How to Avoid Weight Gain on Vacation: 9 Strategies That Actually Work for Women Over 40 | 65

0:00 SPEAKER_01: Today's episode is coming straight from real life because summer is coming and I know your calendar is already filling up.

0:06 SPEAKER_01: Maybe it's a baseball tournament in another state that somehow turns into a full week away, like myself.

0:11 SPEAKER_01: Maybe it's an all-inclusive resort where food and drinks are literally everywhere all of the time.

0:16 SPEAKER_01: Or maybe it's a long weekend road trip or a family vacation you've been looking forward to for months.

0:21 SPEAKER_01: Whatever it looks like for you, travel is one of the biggest things that my clients ask me about.

0:25 SPEAKER_01: And it does not matter if you're gone for two days or 10 days.

0:29 SPEAKER_01: The same things come up every single time.

0:31 SPEAKER_01: So today I'm pulling back the curtain on exactly how I navigate every kind of trip and how you can too, without feeling like you have to start over every time you get home.

0:40 SPEAKER_01: So today we're going to be talking about how to eat, drink, and fully enjoy your vacation without feeling out of control, without coming home having gained 10 pounds and needing a week to recover, and without spending the whole trip in your head calculating every single bite, because you deserve to actually be on that vacation, not just physically present while your brain runs on guilt and shame because of how you ate and drank and thinks about the weight gain the entire trip.

1:05 SPEAKER_01: So let's put those earbuds in, take a deep breath, and let's prioritize the best version of you.

1:12 SPEAKER_01: Hey, beautiful, and welcome to Weight Loss in Midlife, where we ditch the diet cycle and finally lose fat, build muscle, and feel confident again.

1:20 SPEAKER_01: I'm Jennifer, a certified women's coach who's been where you are, stuck in the all-or-nothing cycle, navigating midlife changes and wondering why what used to work doesn't anymore.

1:31 SPEAKER_01: After years of restriction and burnout, I found a better way.

1:34 SPEAKER_01: Built on macros, mindset, and muscles.

1:37 SPEAKER_01: Each week, I'll share the strategies to help you lose fat, boost your metabolism, and build lasting strength and confidence.

1:43 SPEAKER_01: Let's dive into today's episode.

1:51 SPEAKER_01: Hey, beautiful, welcome back to the Weight Loss in Midlife podcast, the show for busy women in midlife who want to finally lose fat for good, feel confident, and have the energy to live their best life.

2:01 SPEAKER_01: I used to spend so much time thinking about food, like an embarrassing amount of time.

2:05 SPEAKER_01: What to eat, when to eat it, how much, what the plan was, what I was going to do differently starting Monday.

2:11 SPEAKER_01: I had done every version of every diet.

2:14 SPEAKER_01: I knew exactly what I should be doing, and I was completely stuck in this cycle that I could not get out of, no matter how hard I tried.

2:21 SPEAKER_01: And what I eventually figured out is that it was never about the food.

2:25 SPEAKER_01: It was the way I was thinking about it.

2:27 SPEAKER_01: The shame, the all or nothing thinking that turned one hard meal into a whole week of throwing everything away.

2:32 SPEAKER_01: None of the plans I tried ever touched on any of that.

2:35 SPEAKER_01: They just handed me more rules, more restrictions, and set me off to follow them until inevitably I just didn't.

2:41 SPEAKER_01: That is what the weight loss and midlife method does differently.

2:44 SPEAKER_01: It's a four-step private coaching program built on what I call the real framework, rewiring your thoughts so that the all or nothing thinking stops running the show.

2:52 SPEAKER_01: Eating that actually works in your real life, aligned action that fits your schedule and your energy on your worst days and lasting results that go far beyond that number on the scale.

3:03 SPEAKER_01: If any of what I said felt like me describing your life, this is your sign.

3:08 SPEAKER_01: Head to jenniferpeak.com backslash coaching to join the program.

3:12 SPEAKER_01: We'll talk about where you are, what's been keeping you stuck, and what it looks like to actually solve it.

3:16 SPEAKER_01: I would love to work with you and help you lose weight for good.

3:20 SPEAKER_01: So my husband and I stayed at an absolutely gorgeous resort in Riviera Maya, like the kind of place where you walk in and your jaw just drops.

