Shine Fm Blog

Week Eleven: Destination Heath and Weight Loss

Summer is finally here, and nothing is more enjoyable this season than weekend getaways and traveling. While it's easy to stick with your U Weight Loss^® program plan during your regular schedule, it can be difficult to stay consistent when you're on vacation.

Whether it's just a weekend trip or something longer, a change to your routine can be a challenging thing to adapt to. The good news is that your U Weight Loss^® program can be modified to accommodate your travel schedule. You can enjoy the benefits of the summer season while staying on track with your weight loss. Here are some keys to successfully adapting your nutrition plan.

Plan ahead.
If you want to successfully lose weight, you need to plan ahead. The delicious recipes you've been preparing at home should give you an idea of the types of foods you need to be consuming on your program. Armed with this information, you're able to determine what restaurants you should be eating at when away, and the types of foods you should be ordering off the menu.

Follow the guidelines in the Intelligent Health Guide for dining out and traveling.
Found in the Appendix tab of your guide, this section gives tips on how to plan a balanced meal while away from home. Always choose low-fat protein sources, add Freedom Foods, combine with a portion of whole grains and complete your meals with healthy fats. Your meal will be balanced, within the proper calorie range and healthy. Another great way to balance your meal is with a scoop of U-Protein, so make room for it in your luggage!

Snack on Freedom Foods.
In between your meals, Freedom Foods are great to munch on to keep your blood sugar levels balanced, ward off hunger, fill you up, and prevent you from overeating if you're dining at a restaurant or a weekend barbeque. These foods contain plenty of nutrients with minimal impact on your daily calorie intake.

Get physical.
Sticking with your U Weight Loss^® exercise plan is as simple as going for walk when you're away. It's an inexpensive and effective way to help you burn calories. For more fun, make it a family event and enjoy the warm weather together. Take a look at our Fitness Focus section for more great ways to stay active during your vacation.

Look for healthier options.
In order to reach your goals, it's best to minimize deviations from the plan as much as possible. However, for those times when you want to have a desert with your meal, look for healthier alternatives instead of conventional sweet foods. Remember, you always want to have carbohydrates, fats and proteins at every meal in order to minimize increases in blood sugar. This applies to desserts as well. Look for food combinations that are balanced. Cottage cheese and fruit or fruit and plain yogurt are great alternatives to cake and ice cream. Need more tips? Check out this month's Nutrition Highlight and learn how to eat healthy away from home.

Fill up on the healthy foods first.
You can reduce the temptation to overeat when you're out by filling up on protein, fruit and Freedom Foods first before heading for the higher calorie foods. You'll end up eating less of the higher carbohydrate or fattier foods, but you will still be able to enjoy them.

Monitor your alcohol intake.
Vacations and getaways are a time to relax and unwind. Letting loose and enjoying an alcoholic beverage or two is common. Keep these beverages to a minimum. Alcohol adds calories to your daily intake and, when consumed, it is burned for fuel over carbohydrates, protein and fat. What this means is that, if you consume alcohol with your balanced meal, your body will use the alcohol calories and store the energy from the other foods. This can be detrimental to your efforts, resulting in slow weight loss – or worse, weight gain. The U Weight Loss^® plan recommends no more than 2 alcoholic beverages per week – preferably wine – and only if you're on track with your weight loss.

Stay focused, stay motivated.
How much more weight do you have to lose? Ten pounds? Fifteen? Keep this number in mind. Envision how your body will look when you finally reach that desired weight. Think about how you'll feel. Think about all of the work you've done so far to get to where you are. Is it worth it to gain five pounds on your vacation, just to have to lose it again? Staying focused on your goal can help you make the right decisions about food.

And last but not least…

Have Fun!
Vacations are supposed to be enjoyable and a welcome getaway from the stresses of everyday life. With that in mind, losing weight doesn't have to be stressful. Being on a weight reduction program shouldn't prevent you from having fun on your vacation. Remember that you're not only trying to lose weight, you're investing into your long-term health by exchanging unhealthy eating patterns for more health-promoting ones. It's a great time to explore different varieties of delicious, healthy foods and make better choices when you're unable to prepare your own food. Follow the guidelines and you'll be one step closer to your healthy weight and optimum health.

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