Have a holiday coming up and not sure how to keep up with the high-fat Keto lifestyle? Keto is all about putting your body into ketosis by eating a high amount of healthy fats, moderate protein and low amount of carbohydrates (mainly carbohydrates from leafy greens). To maintain ketosis, it's crucial to reduce the amount of ‘cheat meals' as they can knock you out of it.
If you're worried that it's a mission impossible to stay Keto on holiday, chill! It's really not as hard as it seems. If you put a little of the magic of planning into it, it's actually super easy. Want to know how?
Here are our top 4 tips to staying Keto while on vacation without sacrificing the fun.
Tip 1: Eat well and pack some Keto goods before boarding.
To avoid cravings, hunger and wasting money on expensive and not-so-tasty processed airport food, eat a satisfying meal before leaving on holiday. While that might not be enough, pack a few of your favorite Keto snacks in your handbag in case of the hunger kicks in (and if the flight is long…).
We always bring nuts like macadamias, a Keto Cacao bar, olives, and anything else that can be stored easily and won’t cause any problems with airport security. We also advise bringing Himalayan salt to add to your bottle of water to recharge the Electrolytes. And don't forget to drink at least 2L of water all day every day.
If you can’t pack goods for your whole holiday, no problem. Once you arrive at your destination, look for local shops where you can get them. If you don’t have enough Keto Cacao and are dying for a piece of chocolate, go for the darkest ones that are sugar and crap-free with 90% cacao or higher. You can dip it in some peanut/almond butter or Tahini paste. Remember: Keto-proof products like MCT oil may not be that easy to find, so better bring those with you on the trip.
Tip 2: Enjoy your dining experiences - without the hassle.
To guarantee a pleasant dining experience, we always like to research restaurants and menus beforehand. Depending on the country, finding a Keto-friendly meal might be pretty hard. It takes a few minutes but it saves a lot of hassle and disappointments. Stress is the last thing we want on a holiday, right?
What to look for is if the restaurants offer a variety of a la carte options that you can easily either swap ingredients or add that extra butter, oils, and veggies, to your salads or protein meals. And remember: always ask sauce on the side, as they might contain sugar. And if you’d like to have a drink, remember the word moderation and enjoy the bunch of low-carb options you can choose from.
Tip 3: Fasting might come in handy.
If you’re already used to implementing Intermittent Fasting to your Keto lifestyle, this might be a very handy solution to make travelling simple and cheaper. By skipping meals (like expensive hotel breakfasts), you can save time (and money) and get good results. If you haven’t tried yet mixing Keto with IF, check what this combination can add to your diet. Black coffee and tea are still allowed while fasting so you can certainly enjoy that morning ritual and visit super cool coffee places.
Tip 4: Remember why you’re doing it in the first place and enjoy!
Of course, it takes some time to think about meals and plan everything ahead, but in the end, it’s worth it. Maintaining your diet on holiday can be a very enjoyable experience by keeping you full and happy while skipping bloating and other side-effects that will just make us feel like crap the next day.
Don’t stress too much and just do your best to make your travels as enjoyable as possible. If you wanna cheat a day or just didn’t have time to plan and don't have any options, no problem! Get back at it next day and have the best of time! (and check here our tips to get back in Ketosis after a cheat meal)
Lotte Damen, a Keto dietitian, and KC ambassador is on a holiday in Asia and shared plenty of her very own tips to stay Keto on vacation on her Instagram.
Safe Travels!
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