3:28 SPEAKER_01: We've never been to a place like this.

3:30 SPEAKER_01: It had it all the white sand, the turquoise water, outdoor shower in the bathroom, lush gardens everywhere, the kind of resort that feels almost too beautiful to be real.

3:39 SPEAKER_01: And the food.

3:40 SPEAKER_01: Oh my goodness, the food was fully gourmet, all inclusive.

3:45 SPEAKER_01: We're not talking about a sad buffet of chicken and iceberg lettuce.

3:48 SPEAKER_01: We're talking about multiple restaurants, incredible menus, so you can order as much of anything as you wanted.

3:54 SPEAKER_01: We're talking grilled mahi mahi with mango salsa, shrimp tacos with fresh pico de gallo, seared aha tuna with sesame ginger drizzle, things like coconut lime chicken, these spreads that were unbelievable, these gorgeous little chocolate lava cakes, fresh churros with dipping sauce.

4:12 SPEAKER_01: It was a lot.

4:13 SPEAKER_01: And it was genuine it was incredible.

4:15 SPEAKER_01: And then there was the pool situation.

4:17 SPEAKER_01: And picture this.

4:18 SPEAKER_01: I'm sitting in a lounge chair by the pool.

4:20 SPEAKER_01: There's a butler who just appears out of nowhere to ask you what you would like to drink, and there's a swim up bar 20 feet away, frozen pina coladas, mojitos.

4:28 SPEAKER_01: It was basically paradise.

4:31 SPEAKER_01: Now, here's where it gets real.

4:32 SPEAKER_01: Pat Jennifer, the version of me who was deep in the diet cycle, would have had one or two experiences at this resort.

4:39 SPEAKER_01: She either would have been white knuckling it the entire time saying no to everything, mentally keeping a running tally of every single bite and honestly kind of miserable, or she would have said, forget it, I'm on vacation and eating and dranking everything in sight, come home five pounds heavier, and spent the next two weeks in shame and in recovery mode and taking a very long time to get back into the groove.

5:00 SPEAKER_01: And I've been both of these women and I know exactly what both of these experiences feel like.

5:04 SPEAKER_01: But this trip was different, and that is what I want to share with you today because the way I navigated this trip is not a special skill.

5:12 SPEAKER_01: I have that you don't, it's just a set of strategies that anyone can use.

5:17 SPEAKER_01: And they made the entire trip enjoyable, present, fun, zero guilt, and I came home feeling good.

5:23 SPEAKER_01: And I continue to use these strategies to go on vacations, to go to these week-long baseball tournaments and still feel good while enjoying the food that is all around me during these trips.

5:35 SPEAKER_01: So let me walk you through exactly what I do.

5:38 SPEAKER_01: Okay, so I'm gonna walk you exactly what I did, and I want you to think about this not as a rigid checklist, but just as a set of tools, tools that you can use to enjoy your vacations.

5:48 SPEAKER_01: So pick the ones that feel doable for your trips.

5:51 SPEAKER_01: Even if it's just taking two or three of these, you're going to feel a difference.

5:55 SPEAKER_01: All right, so number one, protect the travel days.

5:59 SPEAKER_01: Here's the thing that nobody talks about eating healthy at your destination is actually not the hardest part.

6:05 SPEAKER_01: The hardest part is the getting there, the long flights, the layovers, the road trips where there's hours and hours on the road, and fast food is the only thing available, and you are just bored and restless, and your body does not know what to do with this type of time.

6:21 SPEAKER_01: This is where it starts to unravel because this is the beginning of your trip.

6:25 SPEAKER_01: So for most people, and by the end of the, by the time they arrive, they've already had the airport candy bar and the overpriced sad sandwich and the two bags of pretzels and on the plane, and they feel gross before their vacation even starts.

6:38 SPEAKER_01: So, one non-negotiable for me is that I always pack my own snack.

6:43 SPEAKER_01: My protein bars, they come on with me in my carry-on bag.

6:46 SPEAKER_01: I'm not kidding.

6:47 SPEAKER_01: That's non-negotiable travel companion at this point.

6:50 SPEAKER_01: I also have some almonds and I always bring my shaker cup.

6:54 SPEAKER_01: This is not glamorous, but here's what those snacks did.

