious pleasure of a new adventure, being out and about will distract you from thinking about food. A bonus is that you are also getting some exercise- it’s a win-win!

10 Tips To Stick To Intermittent Fasting When On Vacation

3. Plan Ahead

The best way to succeed in sticking to intermittent fasting on vacation is to have a plan. If you know you’re going to be on a flight or in a car during your eating window, have your meals and snacks planned out and ready to go. Trust me, you won’t find anything healthy to snack on in a gas station or airport convenience store.

What eating schedule do you plan to follow while on vacation? Where will you be and what will you be doing during your eating windows? It’s ok to change your plan and adjust as you go, but you need to be prepared from the beginning.

4. Don’t Stress About Being Exact

Even if you are on a specific diet (i.e. Keto, low-carb, etc) during your eating window, it’s ok to loosen the reins a little bit. Vacation should be a time of fun and relaxation, not stressing over your calorie count. Intermittent fasting alone considerably limits your calories anyway so just try to stay active and you will have nothing to worry about. Enjoy the food and atmosphere on your vacation.

5. Drink Lots Of Water

I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again (and probably many more times): you need to drink lots of water! Staying hydrated on a normal day is important. Staying hydrated on vacation is non-negotiable. When you’re on vacation, you’re usually outside a lot more, doing more physical activities, and eating and drinking more. Do you know what that will do to your body if you’re not staying hydrated?

10 Tips To Stick To Intermittent Fasting When On Vacation

6. Do What Works For You

If your normal eating window doesn’t start until 11 AM but eating breakfast every morning with your family at 8 AM is important to you, don’t miss out! If the people around you on vacation like to stay up late and indulge in snacks, don’t deprive yourself. That’s the beauty of intermittent fasting- it’s so flexible! You can adjust your fasting schedule to whatever suits your needs.

Yes, intermittent fasting is an excellent way to minimize the negative effects of indulging on vacation. However, if keeping up with it is stressing you out and causing you to miss out, it’s ok to take a break from fasting while on vacation. What’s the point of traveling is you’re going to miss out on new and delicious food just so you can keep a certain number on the scale?

7. Prioritize Protein

Tracking every single calorie on vacation is just not feasible. If you want to feel satisfied, keep your blood sugar stable, and not be tempted to snack mindlessly you need to focus on eating protein. Prioritizing protein is also an effective way to stay satisfied between eating windows.

8. Monitor Alcohol Intake

There is nothing wrong with kicking back and enjoying a martini (or two). You’re on vacation, you should definitely have fun and let loose! All I am saying is that you should not drink a ton of extra calories. Alcohol, no matter what kind, is empty calories- meaning it has no nutritional value and is usually high in calories.

And yes, drinking alcohol does break your fast so stick to drinking in your eating window.

10 Tips To Stick To Intermittent Fasting When On Vacation

9. Progress, Not Perfection

Again, the beauty of intermittent fasting is how flexible and easy it is to tailor it to you. It’s not about being perfect or exact. As long as you make the best choices from what’s available, you are on the right track. Enjoy where you’re at with the people around you. You can always start fresh tomorrow-or even after vacation.

10. Reacclimate Slowly After Vacation

Why do we always feel like we need a vacation to recover from our vacation? Travel is hard on your body, even if it’s for fun. Don’t expect to come home and instantly get back in the groove of your normal eating routine. The best way to re-acclimate to your regular life is to do it slowly.

Asking your body to go from a week of relaxed eating windows and food indulgence back to a strict regimen is just brutal. Instead, slowly lower your calories back down a little each day.

Sticking to intermittent fasting when on vacation is totally doable, but it shouldn’t be your only focus. Do your best to plan ahead and make good decisions but be sure and enjoy your time off with the people you love around you.