Do you think that going on vacation is going to wreck the progress you’ve made in your healthy lifestyle?
It doesn’t have to!
Read on for 10 easy steps to help you enjoy your time away without guilt and to Stay Healthy on Vacation!
There are so many things to decide when going on vacation.
Once you’ve chosen your destination and decided when you’ll go and how you’ll get there,
The next step is to decide how you will keep from gaining the weight that so many do when heading away from home.
An important thing to consider is whether you want to lose weight, maintain your current weight, or minimize your gain.
This takes some pressure off right from the start and makes it easier to stay healthy on vacation, whichever one you chose.
Here are 10 Easy Tips to Help You
Stay Healthy on Vacation
- Plan Ahead
- Don’t eat out for every meal.
- Choose restaurants wisely.
- Stick to portion sizes.
- Pack healthy snacks.
- Stay Active.
- Don’t drink your calories.
- Stay hydrated.
- Get plenty of sleep.
- Take care of your spiritual health.
Tip 1 to Stay Healthy on Vacation
1. Plan ahead
Wherever go on vacation, have a game plan.
Heading to a big city?
Research restaurants that offer healthy, yet delicious entrees and plan on plenty of walking (do they have a gym?)
Resort vacation?
Pick one with healthy options and plan how you’ll minimize trips to the swim up bar!
Country outing?
See the sites by bicycle (or horseback).
Find out where the local farmers’ markets are located and enjoy fresh delicious produce while supporting local businesses.
Traveling out of the country?
Find out the food and water do’s and dont’s before going.
You don’t want a slip up that will have you in the bathroom for most of your trip!
Staying at a friends house?
Go grocery shopping for your host.
Pick up plenty of healthy snacks to share and offer to cook a few meals while you’re there.
Your host will appreciate the help and you’ll get to share some of your healthy recipes.
Tip 2 to Stay Healthy on Vacation
2. Don’t eat every meal out (if possible).
Most hotels now offer kitchenettes where you can prepare simple meals.
A yogurt cup or oatmeal packet (watch sugar content on both) and some fruit from the continental breakfast bar can save you calories for a decadent meal later in the day.
Some hotels even have boiled or scrambled eggs on their breakfast bar. They are a great source of protein to keep you full longer and can help in your goal to stay healthy on vacation.
But pass up the sugar laden, excessive carb options, like waffles and syrup, sugary cereal, toast with butter and jelly. These are all things we can enjoy in moderation at home.
I personally would rather eat a healthy low cal breakfast and then enjoy a glass of wine or small dessert after a delicious dinner.
On the other hand if breakfast is your thing, then by all means go to a great restaurant for a decadent breakfast, then go easy on lunch and dinner.
Tip 3 to Stay Healthy on Vacation.
3. When you do go out to eat, choose the restaurant wisely.
Preview menus before you go to make sure it’s what you want (let’s face it, we do want to enjoy our food, and sometimes we just want what we want!).
Whether it’s to be as healthy as possible or to splurge on your favorites, the choice is yours.
In either case, knowing what you’re going to order ahead of time and then sticking with it can help you stay healthy on vacation.
Tip 4 to Stay Healthy on Vacation.
4. Stick to portion sizes.
No matter where you go, most restaurants serve bigger portions than are recommended for good health.
You can get half of your dinner bagged up to go or share with your dining companion.
Or if you must, you can even leave half of it on your plate…
Most of us cringe at that last one, I know I do. I was taught not to waste food, but I am learning that for my health, sometimes it’s necessary.
Eating too much is never a healthy practice.
Tip 5 to Stay Healthy on Vacation.
5. Pack healthy snacks.
If traveling by car this one is easy. Have a cooler handy with plenty of healthy options. Include veggies, fruits, nuts, yogurt, healthy trail mix, and plenty of water.
Traveling by plane, train or bus is a little more challenging. First, find out what your mode of transportation allows.
Then, if allowed, pack healthy bars, either protein or granola. Bags of nuts, seeds, or healthy trail mix are good ideas as well.
Fruits and veggies don’t travel as well without refrigeration, but if your trip is short they are a great option.
You can pack some dried fruit to satisfy a sweet tooth, just don’t overdo it. When dried they become smaller. That means they still have plenty of nutrients and a little more fiber but a lot more sugar by volume than fresh.
If your mode of transportation doesn’t allow you to carry on food, allot some of your vacation budget to purchase healthy options that they offer.
Remember that your health is a priority!
Tip 6 to Stay Healthy on Vacation.
6. Stay Active.
You don’t have to spend hours in the hotel gym to stay healthy on vacation.
But if it’s available get a quick workout in at least every other day.
If you’re not into gym workouts, choose other ways to get in some activity.
Take a walking tour, rent a bike and ride up the coast line, mountain trail or country road.
