Your Summertime Travel And Party Playbook

It's summer time and we've all got plans to travel and celebrate this season.

Today, I'll be sharing a few examples of summertime occasions we find ourselves in and some tips and principles that can help you stay on your fitness plan this summer and not throw away the gains you're working so hard for.

Without further ado.

1. Vacations & Travel

Many of us plan to take a vacation or two this summer, whether that be for a long weekend or a couple of weeks.

Whenever we find ourselves out of routine, it's easy to throw away helpful habits that we follow when we are in routine (like portion control and balanced macros). Also, part of the fun of vacation is going out and trying out all the local food and drink options.

Here are a few tips when you're on vacation that can save you from venturing too far off your plan.

1. Choose Healthy Foods (most of the time) - Healthy food doesn't go out of style when you're on vacation, and you shouldn't feel a strong urge to diverge into eating non-healthy options either (otherwise, you might consider your feelings and relationship with your current meal plan).

Plus, healthier food options can feel indulgent too. A perfectly cooked steak, the pan-seared and flaky fish filet, a fresh garden salad. These can hit the spot anytime, anywhere.

It's also important to make room for the fun foods of travel. One of mine is gelato, so I try to make room for this anytime I'm away to hit that sweet spot.

2. Exercise - Who says you can't exercise on vacation? The majority of us are much more active on our feet during vacation, which is a huge advantage.

Another way you can keep your energy high and your body feeling at its best is to include a short but intense exercise session. This could be hitting the weights if you have access to a gym, going for an interval run, or even a bodyweight circuit in your room. A little goes a long way.

I enjoy still waking up early on vacation, so I like to do this first thing in the morning and get that rush of endorphins and feeling of accomplishment early - which makes the rest of my day more enjoyable. A win-win.

3. Relax - When on vacation, I encourage you to zoom out and see the big picture of your timetable for the future.

The few days or weeks you're traveling are meant most to nourish the heart and soul and invigorate us to align more with the simple pleasures of life.

If you can practice mindfulness and moderation, you can enjoy any vacation no matter what you do. This also helps ensure that the changes that occur with your eating and exercising do not turn into mental or physiological stressors while you're away.

Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.

2. The Party

Cookouts. Birthday parties. Weddings.

The invitations are always right around the corner and there is no better time to celebrate than the summer.

With parties comes the mystery. The mystery of what food and drink options will be available to you, and with that also comes the task of how you intend to navigate such an environment. This is highly dependent on the mindset and skills you have at your disposal, the first of course being awareness.

Eat Well Before and After

This is a game-changer for many. Once again, I encourage you to zoom out a bit.

The reason these parties can become negative is due to the after-effect it carries to the day(s) following. Maybe you feel that because you ate a few things you didn't intend to or because you stayed up late the next day(s) are throwaways. And, maybe that's accentuated by the poor feelings we can have upon waking up.

The way to combat these scenarios is to prepare for them.

First, by eating well leading up to the event.

By eating high protein, balanced meals leading up to the event, you're giving your body more feelings of satisfaction and fullness - which helps you feel more calm and in control later on. When the body is satisfied, the mind tends to listen.

And second, plan to eat well immediately after.

The breakfast and lunch following a fun night out can make all the difference. Think of, or even prepare, these meals before you go out. Choose higher protein, clean, and satiating foods and you'll feel like you are in control of your environment, not the other way around.

It's vital to our well-being to learn healthy mindsets and proper skills to help us make smart decisions regardless of the environment we find ourselves in.

This summer, I hope you learn that you can always influence the outcome and that making room for some of the finer pleasures of life by preparing for them is one of the best ways to get the best of both worlds.