How to Maintain Your Weight at A Passover Program

You can’t unless you are incredibly mindful and restrictive. There are two approaches to this; you can either go all out on a Passover program, eat what you want, and deal with the repercussions and added pounds after Pesach. Or you can still enjoy the 24-hour tearoom, tremendous buffets, and mouthwatering desserts while maintaining a healthy balance.

We all get it, the food on Passover programs is luxurious and lavish. There are several cuts of meat, gorgeous arrays of desserts, and chametz free options. Everything looks so good and appealing, but does it taste good? You choose between the two. You can be Dovid who is the first to rush into the dining room and fill his plate with multiple servings of candied bacon, turkey, and chicken. Then run over to the bread section and stuff some chametz free buns onto your plate. Don’t forget the margarine to spread on the bread. Oh, then right after eating lunch, Dovid must be the first to visit the dessert table. That tiramisu looks smooth, those macarons are so pretty, and that ice cream looks so refreshing. Dovid tells himself, “It’s fine, it’s Pesach, I’m at a Passover program, I am supposed to enjoy myself…” Sure, Dovid, go ahead but don’t be surprised when your scale at home increases by 15 pounds. Occasionally, this behavior is fine, but when it is every day for a ten-day stay is when it starts to look problematic.

Instead, you can be like Sam. Sam does not act like a glutton. Sam does not rush to the buffets and tea rooms acting like he just came out of the Yom Kippur fast. Sam knows how to arrange a balanced plate with carbohydrates, protein, vegetables, and healthy fats to ensure that he is satisfied. Sam fills up his plate with fresh salads and some ribs. He indulges himself because it is a special occasion. If Sam doesn’t like something on his plate, he doesn’t continue eating it, the trash can is across the room, not in his mouth. After Sam finishes his dinner, he wants something sweet, don’t we all? He walks over to the dessert table and fills up his plate to try the amazing desserts. Ooo chocolate covered pretzels sound nice and that flourless chocolate cake looks fudgy too. Sam tries a bit of each dessert and stops eating when his sweet tooth is satisfied. He knows that later tonight there will be more dessert options and he wants to ensure that he isn’t completely sugared out.

Include a bit of Dovid and Sam into your personal life. It is understandable if you are indulging more and eating more food than usual. At the end of the day, it is a Jewish holiday, gaining some weight is bound to happen. However, allow yourself to enjoy, try the different foods, but make sure that you are balancing that out with exercising, drinking water, and eating vegetables. Before the Passover program, you had your own routine at home, that routine does not fly out of the window once you step foot in Mexico. However, each person is different and has different routines that work for them. If you want to let loose on Passover and diet right after, so be it. If you want to incorporate healthy habits even on vacation, go right ahead.

Some tips for a healthy balance include drinking a lot of water throughout the day. Walk around the resort, go to the sauna, go swimming, visit the gym, walk on the treadmill, go biking, golfing, rock climbing, go for a run, there are literally so many ways to move your body and stay active. If you are not feeling hungry, do not visit the 24-hour tearoom. I repeat, do NOT visit the tearoom. Just because food is available, does not mean you need to eat it. Eat when your stomach sends you hunger signals. Not when your brain starts craving food after seeing a five-year-old child scarf down a hot dog. Take advantage of the hotel amenities, instead of taking advantage of the buffets, in house bakery, and candy bar. Once you take all these factors into account, you are sure to maintain your weight and integrate healthy habits, enjoy your stay!