I have a vacation on the beach next week, so how am I preparing?

A few years back I would be consuming very little this week and exercising an insane amount in preparation for being on the beach in a bathing suit for the “whole world to see.”

WELL, NOT ANYMORE! I must admit I am so incredibly grateful that I have started a journey that restricting is no longer a part of my everyday life. I will admit, I still exercise an insane amount when you look at my overall day but that is mainly because I have a dog and live in a condo so two 2-mile walk minimums are necessary for him to not destroy my home.

The first thing I did to prepare was choose my books for the week: Body Respect by Linda Bacon and The F*ck It Diet by Caroline Dooner (reviews to follow). I must admit, bringing two books that talk about body image is a huge step for me. I know I would never have had the guts to read a book about body positivity while I was internally panicking about the possibility of a muffin top while trying to relax. I am also eating and moving as usual. I know if I restrict this whole week, I will definitely over-indulge because I “deserved to do so.” For me, it is no longer acceptable to spend a week being miserable and hungry to then follow it with a week of over indulging and not feeling good. I now know it no longer works for my body to do this and if I just maintain normal eating and exercise patterns without restriction, my body thanks me and feels a whole lot better than usual.  While vacationing, I intend to spend plenty of time drinking wine with a view, lounging pool and beachside, playing with my pup on the beach and spending quality time with my husband. We are both in need of a mental recharge and I intend to take one, without any guilt revolving around my food and exercise choices.

This vacation, I am making a few promises to myself–

I promise to:

• Respect my body for what it is
• Enjoy all of the cocktails I desire without any guilt
• Exercise when I want to because I want to, not because I feel the need to
• Take walks on the beach with Alex and Spike without goals, just walking to walk
• Read my two books I have planned without judgement
• Take time for myself to recharge

When I return I will be stepping back into the world of RD exam preparation. With that, I will be forced to put things into my brain that I don’t necessarily agree with. I am making a promise to myself to keep my ideals about what a healthy body is in the forefront of my brain and remember “just pass the exam and get on your way.”

For now- I am turning that issue off in my brain and thinking of sunshine and seashores (and cocktails because I want them.)