If you’re getting ready for your winter vacation, you’ll want to have a plan in place to help you stay on top of your health goals. While it’s okay to let loose and enjoy yourself, it would be unfortunate if a vacation completely derailed you. There are many ways to help yourself before you go, when you’re away, and when you get home. Use these tips to help you stay committed to your health goals when you travel.
Going on vacation might be a once in a lifetime experience. You don’t want to ruin it by being terrified that you’ll gain weight or that you won’t be able to stay in your normal routine. The truth is, you probably will gain at least a few pounds, and you won’t have the exact routine you do at home. But that’s okay. With a few simple tips you can still stay committed while also being free to enjoy your time away.
The hard part of making healthy choices is not knowing what kinds of food will be available to you when you arrive at your destination. Once you get there, alternate how you’ll eat at each meal. If you ate a nourishing breakfast, it’s fine to splurge at lunch or dinner. Or if you overdid it on pastries this morning, it would probably be best to enjoy a steak with a salad versus the loaded baked potato. By alternating your meals and making healthier choices at some of them, it won’t feel like you are depriving yourself, it’ll be easier to get back into your routine at home, and your body will feel better on your trip.
Who doesn’t want to lay on a beach and have a drink with a little umbrella in it? The truth is, it’s okay to enjoy these delicious drinks as treats on your trip. While drinking one a day probably won’t be a big issue, drinking several just might. These empty calories can really add up and the alcohol can lead to some dehydration and other issues. So, enjoy a drink if you want, but be careful not to overdo it.
It’s easy to not want to drink much when you’re strolling through the streets of Europe. Where will you go to the bathroom? What happens if there is not a public loo nearby? This mindset can keep you from drinking enough water. In most major towns and cities, there is usually a bathroom within a block or two. And it’s not difficult to carry a small water bottle with you that you can fill up throughout the day. You’ll stay on top of those health goals even better if you drink plenty of water.
Online programs are fantastic for travelers. As long as you get an internet connection you can hop on any number of websites to complete a workout no matter where you are in the world. The variety of workout styles is staggering, too — you can find everything from sexy fitness instructors to bootcamp style workouts. This means that even if your travels take you to Bali or to Paris, you can fit in a quick workout each day. By working out, you’ll feel like you are staying committed to your goals without sacrificing the fun you want to have on your vacation.
It might be tempting to just sit at the beach all day and eat and drink. But walking around is powerful for your health goals. Whether you take leisurely strolls to enjoy the local sites, or you find intense trails to hike down, walking has many benefits. For those of you already getting 20,000 steps a day from touring cities and hopping off and on subway trains, you probably don’t need much more than that.
So, you put your entire health plans on hold for a week or two, who cares? Get back home and get right back into your routine. Don’t put off starting your workouts or eating better. Just do it. The best thing you could do is to wait a week to really look at the scale. Sometimes the jump in your weight can feel overwhelming and discouraging. By focusing back on the healthy habits, the weight will melt off and you’ll be back to working toward your goals in no time at all.