The countdown is on for your vacation. You’ve been eating well, exercising regularly and generally living a healthy lifestyle and it’s time to show off your improving body. You deserve a rest from work, to escape chores and indulge in relaxation. But do you really need to take a vacation from your healthy lifestyle or is it possible to stay on track for your health, fitness, weight loss and body transformation goals?
Here are 10 easy ways to have a (somewhat) healthy vacation:
1. See the sights, don’t eat them!
Being on vacation seems to play tricks on all your senses. The alluring aroma of food as you tour the streets seems to make you hungrier than ever before. Then you see the patisserie window filled with baked delights and your tummy rumbles, despite already being stuffed with lunch. It’s so hard to resist and the thought “Well, I am on holiday” seems to justify every food decision. But stop and actually listen to your body to see if you’re really hungry or just being tricked by the sights and smells.
2. Drink water!
Take a funky reusable water bottle on vacation with you. Not only will you be helping the environment you’ll always have access to a calorie free drink! Often, we reach for food when it’s really our body calling for water. Keeping hydrated can make your skin glow and ensure you don’t overeat.
3. Portion police
One of the most important things to learn about nutrition is portion control. It seems that oversize luggage is not the only thing that creeps into our holiday regime. We tend to eat larger serves from restaurants than when at home. While you shouldn’t ever deprive yourself of an indulgence or treat, think about how much food your body really needs, especially if you’re only lying by the pool each day. Order the smaller or entre version of a meal or better still, split your meal with a friend or partner.
4. Be picky
If you’re eating out the whole time you’re on holiday then a healthy vacation becomes challenging, but there is no reason you can’t ask your waiter if there is a variation on the menu meals. For example, you can ask for grilled meat instead of fried. Get a side salad instead of fries or ask for the gravy on the side. It’s your holiday, make the most of being treated like the individual you are!
5. Fruity snacks
Don’t forget to sample some local produce. Being in a new destination can offer some amazing opportunities to snack on exotic fruits and vegetables. Fruit makes a great afternoon pick-me-up from a hard day of relaxing and the fibre content will keep your bowels regular.
6. Balance your energy
No one really wants to return from vacation heavier than when they left. At the same time, you don’t want to have to be as strict and regimented with your diet and exercise as when you’re at home. The answer is to find your balance. Weight loss (or gain) is all about the ratio of calories you take in, to calories you burn. So, you had an oversized gelato? Keep that in mind and take the stairs instead of the elevator in your hotel (even better if you’re on the 23rd floor!), have a fun game of beach volleyball or pick up the pace on your sightseeing walk…you get the idea. Balance the energy you take in with an appropriate amount of exercise to burn energy.
7. Explore before the city wakes
Often cities don’t come alive until well after sunrise. Take the opportunity to watch the sunrise by walking, running or cycling to a vantage point that will offer you the insta-perfect holiday snap. You’ll feel energized and ready to tackle a day of sightseeing or relaxing poolside.
8. Schedule some movement
You may not want to spend hours exercising while on vacation, or you may want to but can’t because of family and tour commitments. But you can always find 15 minutes for some structured movement. Got a chair or bench nearby? Check out the Active8me chair workout – no excuses now!
9. Take a holiday from your regular exercise
Why not try some alternate ways to work your muscles. It could be an extra workout from laughing so hard as you wobble on a stand-up paddle board or splash your friends as you kayak along a river. Casual yoga classes seem to exist in the most scenic spots imaginable or a bike tour of a city is an easy way to see a lot more than from a bus window. Moving your muscles in different ways can be just the thing you need to beat an exercise plateau.
10. Catch up on sleep
While technically you can’t catch up on years of lost sleep, you can certainly make an effort to get into a routine of getting more shut-eye while on holiday. Our bodies thrive on routine and crave rest in order to repair, recover and work more efficiently. Whether you may have an action-packed holiday or a more relaxing style getaway, you can still get sleep fit while on holiday by practicing a good bedtime routine!
Take a chill pill for a healthy vacation
Holidays are meant to be fun. A time to explore, be adventurous and revive your life. Sure, it is a time for indulgence too, but ‘too much’ of anything makes it hard to get back to making the right choices for the long term. Your healthy lifestyle shouldn’t be a chore that holds you back from enjoying your holiday or indulging occasionally. Keep the big picture in mind and make choices that mostly lead towards what you really want for your life. Not sure of the ‘right’ choices? Download the Active8me app today for access to nutritious meals, daily workouts and mindset lessen to help you reach your healthy lifestyle goals.
