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Plan a Whole30 dream vacation


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It's not unusual for Whole30'ers to end up navigating your vacation around the program. But what if you could do the opposite... Build your dream vacation around the Whole30? Where would you go? What would you do? And most important, what would you eat?

Take a few minutes to share your dream vacation with us here. (And do a little research to see if this Dream Vacation could become a reality... Melissa's totally could!)

1. Where would you go on your Whole30 Dream Vacation?

2. What would you eat? Would you make your own food? Dine out? Have a personal chef?

3. Pick a few of our other
9 factors
and include those into your dream vacation. What would you focus on: fun and play? Exercise? Stress management? Active recovery? How would you factor in other healthy initiatives into your Whole30 Dream Vacation?

Take a few minutes to have fun with this creative exercise, and get inspired by others' ideas, too. You never know...maybe someone's dream vacation plan could turn into a helpful suggestion for your next trip!

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Surely Ireland, the home of Kerrygold :D and where (primarily) grass-fed beef is the norm.

Sarah Fragoso's recent trip to Hawii sounded pretty awesome to me!

Will get daydreaming on this...

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I would go to Costa Rica (we've been trying to plan a trip there for ages). We'd rent a house on the beach, close enough to town that we could hit the market for fresh produce and fish. Our house would have an awesome kitchen, where we'd cook all of our own food... but we'd also have daily cleaning service, so we never had to clean up after ourselves.

Fresh fish and seafood, mango salsa (we'd go during mango season, of course), fruit smoothies (because when you're on vacation, it's okay to go a little crazy), and tons and tons of fresh salads, because when I'm south of the border, I'm always craving greens.

There would also be this little place in town that served pulled pork, chicken, and beef, and they could make us lettuce tacos with fresh salsa and mole sauce any time we asked. Yum.

I'd focus a ton of fun and play, and surf, paddleboard, and do yoga. There would also be awesome mountain biking trails nearby in the hills (hey, it's MY vacation), and we'd take our bikes up there a few times, too.

And we'd find an awesome, giant boat to take us fishing and snorkeling, and we'd eat fish we caught right off the boat, sushi-style. I forgot about that part.

Heaven.

Someday.

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1. I'd stay at a eco-friendly ranch, in a lovely log house on a pristine lake, somewhere in the high Rockies in the fall with the aspens in full bloom and the peaks dusted with snow. The house would have numerous windows with gorgeous views. The ranch would have lots of land to roam, and trails just begging me to hike and view wildlife to my heart's content. It would also have a huge garden and some fruit trees.

2. I'd have a personal chef who would come in daily to prepare my meals. My meals would consist mostly of organic Whole30 food grown and raised on the ranch. The food wouldn't be fussy or fancy, but simple and delicious.

3. I'd have fun/exercise riding horses, hiking, exploring, and swimming. At night, I'd look at the stars through a telescope. I'd read and write every day, too. I'd probably have a massage therapist in every day. The fresh air, sunshine, beautiful surroundings, and local healthy food would feed my body and soul, and I would be peaceful and content. (And I'd never want to leave!)

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Hawaii is an amazing place for whole30 vacationing. I spent some time on the big island 2 years ago and most of what I ate was local, sustainable food. Most lunches were fresh grilled fish topped with mango salsa...side dishes were grilled veggies and desserts were fresh fruit and berries. Even my cocktails were passion fruit infused vodka with club soda which while not whole30, is a good compromise for me when not being strict.

I also had a great trip to the dominican republic a few years ago where at most meals there was some kind of plain bbq option. IN fact we took a catamaran to an island somewhere in the Caribbean one day and lunch was an outside cookout with all kinds of meats cooked to order in front of us.

Hawaii is extremely conducive to play and the whole environment is laid back and stress free. So much so that locals I talked to said it's often advantageous for children to leave the islands for education because they want them challenged in ways the islands don't provide...but that makes it a great escape for the rest of us. Exercise and active recovery is plentiful with things like paddleboarding, surfing, swimming.

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Melissa- that sounds amazing! Where do you Dallas go when you normally go south of the border?

The only thing I would add on to Melissa's is some beach volleyball and tequila + lime

My ideal vacation would be somewhere in the Mediterranean with my husband. One of the greek islands...

We would rent a a small house, white exterior with a blue roof and an ocean view. Or maybe do more of a B&B style. No alarm clocks! We go to bed and rise with the sun. No cars either! Everywhere we go is by foot, biking, boat, or ATV. Our days would be spent boating, fishing, shopping the local markets, yoga, and hiking. We would would eat lamb, wine, eggplant, olives and figs. We would make friends with locals and learn traditional recipes using local ingredients. On weekends we would travel to other islands or countries to visit.

Oh and I would acquire the ability to tan like a greek goddess! It's a dream ok!

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  • 2 months later...

I would head back to Kenya and go back to the camp my wife and I stayed at when we went to the Massai Mara, and then also the Kigio Resort which is a green resort (I use the term resort loosely, but everything is ok when you have bushbucks and warthogs walking in front of your grass hut).

