This post is a follow-up to my last post about air travel. If you’re looking for specific tips for the airport, click here to check out that post.
You’ve been working your butt off to reach some goals, but now you’re heading on vacation for a week or two. You’re scared you’ll lose it all. Guess what? You won’t. You’d have to go on a LONG vacation to lose significant progress. So please don’t stress about it.
These healthy travel tips are to keep you on track while on vacation and to make it easier to get back into the swing of things when you get home. What they are NOT is a list of ways to deprive yourself and punish yourself for having a nice, relaxing trip. If you think that way, please stop. You’re only hurting your health in the long run to think that way. Seriously.
Tips for Healthy Travel
1. Find a way to move your body while you are on vacation.
Does that mean you have to go to the gym? Absolutely not. Hike. Walk the beach. Explore.
Travel is a great time to try new things. You may find out that you love stand up paddleboarding. Now is the time to get out and do things you don’t do at home.
2. Pack at least one outfit you can work out in.
This might seem like it contradicts tip #1, but it doesn’t. You shouldn’t feel obligated to go to the gym or go for a run while you’re on vacation, BUT you should give yourself the option. You never know when you’ll wake up in the mood to jog down the beach. If you left your running shoes at home, you won’t have a the choice to capitalize on the motivation.
Don’t be mad at yourself if the running shoes stay in your suitcase the whole trip, though.
3. Find a grocery store.
Even if you’re staying in a hotel, it will be beneficial to have some healthy snacks around. If you’re staying at an Air BnB, even better. You can sneak in some healthy meals between meals out.
Grab some of your staples. Yogurt, fruit, a rotisserie chicken. Whatever you can keep on hand for those times that you need a quick meal. Don’t rely on room service or the hotel bar. You’ll end up with a plate of fries when that wasn’t even what you wanted. You’ll also save some $$.
4. Have at least one meal planned for when you get back.
This is my absolute favorite tip. It takes a little forethought but you will be thankful you did it. No one wants to go to the grocery store the moment they get home from vacation, so you’ll be tempted to order a pizza or get something fast and less ideal.
Here are a few different options for this one.
You can make an extra large meal on the week before you leave and freeze the leftovers. Dishes like lasagna or chili are perfect.
You can also just make sure you have a few essentials on hand that won’t go bad in the time you are away. For me, that’s often making sure I have a can of black beans, tortillas, salsa, and a block of cheese to whip up some basic tacos. Some chicken breasts in the freezer can go straight into the Instant Pot for tacos, as well. Can you tell tacos are my #1 go-to for simple meals?
5. Get back to your routine within 2 days of returning home.
The main way that vacation can actually throw a wrench in your progress is by stopping your momentum and getting you out of your routine. You get home and feel like that first workout back is going to be SO hard so you procrastinate. You say you’ll start back at the gym next week. Just go. It doesn’t need to be immediate, but the longer you wait, the harder it gets. Use the two day rule. If you need one day to get your life back in order, fine, but don’t let yourself sink into a new pattern.
Let me know in the comments if you have any other tips for healthy travel!
And don’t forget to enjoy your vacation, the gym will be there when you get back.
