6 vacation tips for hard earned abs
One of our coaches at CrossFit Clintonville, Haley, soaking up the Columbus sun when it comes out
You worked hard for those beach-ready abs, and you’re ready to relax on vacation. You want to eat, drink and be merry, but you’re worried that it will ruin your hard-earned results. If that dilemma sounds familiar, check out these six easy strategies that will allow you to enjoy your vacation, while minimizing the nutritional damage.
#1 Make breakfast count with a protein-rich meal
When you start out of the gate with something healthy you are doing your body a solid. Aim for 25-30 grams of protein and no carb or low carb food.
Here’s a sample breakfast:
Veggie omelet with three eggs
Mixed berries
Cup of black coffee
When you start the day with smart choices, it’s harder to make bad choices later. Even if you do, you will feel less guilty. It’s a win-win. Use an app like My Fitness Pal to track the food and water you’re taking in.
#2 Use citrus fruits like lemon, lime, and grapefruit to blunt the insulin response
Insulin is a fat storage hormone released by high carb foods that you want to limit. The citric acid in lemons, limes, and grapefruit sends a signal to your body to release less insulin.
So if you are about to indulge in a carb-filled meal, here are three strategies to get citric acid into your system:
Ask your server for a small glass of grapefruit juice
Ask your server for five lemon/lime wedges to squeeze into your water
Order a salad that includes tangerine, mandarin orange, or other citrus fruit
#3 Order coffee and alcohol. But order the right coffee and alcohol
At the end of a meal, order an espresso or coffee. The coffee acts as a diuretic and will help you to eliminate the food out of your body faster. The less time the bad food spends in your body, the less that will be absorbed as fat.
And when it comes to alcohol, stay away from the sugary, over the top drinks. The simpler the better. Here is a great vacation drink to try!
#4 Do a one-minute squat workout before big meals
I realize this sounds ridiculous, but it works. 50 Air Squats before your worst meal of the day will activate the GLUT-4 hormone. GLUT-4 tells your body to store food in your muscles and not your belly.
If you don’t want to perform calisthenics table-side—and who would!?-- excuse yourself to the restroom and get your squats done in a bathroom stall.
And if you really hate squats, great news: it doesn’t have to be squats. The key is at least one minute of non-stop muscle contractions using your body’s large muscle groups.
#5 Eat like Gizmo from The Gremlins: Never after midnight!
Just like Ohio State Coach Woody Hayes once said, “nothing good happens after midnight”. Woody wasn’t worried about your abs, but he was right.
Between lunch and midnight, enjoy yourself. But you’ve got to draw the line somewhere, so stop the damage at midnight.
Midnight is a clear line in the sand. No food after midnight will prevent 2 a.m. pizza binges and other poor late-night food choices.
#6 Find fun ways to move during your vacation
Just because you are on vacation doesn’t mean you need to act like a sloth. Make a goal to get up and move for at least one hour a day. Here’s some easy ways to inject movement into your vacation:
Walk around and explore. Ask your hotel concierge or the locals, for suggested places to walk or hidden gems within walking distance.
Instead of lying on the beach, walk or run on the beach.
Move in the water! Swim, surf, boogie board, or windsurf.
Schedule active excursions, like hikes or whitewater rafting expeditions.
And don’t forget: enjoy your vacation and be proud of your results! These simple strategies will keep you feeling great about yourself and make you feel less guilty about ordering dessert. Your abs will thank you—and you won’t have to leave them behind on the beach.
Still feeling nervous about your beach body?
Talk to our coaches at CrossFit Clintonville about maximizing your results in group classes or designing a personal training package. We can help you set safe, manageable goals that will help you feel confident and excited about your upcoming vacation. To discuss options, contact us at info@crossfitclintonville.com