Letting Loose in Moderation

I'm not a fan of the word "diet." At all. I like to think that making healthy, nutritional choices is just a part of my lifestyle. Just like I consider working out and being active just as important as brushing my teeth. Sometimes life takes some unexpected turns, which means that sometimes my eating/working out habits do as well.

This past weekend...I was on a little beach getaway with Adam, some friends, & my parents (you'll see pictures of my trip scattered throughout the post!) which led to some food/drink choices that I don't consume on the regular. I didn't go crazy, but there is no doubt that I enjoyed myself. And you know what? I think that's important. I'm a firm believer in checks & balances when it comes to eating and working out. I'd say that 80-85% of the time that I am working out hard and eating clean. The other 15-20% of the time I let loose a little.

I enjoyed a few (okay a lot) of tropical drinks, some beer, some chips & salsa, french fries, and my weakness...BBQ. And I'm not feeling guilty about it. I made sure to keep my portions under control, and to drink a lot of water on the trip.

I spent a lot of time lounging in the sunshine and taking naps during the day. I didn't hit the gym for 3 days. And that's okay. I made sure to go on plenty of beach walks and do squats, lunges, and ab circuits once a day for a few minutes.

Tips To Having a Healthy (but still way enjoyable) Vacation:

- Remember that moderation is key. Enjoy some of your favorite treats, but make sure to incorporate lots of fruits, veggies, and lean protein into your meals as well. Portion control is extremely important. Stop eating if you're full, it's okay to have leftovers.

- Try to eat a well-rounded, nutritional breakfast to get your day started. I like to start my body off with clean eats before I indulge for the day. I recommend oatmeal or eggs...with some coffee of course!

- Include some fun, physical activities on your trip. If you're at the beach, rent some bikes and take a ride down the beach. Or even a lengthy walk in the sand. If you're in the mountains, schedule a hiking tour. The possibilities are endless and most of the time, you don't realize that you're getting in a nice little workout, because you're having fun. Not to mention that getting to experience the scenery is always a plus!

- Stay hydrated. Sometimes our bodies mistake dehydration for hunger and we eat when really we just need some water. Drinking plenty of water will also flush your body out throughout your vacation. Be especially sure to drink lots of H2O if you're going to be outdoors a lot during your trip.

- Get back on track when you get back home. It's important to enjoy yourself while you're on vacation, but when you get back home, I suggest jumping right back into your normal routine of working out and eating healthy :)

I'm really excited to be back into my routine. I'm able to do a lot more working out post-surgery now so this week's workouts will have the intensity turned up. I'm ready to be back on track!

And I leave y'all with this: mine & Adam's "do we have to leave and go back to work tomorrow?" faces. I know, we're cute ;)

I hope y'all enjoyed your 4th of July...I most definitely did.
Have a fabulous week, lovelies :)