‘Healthy’ and ‘vacation’ are not two words we generally associate with one another. How many times have you gotten back from a trip and thought to yourself… well, that’s over, gotta get back to my “healthy” lifestyle now? It doesn’t have to be an all or nothing scenario- you can go on a trip, enjoy yourself AND keep up some healthy habits through the whole thing!
Keep these ‘travel truths’ in mind the next time you pack your bags and head out of town!
– You can always drink water. Yes, I know that in some countries this takes a little bit more thought than others. Make sure you have wáter by your bed when you go to sleep so you can always start your day off with a big serving of H2O. You can also order water when you go out to eat- just because its vacation doesn’t mean beers at noon need to happen every day!
– You don’t need a gym to stay active. Always pack workout gear. You can do pushups, planks and squats in your hotel room. You can use your suitcase for weights. Go for a run. Take the stairs… hell, you can just go for a really really long walk! Etc, etc, etc…. There are SO many free resources for travel workouts, and even 10 minutes is better than no minutes.
– Calories still count on vacation. Just because you’re on a trip doesn’t mean every meal must be accompanied by wine and chocolate. Yes, it IS important to try tiramisú in Italy, or sake in Japan, but have it at every meal and you WILL notice the difference when you get home. Skip the ‘boring’ stuff like french fries, white bread and packaged ice creams. Stick to the ‘special’ stuff like local desserts or craft beers.
– Eating various servings of vegetables and fruit every day isn’t impossible. Make the effort. Use Google Translate to ask for extra vegetables at dinner. Go to the grocery store, buy some veggies and cook them up if you have a kitchen in your hostel/hotel. Walking down the street and you see a local market? Stock up on a couple pieces of fruit or some cooked or pre-cut veggies to save for later.
– You don’t always need to the free breakfast, the free bread or the free snacks.Just because it’s there doesn’t mean you have to take advantage of it. If you ate enough at dinner the night before, you probably will be fine if you skip the free pastries and sugary orange juice in your hotel in the morning. You CAN survive a plane ride without the free wine, and you CAN ask the waiter to take the bread off the table if you just can’t stop picking at it.
In the end, the way you treat your body (on vacation or at home) is up to you! Yes, holidays can mean a bit more indulgence and a bit less discipline- but they don’t need to mean a jump off the deep end. Next time you travel, read this post before you hop on the plane! I promise you’ll feel better when you get home, AND your vacation will be just as wonderful!