6:57 SPEAKER_01: They meant I was not standing in the airport convenience store at 6 a.m.

7:01 SPEAKER_01: making a desperate decision.

7:03 SPEAKER_01: I was not starving when I landed, and I show up to places like Mexico or road trips feeling good.

7:09 SPEAKER_01: And that's to set the tone for the whole trip.

7:11 SPEAKER_01: Practical things you can pack are protein bars, a DYI travel mix with nuts and a little dark chocolate, string cheese if you have a cooler bag, nut butter packets, low sugar jerky, things that travel easily that require no prep for you to do and actually keep you full.

7:28 SPEAKER_01: Not vending machine pretzels that when you eat the entire bag and you feel nothing and you're starving an hour later.

7:36 SPEAKER_01: And set a reminder if you need to.

7:38 SPEAKER_01: I know some of you, the type who rushes out the door and only realizes you forgot your snacks when you're already at the gate.

7:44 SPEAKER_01: Set an alarm the night before.

7:46 SPEAKER_01: Pack the bag ahead of time.

7:48 SPEAKER_01: Future you is going to be grateful.

7:50 SPEAKER_01: Number two, eat at regular intervals and do not skip the meals.

7:55 SPEAKER_01: This is the one that surprises most women because it feels counterintuitive, right?

7:59 SPEAKER_01: Eat more frequently to lose weight or at least not to gain weight.

8:04 SPEAKER_01: Here's what actually happens when you skip your meals on vacation.

8:06 SPEAKER_01: You get caught up in the activities and time flies.

8:09 SPEAKER_01: And suddenly it's 4 p.m.

8:10 SPEAKER_01: and you have not eaten since breakfast and you are absolutely starving.

8:14 SPEAKER_01: And now you're standing in front of that gorgeous spread of gourmet food, and every single thing looks incredible.

8:20 SPEAKER_01: And you're going to eat all of it because your body is just screaming to you, it needs to be nourished.

8:25 SPEAKER_01: There's a real difference between hungry and starving.

8:29 SPEAKER_01: Hungry means you can make a thoughtful choice.

8:31 SPEAKER_01: You can be intentional about what you're putting on your plate and how much you're eating.

8:35 SPEAKER_01: Starving means that your prefrontal cortex has basically left the chat and your body is just reacting.

8:41 SPEAKER_01: It's not a willpower problem.

8:43 SPEAKER_01: It's just biology and how our brains and our bodies work.

8:46 SPEAKER_01: So I ate three actual meals a day.

8:49 SPEAKER_01: So for example, at this resort, there was a smoothie bar.

8:54 SPEAKER_01: So I made sure that I was getting my protein in, my fiber, I was having a healthy smoothie in the morning before my day even started.

9:02 SPEAKER_01: And then I kept snacks in my beach bag for in-between times, a protein bar, a handful of almonds, something that was small that was going to get me through to lunch.

9:10 SPEAKER_01: Not because I was obsessing over the food, but because I knew that keeping my blood sugar stable throughout the day meant that I would show up at dinner actually hungry and able to enjoy it rather than be ravenous and out of control and ordering everything and then spiraling out of control with the guilt and the shame.

9:26 SPEAKER_01: Three meals, snacks is needed, protein at every single meal.

9:30 SPEAKER_01: That is the structure.

9:31 SPEAKER_01: Everything else gets easier when you put these things in place.

9:35 SPEAKER_01: Number three, build a balanced plate and don't overthink it.

9:38 SPEAKER_01: Okay, so this is the one that I really want you to hear because it's much simpler than diet culture has made it seem.

9:45 SPEAKER_01: At every meal, I looked for three things protein, vegetables, and then whatever else sounded good in a reasonable portion.

9:53 SPEAKER_01: That's it.

9:54 SPEAKER_01: That is the whole framework.

9:56 SPEAKER_01: Half the plate, protein and vegetables, the other half whatever you want it.

9:59 SPEAKER_01: At gourmet all inclusive, this felt genuinely abundant.

10:03 SPEAKER_01: I was eating grilled mahi mahi with mango salsa, grilled shrimp with amazing vegetables to go alongside of it.

10:09 SPEAKER_01: I was eating incredible food.

10:11 SPEAKER_01: I was just being very intentional about what anchored the plate.

