Spring is here and vacation time is just around the corner. If you’re planning a getaway soon, you may be worried about how to keep healthy and happy while enjoying your trip. The good news is that it’s now easier than ever to maintain a healthy lifestyle while still having a fun, stress-free vacation. Here are five great tips for ensuring that your next vacation is healthy and happy.
1. Choose and use a healthy hotel.
Lots of big name hotels have state-of-the-art gyms available for guests. Others partner with local gyms and offer free gym access during your stay. I once stayed at a hotel in New York where the concierge provided me with maps to two different running routes that started at the hotel’s front steps. My runs were scenic, fun and safe and I saw some great sites in the city.
If you aren’t lucky enough to stay at one of these types of hotels, plenty of websites offer simple workouts that can be done with little or no equipment, right in your hotel room. Just search on-line for “hotel room workouts” and you’ll find both descriptions and videos of exercises you can do anywhere. Recently, I was able to get a fantastic strength training workout in my hotel room during a family vacation in Dallas, Texas. Sure, my kids laughed at me and my husband was rolling his eyes, but I felt great afterward. And I didn’t feel the least bit guilty when I had an extra S’more out by the hotel fire pit at the end of the day.
2. Pack for fitness.
Always pack cute workout clothes. These can do double or even triple duty as clothes that you can exercise in, that you can tour in, and that you can even sleep in. If you’re worried about over-packing, bring along a small travel-sized detergent so you can hand-wash these clothes and get multiple wears out of them.
It’s also important to bring along the right footwear for your favorite fitness activity. Whether you’re hiking, biking, running, or walking, proper shoes keep you comfortable and injury-free. You may want to include a pedometer, for counting all those steps; a heart-rate monitor, for tracking calories burned; and a smart phone or other device preloaded with your favorite exercise tunes, for added motivation.
Finally, don’t forget your sun protection, even if you’re not headed to the beach. Walking around cities, hiking through hills, and strolling down boardwalks all involve being in the sun. So wear plenty of sunscreen and break out the floppy hats and over-sized sunglasses too. Why not channel Audrey Hepburn on your trip?
3. Get the workout done early.
Do an “intentional” workout first thing in the morning. This may be the best tip for keeping your vacation happy and healthy. If you plan on going to the gym or getting in a run, your best bet is to get it done as early as possible. I have gotten up at 5:00 a.m. while on vacation just to workout. While it may not sound all that relaxing, it means I don’t disrupt my family plans for the day. If I wait until the end of the day, my workout just doesn’t happen. I’m too wiped out to lift weights, do bodyweight exercises or run a few miles.
An early workout also means I get some well-deserved “me” time. On a recent trip to Washington, D.C., my early morning runs helped me to avoid crowds and traffic. I also got some amazing photos of the monuments without having to fight other vacationers for the views.
4. Plan to eat healthy.
To go along with that early morning workout, eat a healthy breakfast. It’s hard to avoid junk food and convenience items when you’re traveling. But a great meal to start the day is usually simple and can be pretty economical. For example, you can pack single serve peanut butter packs to use as a post-workout protein supplement.
And don’t forget: hydration, hydration and more hydration. Summer-time vacations often involve hot and humid climates. Throw in long days outdoors, walking or hiking, and it’s easy to forget about keeping up your intake of fluids. Dehydration can increase your feelings of hunger, and being hungry in a strange town with strange food is a recipe (pardon the pun) for poor food choices. Drinking plenty of water can help you avoid bingeing on junk food or sugar-filled beverages.
Also, don’t feel guilty about having a crazy, splurge meal while you’re on vacation. You’re on vacation after all, so live it up occasionally.
5. Vacation around your fitness and happiness!
Finally, my favorite healthy vacationing tip: go on a healthy vacation! Pick a destination and then search for a fun fitness activity to do while you’re there. Spas trips, bike tours, hiking journeys – these all qualify as vacations that are healthy AND happy. Heck, you can even plan vacations around running marathons. I’ve run a marathon in Disney World, biked in Napa to celebrate my anniversary, and enjoyed a running tour of Washington, D.C. during a family vacation. And spa trips! A weekend getaway with your girlfriends or significant other at a spa can include more than just lounging by the pool and getting a massage. My recent girls’ weekend to an Austin, Texas spa included horseback riding, yoga, nature hikes, healthy cooking classes and even an hour long foam-rolling class.
So there you have it. Go on vacation, have fun and use a few (or all of these tips) to maintain a healthy lifestyle while you do it!
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