My Transformation: Sticking to Your Diet on Vacation.

Brendan Sera-Shriar
Sep 6, 2018 · 3 min read

Recently I came off my first long vacation in a while, which also marks the first time since my transformation that I spent more than a few days away from the gym — 2 weeks to be exact. Initially I was concerned how I would handle that much time away from my regular workout routine and diet.

This was a special vacation, celebrating 10 years of marriage with my beautiful wife, which meant some over indulgence. I did say some …

It was easier than I thought to stick to my diet. Most restaurants offer ‘healthy’ options and I pre-packed plenty of good snacks, that was key. In advance of leaving I made sure to have a enough protein bars, a mason jar of my protein powder, and a handful of other miscellaneous items like flax cakes and steal oats.

What I am most proud of, is that in 2 plus years now of being on this journey the ONLY cheats I have never made are deserts. I believe this is a BIG reason for my consistency in weight loss and muscle gain. I simply don’t crave sweets and junk food anymore. If you can get past that hurdle you are well on your to long term success.

Training while on vacation

Typically when I am on business trips, up at my chalet for the weekend, or just a short get away I always try and find a local gym to get a workout in.

But, this is not always an option. For example this past vacation we spent a few ays in a hotel and their “gym” was … well let’s just say it was more of a room with a few weights and a treadmill — hardly motivating.

Luckily for me I have recently been experimenting with body workouts up north, where I have no gym options. Beyond the basics of push-ups, sit-ups, squats, lunges, etc., I recently purchased a resistance fitness kit. This came in super handy. I was able to get up each morning and get a simple workout in while on vacation. The goal was not to train as hard as I normally do, I’m on vacation, but I did want to ensure I was keeping my muscles warm and burning some calories everyday.

With a combination of resistance workouts and eating as clean as possible on vacation I can say I successfully went two weeks without gaining a pound — phew!

Final thoughts

It’s never easy to stay motivated to stick to your diet and stay active when you are away from your normal daily routine, in fact sometimes it’s not even easy when you are at home. But, like with most things in life, if you really want something bad enough you have to put in the work to get it.

After two weeks off I feel refreshed and ready to kick it back into full gear. This week at the gym has been just as successful as any other week, if anything I feel stronger than I did before. The biggest lesson learned from this experience is that a reset is good every once and a while — your body will thank you for it.

As I have mentioned in other posts, you need a daily mantra. Something to keep you motivated, inspired and most importantly to remind you why you are doing this in the first place.

I have no desire to become the person I once was. This alone is a guiding force to keep me on my path. It’s never ‘easy’, but it gets easier with time.

Life will always throw curves at you, just keep fouling them off and be prepared for the right pitch

Brendan Sera-Shriar

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I'm a driven creative, technologist, brand developer, blogger, social addict, professional speaker, published author and father.

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