10:14 SPEAKER_01: The reason protein matters so much here is that it keeps you full.

10:17 SPEAKER_01: Research consistently shows that high protein meals keep you satisfied longer and help preserve muscle while you're in a calorie deficit.

10:24 SPEAKER_01: At an all-inclusive where you could be theoretically eating continuously from 7 a.m.

10:29 SPEAKER_01: to midnight, having something that actually fills you up and keeps you there is everything.

10:33 SPEAKER_01: So here's what I want you to stop doing: eating a plate of pasta and a plate of rice and a roll and then wondering why you're hungry again in an hour and reaching for that dessert.

10:44 SPEAKER_01: Those are all the carbohydrates.

10:46 SPEAKER_01: There is nothing anchoring the meal.

10:48 SPEAKER_01: So add the protein, add the vegetables.

10:50 SPEAKER_01: You're going to feel so much better.

10:52 SPEAKER_01: And I want to normalize something here.

10:54 SPEAKER_01: You don't have to eat perfectly clean at every single meal on vacation.

10:58 SPEAKER_01: This is not the goal.

11:00 SPEAKER_01: Balancing across the day is the goal.

11:02 SPEAKER_01: So if your lunch was grilled fish, tacos, and a big salad, dinner can be more fun, something that you enjoy a little bit more.

11:08 SPEAKER_01: If you had the mango, salsa, chicken, and the roasted vegetables, you can absolutely have this lava cake dessert.

11:14 SPEAKER_01: This is not an all or nothing.

11:16 SPEAKER_01: This is being healthy and enjoying your meals.

11:19 SPEAKER_01: All right, number four, pick and choose your indulgences on purpose.

11:23 SPEAKER_01: This is probably the mindset shift that changed everything for me.

11:26 SPEAKER_01: And I want you to really sit with it for a second.

11:28 SPEAKER_01: You're on vacation.

11:29 SPEAKER_01: You should enjoy yourself.

11:30 SPEAKER_01: But here's the question I want you to ask.

11:32 SPEAKER_01: What actually matters to me on this trip?

11:34 SPEAKER_01: What are the moments I want to say yes to fully?

11:37 SPEAKER_01: And what are the things I'm eating or drinking just because they are there?

11:41 SPEAKER_01: Because there's a huge difference between those two things.

11:43 SPEAKER_01: One is an experience, the other is just mindless consumption.

11:46 SPEAKER_01: And the mindless stuff is what's going to add up without you even registering it or even enjoying it.

11:52 SPEAKER_01: For me, it looked like this.

11:53 SPEAKER_01: I wanted the pina coladas by the pool with my husband.

11:56 SPEAKER_01: That was the vacation moment I had pictured, sitting there, warm, happy, absolutely stunning resort around us, frozen drink in hand.

12:02 SPEAKER_01: That was worth more to me.

12:04 SPEAKER_01: So I had them.

12:05 SPEAKER_01: I enjoyed every single sip and I was fully present for it.

12:08 SPEAKER_01: But I was not also having the high calorie frozen drinks at every other opportunity throughout the day just because the swim are swim up bar was right there.

12:16 SPEAKER_01: The rest of the time was just sparkling water.

12:18 SPEAKER_01: And I drank a full glass of water between every alcoholic drink.

12:21 SPEAKER_01: Not because I was being restrictive, because I genuinely feel better when I do that.

12:25 SPEAKER_01: My sleep is better, my next morning is better.

12:27 SPEAKER_01: And honestly, when I'm well hydrated, that pina colada actually tastes better because I'm actually enjoying it instead of just drinking it.

12:34 SPEAKER_01: Same thing with the food.

12:35 SPEAKER_01: I did not say yes to every single dessert every single night.

12:38 SPEAKER_01: I looked at what was on the menu, identified the one thing that genuinely excited me that I really wanted to have fully, happily, with zero guilt.

12:46 SPEAKER_01: One night it was the chocolate lava cake.

12:48 SPEAKER_01: Another night it was the fresh chores and the dipping sauce.

12:51 SPEAKER_01: I was not white knuckling it.

12:53 SPEAKER_01: I was just being choosy, intentional about what I was eating.

12:56 SPEAKER_01: And being choosy and intentional made every yes feel so much better.

13:00 SPEAKER_01: Think about it this way.

