In 1 week we leave for our family cruise out of LA to Puerto Vallarta and Cabo for a week. The plan while on the cruise is as follows and for those that know me, this is not typical:
I am going to train while there. I do not usually train on vacation because vacation, by my definition, is to take a break from all of the things I typically do while at home not on vacation. This also includes not dieting.
This time, though, I am going to train and stay very clean with my diet simply because I spent a lot of time in the last few months not training and eating whatever I want - though only once or twice a day. I am finally back and track mentally and I don't want to have another psychological obstacle when I return from vacation after taking yet another break.
Even though I will be training, it will be "fun" training. The gyms on these ships are equipped well enough that I can get pretty good workouts but keep them fun and do more "pumping" as opposed to failure or "balls out" training. The plan is to do my same split but slightly lower volume, move fast and not move a lot of weight. Basically, get a pump and use the muscle but nothing terribly demanding. I feel this will allow me to stay on track psychologically and still get some good workouts in so that when I come back, I come back to not digging out of a hole, yet again.
The diet will be harder. Yes, I am disciplined and can handle keeping it tight, but I admit that I don't want to because eating on a cruise is awesome and, of course, everything is already paid for so whether I have 4 lobsters and 3 desserts for dinner vs. keeping it clean and controlled, I am paying the same, either way. Plus, the food is pretty damn good. Still, I am back in good shape after only about 4 weeks of being back on track and I don't want to look like a pig and I don't want to feel like one, either. We leave on Thursday night late, and I will stay tight with my diet by bringing food with me and then load on Sunday, per normal, and tight again on Monday and for that entire week. I likely will enjoy a longer Skipload the following weekend when we are on our way back home because I will not have any prepared food with me like I will on the way there. This won't be an issue for me psychologically because I will be back in the gym the next day, anyway.
I will take protein powder for the week and the choices they provide for breakfast, lunch and dinner will allow me to avoid carbs so that I can continue to stay keto. Even if my fat intake is slightly higher, it shouldn't affect my condition much, if at all.
I also get that week to sit in the sun and ponder how I want to approach everything when I get back home for the holidays. I have been known to take the holidays off for many years but that is absolutely not going to happen this year. The plan is to diet through the holidays but to what degree - whether to lose more body fat or maintain condition - I have to figure out.
I also need to figure out the number one question for 2018 and that is whether I will compete and finally get back on stage after all of the obstacles I had in 2017. I am certainly leaning that way, but I will make that decision final while I am relaxing in the Mexico sun.
I NEED this trip and I am very much looking forward to it after such a rough year. I can barely stand to wait another week to leave.