Want To Lose Weight? Take A Vacation!

Ever come back from vacation having indulged and relaxed for the entire week, totally convinced you must have gained weight, and actually lost a couple pounds? I know I have, and for a long time I was mystified as to why this was the case. When I was home I was doing everything right. Eating clean, working out regularly, drinking water all the time, but something just wasn’t working.

I finally learned that when I stopped being so rigid in my ways, I actually lost weight and had a whole lot more fun. As a weight loss specialist, it's my goal to help as many women as I can do the same. Here are my top four reasons why you lose weight on vacation:

1. You indulge in foods and actually enjoy them! 

When you take the guilt away from your food, you actually digest and absorb them better, simply because you're in a relaxed state. Not to mention, while on vacation you typically eat without distractions at a dinner table, and don’t rush through your meal as you would at home. This means that your body is primed to digest and metabolize your food. Plus, when you eat slowly and without distractions you're able to focus on the food in front of you, eat mindfully, and notice when you’re full.

2. Your adrenals take a vacation too. 

Daily lifestyle has become somewhat of a continuous rat race. This sends your adrenals (glands that release hormones) into overdrive, putting your body in a constant state of stress. When you take a vacation, you finally slow down. You likely sleep in, recharge your energy, rest a lot, cut back on exercise, and release some stress. All of these factors allow the adrenals to relax and secrete less cortisol, a hormone partly responsible for weight gain, when your body is in a constant stress response.

3. You give your body a break. 

Love your body and it will love you back. Vacation gives your body time to rest, recover, and grow back stronger. You're no longer fighting its need for rest, sleep, and food all day. Instead, you're sleeping in as late as you need to, eating food when you're hungry, and resting when you feel fatigued. This means that your body is primed to work exactly as it is designed to, because you're no longer fighting it.

4. Your outside sources of stress reduce. 

Unless you're on a work trip, vacation is a time when you typically disconnect from your job, phone, computer, and email. It's also a time when any toxic relationships in your life disappear for the few days you're traveling. This can do wonders for your body. You'll likely feel less tense, anxious, and stressed, which (as we’ve already discovered) makes your body a whole lot happier and a whole lot more primed to lose weight.

5. You're not on a diet. 

If all of these reasons haven’t convinced you to live your life like you're on a vacation, I want you to take this last point to heart. Have you ever dieted on vacation? If you did, I bet you gained weight. If you ditched the diet on vacation, I bet you felt amazing. Whenever I travel, I notice I listen a lot to what my body is craving, I rarely snack, I eat when I’m hungry and I stop when I’m full. It’s impossible to count calories or points, or eliminate food groups. I get in tune with my body and let her tell me when to exercise, what I need to eat, and what I really desire. Try it out next time you travel and see what happens. I bet you’ll lose weight!