Stay Healthy On Vacation Without Sacrificing Fun: 5 Tips From Your Nutrition Evangelist: Planning a fun getaway during the summer of 2022 (or later this year)? For many of us, this is the first opportunity to experience a real, minimally restricted vacation since before the pandemic. Borders have opened up around the world, masks are optional in many places, and tourism is once again in full swing.
If it has been awhile since you’ve taken a “normal” vacation, managing this change to your routine can feel a bit out-of-the-ordinary. If you are experiencing what the media has peculiarly termed “vacation revenge” (a strong urge to travel and see the world), you are probably in a “living life to the fullest” mindset. While this is a healthy and positive mindset to have, especially after everything we’ve collectively endured since 2020, this can also be a quick path to derailing your health goals.
Stuck in the cycle of busy hoping that one day there will be time for your and what you want?
You are not alone. PEACEFUL LIVING COACHING is here to support you!
Don’t get me wrong, vacations are absolutely a time for enjoyment and treating yourself! Depriving yourself while away from home isn’t helpful for your physical, mental, or emotional well-being. Life is meant to be experienced to the fullest, and trips often provide the perfect opportunity for this.
Want to know how I make the most of my vacations — without sacrificing my happiness or health? Check out five tips that I live by as a certified and licensed nutrition coach.
Balance and moderation are your best friends
No one likes to return home from vacation feeling bloated, exhausted, and plagued by icky physical symptoms (e.g. heartburn, headaches, stomach aches). Overindulging in your favorite treats every single day with wild abandon will guarantee that you will feel less than your best upon returning home. Worse yet, you could even start feeling ill before your travels have wrapped up!
Overall, today’s culture seems to be fond of pushing the boundaries of common sense. Resist the urge to have your health habits tip too far to one side or the other. Rather, the keys to feeling good while enjoying every moment of your trip are balance and moderation.
Taking a middle of the road approach while on vacation can help you stick to your long-term health goals while allowing you to fully enjoy yourself. You don’t have to pick either health or fun! These ideas are not mutually exclusive, and do not contradict one another. Instead, they can be achieved simultaneously when you avoid overindulging and extreme habits.
Plan your celebrations and treats
One of my favorite strategies for allowing myself to fully unwind on vacation is to plan my celebrations and treats in advance. Think of this as giving yourself “permission” within reason to eat and drink any way you want.
For example, if you’ll be on a five-day cruise, check out the dining options both on the ship and at the ports of call. Decide which choices look best to you, and settle on specific meals or days that you won’t worry about your normal plan. On the days you’ve not planned special treats, you can choose healthier menu items to balance out your diet. Everything comes back to moderation when staying healthy on vacation!
Build activity into your vacation
Overwhelmed by the idea of hitting the fitness center at your resort? If the idea of spending time each day on the treadmill or exercise bike makes you feel like you are sacrificing your vacation away, don’t do it!
A better strategy is to build activity into each day of your vacation. Why? When you are genuinely having fun while getting in a workout, you won’t feel deprived or like you are missing out in any way.
What are some ways that you can build activity into your upcoming trip? While exact activities vary depending on where you’re traveling, some common ideas include taking scenic or guided walks, going on a hike, bike riding, playing your favorite sports (e.g. golf, beach volleyball), and going swimming at the resort pool. If you are staying somewhere that is known for its outdoor recreation, be adventurous and try something brand new. Consider fun and high intensity activities such as surfing, kayaking, stand up paddle boarding, or whitewater rafting.
When I’m in a new city, I love to take a walking tour so I can explore and see the sites. And if I can combine that with a good tour, all the better!
Show yourself some love!
You know what they say about the best-laid plans. On vacation, it is incredibly easy to eat and drink to excess. You may also find yourself canceling a day of physical activity in favor of a lazy day spent poolside (tropical drink in hand, of course!).
In the event you stray from your plans to stay healthy on vacation, what should you do? Show yourself love and compassion! Sitting in guilt and shame has never helped anyone live a healthier life. In fact, the stress of these negative emotions can actually make your health worse!
Do you typically have trouble being kind to yourself? Think of what you’d say to a dear friend or family member if they were in your situation. Use that same kindness and compassion toward yourself, and focus on making your next choice a healthy one.
Ease back into your daily routine
Abruptly shifting from your vacation routine to your normal routine can lead you to feel stressed, sad, and anxious. Although you may be itching to get back to the gym, healthier eating, and a 9pm bedtime, take the first week back from vacation a bit easier than normal. Easing back into your daily routine will make the adjustment far more pleasant and doable. You’ll be more likely to stick with the positive health habits you had pre-vacation, which sets you up for long-term success. And isn’t that what we all really want? A life we love, feeling healthy and not feeling deprived.
DAWN MCGEE
Dawn McGee is a certified and licensed Nutrition Evangelist and a long-time foodie, she focuses on both the health and joy of food as fuel for your body. She is a driving force in bringing education on healthy eating to more people through her community, my “Reclaim Your Life, One Bite at a Time” programs, and my book “365 Days of Healthy Living”. Her hope for you is that you live a life you love, without being hungry, feeling deprived, or giving up your glass
