Spring vacation survival plan (not nearly as grim as that sounds)

Sitting in an airport, getting ready to do one last work trip (to DC for a childhood obesity conference) before I go on vacation for a week.  As I was getting ready this morning, I did my pre-vacation physical self-check:

• Can still comfortably button the upper button of my shirt collar:  check
• Can use the normal number of holes on my belt:  check
• Withering full body scan to determine suitability of self for warm weather gear:  check (I think)

It seems I’m still at goal weight (also confirmed on scale last weekend), so that’s good.

Yet my healthy life work is never done.  It’s time to get a plan for the upcoming week.  It’s time to write out my vacation action plan:

1. Recognize that there is probably not much I could do over the week to destroy my physical condition.  Although, I keep hearing the statistic about gaining 7 lbs on a cruise ship, so clearly there is a theoretical level of damage that could be done.
2. Recognize that I’m not going on a cruise ship, so I don’t have to worry about being mummified in a casket of all-you-can-eat buffets.  That’s a good thing.  
3. Appreciate and be thankful for the fact that I have the good fortune of being able to spend the week with my family running around Costa Rica, a place known for physical activity.  That’s a very good thing.
4. Have an exercise plan.  Having finally seen my itinerary for the week, it seems that every day I have some reason to move.  Hikes, volcanoes (hopefully not swimming in them), zip lines, ocean, etc.  The first four days are definitely active vacation days.  On the last three, I’m at a place with a good fitness center, which I will definitely use.  
5. Recognize the limits of my exercise plan.  This trip is not like skiing where you can easily burn 1,000+ calories in a day.  Therefore, there are limits on activity points.
6. Given the limits on activity points, have a plan to not go off the deep end on food.  Keep in sane for breakfast.  Keep it pretty sane for lunch.  Keep it kind of sane at dinner.  Look for lots of fruit, fish, and vegetables.  Drink tons of water.  
7. Don’t count POINTS.  Maybe this one is heresy, but vacations should not feel like a healthy lifestyle siege.  Rather, I will seek to apply common sense, and I will seek to not engage in risky food behavior.  That seems easy enough (?!).  
8. Have fun and try to keep up with my girls.  Not an easy task.  

This seems like a risky and inefficient way to earn Activity POINTS...

I think the point for me in keeping it together in vacation is not one of fearing an impending disaster on the scale.  Rather, I view it as proving to myself that I can live a full and food-rewarding life in a healthy way, even when on vacation.  My lifestyle does not feel like one of deprivation during normal work weeks, so should it change when I’m on vacation?

And no, don’t expect any vacation pictures of me wearing a man-thong to show up on Facebook during my week off.  I’m sure that is a source of massive disappointment to all.

Cheers,

David