In honor of summertime, here are some of my secrets on how to stay slim and energized during your vacation. Contrary to popular belief, the foods we have access to on vacation are often extremely fresh, delicious, and sometimes are even better than the ones we can get at home! Locally grown fruit and produce can be very exciting, so take advantage of it. Don’t let a week-long vacation get you feeling bloated, blotchy or anything but beautiful! I invite you to embrace the following guidelines on your next journey away from home.
The key to success on vacation starts before you step foot outside your front door. Make sure to bring a couple staple items on vacation with you… namely a sweetener (xyitol or stevia), so you can add your own sweetness as needed if the need arises. I also bring along a ton of dulse sea vegetable (the chunks not the flakes), so I can add it to beef up the mineral content of my salads. I eat it like chips. You can also bring some flax seed crackers for a high protein high fiber snack that serves as a great accent to any snack or meal. You can find these items at your local health market.
Traveling can be stressful, and therefore can lead to unwise food choices. Don’t let anything get in the way of you and your health! Feel free to look at my tips for traveling.
Once you’re on vacation, start your morning with a brisk 30-minute walk. Walking is one of the most underrated and yet one of the most effective exercises. The oxygen that you get early in the morning will give you an extra oomph and it will increase your blood circulation, opening up channels of energy in our bodies. Going on a morning stroll will also set your digestive system into motion and you will start your day cleansed and renewed. It gets you feeling good, so you’ll be less likely to get in a rut and say, “I’m on vacation, I’ll just eat whatever I want!” Most importantly, it will get you up and out before those notorious big Continental or buffet breakfasts can tempt you, which will bring your whole day down like a sack of concrete in your stomach. Big breakfasts waste copious amounts of energy, and tie up digestion for hours. Eating heavy, big breakfasts is a great way to get fat.
If your accommodation has a mini fridge, check out your local market and stock up on a head of kale or spinach, avocados, and local fruit like mangoes and bananas for plenty of midday snacks (I find that I’m more prone to snacking when I’ve been in the sun all day). Quick and easy snacks are lettuce-wrapped avocados, tomatoes and sprouts. Or you could slice up an avocado on seed crackers. If you don’t have a fridge, you can still snack on all of the above sans tomato and lettuce. Either way, I encourage you to be creative and use the local culture and restaurants to inspire you!
Coconut Water: I can’t preach enough about this stuff! It is a powerful elixir and amazing (not to mention refreshing) drink in the hot sun. I am personally so glad that coconut water is becoming so widespread and easily accessible. The best part about vacationing is the access to these incredible sources of hydration and nutrients fresh. Coconut water gives you a ton of Beauty Minerals and is a natural detoxifier.
If there’s one thing we know, it’s that there is never a shortage of fruit on vacation. An abundant fruit plate is ideal for breakfast and is a great snack on an empty stomach. Depending on where you stay, maybe they can make glowing green smoothies for you! I’ve been having a huge container every day with the local kale, spinach, parsley, mango and papaya. Always avoid fruit for dessert. As a general rule, wait 20 minutes after a snack or meal before ingesting fruit.
Chances are, you’ll be eating out on your vacation. No matter where you are, always start with a green salad, or double it if they’re tiny. Then practice Beauty Food Pairing. If a restaurant doesn’t have the right combination of foods, don’t be shy and ask to substitute!
For example:
On the menu is chicken and fingerling potatoes
Instead ask to substitute the potatoes for steamed veggies.
On the menu is pasta marinara and meatballs
Instead ask to substitute the meatballs for steamed veggies
As always, stay away from cream based pasta sauces (like a la vodka, or alfredo) and stick to the more simple stuff. That goes for soups and drinks as well. The simpler the better!
Make sure to bring along your Beauty Food Pairing cheat sheet. You can just photocopy it and stick it in your wallet. As long as you follow the “Light to Heavy” principle and practice Beauty Food Pairing, your body will stay light and energized no matter where in the world we you.
For more tips on eating out, check out my previous post.
If you want some dessert on vacation it’s okay, but make sure it isn’t an every night occurrence. I usually keep some semi-sweet dark chocolate on hand to nibble on to nip those after dinner cravings in the bud (though here in PR I find I don’t need it at all). Not to mention, dark chocolate is packed with polyphenols, a type of antioxidant that protects against heart disease. Dark chocolate is healthier than other varieties because it has less sugar. Not to mention, chocolate is replete with mood enhancing hormones like phenethylamine and anandamide to be technical. For a craving ceasing dessert, try a piece of dark, organic chocolate with a glass of fine glass of red wine. Cacao should never be a daily food, however.
