Cruise ships. Road trips.
Swimming. Fishing.
Lot’s of food (and good company, too).
Nothing beats summer vacation!
Summer vacation—a chance to unwind and escape the stresses of the world!
But for the health-conscious man or woman, vacation can be scary—especially after making lots of progress in the gym. I mean, what do you think will happen to someone’s diet when they’re around unhealthy food 24/7?
That’s IF you don’t have the tools to fight those vacation temptations…
Don’t fret. We’ve got all the tools you’ll need (and more) to keep your fitness goals in sight, even when you’re out of town. Check out our secrets to a guilt-free vacation—because vacation dieting isn’t THAT scary when you leave prepared!
Find a Time to Work Out
Believe it or not, working out on vacation is a lot easier than you think. You just have to be disciplined!
When you plan your vacation, one of the first steps you should take is to schedule a time each day for working out.
I bet you can find some gaps in your vacation days to squeeze in a few quick workouts. Maybe that means waking up a little earlier, maybe that means doing it right before bed, who knows?
I can hear some of you now asking, “Why do I need to schedule my workouts while I’m on vacation?”
Well for one, planning out your workout times is always a good thing, even when you’re not on vacation.
But vacation is when you let you let your guard down the most. You tour and do stuff, then you get tired and feel like not working out. Structure can solve this!
Another awesome tip: try to incorporate exercise into the things you do on vacation! For example, pick a tour with lots of uphill walking for a great calorie burn.
Healthy Snacks Are the Key!
Vacations are all about getting out and doing as much as you can. So what does that mean for your vacation diet?
It means it’s easy to forget to eat throughout the day. To compensate, you might eat rea
lly large meals for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even dessert…
Science shows that eating smaller portions more frequently throughout the day is the key to losing weight and engaging your metabolism. Healthy snacking will also make you more full for your meals, which means you’ll eat less for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
That’s what healthy snacking can do for you!
Bring some trail mix or fruit with you to fuel your trip to the nearby mountains. Also, pack plenty of water—you’ll need to stay hydrated in the summer heat!
Decide on Reasonable Limits
Vacation IS a time to let loose, have fun, and enjoy some time away from the craziness of life.
Issues arise when you go too far off the deep end. That’s what human nature does: once you give it a taste of freedom, it suddenly craves all of it at once.
Your vacation diet will be fine as long as you have a few limits for yourself. How should you go about this?
One way you can instantly cut down on vacation is to set a time to not eat past. Eating late goes a long way in adding fat—fat that you probably won’t burn off right before bed. Once you cut off your eating, be sure to drink plenty of water to keep your stomach satisfied (until the morning, that is).
Another limit that will keep you on the path to fitness is cutting down on alcohol and soda. I know…that can be hard for some…
When you limit yourself to, say, two drinks a day on vacation, you’re minimizing your sugar and carb intake. That will go a long way in maintaining your figure while you have a good time.
Alternate Healthy Meals
If you really find it difficult to work out or establish limits to your diet while on vacation, you can always choose to curtail your “cheat” meals.
Because let’s be real: nearly every meal on vacation is a “cheat” meal.
Try alternating your healthy meals! Have a nice, healthy breakfast to get your day started off right. Follow that up with a cheat meal for lunch, then do something healthier for dinner. You can even finish the day off with a dessert—just don’t go too overboard!
Here are a few more tips that will keep you in shape on your vacay…
- Get as much sleep as your trip allows. Keep your sleeping times as close to your normal routine as possible. You’ll give your body less time to eat and more time to rest, not to mention you’ll be giving your brain a nice break, too.
- Try new foods! If you’re in a totally new environment, look for some fresh, non-processed foods to add to your diet—you’ll stay healthy and won’t get bored!
- Vary your macronutrient intake. This is a good tip for health in general, but it help you keep a balanced diet on vacation! For instance, try having a lunch heavy in protein, then switch it up and have a dinner of carbs (not too many!).
- If you’re staying in a hotel, try taking the stairs instead of using the elevator!
- Chew gum! It’s not only low calorie—it occupies your mouth, and you’ll feel less inclined to eat as a result. Try to stick with sugar-free options.
- Don’t be afraid of the heat! Whether it’s your latest adventure or your morning workout, you’ll probably sweat more, which will lead you to lose a few extra calories. Just make sure you stay hydrated along the way!
- If you travel in the U.S., stop by a Fit Body! This isn’t just a shameless plug, either. As a Fit Body member, all you have to do is tell us what location you want to visit ahead of time, and we can set something up for you! Of course, you’ll get the same access to our signature fat-burning workouts so you can keep up your normal fitness routine!
- Go with friends who can keep you accountable. If they care about you reaching your goals, they can keep you from overindulging and losing all your fitness progress. Hey, if they’re working towards the same goals as you, that’s even better!
