Staying Fit on Vacation

by Christina Ranon — July 22, 2008

There are two kinds of travel, for business or for pleasure. It's much easier to watch what you eat and make a trip or two to your hotel's fitness center when you're on a business trip. It's work, and therefore not supposed to be indulgent and fun. But when you're on vacation, your brain gets much more permissive.

If you're going to indulge food-wise on a vacation, be discriminating. Meal portions are typically much bigger than you need to satisfy your hunger. Eat only as much as you can enjoy. Choose dishes that are grilled and aren't slathered in cream sauces. If you're not eating out for every meal, have a healthy breakfast and a light lunch, then have the seafood penne pasta with the saffron cream broth. If you intend to have dessert every day, it's better to have the 4-star restaurant's molten chocolate cake than the bag of chocolate-covered macadamia nuts you picked up at the airport. Split it, or stop eating when it stops tasting absolutely delicious.

When it comes to working out on vacation, the thought of taking time out from relaxing on the beach to hit the readily available fitness center sounds like the least appealing thing on earth. Instead of the same old gym routine, find a way to incorporate fun exercise into your vacation. If you're interested in ocean rafting or kayaking, go ahead and try them. Hike to the best waterfall around, or go scuba diving or snorkeling. Do activities that are exciting and active. A little bit of exercise is better than nothing.

When all else fails, eat, drink, relax, and enjoy your vacation, knowing that it's not going to last too long. Then hit the gym and go back to eating your normal healthy foods when you get back.