“Two more days and counting!”
Bob glances at the calendar and sees a big red circle pinpointing his family’s first vacation of the year. The timing could not be more perfect! Bob has been working non-stop for five straight months.
He needs this vacation!
Bob fantasizes about the looks he’s going to be getting once he’s at the beach. Bob knows he’s been working out hard at the gym. His waistline is at a ten year low! He knows he looks good and wants to show it off at the beach!
Once home, Bob opens his packed suitcase to double check what he packed.
Shorts. Check
Swimming Trunks. Check
Dressy clothes for a fancy night out on the town. Check
Sandals. Check
Digital Camera. Check……
Bob give’s everything he’s packed a nice long looker.
“I think I have a everything. This is going to be great!”
Vacation Time
Bob arrives to the airport, and uses the rollover cart to make carrying his luggage easier.
“No need to waste some energy right.”
After purchasing his ticket, there’s a flight of stairs and an escalator. Bob takes the escalator and stands still while the escalator moves him vertically about twenty feet.
Bob finds his gate and sits down. He has an hour and half to board and wants to be prepared.
Seeing a candy bar sale, Bob get’s up from his seat and walks to the airport’s convenience store.
“I haven’t a Snicker’s in months! Five for $3! That’s a steal!”
Once on the plane, the flight attendant asks Bob which beverage he would like. Bob chooses Coke as he chews on his second candy bar.
“This is going to be a great vacation!”
Arrival
Two hours later Bob and his family arrive at their hotel alongside the beach. They take the elevator up to the third floor and burst open the door. The room is all what Bob thought it would be and more!
While settling in, Bob here’s a grumble in his tummy. It’s grub time! With his family jumping for joy, Bob decides to keep it simple and goes to the fast food joint next door. It’s fast, cheap and the kids will love it with no problem.
Bob orders the #3…and a small vanilla shake. Bob is on a vacation after all!
As Bob slowly walks back to his room, Bob notices the hotel’s gym and swimming pool.
“Oh, I didn’t know they had such a nice gym. I probably should have brought my gym shorts. If I have time, I’ll get in a few sessions.”
Bob’s week long vacation goes by in a blur. Bob was able to let go and just have fun. He never second guessed what he was doing and just lived in the moment. Bob had a blast eating out and letting the stress melt away from his mind.
Like all great vacations, they have to end at some point. Bob eventually made it home late Sunday night. As Monday arrived, Bob dreaded having to get back to work.
As Bob got out of bed, he decided to go weight himself on the scale. The number that came back at him was not what he expected!
“What! I gained 15 pounds! Impossible! Oh man!”
Classic Story
Bob’s scenario happens time and time again when people travel. People that are in decent shape start traveling and then make awful decisions.
Let’s see what Bob could have done better to avoid those 15 post vacation pounds.
Take The Stairs
Bob is a pretty fit guy. His luggage was light enough where he could have walked up the stairs and got a nice workout in.
Carrying a heavy load while going up some steps is a good impromptu workout.
Even going up the escalator he did not have to just stop. He could have walked. That walking habit could have carried over to the hotel. His hotel was on the third floor, which is a nice consistent form of getting extra cardio in.
Be Aware Of Cheap Sugary Treats
Bob caved in and decided to go for a rare cheap treat. He bought himself candy bars because they were on sale and he was on vacation.
What Bob didn’t realize was the candy bars were the start of his bad eating domino affect. Eating that rare treat made it easier for him to have that rare soda on the plane. That sugar in his system made it easier for his brain to desire the fast food at the hotel.
Those three simple choices became the catalyst for the rest of his eating on that entire trip. All of it could have been avoided if Bob would have just had a good nutritious healthy snack at the airport instead of something cheap.
Walk More
With so much free time at the airport, Bob could have gotten a simple walk in while waiting. It seems minor, but that would have been a simple therapeutic exercise that would have reminded him of his true habits of staying in shape.
Walking is often overlooked. You don’t have to be on a treadmill to do this exercise. The more you walk, the better you will look over time.
Bring Workout Clothes
Bob completely forgot his workout clothes. By not having his clothes he was not truly planning on working out while on vacation. Sure he had some shorts and a shirt but in his mind, those aren’t workout clothes.
By not having his gear, he told himself that he wasn’t going to make it to the gym. The gym became secondary and an afterthought.
The Solution For Vacation Weight Gain
This was a vacation for Bob and his family so he had every right to enjoy himself. The problem was that he worked so hard to get in shape before the trip. If he was to only change a few things, he could have had a blast on the vacation and came home a much happier person.
Now that Bob’s gained some weight he most likely will feel defeated and take longer to get back into shape.
Don’t let that be YOU!!!
Whether it’s for a personal vacation or a business trip, learn how to stay in shape on the road.
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