It’s pretty common that health takes a backseat when we hit the road for vacation. When you take a trip, does your diet go on vacation, too? Many people use a vacation as an excuse to live it up by indulging in foods they don’t normally eat and eating giant restaurant portions way more than we usually do. Here are my tips for eating out successfully!
The vacation itself feels like a reward for all the hard work we do and usually we want to continue that “reward mentality” with what we eat and what we do, and that often means indulge in treats that we know don’t serve our bodies or our goals. But, we’re on vacation!
The summer season is a big time for vacations and happens to be my favorite season, especially as a teacher since I have a lot more freedom to come and go. My top tip for keeping yourself in the healthy living lane on vacation is to establish a daily routine, even on vacation.
It is totally possible to pay attention to your health on vacation and still enjoy the local foods without packing on a ton of extra puff and pounds. Shhhh! Here are some secrets to vacation success: choose your foods wisely, practice “moderation” with food and drinks, and stay as active as possible during your trip.
5 Tips for Paying Attention to Your Health on Vacation
Eat In Once a Day (or more!)
You can save calories and money during a vacation trip by eating in for one or more meals a day. Bring some travel friendly options in your luggage, like whole-grain breakfast cereal and low sugar/high fiber snack and breakfast bars. I also look ahead of time for a local market or my favorite, Target, to stock up on veggies and fresh fruit to keep in the hotel room for breakfast and grab and go snacks.
Be sure to request a refrigerator and a microwave – it never hurts to ask!! If your accommodations have a kitchen, that’s even better! Grab pancake mix with fresh fruit, make up a batch or two and store them in the freezer. Another must have of mine is to-go hummus cups and pre-cut celery or carrots.
Water, Water, Water!
All of your body systems need water to work their very best. Keep your systems flowing and going by drinking your daily water. The rule of thumb I follow is to drink half my body weight in ounces of water every day. Keep in mind that you may need more, because traveling can dehydrate you, and so can being out in the hot sun more than your body is used to.
Stock your hotel room with bottles of water for sure and refill your own bottle whenever you can. Do not be afraid to ask to have it refilled when you’re out and about – it’s not always necessary to buy bottles of water, so save yourself some money by bringing your own.
Bottom line: Bring water everywhere you go.
A Treat a Day
How do you pass up those delectable desserts when you’re on vacation? How do you possibly vacation in Hershey without tasting a chocolate treat? How can you resist stopping at Ghirardelli’s with the kids and having a hand scooped chocolate dream cone?
Seriously?! You don’t!! One strategy is to share the treat. Sharing is a great way to get a taste of a treat without busting the waistline. I work hard to keep the treats to one a day. After that, I go for a healthy choice instead. For me, the same is true with adult beverages – one a day, max!
Order Fruits and Veggies Every Chance You Get
Friends, this one can be tricky when you’re on the go. Lately, I have noticed that more and more places are working to offer healthier choices, so please make the effort to get five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Every day!
Getting your fruits and veggies in will make your meals seem more filling and satisfying. You’ll be getting fiber in your diet, which keeps everything moving – if you know what I mean 🙂 Oh, and by getting in your fruits and vegetables, you also are less likely to get sick because your levels of antioxidants and important vitamins stay up!
Stay Active on Vacation
One of the first things I do is scope out the fitness center options where we are staying. There are times, though, that the busy schedule of a trip means there’s no time to squeeze in a normal workout. In those instances, a strategy is to combine your physical activity with sightseeing. Hiking is a great way to see the sights and get the step count up!
Plan ahead for opportunities to get your walking in and you are likely to find that the activity offsets extra calories you consume. Take a stroll before breakfast and/or after dinner, get some kicks in while enjoying the hotel pool or ocean or look around for these cool rental bikes!