Vacations just feel different. You’re in a different place, on a different schedule, with different foods. That’s a lot of fun, to be sure — but all of that can stall your weight loss efforts.
“It can feel harder to eat healthy on vacation for several reasons,” says Melissa Mitri, registered dietitian and owner of Melissa Mitri Nutrition. “You’re out of your usual meal-planning routine, you don’t have as much control over food options, and restaurant food tends to be much higher in calories and fat than meals you’d make at home,” she says. In addition, vacations seem like the perfect time to splurge and overeat. (Ice cream every day!)
Thankfully, vacations often don’t cause as much immediate weight gain as you’d expect. Going on a trip for one to three weeks leads to less than a pound of weight gain on average, usually after eating more calories than needed, according to a study of 122 adults. (1) Yet the researchers found that while the amount of weight gain was very small, the study participants held onto that extra weight through the six-week follow-up period. What’s worse, the researchers also noted that vacation weight gain can lead to weight creep — the slow accumulation of weight over time.
That can feel even more discouraging when you’re on a weight loss journey. If you want to maintain your weight loss (or continue to lose weight) while you’re on a trip, here’s how to do it while still enjoying yourself.
Create a Calorie Deficit on Vacation
First, the good news: “It’s possible to continue losing weight on vacation if you’re very strategic,” says Mitri. Here are some tips worth trying.
Plan and Pack
You have to travel to get to your destination, but you may come across less healthy snacks at the airport or roadside stops. The key is to go prepared. If you’re traveling by car, “pack a cooler with healthy snacks, such as Greek yogurt, fresh fruit, hummus, beef jerky, tuna packets, veggie chips, and protein bars,” suggests registered dietitian Katie Breazeale. On a plane? When you’re buying food at the airport, she recommends looking for wraps, sandwiches, or salads. You may also be able to find yogurt. Packing some of the above snacks to take with you can also help you reduce hunger without resorting to a candy bar or chips on the plane.
DIY, If Possible
Depending on where you’re staying — namely if you’ve rented a home or condo, or your room has a full or partial kitchen — you can cook some meals yourself. If possible, aim to eat at least one meal from “home” per day. Not only can it save you money, research shows, but cooking at home is also associated with better adherence to a healthy diet. (2)
Splurge Smartly
Of course, some of the best things about vacations are the delicious new food options. But if you want to maintain a calorie deficit, you’ll have to make some tough decisions. “Instead of splurging at every meal just because you’re in ‘vacation mode,’ choose one meal — or one dessert or cocktail — a day that you really want, so that when you splurge, it feels worth it,” says Mitri. For the remainder of the day, you can make healthy choices that align with your diet and stay within your calorie range, but you won’t feel as if you’re depriving yourself or being left out of the fun.
Watch the Alcohol
If you drink alcohol, the calories can add up quickly. “Instead of drinking every day, try to preserve those extra calories for just a few days a week,” Mitri recommends. So, if you’re going for a special dinner out, order a special glass of wine. If you love a frozen cocktail with a paper umbrella in it by the pool, then determine exactly when you’re going to enjoy it.
Even when you’re on vacation, the advice to moderate your drinking still stands. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises that men limit themselves to two alcoholic drinks or less per day; for women, it’s one drink or less per day. (3) With regard to alcohol, take a beat and imagine your future self. “Always think about how you’ll feel the next day if you overdo it,” says Mitri. “Why risk the chance of not feeling your best and wasting a beautiful day? Choose drinks with intention.”
Ways to Burn More Calories on Vacation
Along with paying attention to your diet, staying active will help you stick to your calorie budget. Follow these tips to get moving.
Make Time for Movement
“Have a plan for how you’ll stay active every day, which can help set you up for continued weight loss success,” says Mitri. The options available to you will depend on where you’re going and what you’re doing, but you can plan to go on walks, jog on the beach, bike, hike on a nearby trail, swim, or even visit the hotel gym, Mitri suggests.
Walk as Much as Possible
As you look ahead at your day, ask yourself: Where can I fit in more walking? Will I be able to walk on the beach? Walk to dinner? Walk around the quaint city after dinner? Go on a walking tour of the city during the day?
Walking is an especially good vacation activity. You’ll get your steps in; walking 10,000 steps per day, with about one-third of those at a moderate to vigorous pace, is associated with weight loss, according to research. (4) In addition, walking has been shown to help lower blood sugar after a meal. (5) Strolling along the beach is also a mood booster, says one study, and visiting a green space like a city park has been shown to promote happiness. (6, 7)
Get Adventurous
What can you do to stay active while stepping out of your comfort zone? “There’s so much to see and do when you’re vacationing,” says Breazeale. What activities are available to you? Horseback riding, hiking, zip-lining, snorkeling, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, and hiking are all fun ways to stay active and don’t center around food or drinking.
How to Count Calories While on Vacation
Using a food-logging app like Lose It! can help you stay within your calorie budget for the day, especially when you’re eating foods that you’re not accustomed to. Don’t miss out on the local specialties, of course, but stick to familiar, go-to foods, like grilled proteins and veggies, and other foods that are both lower in calories and easier to track compared to a more complex meal.
Another important point: “If you feel overwhelmed with the thought of losing weight on vacation, put a temporary focus on weight maintenance,” says Mitri. “Even if your weight loss stalls or slows, you won’t lose the progress you’ve made and you’ll be able to get right back on track when you get back home.”
You’ve got this.
Editorial Sources and Fact-Checking
- Cooper J, Tokar T. A Prospective Study on Vacation Weight Gain in Adults. Physiology & Behavior. March 2016.
- Tiwari A, Aggarwal A, Tang W, Drewnowski A. Cooking at Home: A Strategy to Comply With U.S. Dietary Guidelines at No Extra Cost. American Journal of Preventive Medicine. February 2017.
- Alcohol Use and Your Health. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. April 2022.
- Stansbury ML, Krukowski RA, You W, et al. Effects of Meeting Steps-Based and Minutes-Based Physical Activity Goals on Weight Loss in Online Behavioral Weight Control: Seemingly Unrelated Regression Analysis. Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine. October 2022.
- Moghetti P, Balducci S, Guidetti L, et al. Walking for Subjects With Type 2 Diabetes: A Systemic Review and Joint AMD/SID/SISMES Evidence-Based Practical Guideline. Sport Sciences for Health. October 2020.
- Vert C, Gascon M, Ranzani O, et al. Physical and Mental Health Effects of Repeated Short Walks in a Blue Space Environment: A Randomised Crossover Study. Environmental Research. September 2020.
- Schwartz AJ, Dodds PS, O’Neil-Dunne JPM, et al. Visitors to Urban Greenspace Have Higher Sentiment and Lower Negativity on Twitter. People and Nature. August 2019.