13:01 SPEAKER_01: If you say yes to everything, nothing feels special.

13:04 SPEAKER_01: If you choose the things that are actually meaningful to you and you're fully present for them, that's going to be a different experience entirely.

13:12 SPEAKER_01: You're going to enjoy it and you're not going to have the guilt.

13:15 SPEAKER_01: I would rather have the pina colada on the beach with my husband than the random candy bar in the airport.

13:20 SPEAKER_01: I would rather have the incredible dessert at dinner than the mediocre chips by the pool.

13:24 SPEAKER_01: Pick where you spend your treats.

13:26 SPEAKER_01: Be at peace with that choice and enjoy them without all the guilt.

13:31 SPEAKER_01: All right, number five, the one plate rule.

13:34 SPEAKER_01: Okay, so this one is specific to all-inclusive or buffet style eating, and it generally saves me.

13:40 SPEAKER_01: At an all-inclusive, you can eat as much of everything as you want, which is the whole appeal, right?

13:45 SPEAKER_01: And also the whole trap because there's no natural stopping point.

13:49 SPEAKER_01: The food is just there endlessly.

13:51 SPEAKER_01: And before you know it, you have had three rounds of things and you feel absolutely awful by 3 p.m.

13:56 SPEAKER_01: And you don't even really remember enjoying most of what you even ate.

14:00 SPEAKER_01: I gave myself one plate, one beautiful, abundant, delicious plate of the things that I actually wanted the most.

14:07 SPEAKER_01: And then I stopped.

14:09 SPEAKER_01: This does not mean a sad, small plate.

14:11 SPEAKER_01: It means a full plate of generally good food that I built thoughtfully.

14:14 SPEAKER_01: Protein, vegetables, and whatever else called to me, and I ate it slowly.

14:18 SPEAKER_01: I put my fork down between bites and actually enjoy it and savored it.

14:22 SPEAKER_01: I checked in with myself, and then at 80% full, I just pushed my plate away and that was it.

14:29 SPEAKER_01: I was done.

14:30 SPEAKER_01: Most of the time, by the time I finished that one plate, I was generally satisfied and I wasn't stuffed, just satisfied.

14:35 SPEAKER_01: And there was a real difference in how those two things feel in your body.

14:39 SPEAKER_01: Satisfied feels light and good.

14:41 SPEAKER_01: Stuffed feels heavy and uncomfortable and regretful.

14:44 SPEAKER_01: And you don't want to put the bathing suit on and sit comfortably by the pool.

14:48 SPEAKER_01: Your body still has limits when that food is unlimited.

14:52 SPEAKER_01: Honor that.

14:53 SPEAKER_01: You will enjoy the whole experience so much more.

14:56 SPEAKER_01: Number six, move your body every single day, but not as a punishment.

15:01 SPEAKER_01: I want to say something really clearly here before I go any further.

15:04 SPEAKER_01: Exercise on vacation is not a price you pay for the pina colada.

15:08 SPEAKER_01: It's not a punishment for the chocolate lava cake.

15:10 SPEAKER_01: That is diet culture thinking, and it's exhausting and it keeps you in an unhealthy cycle.

15:16 SPEAKER_01: I moved every day on this trip because of how it made me feel.

15:19 SPEAKER_01: And not to earn anything, not to burn anything off.

15:22 SPEAKER_01: Here's the real reason daily movement matters on vacation.

15:25 SPEAKER_01: When you're at an all-inclusive, you're not commuting, you're not rushing around, you're not doing the thousand little things that add up to the daily steps at home.

15:34 SPEAKER_01: You are horizontal by the pool, laying in the chair, relaxing, which is absolutely wonderful.

15:39 SPEAKER_01: And I highly recommend it.

15:41 SPEAKER_01: But also means your overall activity level has dropped significantly.

15:44 SPEAKER_01: Getting some intentional movement in counteracts that counteracts that and keeps your body like feeling good.

15:50 SPEAKER_01: And here's the other thing.

15:52 SPEAKER_01: If you completely stop moving on vacation, then by the time you get home and try to get back into that routine, it's going to feel like you're starting over every single time.

16:02 SPEAKER_01: So keeping that habit alive, even in a scaled-down version, maybe it's not as long, but it's still there.

