So your vacation is in two weeks and your summer body is still in layaway. What do you do? First and most important of all, if you truly want a successful weight loss story you have to accept the simple fact that you will not be able to achieve and maintain long term success in two weeks. A fitness journey is a lifelong commitment and when you decide to join the ride, do so decisively. Be committed, patient and relentless and you will be astonished at how much you can achieve.
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Nonetheless, your vacation date is closing in and there are some ways to kick start your fitness journey to have you feeling lighter and looking slimmer just in time for your trip.
First, cut out all junk food immediately. Do not eat anything fried, fatty or highly processed at all. Do not taste it. Do not think about it. Try not to even have it in your presence (just in case) and start now. In fact, if you’re eating junk right now as you read stop and throw it away. It is important to be very strict with your diet since time is of the essence. One slip up is way too many.
Cut out all sugar and dairy. Both are okay in moderation but you’ll want to cut it out completely in order to slim down quick. Keep in mind, however, that some people experience headaches after a couple of days of eating zero sugar but the headaches should disappear in a couple days.
Cut way down on your carbs and up your protein intake. Try to consume about 1g of protein per 1lb of body weight (body weight*1= grams of protein). As for your carbs, reduce those to 1 or 2 servings of complex carbs (25g of carbs per serving) a day. Eat a serving for breakfast and one for lunch. The rest of your carbs should come from vegetables so eat 3 or more servings of vegetables a day.
Drink plenty of water and black coffee only. Shoot for one gallon of water a day since you will be training hard.
Take a multivitamin. You should always take one but when you are on a calorie restricted diet this becomes even more important.
As far as your training, add in exercises that work multiple muscle groups to burn more calories. Pull-ups, bench press, push-ups, deadlifts and squats are good for this. Lift HEAVY with these only doing about 8 reps per exercise. Also, shorten your rest period in between sets when you are lifting light weight. If you are resting for 45 seconds, shorten it to 30 if you can.
Never miss a workout. When you have a time crunch sleeping in is not an option. With that being said, still listen to your body. Overtraining is dangerous and does not get you to your goals, so work hard and challenge yourself within reason.
Vacation time is here! Now what?
So, you’ve followed some basic rules and your vacation is finally here. You’re feeling lighter and slimmer and ready to get this show on the road. Congratulations! Remember: The commitment you made is for life so don’t completely abandon your pre-vacation efforts. You’re already on the fast track so don’t lose the momentum.
Going from doing so much to doing nothing and more will leave you with an expanding waistline faster than you can say “another round please!” Not only will you gain all your weight back and more, but this type of yo-yo dieting is extremely unhealthy for you both mentally and physically.
While on your trip you can have your favorite foods but still keep your protein intake high and get as much quality foods as possible. Still get 45 minutes or more of physical activity at least 5x a week. You’re on vacation so make it fun! Try a dance class or work your favorite body part in the weight room twice in one week if you like. Scenic sunrise run anyone? The options are endless. You’ll have fun and stay on track to your ultimate goal. Winning!