My diet while on vacation

The worst idea you could have, it's starting a new diet while on vacation! I often say that we should take advantage of vacations to do just the opposite: a sort of a diet break to recharge and relax. That doesn't mean we have to eat everything we see, because finding balance, even on vacation, is important.

I always take the first week in Portugal to myself. The kids stay with their grandparents, and I go to Cascais to spend a few days alone, where I enjoy meeting friends for dinners and uninterrupted beach days—this is what I call therapy, and I highly recommend any mother who can to take at least a weekend just for herself!

As soon as we land in Portugal, one of the first things I do is go to the supermarket and buy some essentials to have on hand in the fridge. During this solo week, I almost never have dinner at home, so I only have the essentials for breakfast and light lunches to take to the beach, and I never, or almost never, cook. This week is meant to be pure rest and relaxation, and that involves not cooking either!

My vacation shopping list:

- Eggs (I usually boil the eggs as soon as I get home to have them for the week)

- Yogurt or low-fat Skyr

- YOPro drinks

-Avocados

- Low-fat fresh cheeses

- Low-fat fresh mozzarella cheese

- Tuna in water (canned)

- Soup without potatoes (I usually buy it from Pingo Doce)

- Fruit: blueberries, strawberries, peaches, apples, tomatoes, and cucumbers

- Whey Protein (I always carry a bag of Prozis whey with me)

- Coffee

- Plenty of water

- Rustic bread (I usually eat up to two slices a day when I have it)

Since I always arrive with jet lag—Portugal is 5 hours ahead compared to Cleveland—I always wake up later and end up fasting unintentionally, meaning my first meal is almost always around 11 am. Then I have a snack on the beach, and later I have dinner out, eating whatever I feel like without strict rules.

And that's it! I always try to maintain balance throughout the day so I can be relaxed at dinners—because everyone knows that eating out is far from the healthiest option for various reasons!