16:08 SPEAKER_01: That version means that when you get back into the real world after the vacation, it's going to be a much smoother, natural movement into keeping that routine.

16:17 SPEAKER_01: So for me, that looked like a beach walk most mornings, sometimes 20 minutes, sometimes longer, because honestly, the sunrise over the water was unreal.

16:25 SPEAKER_01: And I did not want to go back and sit by the pool.

16:27 SPEAKER_01: Being able to snorkel every day or explore things on foot, taking the stairs, going to the hotel gym at 6 a.m.

16:35 SPEAKER_01: for a good workout.

16:36 SPEAKER_01: Very doesn't even have to be an hour long, just 30-minute workout, full body, just to get your body moving.

16:43 SPEAKER_01: And it set the tone for the entire day.

16:45 SPEAKER_01: When you start your day with that workout, you're more likely to choose healthier foods.

16:50 SPEAKER_01: And some resorts even offers like classes like yoga on the beach or the aqua aerobics in the pool.

16:57 SPEAKER_01: Some have bikes you can rent.

16:58 SPEAKER_01: So look at what's available and pick something that feels fun rather than something that you're just doing because you feel like you have to do it and you're obligated to do it.

17:06 SPEAKER_01: So movement you enjoy is movement you will actually do.

17:09 SPEAKER_01: And if your trip is more about pool side and relaxing, even 10 minutes of body weight work in the room counts.

17:13 SPEAKER_01: Squats, push-ups, a quick circuit.

17:15 SPEAKER_01: Something is always better than nothing.

17:17 SPEAKER_01: The goal is just to keep that habit alive and keep your body feeling good.

17:21 SPEAKER_01: Another thing I do when we talk about going to the baseball tournaments for a week, we have one coming up in two weeks.

17:27 SPEAKER_01: We're going to South Carolina for five days.

17:30 SPEAKER_01: When we drop our son off at the field, he's got to be there an hour early.

17:33 SPEAKER_01: So instead of just sitting in a chair or sitting in the car, my husband and I typically we will go for a walk and we enjoy it because we're getting to see a different part of the country while getting some movement in because we're just going back to sit at a game for two and a half hours and not getting much movement in.

17:50 SPEAKER_01: So getting those movements in whenever you can on these trips are going to set you up for good results.

17:57 SPEAKER_01: All right, number seven, watch your alcohol and be smart about it.

18:01 SPEAKER_01: We already talked a little bit about this in the indulgence sections about, but I want to give you its own moment because alcohol is one of the biggest places where vacation weight gain happens and most people don't even realize that it's happening.

18:14 SPEAKER_01: That frozen tropical drink at the all-inclusive, those pina colados, those daiquiries, the frozen margaritas with the sugary mix, they're all delicious and they are also sometimes four to five hundred calories each and load it with sugar.

18:26 SPEAKER_01: And when you're at the swim-up bar with a butler offering you another one every 30 minutes, it's going to add up very quickly without you even feeling like you are doing much.

18:35 SPEAKER_01: So here is how I think about it.

18:37 SPEAKER_01: Have one drink that you can actually enjoy the experience.

18:41 SPEAKER_01: The ones you pictured when you imagined this vacation.

18:43 SPEAKER_01: Have those fully and enjoy them.

18:45 SPEAKER_01: And then the rest of the time choose lower calorie options.

18:48 SPEAKER_01: Maybe a vodka with soda and lime, a light beer, a glass of wine, dry wine without all the sugar, tequila with soda water, and a squeeze of citrus.

18:57 SPEAKER_01: Make your drinks lower calorie after that.

19:00 SPEAKER_01: And please make sure you're drinking a full glass of water between every single alcoholic drink, every single one.

19:07 SPEAKER_01: That is not optional.

19:08 SPEAKER_01: It's the thing that makes the difference between feeling great for the next day and feeling absolutely terrible.

19:13 SPEAKER_01: The heat, the sun, the alcohol, you're dehydrating faster than you realize, and the water's going to keep you feeling balanced.

19:20 SPEAKER_01: Also eat before you drink.

19:21 SPEAKER_01: This is something simple but often so skipped.

19:25 SPEAKER_01: Having food in your stomach before you start drinking means that you were going to be full before you even reach for that second or third drink.

19:31 SPEAKER_01: It means the alcohol does not hit as hard.

