5 Tips to Stay Healthy While Traveling
Not Completely Blowing it While on Vacation…..
This topic is so near and dear to my heart. Throughout the years and my different transitions with my relationship with food and my fitness journey, this is still a work in progress.
I can tell you in the past, vacation to me always meant full-out “off the wagon”, meaning screw the workouts, I’ll eat and drink what I want, and I’ll just get back on track when I am home. I’d return home feeling bloated, lethargic, and depressed at the regression or the extra pounds on the scale. I always looked at vacations as a “treat” and felt I deserved to use it as a full on week to indulge. And I still don’t disagree, but there are smart ways that I still allow myself to let loose, while not completely blowing it.
Top tips to stay on track with your health and fitness goals while traveling:
1. Pack your own food.
Seriously. I don’t mean for meals, but for travel days and for snacks. If you are prepared, well hydrated, and have your own healthy options to reach for, it can make such a difference. I know for me – if I’m road-tripping it and I get tired, my body CRAVES sugar. If I’m pumping gas, those checkout items like candy bars and M & M’s look amazing when I’m tired and still have a lot more miles to cover. However, if I have snacks that I enjoy that I keep fueled up on, it helps keep me on track. Plus, I still love to track my food in MyFitnessPal just to see where I’m at – and I typically have my favorite foods and snacks saved for quick tracking. ***Pro Tip – Speaking of MyFitnessPal – I find that in regards to food intake, if I stay in line for 2 of 3 meals, I’m surprised how much wiggle room I have left for an indulgence to enjoy a vacation meal. It’s nice to see this – and mentally it helps me see the numbers so I don’t shift into “Screw it, I’ll eat all of this, and eat any dessert I want since I’ve already blown it” mode. Additionally, track your workouts in MFP, and see your wiggle room widen even more.
2. Pack a resistance band for in-room workouts.
Most hotels have pretty decent fitness centers anymore, but the fitness band is a great tool that hardly adds any weight to your luggage. Pro Tip *** If you use an at home program via DVD’s or Beachbody on demand, pack up your laptop or a small portable DVD player. You can prop it up in the fitness center and continue to complete your workouts and maintain your routine without missing a beat. I’ve literally done this from my phone when I wanted to stream a workout in my room before.
3. Plan to sweat every day.
I’m realistic in the fact that not everyone loves to get in their daily workout like I do…. But vacation typically gives a lot of active options. Plan a walk to a local coffee shop to get your morning coffee instead of grabbing it in your lobby. Go for a long walk on the beach at a brisk pace. Get out in the ocean and swim against the waves and the current. All of these activities add up, and I find it tends to give you more energy to enjoy vacation. All that blood pumping fresh oxygen to your body will lift your mood even more, and help you feel energetic for your trip!
4. Choose your food battles.
Try and limit your “treats” and indulgences to one meal a day. For instance, breakfast might be a veggie egg white omelette with fresh fruit. Lunch might be grilled or blackened fresh local fish with a side of veggies, or a fresh salad with a lean protein like grilled chicken. Then, maybe for dinner you have the burger and fries. Balance, right? And maybe you don’t have a huge indulgence every day. Know how your schedule is set up, what restaurants you want to try, etc. and you will be able to plan better.
5. H20. Don’t skimp here or get too busy that you forget to sip.
I know this sound so simple, but if there’s one thing that tends to suffer when I travel, it’s normally my water intake. Besides keeping your systems regular, it’s going to keep you hydrated and fresh. Did you know that when you are dehydrated, sometimes you can mistake your bodies cues for water as hunger? Yep – not the best situation when you are traveling and are probably surrounded by amazing treats you don’t normally have access to. So keep a water bottle close by and keep sipping.
Overall – it’s about keeping the balance. It’s common sense. You want to indulge without coming back 10 pounds heavier? Do the simple math: If you have a heavy meal planned for dinner, eat lighter in the early day, and get in more activities to offset the dinner you plan to fully enjoy.
Do your best, forget the rest, and enjoy vacation. And remember – your worth is not determined by the scale, but components of your health can be. Remember this – you want to feel good, and healthy, and be able to travel in the future. Make your daily sweats focused around fun activities, and remember how heart healthy it is to get the blood pumping, and maintain balance in your eating habits!
Now go book your trips, and share your best travel tips with me!