Going on vacation is exciting until you realize you’ve just started the keto diet. When you’re going on vacation, believe it or not, but there are tons of ways you can stick to the keto diet. When someone says that keto is a lifestyle, not just a diet, many people will agree. Before you start your vacation, you need to keep this in mind. Don’t stress about eating keto while on vacation, it’s fairly easy to eat keto while on vacation.
Tips for You to Stay Keto while on Vacation
1. Prepare/Bring Keto Snacks
No matter where you’re going, it never hurts to plan ahead and prep some food for your trip. Here’s how:
Bring snacks you can store
Whether you’re traveling by plane, car or train, non-perishable on-the-go keto snacks are best for long-distance travel.
Low carb crackers, veggie sticks, nut butter packets, nuts and beef jerky are all great for long flights and road trips. Beware of peanuts on airplanes; they’re often coated in sugar and hydrogenated oils! It’s much safer to bring your keto-friendly nuts with you.
If you’re traveling by car and have a cooler, then you can take your keto snacking game to the next level.
Prep meals and snacks ahead of time
Make a good breakfast or some snack options that you can put in a Tupperware box and store in your bag.
Here are some ideas for snacks you can carry:
- Chicken salad
- Tuna salad
- String cheese
- Homemade fat bombs
- Butter for your keto coffee
- Meats like beef jerky or salami
- MCT oil powder for stirring into water or coffee
2. Do your research and plan ahead
If you want to stay keto on vacation as simple as possible, you should definitely do a little pre-trip research.
Before you check in, check your hotel restaurant’s online menu to see if there are keto-friendly options. Choose a few restaurants in town that offer keto food and recommend them to your group. Find out if there are farmers’ markets nearby where you can get local, friendly specialty foods on a budget.
If you’re traveling abroad, research the local cuisine so you can get a general idea of which areas fit into your meal plan. Browse online forums to find out which brands and foods are recommended by keto dieters in your destination country. If you know where you’re going, you can even call ahead.
If you know where you’re going far enough in advance, you can contact your resort or vacation destination and explain your dietary needs to the staff. The vast majority of destinations are opening up their menus in an attempt to make them more friendly to those with food allergies and special dietary needs. While keto/low carb isn’t always on these special menus, the fact that they have special menus shows that resorts recognize that there are many different dietary needs and are willing to help those who can’t or won’t eat standard foods.
With a little planning, you can get your diet in order while on vacation.
3. Learn how to navigate restaurant menus
Even at restaurants that don’t offer obvious ketoM options, you can still eat in your diet. Simple adjustments can cut carbs from your entrée while leaving you feeling satisfied.
Making choices at restaurants can be as simple as a grilled pork shoulder, buttered steak or a simple chicken salad. But if you know what to look for and don’t mind asking what ingredients are used – you should have no problem eating your favorite foods.
4. Stick to low-carb alcohol
Having fun on vacation doesn’t mean you have to destroy your carb count. There are plenty of relatively keto-friendly alcoholic beverages that you can enjoy.
According to the USDA, a serving of Pinot Noir has about 4 grams of carbs, while diet doctors report that a glass of champagne contains only 1 gram of carbs.
If you want a mixed drink, ask for a gin and soda instead of a gin and tonic, or a Cuba Libre with a diet Coke, or a low-carb mojito with a diet lemon soda.
If you want to control your carbohydrate count, stay away from drinks that contain large amounts of sugary mixtures, such as orange juice, milk or soda.
5. Be flexible but stay focused on your goals
It is important to remember that you are on vacation and it is okay to bend the rules a little. However, that doesn’t mean you should give your goals a vacation.
Don’t feel guilty for splurging on a sugary dessert or enjoying a plate of fresh pasta at a great restaurant. A few indulgences won’t derail your weight loss or health goals in the long run, but being flexible with your diet during the holidays may allow you to come home feeling energized and refocused.
Summary
Staying on keto while traveling can be a wonderful experience. With enough planning, you can stay low carb, feel full at every meal, and avoid the nausea, bloated feeling, and weight gain that others experience after a vacation. Most importantly, don’t stress too much and make sure you have a great time.