19:34 SPEAKER_01: And it means your decision making stays a lot more intact throughout the night.

19:39 SPEAKER_01: And you're not just drinking and then making these decisions of drinking more and eating the things that you would not have uh eaten if you were not drinking so much.

19:48 SPEAKER_01: Number eight, hydration, like I just said, is a non-negotiable.

19:52 SPEAKER_01: So I know I keep coming back to this, but generally cannot overstate it.

19:55 SPEAKER_01: So bear with me.

19:56 SPEAKER_01: Heat, the sun, the alcohol, traveling across the time zones, all of it is going to dehydrate you faster than you probably are accounting for.

20:05 SPEAKER_01: And here is what dehydration does that most women don't even know that it's happening.

20:09 SPEAKER_01: It disguises itself as hunger.

20:11 SPEAKER_01: Your body sends you a hunger single when it actually just needs water.

20:16 SPEAKER_01: So you eat when you do not actually need to eat, and then you wonder why you can't stop eating.

20:21 SPEAKER_01: It's because you're you're actually dehydrated.

20:24 SPEAKER_01: It also makes you tired, it makes you foggy, irritable.

20:27 SPEAKER_01: And when you feel that way, you tend to reach for those comfort foods, foods.

20:31 SPEAKER_01: That's emotional eating, the carby things, the sweet things, the things that you give a quick hit of energy, and then it makes you crash.

20:37 SPEAKER_01: I carry my water bottle with me everywhere.

20:39 SPEAKER_01: So I also start every morning with a big glass of water before the coffee.

20:43 SPEAKER_01: I add electrolytes to it because when you're in the heat or if you are deciding that you're gonna drink that day, your electrolytes are taking a hit too.

20:50 SPEAKER_01: And I feel generally good the whole trip, real consistent energy, not ending up with a crash and being dehydrated, over caffeinated, and undernourished.

21:00 SPEAKER_01: So bring a reusable water bottle.

21:01 SPEAKER_01: Keep it with you, fill it constantly.

21:03 SPEAKER_01: You can even bring this in your suitcase so you have it when you get on these trips and you constantly have water by your side.

21:09 SPEAKER_01: This is the least glamorous strategy on the list, but also possibly the most impactful one.

21:14 SPEAKER_01: All right, number nine, protect your sleep.

21:17 SPEAKER_01: Sleep and weight are more connected than most people realize.

21:20 SPEAKER_01: When you're underslept, your hunger hormones go completely haywire.

21:24 SPEAKER_01: Ghrelin, the hormone that tells you you are hungry, goes up.

21:27 SPEAKER_01: Leptin, the hormone that tells you you are a fool, goes down.

21:29 SPEAKER_01: So you're hungrier than usual.

21:31 SPEAKER_01: Your fullness signals are muted.

21:33 SPEAKER_01: They're not working the way that they should, and you're craving the high sugar, high carb foods that give you quick energy because your body is trying to compensate for the lack of the rest.

21:43 SPEAKER_01: I'm not saying do not stay out late on vacation.

21:46 SPEAKER_01: Go out, dance, have a great time.

21:48 SPEAKER_01: But I'm saying be intentional about it.

21:49 SPEAKER_01: We had a uh being able to have beautiful dinners, enjoying the evenings, the sunsets, and what comes after.

21:55 SPEAKER_01: And then you go to bed, seven, eight, eight hours of sleep, and you wake up every morning feeling generally.

22:00 SPEAKER_01: Good, alert, clear, ready to make good choices.

22:04 SPEAKER_01: And a couple practical things that helped.

22:06 SPEAKER_01: I kept my phone in the other room after a certain hour because the temptation to scroll when you can't sleep is real.

22:12 SPEAKER_01: I bring a sleep mask with me because resort rooms are not always great at blocking light.

22:17 SPEAKER_01: And we always have a noise fan with us that just blocks out any noise that might be going on in the hotel room.

22:24 SPEAKER_01: And we try to get to bed at a reasonable hour, even accounting for the time zone differences that you might be facing.

22:30 SPEAKER_01: So if you're crossing time zones, give yourself a day or two to adjust before you expect it actually feel normal.

22:35 SPEAKER_01: Okay, so this pro tip that I cannot skip because it makes such a difference.

