I love to travel. I love weekend getaways. I love day trips. I love adventures just about anywhere, near or far. Most people think of vacations, and they tend to think of vacationing from all responsibility, including any healthy habits they may have. While I do think that there is a time and a place for indulgence, I also think that making good health a part of your lifestyle wherever you are will make you happier (and healthier) in the long run. Don’t get me wrong, vacations are meant to be enjoyed. You should try wonderful food, and indulge every now and then, but if you can keep to some healthy habits along the way you may find that you enjoy those wonderful foods and indulgences far more!
1. BYOB. Bring your own breakfast. Breakfast is usually the hardest meal on vacation because going out to breakfast more than likely means pastries, pancakes, heavy syrup, cheesy eggs, and donuts. It is easy to bring along some protein bars, fresh fruit, oatmeal packets, almonds, nut butter, jerky, and other packable items that you can eat for breakfast that will start your day on a better note than an excessive blood sugar high.
2. Find something active to do everyday. It is amazing what you can do with your surroundings. Go out for a morning walk and explore wherever you may be. Utilize the hotel gym. Do a simple and quick circuit in your hotel room. Go for a run. Plan some activities in your day that require some walking so you are sure to get some exercise in. There are a lot of cities that offer awesome bike tours, or that have fun parks and gardens to explore. Walking around town is great exercise!
3. Don’t be afraid to make use of your surroundings. There are park benches, hills, playgrounds, and all sorts of sidewalks everywhere you go that you can make use of. It is a matter of going and doing!
4. Choose healthy eats. I am one hundred percent convinced that you can eat healthy just about anywhere. It is jus a matter of being willing to look for healthy options. Bring snacks with you if you are worried that there aren’t going to be options that you will eat. It is better to be prepared than to find yourself starving, leaving you likely to eat whatever you can get your hands on. It is also a good idea to bring your own healthy snacks to have on hand for in-between times! Protein bars, nuts, popcorn, jerky, string cheese, dried fruit, fresh fruit, baby carrots, fresh veggies…etc. Even if you may not be able to exercise like you would normally, you can still make good eating decisions.
5. Make your healthy lifestyle the norm. If you do your best to stick to your normal healthy habits while you are away from home, it won’t be a big effort to get back into your routine when you get home. Remember that everyday you choose to eat what you eat, to exercise or not, to make healthy decisions vs. unhealthy ones…so decide to be healthy. Make it who you are. I promise you will benefit from it.
6. Enjoy some R&R. As much as exercise and being active is healthy, relaxation is healthy too. It may be good for you to rest a bit if need be. Take advantage of getting some good sleep, resting up, and relaxing on your vacations too. It’s all about a healthy balance!