After totally failing on my last several vacations and business trips, I just had great success on my recent South America trip. First trip I can remember where my pants felt looser, not tighter.
Things that helped me this time around (and some other tips that might help you):
- staying in a hotel room that has a kitchenette or kitchen. You can still go out to eat, but if you can control your food intake by cooking one or two meals/day it may help you.
- go online to look at menus ahead of time so you can find a restaurant that has a meal you can eat without feeling guilty.
- bring some snacks with you: almonds, granola bars, walnuts, fruit, etc. whatever you like that fits in your diet plan. With snacks, you can avoid those times when you are somewhere that has no healthy options available, like an airport. It also can help you regulate blood sugar and eat less at dinner/lunch if you have a snack ahead of time.
- if you exercise, plan ahead. Look up walking and hiking trails in the area you will be visiting so you can exercise. Or find a hotel with a gym. Or sign up for a walking tour of the city if you haven't been there before. Plan an after-dinner walk. Even a little exercise should make you feel better, and may allow you to have that dessert every other night.
- unlike other trips I have taken, where I drew a rigid line and said "no" to some foods -- and ended up feeling deprived or eating them anyway -- this time I allowed myself to have what I wanted. I just tried everything in moderation. I ate enough to sample the local delicacies, and when I had enough, I stopped.
- watch out for those hotel breakfast buffets. They are my weakness and are diet killers. To help cope, I planned my meal strategy before even going to the buffet. I aimed for some protein (typically eggs but sometimes sausage or a local specialty protein like pork), fruit, and one carb like a piece of bread with jam. And I didn't go up for a second helping.
Enjoy your vacation
How to balance diet and travel