22:40 SPEAKER_01: Before I leave for trips, I try to set myself up for the return home.

22:44 SPEAKER_01: So for example, having pre-measured meals in my freezer that are protein heavy with vegetables ready to grow, go when we get back.

22:52 SPEAKER_01: So we're not ordering out when we step through the door because we don't have anything to eat.

22:56 SPEAKER_01: And having a grocery delivered scheduled for the next day that you get back.

23:00 SPEAKER_01: So you don't have to think about it when you walk in the door exhausted and you're jet lagged and you have to put the laundry into the washer because you got to get through all the things that you're bringing home.

23:10 SPEAKER_01: And you just don't feel like meal prepping because here's what happens without the plan you get home, you're tired, there's nothing good in the fridge, and you order takeout, which is fine once, but then you're also tired the next day and there's still nothing in the fridge.

23:22 SPEAKER_01: And suddenly three days have passed and you've not eaten well since you left, and that spiral begins to start.

23:29 SPEAKER_01: And again, you're telling yourself you have to start all over again.

23:32 SPEAKER_01: So setting yourself up to come home with a fridge with easy protein options, maybe some rotisserie chicken, some Greek yogurt, some fruit, some pre-made meals, that is what makes the your when getting home feel more seamless.

23:45 SPEAKER_01: You don't have to claw your way back, you just step right back into the routine that you had before you left.

23:51 SPEAKER_01: So here's the bottom line: vacation doesn't have to derail you.

23:55 SPEAKER_01: It also does not have to be a white knuckling exercise in self-control.

23:59 SPEAKER_01: It can actually be both things at once: fun and nourishing, indulgent and intentional, enjoyable and aligned with the goals that you want.

24:07 SPEAKER_01: You're always in control.

24:09 SPEAKER_01: Even when there's a butler offering you drinks and there's a swim-up bar and there's a lava cake on the dessert menu, you get to decide.

24:17 SPEAKER_01: You get to choose when to say yes fully and when to choose something lighter.

24:22 SPEAKER_01: And when those choices come from a place of intention, instead of feeling rejection restriction or feeling guilty or shame or desperation, everything is gonna change for you.

24:32 SPEAKER_01: You come home feeling good, not like you need it to start over again, not like you blew it on your vacation.

24:38 SPEAKER_01: You just feel good.

24:40 SPEAKER_01: You feel good about the choices that you were able to make.

24:43 SPEAKER_01: That is the goal, not perfection, not a vacation spent calculating, just feeling really good in your body, no matter where you are.

24:51 SPEAKER_01: So if this episode resonated and you're ready to build this kind of relationship with food year-round, not just on vacation, but on a random Tuesday when work is a disaster and the kids need dinner and you just want to eat everything in the pantry.

25:05 SPEAKER_01: That is exactly what I help women do inside the weight loss in midlife method.

25:09 SPEAKER_01: Eight weeks of private one-on-one coaching where we figure out together why the plans keep not working and we fix it at the root.

25:16 SPEAKER_01: You can find everything you need at jenniferpeak.com backslash coaching.

25:20 SPEAKER_01: Okay, that's it for today.

25:21 SPEAKER_01: Thank you so much for being here.

25:23 SPEAKER_01: Thank you for listening and choosing to invest in your health today.

25:26 SPEAKER_01: These small moments of care are what build real confidence and lasting strength so you can live your best life.

25:32 SPEAKER_01: All right, ladies, remember that you are beautiful and strong.

25:35 SPEAKER_01: Until next time, keep showing up for yourself, keep celebrating those small wins.

25:39 SPEAKER_01: And remember, one choice, one change, one meal at a time.

25:43 SPEAKER_01: I hope you have an amazing week.

25:50 SPEAKER_01: Before you go, I have one quick favor to ask.

25:52 SPEAKER_01: If this episode empowered you, it would mean so much to me if you could help spread the word so more women can lose back to build muscles and feel unbelievably strong and confident in the world.

26:03 SPEAKER_01: The best way to do this is to create three feelings and it takes just 10 seconds.

26:08 SPEAKER_01: Your words might be exactly what it's here.

26:12 SPEAKER_01: And that's for you up to your stuff.

26:17 SPEAKER_01: And for me, I'm gonna do an easy next week on the middle.