With the holidays here, you may be gearing up for a vacation with family or friends. But that doesn’t mean you should stop eating nutritiously or getting regular exercise! With some planning and preparation ahead of time, you can stay on track with your weight-loss goals and still enjoy your getaway. Before you get going, add these tips to your travel checklist.
Fuel up on a healthy meal before you leave
When you eat a wholesome meal before you start your trip, you’ll be less tempted to buy a bag of potato chips or a candy bar along the way. If you’re traveling in the morning, make sure you eat a nutritious, filling breakfast. If you’re leaving in the afternoon or evening, pack easy to take sandwiches with you on the plane before you go or in a small cooler for the car.
Traveling can play havoc with your meal plan and cause you to make impulsive food choices. To keep cravings for sugars and refined starches at bay, it’s important not to skip meals or snacks. Some healthy snacks that you can bring from home are individual hummus cups with celery sticks, bell peppers, and carrots, hard-boiled eggs, fat-free or low-fat yogurt with nuts, air popped popcorn, Vitatops, Quest or Kashi bars, fresh fruits, and lean reduced-sodium ham or turkey slices and reduced-fat cheese slices roll-ups.
Buy healthy ready-to-eat foods on the road.
If you don’t have time to prepare healthy snacks or meals before a car trip, look for assorted dry-roasted nut mixes, part-skim mozzarella cheese sticks, whole-wheat wraps made with lean chicken and turkey breast and reduced-fat cheese, canned fruit packed in natural juices, air-popped popcorn or turkey jerky. Be sure to store items that need refrigeration in a cooler in your car and later in the mini-fridge where you’re staying.
Make time to exercise
Whether you’re sightseeing, skiing, or cruising in the Caribbean, be sure to squeeze in a workout when you can. Many major hotel and motel chains now have gyms, while cruise lines offer workout rooms and a wide variety of classes. You can also exercise in your room (pack portable exercise bands or your own workout Beachbody DVDs).
Be choosy when dining out
When you’re on vacation, chances are you’ll be dining out often. Before you head out, do some research on nearby restaurants that offer the healthiest options. Be sure to read over the descriptions of the dishes that you are considering on the menu and don’t be afraid to ask the server how a dish is prepared. Ask to have salad dressings and sauces on the side; skip the bread basket; substitute steamed vegetables for white potatoes or white rice; opt for grilled, sautéed, or baked items over fried foods; and ask if the chef would be willing to prepare your meal without butter, using extra-virgin olive oil instead. Remember, everything in moderation! Be safe and have fun!
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