Welcome Katie Anderson, guest blogger who is reporting on her Cooking Light Diet journey. Follow more from Katie on her blog, YellowDaisyChickChat.com, or check back here for more updates.
As I previously blogged, my spring break beach weekend did not go particularly well in my early days on The Cooking Light Diet. Fortunately, I learned from my mistakes and decided to redeem myself. This trip was going to be more difficult, however; a rare, couples-only, kid-free weekend allows for more freedom to let loose than a family vacation. I wanted to enjoy myself, but I did not want to gain back any pounds I’d lost. If you are heading on an adult weekend and want to avoid a diet blow-up, here are some tips to having a fantastic weekend without gaining an ounce.
1. Go With a Plan
I decided that, in a group, I could control my breakfast and lunch options better than dinner, so I stayed on-diet for those meals, as well as snacks. At dinner, I allowed myself some splurges. I’ve been on the diet long enough (2 1/2 months) to know how to keep portion sizes sane, to stop eating when I start to feel full, and that too much of a good thing is too much. Sticking with grilled fish, veggies, and salad allowed for a bit of smoked gouda grits, or loaded mashed potatoes on the side–or go fried, or an app, or a fruity drink; it’s your splurge!
2. Bring Groceries With You
An easy travel diet breakfast was English muffins with almond butter and sliced bananas. Those items traveled well and filled me up until lunch. Bringing slider rolls, deli meat and cheese, carrots, hummus, and grapes made for the ideal beach picnic lunch. Snacks were diet-worthy: Skinny Pop popcorn, hummus and pretzel chips, almonds, baked chips and salsa. A cloth grocery bag and a small cooler was all I needed to pack my food. Bring extra, of course. Friends will want to share your good-looking, good-tasting, healthy food.
3. Drink Lots of Water
Everyone is ready to relax and let loose on a vacation away from the kiddos. Adult beverages are a fun part of adult weekends, and I learned that a diet doesn’t have to ruin that fun. Light beer, wine, and cocktails with low-cal mixers (my new spring/summer fave: Tito’s vodka, lime, a splash of cranberry juice, and LaCroix lime) are the perfect option for a vacation diet. The key is to drink lots of water in between alcoholic drinks. You get full from it and avoid extra calories, you stay hydrated, and you feel much better the next day!
Photo Credit: 30A.com
4. Move Your Body
Beach walks are the best, and once you rest up from getting ready to go on the trip (that’s the hardest part,) go walk, run, paddle board, kayak, or bike, and then nap. Then, go for another walk in the late afternoon, before Happy Hour, a.k.a. the Best Beach Time.
5. Share the Key Lime Pie
Seriously. I only need a couple of bites. I’m too full for a whole dessert, if I’m paying attention. Plus, it’s super fun to get it to-go, give out forks at home, and everyone dig in. Standing in our rental house kitchen around a piece of pie, laughing ’til we cried, was a memory made in Friend Heaven.
The Red Bar Key Lime Pie, credit: foodspotting.com
I didn’t lose any weight, but I also didn’t gain any. For an adult beach weekend getaway, that was my goal, and I’m more than pleased with my results. I returned from the trip, refreshed and ready to cook again, starting with Pork Carnitas and Tequila Slaw with Lime and Cilantro. So delicious and easy! Kid-pleasing, too, and if yours aren’t slaw-eaters, then add a fruit salad on the side. Don’t let a diet ruin a vacation, and don’t let a vacation ruin a diet; The Cooking Light Diet has helped me learn that they can live in perfect harmony.
*Members following The Cooking Light Diet, on average, lose more than half a pound per week.
from Simmer and Boil http://ift.tt/1AXd8pV via baking sheet alternative
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