The idea of traveling and losing weight used to feel like an impossibility to me. Isn’t it inevitable that I will be bloated and tired by the end of my trip? The truth is, you can enjoy your travel meals and still lose weight. It’s not about being super restrictive, it's about being exclusive with what you eat, it’s about deciding ahead of time where you will indulge, it's about being present in your body so you can feel your best for the this special time away instead of feeling shit because you were so focused on the food. The trip isn’t about the food! My story When I was really focused on losing the 20-30lbs I had put on, I was also preparing for my wedding. My bachelorette trip was a month before my wedding and I was still losing weight. I remember very clearly thinking it was not possible to go to an all inclusive resort in Mexico for a week with my best friends and not gain weight. Weight gain was inevitable, right? And then I realized that was a story I made up in my head. I could go on this trip, enjoy the things, enjoy my time and still lose weight. More importantly, I could still enjoy my time there, without feeling sick, without being too bloated to put on a suit, and without feeling like shit. I lost two pounds on that trip and hit my lowest weight since I had started that weight loss journey. Did we go out to dinner every night? Ya. did we drink a lot? Yep. were there buffets all around all the time, yep. I decided ahead of time I wanted to enjoy my time with my friends which meant both participating in everything, and also staying in a place in my body where I felt good, energized, and confident to be in a swimsuit 24/7. With that in mind, I made some decisions around what I would eat before I left. And because of that, when i got there I didn't think about food. I honored my body, I felt amazing and trly present. I had an amazing time. And because of that, I lost weight. I was able to do this because I made a plan, I decided my indulgences ahead of time I decided how I wanted to feel in my body ahead of time I focused on the real reason I was on the trip and being fully present with that Not being present with worrying about my weight or how much i ate Not being present with desire for food Not being present with the food i may have been missing out on My clients story One of my clients travels more than anyone I know. She has lost something like 50lbs since we started working together and she is out of town just about every weekend. She told a story about going to Memphis and having the most incredible BBQ. ribs to die for. She also said that one of the best parts about the ribs was stopping eating them. She enjoyed them but knew exactly when she was done and LOVED stopping. She also knew that because of the components of the BBQ the scale would go up. And it did. Did she freak out? No. did she know exactly why it was up and she was able to just move on, yes. Overall message: you can get to this place where your focus is not on the food in either way: you're not focused on “getting to eat whatever you want” and you’re not focussed on worrying about how much you will gain when you get back. Calming your brain down will allow you to be present in the moment and really enjoy what the trip is all about instead of being focused on the food. It will also allow you to enjoy the food in a different way, be tapped in and present with it. Enjoy the bites you take and be able to separate from the food as not the whole purpose of your trip. This will allow you to enjoy yourself more and lose weight while you travel What to take away and apply: Make a plan ahead of time for you indulgences Make a plan for how you want to feel: let that dictate food choices and how much you eat Focus on the real purpose of the trip: even if you are there to eat, part of that experience is enjoying the experience not feeling like shit because you ate too much! I'm Hayley Sohn, Nutritionist, Weight Loss Expert and your host