You’re doing it. You’re eating well, watching your portions, working out on a regular schedule, and you feel great. Then you go on your long-awaited summer beach vacation and…well…you know the rest.
While we should all let loose a little on our time off, there’s no need to fall completely off the wagon, reversing our hard-earned progress. The key to staying on-track while on vacation? A little advance planning, and a whole lot of balance. Here are some tips that work for me:
1. Stay in a fitness-friendly location. We usually try to find a resort or rental house with runner-friendly roads or scenic paths. It makes it so much easier to get up and out the door for my morning runs. Do I run as frequently or as long as when I’m home? Usually not, but sometimes I have. New sights and sounds can invigorate and breathe fresh air into workouts. Also a bonus–If there’s a fitness center nearby, I can throw in a couple of short strength-training sessions.
2. Work out early in the morning. I do it before the rest of my family even wakes up. A couple of mornings I always sleep in, and I’m glad I do, or I become a sleep-deprived grumpy momzilla by the end of the day. But having some early-morning workouts allow me get it done and out of the way first-thing, and to run before the heat gets too unbearable. I’m finished in time to make breakfast for the kids.
3. Pack your own food. With a full kitchen at our rental home, we eat breakfast there, pack a cooler for lunch at the beach, and barbecue fresh seafood for our dinners. Having meals planned avoids spontaneous stops for junk food and keeps me full all day. When we do eat out, I try to be good but allow myself one “cheat” food/drink per meal.
4. Plan workouts ahead of time. I lay out running clothes, ipod, water bottle, gels, everything–the night before so I have no excuses the next morning. Also, I make a mental note ahead of time of what I want to accomplish during each workout so that I remained focused.
5. Come equipped. I bring a band and floor gliders, just in case. These are travel-friendly
because they pack easily, are versatile and weigh almost nothing. I usually use them at least once, doing an on-the-fly 30-minute circuit-type workout that includes multi-joint strength training, plyometrics and cardio drills.
During my vacations I’m usually able to fit some good workouts in and not stray too far from my normal diet. But I also don’t stress about having a drink or two…or indulging in fresh, local seasonal meals. I don’t aim to break any new fitness barriers during my vacations, just to maintain and enjoy my time off. Happy Summer!
I hereby commit to posting extremely brief tidbits of useful wisdom, termed “Trainers Tips,” on a regular basis. You may ponder, ignore, or do as you wish with them as you go about your day.
Info about what? Well…fitness. Exercise tips, motivational tips, nutrition tips, health and well-being tips. Maybe mind-blowing, maybe obvious but perhaps overlooked. Tips to help you in your quest to become the happiest, healthiest you ever, one day at a time.
You must be logged in to post a comment.