Summer Travel Tips: 4 for the 4th! 🇺🇸
Shredders—Summer is upon us. School is out and the long-awaited warm weather and sunshine mean trips, BBQs, spontaneous dinners out, and for most of us, a general upset of routine. PANIC!!! No. Definitely do not. Below are four main tips to help you navigate summer without throwing away all of your hard work. This is actually what you’ve been working toward all along. This is why we are not a meal-prescribed program. Because learning to eat SMARTER and still look and feel great is the ultimate goal. Vacation doesn’t mean all or nothing. Here’s what you CAN do:
- Plan ahead. Protein is the most challenging macro to find on the go, so pack pre-prepped lean meats when you can, bring shakes or bars, or find a grocery, request a fridge if you’re in a hotel, and stock up.
- If you can look up menus in advance, you won’t be walking into uncharted territory. If you can’t, choose lean meat/protein with greens and veggies (request no cooking oils and dressing/cheese on the side). Make that 80% of what you eat. Then if you want to splurge, make it a small portion of something less macro-friendly, but save those carbs and fat grams during the day so you can spend them later.
- Drinks. Plan for these. If you know you’re going to have a few cocktails, plug them in first and work the day around them. Make sure to use the SmartShred adjustment in MFP for your beverage of choice to include the alcohol “*fat tax” (*credit to a fellow shredder), and opt for protein and veggies in anticipation.
- Don’t throw entire days away. It is possible to go on vacation and NOT gain weight. For some people, it’s actually possible to lose it. You have a lot of macros to work with throughout the day, portion them correctly and make it work!
Summary: implement what you’ve already learned along this journey. Knowledge is power. Use what you know about portion size and estimate to the best of your ability. You won’t be perfect if you’re not prepping your own food, but you’re bound to be close, and still likely to stay within your numbers if you work it right. So Work it, Shredders! And Happy 4th!
