Vacation Mode: The Myth of “Vacation You” vs. “Everyday You” – Let’s Merge Them, Shall We?

If you are a binge eater or struggle with overeating, you may have a love-hate relationship with vacations. Buffets, endless pina coladas, room service, and allllll the things!? Yikes. 

In this episode, we’re talking about how to enjoy your all-inclusive vacation without stressing over every bite or feeling guilty.  I’ll share 3 tips to help you make it happen, whether you’re poolside or trying new dishes! 

The All-Inclusive Adventure: A Family Story

So, picture this: my family has been going to the Outer Banks, North Carolina, every summer for 20 years. It’s a tradition, a thing, like Christmas but with more sunscreen. This year, we were all set to go, but we hit a little snag—no elevator in the beach house. And when your Pop-pop is 93, that’s kind of a dealbreaker. No worries though, because instead of OBX, we switched gears and hit up the Hyatt Ziva Cap Cana in Punta Cana.

Now, this place? Gorgeous. Five-star, family-friendly, all-inclusive heaven. The kind of resort where you could practically eat and drink yourself into a food coma 24/7—if you’re into that. But, spoiler alert: I didn’t. And here’s why.

Three Simple Ways I Tackled the All-Inclusive Beast (Without Losing My Mind)

1. Choose Your “Worth It” Foods

We’ve all been there. You’re staring at a buffet table that’s basically a carb lover’s dream, but you know deep down—not everything is worth it. For me, pancakes, French toast, and donuts at breakfast? Meh, hard pass. But a killer pasta dish at dinner? Oh, you bet I’m all in!

Vacation me isn’t about eating everything in sight. It’s about picking the foods that are truly worth it, so I don’t feel like I’m sacrificing anything, but I’m also not feeling like a stuffed turkey by noon. High-protein breakfasts, a killer pasta dinner, and some ice cream with the kids? Now that is vacation magic.

2. Stay Present (Like, Actually Stay in the Moment)

Okay, here’s the deal: your all-inclusive vacation doesn’t have to turn into a week-long food frenzy followed by a week-long shame spiral. Sound familiar? It’s that classic “I ate so much on day one, I may as well keep going because I’ll detox when I get home” mentality. No, thank you!

I focused on enjoying each moment and each meal as it came. Now thinking about how much I ate yesterday or planning for the future detox. Staying present meant I could fully enjoy my food without guilt or anxiety about what might happen when I got home. And trust me, it’s a game changer.

3. Merge Your Identities: Vacation You vs. Everyday You

Let’s be real—most of us live with two personalities when it comes to food. There’s Everyday You who eats well, exercises, and generally stays on track. Then there’s Vacation You who’s like, “Let’s get room service and then order pizza just because we can!”

What if I told you, you don’t have to switch personalities when you travel? You can be one person, whether you’re on the couch watching Netflix or sipping a piña colada in Punta Cana. (Yes, I did have a daily piña colada, thank you very much.) The point is, you can create one consistent version of yourself that loves food and balance—whether you’re at home or on vacation.

Takeaway Time: Bring It All Together

To wrap this up in a pretty bow, here’s what I want you to do the next time you’re faced with an all-you-can-eat vacation:

1. Choose the foods that are truly worth it to you, and skip the ones that aren’t.
2. Stay present and make decisions based on how you feel in the moment—not how you’ll detox next week.
3. Be one consistent, fabulous version of yourself—whether you’re at home or living it up on vacation.

Vacation doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing, binge-or-diet situation. It can be balanced, fun, and guilt-free. Now, that’s the kind of freedom I’m all about!

Follow me for daily tips on Instagram! @kellylwellness

Are you ready to stop overeating and finally be in control around food? Watch my FREE training  Stop Binge Eating for Fall (Without Cutting Out Your Favorite Foods)!  to learn how it’s possible!