Tips for a healthy holiday (even if you are vacationing in the South)
It’s August, school is starting here in Georgia, but the weather still speaks of summer. It’s hot. Labor Day is just two weeks away, and many of us will head to the beach for an extended weekend.
With that in mind, Coach Katie shares her own experience from a family trip to Florida’s beaches back in July. She wonders: how do you keep from losing too much ground while you are on vacation? What to do when you are vacationing with family (especially in the South) and there’s just so much pressure to EAT!
Lovely Indian Shores, Florida
July 10th, 8:54am:
Woke up to my aunt cooking a big Southern breakfast as she does every morning on vacation. Instead of wasting time sitting around until it was done, I decided to counter the calories with a walk on the beach.
Who said exercising on vacation was work? If I had this view every morning it would be hard for me not to walk until the beach ended. I was able to get in 2 miles before turning back for home. I may not eat as much as they would like, but I’m sure not going to be late!
From the looks of it, I wasn’t the only one seizing the opportunity. That was the second kayak I saw this morning and even spotted by boyfriend coming back from his run as I headed up to breakfast!
July 11th, 9:03am:
I knew everyone would want to see what I was up against, so I came prepared this morning. This is what I get to see every day when I wake up here. Keep in mind some variances like cheese grits instead of cheese eggs or sugar cured ham added to everything else:
Your aunt cooks you breakfast... what to do?
Of course, I did not take a picture of the jellies and toppings for everything, nor the pancakes, pineapple, watermelon, and bagels sitting around. You get the point: I was going to have to focus my willpower.
My strategy was to take very small amounts of what I knew I really wanted. I had 1-2 oz. piece of smoked sausage on the healthier, low(er) calorie biscuit. I also had a few slices of fruit, at probably around 20 calories. All together it was about 340 calories for breakfast on vacation. I’ll take that.
July 12th, 8:45pm:
Typically I would advise against consuming alcohol when you are trying to lose weight. However, I am on vacation, and vacation is all about living a little. I am rewarding myself. BUT, instead of making a huge, calorie-packed margarita or daiquiri, we opted for something a little healthier. Bloody Marys are incredibly easy to make and seem to me the better choice. I take my extra spicy with celery.
Anyway, I wanted to provide you with a quick list to think about next time you are in the mood for spirits. You might be surprised at just how many calories you are drinking! Keep in mind these are averages but it will depend on glass size and the amount of liquor and mix you use:
- Bloody Mary: 180 calories in a 10 oz. Tom Collins size glass
- Light Beer: 100 calories for a 12 oz. can of beer like Bud Light or Miller Light
- Rum and Coke: A 12 oz glass will set you back 370 calories.
- Frozen Strawberry Daiquiri: Around 250 calories for about 12 oz.
- Frozen Margarita: In just a 12 oz margarita, you are probably drinking 530 calories!
July 13th, 11:00am:
The waves were a little high in the Gulf today. Storms out to see brought a pretty fierce undertow, one not typically felt in these parts. I spent about 25 minutes in the water for my first activity of the day. Talk about a workout! Even without the higher waves, the ocean is fantastic for your balance and a great core workout as well. Now only if I could get ripped abs by the time I leave Florida!
Most of today was spent playing in the pool as well. It’s nice to have the pool to yourself so things like basketball, diving for torpedoes, and throwing your nephew around are possible. There is nothing quite like the energy of a 10 year-old boy to burn off your lunch! I now know these boys can out-shoot me but, in fairness, they hogged the hoop:
The next King?
July 14th:
After 6 straight days of homemade biscuits, I decided to get the recipe. I did some research, and a typical biscuit has anywhere from 180 to 270 calories. This recipe has about 145 calories and only about 7.5g of fat, but they taste really great! So much so that none of the traditionalists in the family complained.
Linda's Low(er), but Not LO-cal Biscuits
Aunt Linda’s Biscuits
Ingredients:
- 2 cups self-rising flour
- 1 cup Heaving Whipping cream
Instructions:
- Mix flour and whipping cream together
- Roll out dough with a lightly floured rolling pin. Note: dough will be sticky so you may want to lightly flour your hands as well during this and the next step.
- Cut biscuits with a 3 in. round cookie cutter
- Bake on 425 degrees for 10 minutes or until golden brown
Makes 12 biscuits.
July 15th, 8:40pm:
And on the last day, I rested. Sleep and resting your body are just as important as diet and exercise. Actually, not getting enough sleep has been linked to increased appetite, overeating, and weight gain.
Tonight, as many nights before, we all sat out on the deck and watched the sunset together. They are quite amazing here in Indian Shores Beach, FL. Tonight seemed exceptional, maybe it was because the last day before returning to the real world.
