Happy March everyone! With March comes Spring Break which I feel like is one of those holidays that you either love or hate. Some parents are stressing over having their kids in the house all day for a week while some of you are just excited for a break or vacation. (Or you’re like me and just dreading how busy everywhere is going to be this week). Whatever it may be, I’m here to give you a few tips and tricks to survive Spring Break as a bariatric patient.

Let’s start with those of you living life up who may be going on vacation or spending the week away from your house. Being on the go, it’s so easy to get caught up in the fun or chaos that’s going on around you and make poor health choices. I know when I went to Disney, the last thing on my mind was healthy living. I was having too much fun. The fun stopped when I got back home and felt horrible the whole weekend. I’m going to try to help you avoid that scenario and have an amazing Spring Break.

Here’s a few tips:

• Mentally plan out your week of eating before hand if possible.
  If you know you’re going to a special dinner one day or want to splurge on a meal, factor it in early.
  • If you can, try to pack your meals or at least non-perishable snacks you can keep in your bag when out and about like sugar free jerky, protein bars, nuts, etc. Raw vegetables and nut butters are great snacks, as well.
• When eating out, ask for a takeaway box at the start of your meal and put away half immediately for later.
  • If you’re sharing a meal with a partner, place how much you can realistically eat on a separate, smaller plate.
  • Try to choose choices based off of the protein first, vegetables second, and carbs last bariatric rule. So, if you want a burger, ask for it lettuce wrapped with a couple fries or half a bun.
  • You’re on vacation, have the fries! This is a lifestyle change, not a diet. For a way of eating to be sustainable, it has to be somewhat enjoyable. If you’re out with family wishing you could have a bite of your kids’ chicken or partner’s burger while you’re eating a salad, it won’t be very enjoyable. You CAN fit your favorite foods into a healthy eating pattern. You just have to figure out a way to balance it. This is where the pre-planning can help.
• Water, Water, Water!!
  • If at all possible, try to bring a gallon jug or bottle with you everywhere you go.
  • Hydrate throughout the day to avoid fatigue and false hunger.
  • Wake up to one glass of water and finish your day with another glass. This is a guaranteed 2 cups of water daily. Being busy, it’s easy to forget to drink. Try to be diligent with this.
• Eat within an hour of getting out of the bed. This is just a tip I’ve found works for me while on vacation. I find when I skip or put off breakfast, I eat more throughout the day and snack more often. It’s so important to fuel your body and start the day out with protein.

For those of you staying home, things will be slightly different. Staying at home with kids can sometimes make you want to down a whole bottle of wine for dinner. Don’t do it, think of the calories. 😊 But seriously, often times when we’re stressed or just sitting at home, we have the tendency to end up in the fridge or mindlessly snacking. Try to keep busy and active. Getting the kids out for a walk serves two purposes: it’ll run them down and wear them out, and it’s also great exercise that keeps you out of the kitchen.

I hope you all have a safe and happy Spring Break and I hope to see you all at the P2P Q&A session on 3/8/2022 at 6:30pm on our Nicholson Clinic Support Group Page on Facebook.