Speaking about red wine, think for a moment about the stereotypical vacation drink. I don’t know about you guys but for me, all I can imagine is a tray filled with daiquiris and piña coladas. For all your vaca drinks, avoid smoothies and blended drinks with high fructose corn syrup or rum. Instead of rum, opt for red wine or vodka. Red wine is packed with flavonoids and antioxidants and is the most nutrition rich alcohol you can put in your body. Second to red wine would be high quality vodka. Want a new summer spritzer? Try a grapefruit vodka. Grapefruit juice has a fat-burning enzyme that can help you digest starch and sugar better. Not to mention, it has essential minerals like folic acid, calcium and potassium.
I hope that these tips have you feeling healthy and energized on vacation. I know they sure make me do!
What’s your favorite healthy snack on vacation?
Hi Kimberly,
You are the best!! I’m Indian so I eat spicy and oil foods a lot. Is that healthy for me. I did change my diet after you inspired me to change. I have oat groat and GGS for breakfast. Which fruit are good to eat all year round? Can you advise what is a best lunch? I have greens in the morning, and i don’t what to repeat the same greens for lunch and dinner.
I have a question.
– My question is about dark under eye circles. I have under eye circles, I tried everything but I can’t get rid of them.
Isha
xx
Check out my undereye blog. :)
xx
thank you, kimberly! today we leave for the weekend to celebrate my husband’s grandparents’ 70th wedding anniversary. the weekend festivities (aka: meals) all take place at the hotel— i am excited to be with family, but was so nervous about the food choices until i read your blog entry. thank you for the wonderful tips, reminders and ongoing inspiration! well timed!
Great Amy! Have fun.
Breaking coconuts without a machete . . . you are the absolute coolest.
Ken
Ha! Well it certainly is an amazing experience to know you can survive off the land with natural tools, if need be. :)
Hey Kim! This is my first time visiting your blog. As of last week I decided to change my eating habits and asked my good friend Susie Castillo to help me. I was born and raised in Puerto Rico and its so funny for me to read this post because every time I go back to visit my family I feel so limited to eating healthy. There are so many good resources in the island (like coconuts) that I took for granted. Thank you for making me remember.
Hi Mariana, the papayas and other fruits are some of the island’s greatest treasures. And the Econo marts have organic sections now! I truly love PR and can’t wait to go back. Love, Kimberly
Strawberries!
Oh yummy. Make sure you try to get organic ones!
Hi Kimberly!
A very timely post for me. I just got back from one week in Vanuatu (escaping the Australian winter). For the past few months I’ve been enjoying your green smoothie and have increased my greens dramatically. I have to say, out of everyone in my 6 person office, I’m the only one so far to not have succumed to the dreaded winter cold!
Anyway, when I arrived in Vanuatu, I went down the typical path of “I’m on holiday. I’m just going to relax and eat wheat I want!”. BIG MISTAKE!!! At the end of each night I looked like I was nine months pregnant and I even had a waddle in my walk!
I had the usual big fry up for breakfast, followed by lots of ill-combined meals for lunch and dinner. And lets not forget about the alcohol every night! It really taught me a lesson though so I’m very grateful for it (even though I was bulging in my bikinis every day!!). I actually hadn’t realised how good I had been feeling until I went down the wrong path again.
I’m definitely sticking to the local markets next time – especially in the brilliant Sth Pacific.
Thank you so much for all your brilliant posts!!
Peggy
HI Peggy,
Thanks and your comment make me laugh! I’ve been over to those islands too and I know the fry ups can certainly occur.
Now you can get back on track though!!
xx
Wonderful tips!!! You are so beautiful, Kimberly! And you’re such an inspiration for me, and many others :D
Thanks Stephanie! I am inspired by you all, as well.
Dear Kimberly,
Another great post! Do you do private nutrition sessions (like do you have an office somewhere, or are you exclusive to celebrities?)? if you do where could I find out the information and pricing? I would love to hear as much knowledge as you can share in person! haha
Hi Jackie, I’m not offering sessions publicly at the moment, but check out for our live Facebook chats. I try to answer as many comments as I can as well!
Great tips (as always), Kimberly! I love taking raw almonds with me when I go on vacation. I was in Cabo last week and made sure to walk each day, and we also went kayaking and swimming. And I did the “no makeup” thing the whole time. Like you, I felt incredible and so happy to be one with nature.
Great! Our skin needs a break from makeup!! I just got back to NY and haven’t started wearing it yet (I don’t wear that much usually anyway). Now that’s liberating!
