Can you remain in ketosis while on vacation?
My family took their first vacation in nearly two years. I have been following a low carb high fat diet for about eight months now. My son asked, “Mom, are you staying keto on vacation?”. My reply, “I’m going to do my best. I’m sure I won’t be perfect, but I’m going to try”.
The first day was already a struggle. I had prepared airport and flight snacks. I took my CHOMPS beef sticks, I took nuts, I took some single serve “cleaner” protein powder, and I tried my best. I wasn’t perfect. We were on vacation for a full seven days. In that time I ate chocolate, cake, brownies, cookies and ice cream. And here’s the kicker, I was really trying to maintain a lower carb diet. I did succeed in eating steak salads, fish salads, burgers, fish, eggs, and bacon. I made a trip to a grocery store and stocked the small hotel fridge with hard boiled eggs, turkey meat, and cheese. I tried to make a difference when I could.
Here’s the thing I had to make peace with: I was making memories with my family. I didn’t eat perfect. One morning I thought I was going to vomit (apparently my body has gotten used to my new diet). But, I would have rather made memories with my family then made everyone miserable trying to cater every meal to my diet preferences. My family did their best to find places to eat that had food options for everyone, but we all had to compromise.
One thing I did to combat my food choices was walk. We walked after every meal and I tried to drink a lot of water.
Today is my first day home from vacation. My last meal was yesterday around four pm. I ate a double cheeseburger (lettuce wrapped) and had half a protein shake. My fasting reset began then. As I write this, I am now seventeen hours into my fast. I am going to test my ketones and blood glucose levels at the twenty hour mark and see where I am.
Reflecting on my vacation, I only regret eating one treat at eleven pm. The next morning I felt awful. Other than that, I made great memories with my family and I am confident that I can easily get back on track. One week of deviating from my normal diet isn’t going to make or break my long term health goals. It’s important to me to enjoy life as well and taste different foods and learn about different cultures and food trends. I am thankful that I had the opportunity to spend the week away from the stress of daily life. It was the exact reset our whole family needed. I now feel refreshed and capable of continuing on with my health, fitness, and wellness journey.
Don’t regret the moments that make you and your family smile. Life is short and while consistency is important, so is bonding with your family. My body will start making ketones again. I’m back on the “no sugar” band wagon. I am back in my workout routine and I am lucky enough to be confident in my ability to adopt my ketone lifestyle with no hiccups.
So, is it possible to maintain ketosis while on vacation? Nothing is impossible. It is very difficult, especially if you are traveling in a group that doesn’t share your diet lifestyle. Sometimes, it’s ok to compromise with your loved ones and live in the moment.
It’s ok to take a break. Just don’t stay there.
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