Most people go on vacation and come back 5lbs heavier…if not MORE! They think it’s too hard to eat healthy on vacation so they just eat WHATEVER they want…then feel the need to do a hard core detox when they get home, or settle for being 5lbs heavier every time they go. What I want you to know, is that this is SO NOT NECESSARY!! There are several strategies that I use to make sure I’m eating healthy while I’m on vacation. Does that mean I’m not going to enjoy myself and have a cocktail (or two)? Heck no…I might even eat some dessert while I’m at it. But I won’t go crazy and I won’t come back heavier because of it. Here are my 5 tips for a healthier vacation!
1. Pack snacks! Traveling makes me HUNGRY! If you don’t have snacks with you, you’ll end up eating some kind of fast food crap while you’re on the road or at the airport. Apples, oranges, nuts, protein bars, etc. I’ve been known to make myself a sandwich and bring that too…depending on how long I’ll be traveling for. You’ll eat healthier and you’ll save money since most food at the airport is crazy expensive anyways.
2. Pack workout gear! Yes! I want you to workout while you’re on vacation! Exercise is a habit…it’s a habit that is easily broken. If you stop working out for 7 days…it’s going to be hard to get back into your routine when you get back home. Also, you’ll be able to burn some extra calories so that dessert or cocktail that you want won’t do as much damage.
3. Go grocery shopping when you get to your destination. If you can score a room with kitchen, that’ll be best. You’ll save a crazy amount of money on eating out while you’re there, plus you’ll have more control over what goes into your food. If you can’t get a kitchen, ask for a mini fridge. Often times hotels will give these to you complementary, or for a small fee. You’ll still be saving money since you won’t be eating at restaurants the whole time!
4. Do your research. I ALWAYS look at a menu online before I go to a restaurant. I want to make sure that they’ll have food that I want to eat and that is healthy. Knowledge is power!
5. Stay active! Sure, you can have a day or two lounging in the sun drinking cocktails (not too many!!) but try to find activities that will get you moving…go for a walk or a hike and explore your destination, rent bikes, play sand volleyball…there are plenty of things that you can do to keep your body moving.
Remember…this is a LIFESTYLE…it is not an all or nothing diet. You need to be able to incorporate your healthy behaviors while you’re on vacation so you don’t completely lose sight of your goals!
Thanks for the post Rachel. Eating healthy while traveling has always been a challenge for me.