Thank you for this post! I recently started on your plan in the book eliminating all fruit (caused me major bloating and gas, constipation) and am feeling a lot better. It takes a minute to get used to celery for breakfast at 11 AM, but I have grown to love it!
I’m coming home to Northern California in a month and am going to be apartmentless and newly self-employed. Instead of about getting whatever crappy job I could find immediately and spending a lot on a sublet I thought “why not just camp for a few weeks, drive into town for internet/work/groceries, and spend all my spare time surfing, reading, writing, and getting back in touch with what’s important?”
So now I am going to embark on the seemingly challenging adventure of being a growing, thriving, detoxing, high energy, temporarily NON FRUIT EATING raw foodie without a fridge! My plan is tons of coconuts from Chinatown (which I am already obsessed with), making my own sprouts, avocados, bags of greens and celery when i can, lemons, coconut oil, spices, sweet potatoes, + quinoa. Of course I will be in town a lot and able to eat fresher things there.
Again, thanks for inspiring me, I know this is possible. I seem crazy to everyone, but it’s my life. ^_^
That’s great! Eliminating sugars for a while including fruit may be what can balance your body. The coconut oil can really help! Try to limit salts too, which is in a yin-yang balance with sugar, so can help limit sugar cravings.
What do you think of spelt bread?
-Sandra
It’s better than whole wheat bread but it still has gluten. I don’t eat it.
Why not use cacao every day…? I use 100 % raw cacao powder, 1-2 tbl spoons daily in smoothies/drinks. I heard that raw cacao powder is a “superfood”, containing a lot of nutrition, minerals and vitamins.
There is a lot of info being passed around about “superfoods”. The truth is that cacao contains theobromine, and if you eat it every day you may experience adrenal exhaustion. Chocolate should be looked on as a treat, even in a raw form, and its consumption must be balanced. There are plenty of people out there that will spread info on things being good for you that people want to hear about certain foods or what they happen to be selling, but it doesn’t mean it’s in your best interest.
The real superfoods are greens, fruit, sprouts and other produce which are local and available to you.
Hi Kim! What is the best way on vacation (or even in daily life) you suggest for getting protection from the sun? I wear a hat to protect my face from the sun but what about lotions and other sun protectors? What do you reccommend? (p.s. You are amazing!!!)
Thanks so much for the suggestions and example of menu (substitute) pairings. That really helps a lot! Now I won’t feel so bewildered about what to get when dining out.
Seems like you are having a lot of fun and are inspired. That’s awesome. Don’t know when I’ll get to have my next vaca so think I’ll do an at home product break. …Do you have any thoughts on taking baths with organic essential oils (fyi, have a shower filter)?
Take care!
Joi~
These are great tips to keep in mind.. I’m living in San Diego now & I’m getting ready to head back east to the southern DE/MD area for a two week trip and am doing what I can to keep on track! Would you or someone else on the blog know of a good probiotic I can take? I will be indulging in some eastern shore seafoods and local produce for sure, but I’m trying to keep my animal/dairy protiens to a minimum. We have limited access to health food stores since we are staying close to the beach & I would like to make sure I can pack some staples to keep me out of “trouble”. Any insight or advice would be WONDERFUL!! Many thanks~~~ :) :)
I like the Dr. Ohira brand!
I have your book! But would like to know if its possible to gain weight while on this diet? I’ve been losing fat while following the BB but would love to gain some weight in the right places. I am only 96 pounds, 5’2 and would love some womanly curves :)
Any info would be appreciated.
Hi Reishma, check out my reply below. When you cleanse your body, it isn’t just about losing weight. It’s about helping your body’s inner ecosystem become balanced, so you assimilate nutrients optimally, and you become neither too fat nor too thin.
I have clients that have the hardest time gaining weight, until we cleanse their body of old wastes and toxins.
Thank you so much for answering this question. It means so much to me. Now I know:)
I live in Brooklyn NY and my dad brought home for me fresh coconuts from Queens. I am from the Caribbean, so I know what fresh coconuts taste like. I would never buy the coconuts from Asian markets as it tastes horrible. The guy chopped it fresh with his machete and poured it in a mug. And he even put the jelly in for me. I was so happy.
Whenever we travel back home we always bring bottles and bottles of coconut water. We pour it and freeze it and then thaw out completely in fridge. Its only fresh for a few days but so worth it.
Hi,
I know your opinion on soy but I am Japanese and honestly, I can never stop eating soy. We use tofu in many kinds of meal. We use miso, soy souce..our food is full of soy. Are we Japanese doomed?
