The difference is that during the first vacation, I gained ten pounds and had a gall bladder attack that necessitated a visit from the resort physician in the middle of the night. During this last vacation, I felt energized and rested, ate what I wanted, drank what I wanted, and ended up losing weight. Oh, and I’m premenstrual. So, how did I do it? Here are a few tips that really helped me stay on track, while enjoying myself.

1. Plan. I planned each day in my head what I would do for activity, what I would eat at each meal, before each meal, how I would get my water in, and whether or not I would indulge in dessert or a fruity drink.

2. Compromise. Just because you’re not indulging at every meal doesn’t mean you can’t have something that you enjoy. I don’t drink alcohol, but even the virgin frozen drinks are loaded with sugar, so I didn’t have more than one or two the entire time we were gone. Just not worth it, and I was more than satisfied by a club soda with a splash of pineapple juice. Likewise, I often would just have the sliver of chocolate and berries that adorned a dessert but would forego the dessert. Or, I would have a cup of decaf but would happily add real cream and sugar.

3. Move. Even if it was just a half hour at the gym, I moved my body every day. It is a habit I plan to incorporate in my life here at home, but I injured my Achilles tendon playing tennis at the resort and have to rest. I will definitely incorporate it once I’m better!

4. Prioritize. You don’t have to eat everything. Pick the things you really like and stick with that. If you try something and don’t like it, don’t eat it. You are not a trash can! Save your appetite (and the calories) for the things that you really like. For me, it was indigenous foods like jerk chicken and grilled or roasted vegetables. I also really liked the coconut danish. :)

5. Fill up on good food. My trainer recommended before I left that I load up my plate the first time with veggies, fruit and lean protein. Then, if I was still hungry go back for more. That was such a godsend. The fruits and veggies were so good, that ended up being most of what I ate. I also plan to integrate this into my regular habits.

6. Enjoy the vacation. I focused my attention on my husband, planning our day, enjoying having an opportunity to have an uninterrupted conversation, rather than what else to have to eat. I found myself much less focused on the food as a result.

7. Relax! Finally, the vacation is about relaxing, so don’t stress too much about any of it. The fact is, if you can incorporate even one or two of these tips, you’ll probably find yourself way ahead of the game as compared to your usual vacations. Relax and enjoy yourself!!

I’m glad to be home, but I haven’t had so nice a vacation in a very long time. We are already trying to plan our next trip! Now, if I could just have this ankle heal!