5 Easy Tips To Stay Healthy on Summer Vacations

Summer is one of my favorite times of the year.

I have been traveling for a month, now, to beat the Las Vegas heat and to visit all my family and friends in much cooler parts of the country.

 The only problem is…

I am eating at restaurants, trying fabulous desserts and my mama’s home cooking is so good.

This is a major problem.  I work so hard to get into shape all winter to look decent in my bathing suit and now all that hard work is ruined.  So, the time has come to be more careful on this vacation.  It was a challenge but I made it through nearly a month’s travels without too much guilt, and plenty of eating pleasure.

5 WAYS TO STAY HEALTHY ON SUMMER VACATION

1. FOOD

I started out being healthy on my vacation but things quickly went south.  The biscuits and gravy and eggs benedict were too hard to resist.

 Now, I’m not saying it is bad to eat what you want on vacation.  You have to enjoy your favorite restaurants.  Just remember, when you aren’t on the same eating and exercise schedule as you are at home, your body is thrown off and you need to have a balanced diet throughout the day.

 If you are going to eat a large breakfast, make sure you have a lighter dinner–such as salad or fruit.  You can even add a nice piece of grilled chicken or salmon. On the other hand, if you are going to eat a huge dinner, you might want to eat a lighter breakfast and lunch.

Avoid snacking on junk food by carrying a small bag of organic raw almonds in your purse.  Just a few almonds go a long way to satiating an appetite.  Almonds lower the risk of heart attack, help provide good brain function, and help build strong bones and teeth.

2. NO GYM, NO PROBLEM

This is my favorite thing to do on vacation.  Get up and get the entire family moving.  A lot of the time you can’t get to a gym when you are out of town.

Going to the nearest high school track is a great alternative to a gym.  Instead of a stairclimber you have the bleachers.  You can turn it into a game.  Race your husband or your children up and down and see who can go the longest.  It is hard work but fun.

Go for a walk or a run around the track.  All of the family walked or ran a mile this day.  Some people complained in the beginning but were smiling when we finished.

3. TAKE A WALK NOT A CAR

Instead of driving to the town, find the nearest walking path and enjoy the view.  I love vacation because there is no schedule.  Plan less so you aren’t stressed about being late.  Most cities have walking and biking trails for which they will have maps on their official website.

It’s not that hard to talk your kids into walking.  They would much rather be outside then in a car.

4. TAKE THE STAIRS INSTEAD OF THE ELEVATOR 

My sister and I get exercise by running up and down the stairs whenever we stay at hotels.  We get strange looks but that doesn’t stop us.

Teach your children to take the stairs (when possible) instead of the elevator.  We make this a game too.  A few of us run up the stairs while the others take the elevator.  Most of the time the winner is whoever takes the stairs.

It’s quicker and healthier.

5. KEEP YOUR FAMILY MOVING

Sometimes I like to relax a little too much on vacation.  I have noticed when I get comfortable so does my family.  The t.v. is left on and the computer games come out.  This isn’t a bad thing but remember vacation time is the time that we can grow closer to one and other.

My husband is the best example to me.  He is the first to get a whiffle ball game going,  take the kids on a bike ride, or sneak in some frozen yogurt for dessert.

I know it is so fun to go on vacation and let yourself go.  But I hope you will remember these 5 simple tips to stay healthy on your next vacation.

How do you and your family stay healthy on vacation?