Go dancing after dinner, sign up for snorkeling at the resort, find a place to go horseback riding.
The important thing is to pick an activity that you enjoy and go for it!
Tip 7 to Stay Healthy on Vacation.
7. Don’t drink your calories.
Alcohol, smoothies and fruit juices all add lots of extra calories. So choose wisely.
If you do want to enjoy an after dinner cocktail, by all means, enjoy. Remember, moderation is the key.
Enjoy the destination and the company and drink slowly. If you have more than one, have a glass of water in between each alcoholic beverage.
Here is a list of common alcoholic drinks and their calories. These are estimates and can change depending on brands, juices, mixes, and sizes.
- Margarita- 200-500
- Pina Colada 200-400
- Mudslide 500-800+
- Craft Beer 170-350
- Regular Beer 150
- Lite Beer 100
- Wine 150-175
Just to keep it real, the average person needs between 1,600 and 2,200 calories a day. Keep this in mind when enjoying your libation!
Tip 8 to Stay Healthy on Vacation.
8. Stay Hydrated.
The International Sports Sciences Association Nutrition textbook says that if you feel thirsty, you are already in the beginning stages of dehydration.
Dehydration can make you dizzy, light headed, and tired.
So it is super important to stay hydrated on vacation.
Being on vacation offers special challenges to staying hydrated. Here are a few.
- Change of altitude or climate.
- More physical activity than normal.
- Change in diet.
- Less access to drinking water.
Here are a few ideas to stay hydrated on vacation.
- Avoid excessive physical activity during the hottest part of the day.
- Carry a reusable water bottle.
- Cut back on caffeine, alcohol, excess salt and sugar as they can dehydrate you.
- Eat fresh fruit. Fruits like pineapple, melon, and berries have a high water content and can help keep you hydrated.
Tip 9 to Stay Healthy on Vacation.
9. Maintain a Healthy Sleep Schedule.
Getting up as early as possible and staying up late may seem like a great idea to get the most out of your vacation.
But it will most likely backfire, by causing you to feel tired and sluggish, causing you to miss out on some of the fun!
Just being away from home can change your normal sleep habits due to:
- Time changes.
- Being more active during the day. (Trying to pack too much into one day.)
- Being out of your routine.
- Strange bed and pillows
Here are a few ideas to get enough sleep on vacation:
- Keep your sleep schedule as close to normal as possible. If you go to bed at home every night at 9:00 pm, it is unrealistic to think you can stay up until midnight without feeling it the next day.
- However, you can slowly adjust your sleep schedule for a week at home to be more conducive to your anticipated vacation schedule. (i.e. staying up a little later and then sleeping in a bit in the morning.)
- Limit alcohol. Drinking alcohol may make you go to sleep faster, but it shortens the REM sleep period and can cause you to wake up in the night and have trouble going back to sleep. (WebMD)
- Limit Caffeine. Yes, It can help you get up and going in the morning. But try to stick to one cup in the morning, as later in the day it can tend to affect your sleep.
- Get a little exercise. Getting your heart rate up during the day is a great way to get better sleep at night!
- Take your own pillow if possible. Something as simple as using your own pillow can make you feel more comfortable and get a better night’s sleep.
Tip 10 to Stay Healthy on Vacation.
10. Take Care of Your Spiritual Health.
Being on vacation may actually make you feel MORE spiritual than normal.
There is something about a change of scenery that makes us really appreciate God’s creation!
Majestic mountains, beautiful beaches, even the hustle and bustle of a city can make us very aware of God’s hand in all we do.
To help stay healthy on vacation take time each day to pray or meditate. It relaxes the mind and body and can help you enjoy your time away from home even more.
Plan some quiet time whenever it is convenient and just ‘be still.’ Our minds need rest just as much as our bodies do.
Take some time to reflect on your life and feel gratitude for the life you have and the blessing of getting away from it for a while.
Bring your Bible study along and get a little reading in while you relax for the night.
If you are gone over a weekend, find a local church to attend. Services are usually only an hour and could be a blessing to you, not to mention that as a guest at a church, you may be a blessing to someone there.
If you are staying at a resort ask about worship services offered on-site.
Some Final Thoughts
Don’t step on the scale the minute you get home. Wait a few days until you are back into your normal healthy routine.
Vacation guilt can creep in and make you feel guilty if you see a gain on the scale.
Most likely, if you do have a gain, it is mostly water weight from traveling and not being in your own routine.
One last note about having a healthy vacation.
Don’t pack so much into your vacation that you are exhausted at the end of it.
Make sure that you have plenty of RELAXATION while on vacation.
After all, a vacation should be a break from your hectic life. And should leave you feeling refreshed and ready to jump back into your daily routine. You shouldn’t have to rest up from vacation!