Early morning and late night game drives with some of the best grass fed beef I've ever had in my life in between. Fresh bacon, fresh eggs, delicoius soups for each meal. The food I had in Kenya may be some of the best I've ever had in my entire life, and that was the biggest question mark I had before we went.

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Its my day 9 (of the whole daily)! That means that I'm planning my whole 30 vacay!

Where would you go on your Whole30 Dream Vacation? Beach! Anywhere with warm water!

What would you eat? Would you make your own food? Dine out? Have a personal chef? I would take advantage of the fresh fish, especially because I don't incorporate this enough into my diet. I think salad greens and lots of veggies would be a perfect accompaniment. Although I didn't grow up in a household where homemade cooking took place and I didn't cook for several years after being on my own, I have come to love cooking! Seeing as its a vacay, it would be pure pleasure to cook without typical at-home stressors and time constraints.

Pick a few of our other 9 factors and include those into your dream vacation. What would you focus on:

fun and play? Swimming, surfing, yes, please!

Exercise? Hiking!

Stress management? Yoga and lotsa sleep!

Now I'm really looking forward to this dream vacation!! Must plan asap :)

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  • 3 weeks later...

My day 9 fell at the perfect time. I'm going to Portland this weekend and even though I was born and raised there (haven't lived there though since I left home 14 years ago) I'm going to be uber-touristy and also very excited to try all sorts of new resturaunts for their paleo fare. Gonna check out the local crossfit gyms, wander around the rose gardens with my mom, shop with my dad at his favorite outdoor stores and then head to the beach with my brother and his girlfriend for one of our favorite hikes.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I've always wanted to Hit up America. I know I could stay on the wagon over there from what I read from others online! Plus it means I can visit some awesome CF gyms. I've a few friends who recently opened up a paleo cafe in Australia... So that's on the list too... And in talks.

I help them out there for food in return :P plenty of gyms and they are right beside the beach... Though I hate spiders... And they say they are huge over there!

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  • 1 month later...

Paris! Think about how wonderful it would be with your own personal chef? Or a chef friend who knows lots of head chefs at amazing restaurants? He or she could ask them to make their signature dishes Whole30-style for you!

I would go for jogs around the city, do a handstand in front of I. M. Pei's pyramids in front of the Louvre, and run up as many Eiffel Tower stairs as possible. I'd go to bed early most nights and get up at dawn to watch the sunrise.

C'est parfait! (^ ^)

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I would go to a yoga farm (I just made that up but I hope one exists). We would get up before the sun and do a beautiful morning practice after that we would drink the house-made bone broth and have a huge veggie filled breakfast then we would put on the wellies for a 5 hour morning shift on the farm feeding animals, tending crops, gathering eggs. Lunch would be a delicious communal affair with all the food from the farm. A choice of a mid-day nap in a hammock, a swim in their pool or another yoga session. Wellies back on to do another 3 hours of farm work or hunt or help prep the evening meal with the red seal award winning paleo chef. Dinner of grass-fed bison, all the greens I could eat and lots of fresh organ meat surrounded by dirty, tired, happy people who had worked hard all day (this reminds me so so so much of my camp living treeplanting days). After dinner there would be a lovely restorative evening hatha or yin practice then everyone would tuck into bed before 10pm to do it all over again.

I might have just bummed myself out since I know this place doesn't exist in real life...but it's fun to imagine.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Mine would be a house in the mountains of North Georgia or the Smokies in Tennessee, a stone and wood cabin with a hot tub and huge rock fireplace inside with plenty of wood. There would be plenty of hiking trails from easy to moderate - some going further up the mountain, some heading down to a lake. I would have a personal chef as well as maid service. The chef would either cook there or would bring the meals to me daily and I would heat and eat as I needed. The food would be simple stews, salads, fruit in season, food perfect for chilly weather. I'd spend time in nature, enjoying the wildlife, and spend the evenings writing or reading in the great room next to the fire. No TV signal, but maybe a TV with a DVD player and a good selection of movies for a rainy day if I couldn't go outside. No internet either. I'd have my laptop but it would only be for writing, nothing to distract me, and my phone would be off 90 percent of the time - if I even got a signal. I'd get at least one massage and sit in the hot tub every night.

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Right now, I'm obsessed with New Orleans. I know at first glance you might not think that this is the town for an ultimate W30 vacay, but I've been reading about roux-less gumbos and rich, delicious stews with local seafood, sausage, and chicken. I would hit all the fancy restaurants and be completely annoying to the wait staff by asking what is in all the food (and a condition of my vacation is not to feel bad about asking for what I want). Then, I would focus on all the history and jazz. I'd take long, long hikes all around the city, exploring sections of town and soaking up the culture. Immersing myself in culture will really reinforce my good habits by taking the focus further off numbers on the scale and food I can't have. Each day I would react to feedback from my body by getting massages and doing some stretching in beautiful outdoor spots. Hopefully a gator won't eat me while I'm in downward dog!