No, not doomed! You probably don’t eat all the processed foods that use tons of soy products, and your soy probably isn’t as allergenic and GMO as American soy. Miso is great. Just try to be moderate in the amount of tofu you eat (which is probably far less than American portions anyway), and try to increase your vegetable intake at these meals. xx
PS- I love Japan!
Hey Kimberly,
I love you blog and have your book and have a quick question: What if I want to follow a mostly raw diet but don’t need to lose weight? I’m underweight and am currently trying to gain, so while the nutrition and detox aspects of the diet apply to me, the losing weight doesn’t. Can you give me some tips on gaining weight on a raw diet?
Thanks
Sure, add more nuts, seeds, avocados in and keep oils in your dressings. Have more hemp, chia and flax seeds. Keep the same principles, but increase the denser foods more.
Are tomatoes okay for those with Candida even though they are technically a fruit?
-Megan
Yes. They, along with non-sweet fruits like bell peppers and cucumbers are okay, as well as fatty fruit like avocado for Candida.
Hi Kimberly,
I love, love, LOVE your work! I’m only 21 but have had mysterious health issues that I’ve struggled with for years. I’m finally breaking out of those, and am so excited about it! Thank you!
However, there’s one thing that I’ve had trouble with in the past and its coming back to haunt me- Insomnia. Any tips?
Hi Kim!
My grandfather eats attenuant medicines and his doctor has put the ban on all greens. My grandfather is not allowed to eat berries eather for the same reason. The doctors reason for denying those healthy ingredients is because they include too much vitamin K. Is it really true that greens and vitamin K makes your blood thick?
My grandfather is allowed to eat a small amouth of vegetables but at the moment his diet is based on grains and grain products, potatoes, dairy and animal products. For me it doesn’t sound very healthy, right?
What can I say to my grandparents? Is it ok to eat greens and berries after all?
Hi Kim,
I’m going to be vacationing in PR soon, too! How did you find that organic farm where you get your greens? Can you suggest any good places to pick up fresh produce?
Thanks!
Thanks. :)
Hi Kim,
I am absolutely a fan of yours. Actually my boyfriend has also been very impressed by your nutritional advices (that I have read to him from your great book trough the whole summer) and he even calls me from work asking pre-lunch advises “Does Kimberly approve this or that?”. I am so thankful for all the effort and support you give people here in your blog and I keep constantly checking for new posts and if I have any questions in my mind, I usually find the answer by using the “search” option.
However, there is one thing that has been in my mind since starting to follow your guidelines. I have understood and was warned by my dentist that too much fruits is bad for your teeth, especially some specific fruits. Do you have any tips to avoid the harmful effects or any other hints regarding the fruit issue? I try to often eat xylitol gum after the fruit, but still sometimes I feel my teeths aching. My teeth bone is naturally sort of weak, and therefore I am so concious about this. And actually this is the only negative thing I can say I have experienced since I started do more yoga and follow your advices.
I am feeling great and got clearly more toned. My boyfriend has lost some 10+ lbs and life is great. Organic products are unfortunately quite pricy here in Scandinavia (felt so familiar to read your experience from Ireland, it’s like that here…) but I think the healthy comes first.
Thank you Kimberly again for publishing such a great book and giving your advices and posting the blog.
Br,
Nina
Hi Kimberly
I’ve just read your book and discover your blog, and I’m really happy about it! thank you for everything, you really are an inspiration.
So I’m starting the plan and I’m really enthusiast about it!
I tried to do the probiotic and enzyme salad (like in your demo) but after one day, I came back from work and water as get out of the jar on the ground in my pantry…so I’m not sure what to do? should I throw it out our keep it? maybe I put to much, or just too much water? do you think it can be good? did it ever happen to you or someone else?
I’m also wondering how long will take to see result?
and I really enjoy your glowing green smoothies…
thank you
Helene
That’s wonderful!
Hi Kim,
I love your blog and recipes!
I really want to try your papaya, avocado recipe but I can’t seem to find it anywhere.
I was wondering if you put anything on the cut up fruits or just eat it as is?
Also wanted to know, if the Glowing Green Smoothie could be given to children? My son is 11. And if “yes”, then can he have breakfast right after?
Thanks
Hi Kim,
Nice blog..i like all your ideas
i thank you for this wonderful sharings
Hi Kimberly, I’m going to China in a few weeks and am wondering what foods you recommend eating there?
Also in regards to vegetables that need to be washed (lettuce, tomatoes etc) but in foreign countries where water is what can cause travelers sickness..what do you recommend?!
Thanks so much!