Dr Beth Godwin, Clinical Psychologist and Founder of Life for Every Body
The long awaited vacation. Time to unwind, explore somewhere new (or perhaps somewhere you love that’s familiar), and let’s be honest, we plan to eat all the food!
You might even find yourself saying something like, “I’m going all out when I get on my trip!”. After all, you’ve been ‘good’ for weeks, counting calories, cutting carbs, in the hope to squeeze into your vacation clothes.
But here’s the catch: this all-or-nothing mindset around food, dieting or going all out, is exactly what can lead to the thing many of us fear… overeating on vacation.
As a psychologist specialising in eating and body image concerns, I see this pattern all the time. And I want to offer a different way. One that doesn’t involve swinging between following strict diet rules and then eating to excess (usually followed by guilt).
Let’s dive into what’s really going on, how not to overeat on vacation, and what to do after overeating (if it happens).
Why dieting before our vacation might backfire
On the surface, dieting and then planning to “have whatever I want” sounds like embracing food freedom, doesn’t it?
You reach the breakfast buffet and “I’ll have everything, I deserve it.” And you do deserve pleasure and satisfaction from food. But here’s the problem: if that mindset follows a period of rigid control, restricting calories, cutting food groups, or “being good” in the lead-up to your trip, it’s actually still part of the diet mindset.
Restricting our food, even with good intentions, sets us up biologically and psychologically to overeat. It’s not a lack of willpower, it’s the way our brain and body tries to keep us alive. Studies show that food restriction leads to increased cravings, preoccupation with food, and an inevitable overeating when those “off-limits” foods become available.
This overeating then often ends up with you feeling like you don’t have any control. This doesn’t feel like freedom anymore.
How not to overeat on vacation: 5 practical tips
1. Don’t diet in the lead-up
I know this is ingrained in us. That we need to diet to fit into the swimwear and be seen in public. But trust me. You don’t need to “earn” your vacation food by being “good” in the build up. In fact, trying to do so makes you more likely to eat past fullness while you’re away.
Instead of dieting, buy the vacation clothes in your current body size, focus on nourishing yourself regularly and consistently. Eat enough and include a variety of foods. You will feel more comfortable in your clothes, and it will prevent swinging between restriction and overeating.
2. Tune in to yourself
Vacations come with sensory overload: the smells, the sights, the long menus of appealing options. It’s easy to go on autopilot and eat without thinking.
Try this approach instead:
When you sit at the table or arrive at the buffet, take a breath.
Pause.
Ask yourself, “What do I actually feel like eating?“
Consider taste, texture, temperature. Crunchy? Creamy? Savoury? Fresh? Cold or hot?
This is mindful eating. It helps you connect to you mind and body, and to work out what would actually taste satisfying to you and your body, instead of being on autopilot and taking everything that is on offer.
Satisfaction is about how food feels emotionally, does it hit the spot? Does it match what you were craving? Research shows that eating satisfying foods actually helps reduce overeating (Tribole & Resch, 2020).
So don’t swap the croissant for the fruit with yoghurt, unless you actually want the fruit and yoghurt. Honour your desires. Savour the meal.
3. Think about fullness in your body
When you choose what you fancy eating and it is satisfying, you want to listen for physical signals from your body that tells you that you have had enough to eat. It might feel like the food doesn’t taste as good as that first bite where you do your yummy food happy dance in your chair with a resounding “mmmmm!”. Perhaps you are starting to feel uncomfortable stretching feelings in your stomach. Maybe you are pushing the food around in between bites and your focus is less on the food now and more on the conversation or your surroundings.
These may all be signs that you have had enough. That might cause some sadness if it is really enjoyable, and that’s ok. But if you push past these signals, you are back in overeating territory.
4. Remember: You can always have more
You might be trying new foods on vacation or eating out at fancy restaurants. Sometimes we will say things like “I have to make the most of it!” or “This is a one-time thing”.
Remind yourself, “I can have this again, I can always come back”. It helps quiet the panic that drives you to eat everything now before it disappears.
5. Give yourself permission to eat at any time – not just on vacation
If you tell yourself, “when I get home, this overeating stops!”, you are telling yourself you will be restricting food again soon. And we have just learned that with restriction, overeating naturally comes.
Remind yourself, I deserve to eat to satisfaction and fullness, whether I am on vacation, or at home.
What to do if you overeat on vacation
Let’s say it does happen. You overeat on vacation. Maybe more than once. Now what?
1. Be kind to yourself
Talk to yourself with some kindness, like you’d speak to a friend or a child if they were in the same scenario.
You’re not “bad” for overeating. And overeating doesn’t mean you failed. It means you’re human, in a culture that teaches us to restrict and then shames us when we don’t. We all overeat from time to time for a variety of reasons.
Try this reframe: Everyone eats ‘too much’ sometimes. I can learn from this for next time. Changing habits does not happen overnight.
2. Be curious
Every episode of overeating can be an opportunity to learn something – if you approach it with curiosity instead of shame. Did you skip breakfast earlier that day in favour of a lie in, so you were hungrier later in the day? Were you feeling lonely on the third night of your trip and food was a comfort? Were you tired after a day of sightseeing and doing thousands more steps than you would normally?
In an approach called acceptance and commitment therapy, we don’t judge ourselves, instead we try to get curious. What happened there? What did I need at that moment?
This reflection can help you understand your patterns and you can think whether you would do something differently next time. Healing your food habits is a process.
3. Don’t return to restriction, nourish yourself
Avoid the temptation to start again with a juice cleanse, a detox or harsh food rules. That just continues the cycle of restriction, overeating and guilt.
Instead, when you get home, return to regular, balanced meals. Continue to ask your new questions: “What would feel nourishing and satisfying today?”
You don’t need to compensate for overeating on vacation. Your body doesn’t need you to fix anything. It needs kindness, consistency, and trust that it knows what it’s doing.
You deserve a healthy relationship with food, even on vacation
Food is part of the way we celebrate as humans (think birthdays with buffets and cake). And being on vacation is a celebratory time. So yes, enjoy the gelato, the sunset cocktails, the buffet with a view. Just don’t forget to bring your inner wisdom and self-compassion with you, too.
It’s time to change your vacation eating habits and develop a healthy relationship with food. You don’t need to “save up” for vacation food with restrictions before you go, or punish yourself when you get back. You don’t have to choose between strict control and chaotic eating. There’s a middle path, one that includes satisfaction, listening to your body, and finding joy in food – and your vacation!
References
Tribole, E., & Resch, E. (2020). Intuitive eating: A revolutionary anti-diet approach. St. Martin’s Essentials.