I’ve been thinking of this sub-game plan lately. With the light appearing as a pin prick at the opposite end of the tunnel, we can maybe start to dream about being on a Caribbean beach again sometime in the not so distance future.
Yes, the return to travel could very well be on the horizon. How does that play into our Optimum Health habits? After all, it’s definitely a main reason why we stay healthy in the first place.
In today’s new world, we need to be confident in our immune system. We need to be confident we are not ‘vulnerable’. We need to be confident we will not get sick.
But, is the vacation the reward for all our hard work? Do we throw all those great health and fitness habits out the door as soon as we board that airplane? I say, very loudly, “NO!”
What Is My Personal Strategy For My Next Caribbean Vacation?
I currently eat meals at around 9am and around 3pm. This fits perfectly into the intermittent fasting range that allows for 16+ consecutive hours of no food per day. Would I be able to do this at an all-inclusive resort? The answer is ‘barely’.
Typically, breakfast is open until 10:30am at resorts. Although, it’s thin pickins’ anytime after 9:30am. Lunch runs as late as 3pm but, again, you won’t find much after the core traditional lunchtime hours. Dinner usually doesn’t start until 6:30pm at the earliest.
Sure, there are snack bars but that food is anything but healthy. So, I could keep up my schedule with a normal time for the first meal and slightly earlier for the second. But, there’s also the social aspect. This is a family vacation for me and probably is for most. This would mean, basically, never eating with my family.
So, I believe, the best plan is to simply adjust my fasting times. I would skip breakfast, since it has been determined to absolutely not be the most important meal of the day. I would have a meal at the regular lunch time and then eat dinner at the earliest time available. This allows my family to feel like they’re eating with a ‘normal’ person. It allows me to adhere to my schedule while also indulging a bit on food I normally don’t eat – after all, it is a vacation.
What About Snacks And After Dinner Eating?
I think one of the great things about an all-inclusive resort, especially in the 4 star range in Cuba (for example: Memories Flamenco Beach Resort), is, sure, food is available 24 hours per day. However, for much of the day, it really isn’t that accessible. Where there is food available, the variety is pretty slim and is usually junk. And, you usually need to walk a distance and possibly wait in a lineup to get this food. It’s the perfect deterrent to unwanted snacking.
What About The Booze?
Fuck it. You’ve worked for this. It’s not like you have to be stumbling drunk, rationalizing the money you need to get out of the all-inclusive package. But, you don’t have to count drinks, either.
For me, it’s simply sticking to beer. Sure, it’s made with grains and grains are the enemy. But, your stomach can only take in so much – especially when it comes to Cuban draft beer. And, compared to fruity mixed drinks, the sugar level just can’t compete.
Where’s The Veggies?
My problem with these resorts, in Cuba especially, is that it’s hard to get just plain veggies. It seems that in the Caribbean, all veggies must be cooked with bits of some kind of meat. For a vegan, of course, this sucks. Typically, even prior to the new lifestyle shift habits I’ve developed over the past few months, I will come home weighing loss and not more.
For years, I have not so lovingly called it the Great Cuban Potato Diet. For the most part, the only thing that can be counted on to not have meat mixed in is one of the many potato based concoctions on the buffet table. This now sucks as potatoes are a no-no in my lifestyle shift nutrition plan.
Don’t Sweat It
The mindset you have to have is that you’re on vacation for 7-14 days, more or less. It’s a vacation. If you stray from your lifestyle shift, it’s not a big deal. Just be pumped to start the shift again once you’re back home.