I am so happy my path crossed with Emily’s a couple of months ago. I am so excited about the awesome work she does, and natural body care products she is making. It’s been a blessing getting to know this joyful and inspiring momma/entrepreneur/health coach/woman!

I borrowed a little snippet from her bio, so you can read what she is all about:

“Emily Oye is a Certified Health Coach residing in San Antonio, Texas. After experiencing 26 years of yo-yo diets, recovery from obesity and other health issues, she now leads a joyful life that is beyond her wildest dreams. She has been walking this amazing new path for over seven years and Emily now passionately helps others improve their health and quality of life through her company, O-Yay Living. She provides individual coaching, pantry/kitchen makeovers, teaches workshops, cooking classes and leads women’s retreats. She is also the founder of O-Yay Living natural body care products.”

Read the rest of Emily’s bio here.

Today, Emily is bring us some brilliant and simple tips to enjoy delicious food on vacation, and not regret it once we’re home!

Take it away Emily…

It’s Summer! Time to hit the beach and take vacations all over the country. If you are like most people, it’s really easy to come back with a few extra pounds from all the extra snacks and eating out. You love every bite while you’re on vacation, but feel horrible when you return. So here are a few tips to avoid coming back with more than just souvenirs.

1) When it comes to your food, stick with the same routine that you have at home. If you eat three meals a day at home, try to stick with that on your trip as well. There may be many opportunities to have other treats and nibbles, but that can lead to bloating and eating more than we realize we do, especially when there is food out all day. I never knew how much my little “grazing” all day added extra pounds onto my body. So to the best of your ability, stick with your regular routine. It actually is very empowering to do this! You are worth it! And remember, nothing tastes as good as _________ feels! (You fill in the blank for your motivator. Examples: thin, sexy, strong, lean, healthy, etc.)

2) Plan ahead! Before you leave, “assess the situation.” Where are you staying? How are you getting there? Can you bring healthy snacks with you or get them when you arrive? How about eating breakfast in your vacation rental or hotel room to get a solid, energizing start to your day? When I travel (which I’m actually doing right now… this is coming to you from Seattle, WA) I like to plan to have my breakfast “in” wherever I’m staying. But since I’m on vacation, I usually eat out for lunch and dinner. How do I do this? Before leaving for vacation, I check out what restaurants are in the area I’m visiting to see where I can order the food I need to stay within my food plan. I also find where a local grocery store is so I can get snacks and breakfast foods to have on hand. (I’ll put my shopping list for my current trip at the end of this article to get you started.) This may sound strict, limiting or time consuming, but it’s really not, just try it! I find that it doesn’t take long to do a little research and is fun! The little time you spend planning before the trip brings such great freedom on vacation. I get to eat delicious food (that I mostly don’t have to cook or clean up after) yet feel strong and healthy and don’t end a meal feeling bloated, or needing to unbutton pants because I overate. And the best part, when I get home I am at my same weight AND had an awesome trip. It’s beautiful!

3) Enjoy activities and being with your loved ones! I noticed, when I was overweight, my trips and vacations were all about the food, but not in a healthy way. I hate to admit, but even as a kid, I can tell you what we ate on our vacations, but not necessarily where we went or what we did. And as an adult, I would plan the junk food that I would allow myself because it was “vacation.” It was a free pass to throw all my routine and “diets” out the window. So I invite you to enjoy your trip, plan activities, take naps, read a great book, go for a walk or hike, live life! Plan memories that don’t involve food. It may be cliché, but it’s very true: Eat to LIVE, don’t live to eat. Life is much richer this way. (Trust me, I’ve lived on both sides of the coin)

Wishing you all a beautiful, fun and safe summer!! Happy Travels!

Emily

Seattle Shopping List for Breakfast and Snacks (I’m staying in a vacation home so I do have a kitchen):

Veggies: carrots, jicama, English cucumber, grape tomatoes, cremini mushrooms, zucchini, onion, red pepper, jalapeno pepper, portabella mushroom cap, avocado
Fire Roasted Salsa
Nuts
Eggs
Sparkling water and spring water
Ranch Dressing
I cut up the carrots, jicama, and cucumber and have it ready in the fridge. Then washed the grape tomatoes and sliced mushrooms. All of this, along with the nuts are ready as snacks to grab at any time.

I sautéed the portabella mushroom, onion, jalapeno, red pepper and zucchini together. I will have this with eggs, salsa and avocado for a great, energizing breakfast.

Getting all of this ready took about 45 minutes when I arrived at our rental yesterday. This 45 minutes is the best time I could spend! Because this morning I woke up, and had a nourishing breakfast and I’m ready to start my day. If I start by putting junk into my body, the rest of the day will be junk going in… and you know what they say: Junk in = Junk out. I want my outer body to reflect my inner spirit, peace, and joy.

 

Giveaway announcement! Emily and I are bringing you an extra special treat. You can learn all about Emily’s awesome products here, and check out my photography work here!

This giveaway is for any San Antonio residents!

A name will be drawn and a winner announced on July 17th. To be entered in the giveaway, follow these simple steps:

1. Comment on this post with your name and an e-mail we can contact you by to announce a winner
2. Like my page
3. Like Emily’s page
4. Tag a friend! Send this post in an email, or tag them in the comments on Facebook or Instagram

Don’t skip a step! We will be verifying that you followed easy step to be eligible to win.

Good luck! Have an AWESOME summer.