5 Healthy Travel Ideas to Take on Your Next Trip
Registered Dietician
| 3 min read
“Summertime and the living is easy.” I love that song and on top of that, I love vacationing. As a registered dietitian and health and wellness coach, one of the biggest problems I see with vacations is that people think a vacation is a time for overeating and being lazy.
Remember: vacations are not a trip away from your healthy lifestyle.
Let me reiterate: vacations are NOT a vacation from your healthy habits. It is an opportunity to enjoy your time away and have a mental vacation from the ins and outs of your usual schedule, while still being active and enjoying nutritious foods.
Healthy Dining
When planning a vacation, be mindful about where and what you are going to eat.
- Go online and look at the restaurants and the foods they have to offer, so you can make healthier choices
- Check to see if your hotel has a refrigerator, microwave and/or a grocery store close by. This way you can be sure to have some healthy snacks on hand.
- While on vacation, time is your friend, so at least time your meals regularly throughout the day. Have breakfast within 2 hours from when you wake up and then eat every 3-4 hours. If you know that it will be a busy afternoon, be sure to take a healthy snack.
- If driving, pack a cooler of healthy food or snack options to avoid stopping for fast food. Check out some of these cooler friendly recipes.
- Don’t forget about fruits and vegetables. When people vacation these two food groups are usually the first to be left out.
Always Time for Activity
One of the things I love about vacation is having the time to exercise without work or the usual daily grind. So, don’t forget to do it. Remember, you can always make it a family affair when you do something active. Schedule it into your vacation days, for example, I just went to Denver to visit my sister and we planned something active for each day. Whether it was yoga class, dance class, tennis, or hiking, the activity made us feel good and have more energy to enjoy each other’s company. Also, don’t forget:
- Bring a pair of tennis shoes. One of the easiest things you can do is go for a walk or a run.
- Play with the kids whether it be swimming or sports, there is great bonding and family time when doing something active.
- Do a quick hotel room workout. Try push-ups, sit-ups, jumping jacks, burpees, lunges, squats, or Turkish get ups.
I hope this gave you some insight on how to view your vacations in a healthier way. Have you ever gone on a fitness vacation before? What did you think? What did you like about it? What are some of your favorite healthy vacation tips? Here’s to happy, healthy, and fun vacationing.
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Photo credit: 6okean