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1. Where would you go on your Whole30 Dream Vacation?

2. What would you eat? Would you make your own food? Dine out? Have a personal chef?

3. Pick a few of our other
and include those into your dream vacation. What would you focus on: fun and play? Exercise? Stress management? Active recovery? How would you factor in other healthy initiatives into your Whole30 Dream Vacation?

It's funny because I don't necessarily think of vacations as restful, indulgent experiences. When I travel, I travel with my children, who are very agreeable travelers and who love new adventures. We have lots (and lots and lots) of fun, but if I were planning some sort of vacation just for me, I would not do many of the things that are absolutely necessary when traveling with children. In other words, I think of that time as fun, but I certainly don't regard it as a vacation. I'm still very much on the job.

If I were to plan a vacation that didn't include the children, the first condition would be that I would have to arrange for their care in such a way that I didn't worry about them. That could be easily enough done by leaving them in the excellent care of their father. But at the moment I feel somewhat cautious about how far away I'd like to be. (I know those years are soon going to be over, my girls are nine, and pretty soon, before I know it, they will be off into the wider world and I'll be planning everything without considering their immediate needs - so strange to contemplate that.)

So - perhaps I'd go to the other side of the island for a few days, with someone special. If this is really a dream vacation, I'd stay at one of the world class resorts that I usually just go see. I'd eat from the local farmer's markets as much as possible, and have some very nice restaurant cuisine too - fresh local food gone high end, why not? I know I'd have to ask how it's prepared, but I know I could find delicious food all around me.

I would spend time just sitting near the water, reading, spending time with that someone special, and perhaps taking some long walks at sunset.

I live in Hawaii, but for me it's just a (very) nice place to live and work. I'm only a couple of hours' drive from the world class resorts that put Hawaii on the map as a paradise destination. I'd like to actually experience that. Also, this being a small island, I'd probably know at least some of the resort staff!

Hm. I'm thinking this could be a thing.

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  • 2 weeks later...

A walking vacation, pretty much anywhere in Europe, during the shoulder season in the autumn, when it's still warm-ish but not overrun with tourists. I would walk from town to town, with an interesting group of people, study the art and architecture, take lots of great photos, and have all Whole30 compliant meals prepared by a creative and resourceful chef. I make so many decisions and plans every day that the vacation part is not having to do the thinking or the planning! I think this kind of vacation would be centered around self improvement, active recovery, exercise and stress management!

Does anyone want to start a Whole30 travel co.? :)

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A walking vacation, pretty much anywhere in Europe, during the shoulder season in the autumn, when it's still warm-ish but not overrun with tourists. I would walk from town to town, with an interesting group of people, study the art and architecture, take lots of great photos, and have all Whole30 compliant meals prepared by a creative and resourceful chef. I make so many decisions and plans every day that the vacation part is not having to do the thinking or the planning! I think this kind of vacation would be centered around self improvement, active recovery, exercise and stress management!

Does anyone want to start a Whole30 travel co.? :)

Hey, you may be on to something! I like the idea of a Whole30 travel company :) I live in Switzerland...you should take your walking vacation here. There are walking trails everywhere and it is stunningly beautiful here.

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Hah...Melissa...I just saw your post. Your vacation dream can totally be reality. I've done it!

Show off! Ha ha! I agree with Hawaii, I went there for the first time ever last year for my 48th birthday - I went to Kauai'i and hiked and ran everything off road I could find within 10 days! The food was amazing, I got addicted to the coconuts - real coconuts, not the tiny brown things I ordered through my organic produce service. Hmmm, it looks like I'll have to get working on my dream vacation. Then I'll start saving for it! :)

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  • 2 months later...

Kayak camping the inside passage of Alaska..... I did it for an entire month a few years back and it was the bomb.... I'd love to float the entire Koyokuk-copper river basin from above the arctic circle ( wrangle st Elias range) next time....

Set traps for fresh crabs.... Caught fresh steelheads and salmon walleye.... Foraged for tons of berries and plenty of native greens and foliage, ramps, thisels, etc..... Traded for game, seal oil and other food stuffs in small villages

Talk about fat adaptation... There isn't a processed carb in a 1000 miles ( unless you pack it in)

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I was all ready to post my Whole30 dream vacation and decided to read through everyone else's posts first. I got as far as Melissa's post and "What the heck???" She posted my dream vacation down the to location, what I would eat, and what I would do! Saves me some typing! Thanks Melissa! :D

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  • 4 weeks later...

I go to Mauritius every year to visit my family. I usually stay at the beach. This year I plan to hit the market and get some coconut and some nice tropical fruit and produce to stick stay compliant -ish. I will be doing some serious swimming and hiking as well. Massage 3 times a week is a must.

Aaaah! I wish I was there already!! and it is not a dream it will be reality!!!

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