10 Healthy Vacation Ideas

These 10 Healthy Vacation Ideas will keep you on track towards your health and fitness goal while having fun too!

Smack dab in the middle of my 12 week “Countdown to 30“ Adventure, my family went on a 9 day vacation to Montana. I am not going to lie, I was TERRIFIED! I had been diligent with Dr. Strand’s Program and was experiencing the positive results. My clothes were fitting me better, and I had already lost 7 ½ lbs. I have never traveled well, and I had my own doubts about whether or not this time would be any different.

But it WAS different.  I made a plan, and I stuck to it. My eating was spot on 95% of the time and I journaled everyday. I had a few slip ups, but overall I consider the trip to be a huge success. I am happy to report that I lost exactly 1lb while on vacation (that was a first for me!). I am living proof that you can go on vacation and keep it together!

Here are my 10 Healthy Vacation Ideas for staying on track while you are on vacation:

1. MAKE A PLAN: Whether you are going on a week long road trip, or flying overseas for a lengthy stay, it is important to plan ahead.   Know what kind of accommodations you will have, what your food options are, and what your biggest “health” obstacles are going to be. A little bit of foresight goes a long way!

2. PACK YOUR SNEAKERS: Sometimes the only exercise you can squeeze out of a vacation is a bit of walking. Make sure to save some room in your bag for your comfortable walking shoes. Then make it a priority to use them each and every day.

3. SPLURGE WISELY: It is always fun to try new things when you are away from home, but it is far too easy to overindulge.  If you know that you will be eating a large dinner, opt for a light salad for lunch. If you just can’t say not to the pasta, pass on dessert. 80% of the foods you eat should be healthy, and the other 20% should make you happy.

4. PREPARE FOR OPPOSITION:  Many people look at vacation as a “free pass” to eat whatever they want and lay around on their backside. If you happen to be traveling with this type of person, they will likely try to guilt you into joining them. Don’t fall for it!

5. KEEP JOURNALING: By continuing to keep your food journal (and count calories) on vacation, you are forcing yourself to pay attention to what you are putting in your mouth. You are setting yourself up for success, and even if your calorie count is a bit higher than it would be at home, I guarantee you are doing better than you would be if you weren’t journaling.

6. AVOID TEMPTATION: The trick to staying away from bad foods is to literally stay away from them. Don’t allow yourself to linger in the kitchen where all of the goodies are. And don’t show up to a party hungry! Eat a healthy snack before you walk through the door, and you will be able to make choices with your brain rather than your stomach.

7. DRINK PLENTY OF WATER: Make sure to have a water bottle in hand at all times. Sip throughout the day and you will find yourself much less prone to overeating. Another trick I have learned is to drink a Body Armour Lyte after dinner because it feels like a treat for only 10-20 cals/bottle.

8. SENSIBLE SNACKING: If you can pack snacks to bring on your vacation. I packed a small clear tote with 100 cal packs of almonds, Kind Bars, and these great Graze snack packs that range from 70 -130 cals. If you are flying on an airline, pack your snacks in your checked baggage or make a stop at the grocery store when you arrive at your final destination.

9. FORGIVE AND FORGET:  I did have 1 day while we were in Glacier National Park that I really slipped up. My dad bought my son a massive cookie dough ice cream waffle cone and of course he lost interest after only a few bites. Well shoot…I ate it for him and enjoyed every last bit of it. I was mad at myself at first, but then I realized that I have to live life and forgive myself when I stray from my plan. We are all going to mess up, but what is important is that we keep on trying!

10. FOCUS ON PEOPLE: Make the choice to enjoy the people you are with, and don’t buy into the line that you have to eat what they are eating to be with them. People might look at you a bit funny at first when you pull out your Ziploc container full of chopped salad instead of digging into the fried chicken, but they will get over it, I promise!

We had such a wonderful vacation! We cannot wait to go back; hopefully next summer. I am planning on being in maintenance mode by then and maybe I will indulge just a bit more. Words cannot express the confidence I gained in myself and my ability to really stick with this program even when I was outside of my comfort zone. I hope that these 10 tips will help you keep on track next time you go on vacation. Do you have any ides of your own to share with us?

What would you add to these 10 Healthy Vacation Ideas? Or what goals have you crushed while on vacation?