This post is going to be a bit more casual than my other posts. I wanted to share with you my experience on vacation and how I try to stay healthy. I know it sounds boring, and vacations are supposed to be “fun” and “relaxing” and “calories don’t count when you’re on vacation”. HOWEVER, do you find yourself miserable because you ate or drank so much and as a result you can’t fully enjoy yourself? I certainly have.

Don’t get me wrong, I like to let loose and I am definitely more relaxed with my diet while on vacation. BUT. I do certain things to make sure that I don’t go completely wacko with my eating and physical activity.

My family just recently went on a vacation to California and it was super fun!! I have a video on YouTube that documented most of it if you want to check that out. In this post, I wanted to specifically share with you what I am thinking while on vacation and tips to continue a healthy lifestyle.

TRAVELING

If you have been following me for a while, you have seen my blog post and video about how to travel healthy. Check it out for more in depth tips and foods to bring with you while traveling. For this trip specifically, I focused on snacks for the plane ride. My go-to snacks are Lara Bars and Rx Bars. These are THE BEST for travel because of their small packaging and absolutely no added crap (just try to avoid the chocolate varieties in Lara Bars—aka added sugar.)

While in the airport and on the plane, the first thing I make sure to do is stay hydrated. DRINK DRINK DRINK WATER. Drink plenty of fluids. This will help the, uh, for lack of a better word, bowel movement. A lot of people struggle with constipation while traveling, and this well help immensely. Start the entire week before you travel chugging all the water.

MEALS

When we are actually at our destination I do everything I can to eat healthy when I can, while knowing that I won’t be able to do exactly what I want and have grace for myself when I don’t. When you go on vacation, try to stay in a place with a refrigerator and a kitchen. Use Airbnb or VRBO. Most of the time, it is the same price or cheaper than a hotel and you have much more space to relax (and a place to cook your own food!).

Breakfast and lunch is when I try to stick to my normal eating habits and stay Paleo based: Eggs, vegetables, salads, fruits, nuts, etc. Check out my video to see more specifically what I ate on vacation. The reason I do this is because dinner is more than likely going to be out with the family. Go to the grocery store when you get to your vacation spot and stock up for the week on fresh good quality foods. You won’t be perfect, but you can try to do what you can rather than just giving up and not eating healthy at all. Anything is better than nothing!

A typical breakfast on vacation is eggs and some sautéed veggies and maybe some bacon (I am dairy free because of migraines, so I can’t eat yogurt, but yogurt is a great option if you can!) A typical lunch for me is a big salad with a lot of veggies and some avocado and some type of protein (meat). The lettuce I use is usually some type of mixed greens with spinach and/or kale. The darker the green the better!  Dinner: well that is usually out at a restaurant. While I try to get a salad at places that have good quality lettuce and food, I can’t always get a salad that is worth my time. By that, I mean a lot of restaurants have iceberg lettuce with cheese on top and ranch dressing. In case you didn’t know, THIS IS NOT HEALTHY. I’d rather eat something else that isn’t as healthy but I get full.  Also, sometimes I just feel like eating what the family is eating so I do. You have to live your life and listen to your specific body and what it is telling you.

ACTIVITY

I try to get in a workout or some type of physical activity each day. This helps me sleep, makes me feel better, and keeps those bowel movements comin! The worst thing is to be constipated and uncomfortable while you are on vacation!!

It’s amazing at how fast your body loses it’s muscle mass and endurance. One week could throw all of your work out the window. Try to get at least a couple of days of workouts while on vacation. It doesn’t have to be in a gym, just move your body! Do some pushups, sit-ups, squats, sprints, go for a walk, whenever you can and wherever you can. You get the idea. Check out this article from Precision Nutrition for specific exercises to do while you are busy. Just get your body moving- doesn’t have to be a “workout”, just move YOUR BODY!!

HAVE FUN

The main thing is this: YOU ARE ON VACATION. Enjoy yourself and don’t stress about things. Do what you can when it comes to diet and exercise, but ultimately just enjoy yourself. Don’t go ham, but if you eat more junk food than you normally do, it’s okay. You will get back into your groove when you get back home.

NOTE: Just FYI- I am talking to people with no medical conditions, just generally healthy individuals. If you have an autoimmune disease, or a chronic illness, obviously your situation is different. You must stick to your diet regimen and your lifestyle in order for you body to function properly.

I hope this post encourages you to stay healthy on vacation while also knowing that you can have fun and let loose a little bit! I hope everyone enjoys their summer vacations! I will see you next week!