Vacations are about taking a break and enjoying life. Whatever your budget, good health allows you to pause regular programming and explore wondrously unfamiliar places and activities. Holidays also give you time off to recalibrate and instill wellness habits. So, can you taste new culinary fare and have lazy days of relaxation while still making healthy choices? You sure can.
Let Your Travel Buddies Know What’s Up
If you’re traveling with foodies or college party compadres, let them know your plan to not go overboard with meals or to curb your alcohol intake. You’ll be indulging in local specialties but also listening to your body and not eating for the sake of eating. Enlist a wellness companion and pledge to work out together or keep each other accountable.
Do 10-Minute Workouts
When you hop on a bus or airplane and go somewhere special, you’ll often fill your days with sightseeing and active adventure. And your smartphone’s pedometer will likely log more steps than it has in a while. But on days when all you plan on doing is sunbathing with a book, try to do a workout first thing in the morning. It starts the day on the right note, maintains the momentum from an existing exercise regimen or sets the tone for a post-holiday routine. If you can’t do a half-hour beach run or laps in the infinity pool, do a vigorous 10-minute bodyweight session in your room, take the stairs instead of the elevator or sit down and stand up 10 times when you go to the bathroom. Be creative!
Pack Healthy Snacks
If you’re lucky enough to access a hotel breakfast buffet, grab an apple, yogurt and pre-packed cheese and crackers, for example, for the road. When the munchies strike, you won’t have to rely on a bag of chips from a vending machine to tide you over until you find a restaurant. If you’re abroad, visiting foreign supermarkets is always fun, and you can stock up on some healthier snacks if you didn’t pack any meals, turkey jerky or toasted garbanzo beans for the trip.
Sleep on It
Prepare for a Eurotrip in time zones ahead of yours by retiring an hour earlier than usual and waking up an hour earlier. Do this during the last few days before your journey and you’ll adjust better when you get to your destination. After you land, overcome jet lag by taking a daytime walk, napping while the sun’s out and staying hydrated.
Lay the Foundation for a Mindfulness Practice
Every night on your vacation, savor three moments and write down three things you were grateful for that day. And when you come across an awe-inspiring view and feel comfortable, take five minutes to do breathwork and meditation. Finally, don’t beat yourself up if you get carried away at a taqueria or spend more than you intended to at a market — you can right this ship.
