Whether you are traveling to sunny beaches or to a cozy mountain retreat, you definitely can have a healthier vacation this winter! Who doesn’t love to travel, experience new things, and take a break every once in awhile??
Winter vacations are an important part of your stress reduction and self-care routine! Plus, they can be an amazing opportunity to reconnect with your loved ones and with yourself.
There is one little downside though—vacation can take a big toll on your waistline if you aren’t careful. Even if you aren’t overly concerned with weight gain, taking a week away from your normal routines can set back whatever health goals you do have pretty substantially. It doesn’t have to be that way though!
When I travel with my family, I have a handful of key rules that I like to keep in mind to enjoy a healthier vacation. Are these rules hard and fast? Nope! They’re super flexible. But the closer you can stick to them, the more likely you are to enjoy your vacation without completely blowing all your hard-earned progress towards your health and nutrition goals.
If you’re ready to take a load off without packing the extra pounds on, follow my 3 steps to a healthier vacation.
1. Keep Moving
Do you have a tendency to skip your workouts when you’re on vacation? I can’t really blame you—no one wants to spend precious vacation time in a gym! But have you ever stopped to think about all the ways you can be active and have a great time while you’re traveling?
In my family, our vacation workouts look like beach volleyball, group hikes, skiing or just playing in the snow! We love choosing leisure activities that help us enjoy the area we’re visiting while still staying active. Your specific activities will vary depending on your vacation destination, but here are just a few easy swaps you can make to maximize your movement without missing out on any fun:
- When it comes to your recharge time, choose a physical activity like a walk on the beach or an outdoor yoga class.
- Swap a hop-on-hop-off tour of your city for a walking tour.
- Instead of piling into your rental car, ride your bike to a local cafe for lunch.
- Forego lounging in the sand (sunbathing is bad for your skin anyway!) for splashing and swimming in the waves.
- Visiting an interesting site like a lighthouse, a fort, or the Eiffel Tower? Climb all the way to the top for an unforgettable view and a great workout!
- And because we’re talking about winter vacations, opt for skiing or snowboarding over snow mobile riding!
You don’t necessarily have to get in a full-blown workout every day of your trip, but the more you can keep moving, the better you’ll feel during and after your trip! After all, you’re way less likely to feel guilty about enjoying an ice cream come if you walked or rode your bike from your condo to the ice cream shop. Or that hot toddy and s’more’s if you spent the day on the slopes.
2. Treat Yourself . . . Within Reason
On the subject of ice cream, far be it from me to tell you not to enjoy dessert, fruity cocktails, or an apres ski hot chocolate on your vacation! I’m all about trying delicious food in new places. But, if you can rein in your cravings and stick close-ish to your regular nutritional plan, you’ll be way better off for it in the long run.
When I’m vacationing, I try to plan ahead for meals when I know I’m going to want a treat and eat really well before that. For example, if I know I’m looking forward to having a margarita (or two) with my dinner by the water, I might eat a balanced breakfast of egg whites and veggies, a salad with lean protein for lunch, and then a balanced dinner with my sugary drinks. It’s not 100% perfect, but having just that one treat as a opposed to a whole day (or even whole week) of treats makes it easier to get back on track the next morning.
Likewise, for a healthier vacation I like to try to choose the healthiest option that still sounds tasty whenever possible. Seaside vacation locales are especially great for this! And the sunshine break during mid-winter is great for your emotional health too! Lean, flavorful, fresh seafood with a veggie side makes for a super satisfying AND super healthy vacation meal. If you’re planning to have dessert, maybe drink red wine with your dinner instead of a pina colada. Small choices like these can be the difference between picking up where you left off when you get home versus wrestling with bloat, guilt, and too-snug jeans when it’s time to depart.
3. Ditch the Guilt and Have Fun
Which brings me to our last vacation rule . . . If all else fails, remember what vacations are for and release yourself from the pressure of being perfect.
Yes, in an ideal world, you’d have no problem sticking to your nutrition and fitness routine no matter what was going on in your life. But sometimes, we (intentionally or unintentionally) go off track. If that happens, it’s okay. Let go of the guilt, relish the wonderful memories you made on your trip, and commit to jumping right back into your routine when you get home.
In my Health & Nutrition Coaching Business, I sometimes tell my clients that if they feel like they really overdid it on vacation, they always have the option of revisiting the DETOX phase of our nutrition plan. While our DETOX phase definitely isn’t intended to be a forever thing, it can be a fantastic way to clean out your system, boost your metabolism, and hit that reset button after you’ve had a prolonged break from your balanced nutritional routine.
For more information about the science-based system I teach my clients and how you can incorporate our strategies in your own life, reach out to me at dawn@dawnmcgee.guru!
On that note, I hope that wherever you’re vacationing this winter, you have an amazing time! If you have any questions about my three strategies for a healthier vacation, be sure to leave them in the comments section! Until next time, my wish for you is that you live a life you love without feeling hungry, depriving yourself, or giving up your glass of wine with dinner. Cheers.
If you’re looking for additional support or accountability, I would like to personally invite you to join my free Facebook Group, Never Diet Again.
To Your Health!
Dawn
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
WEBSITE FACEBOOK INSTAGRAM TWITTER
Are you feeling sore and want to reduce the sources of your inflammation?
Or maybe you are tired of always feeling like your clothes are too tight when really it’s just the fact that you are bloated.
Registered Nutrition Coach, Dawn McGee has put together a simple and straightforward, 7 Day Detox Guide that will not only reduce inflammation and bloat but also prep your body if you are wanting to continue releasing stored fat.
Click the button below and we will send you your free workbook for your 7 Day Detox.
