Tips for Staying Slim On Your Summer Vacation

Summer vacation is a time for fun and being carefree.  After all, summer vacation is why you have worked hard all year so far isn’t it?  Just because you deserve a little R and R, this does not excuse your lifestyle habits, including your diet and fitness routine.  Part of vacationing is relaxing, but it also is a major trap for those on weight loss programs or for those who are maintaining weight.  In order to prevent falling into the summer-time weight gain trap, follow along with the diet and fitness tips below.

Staying Slim On Your Summer Vacation

Keeping to your weight loss program while on vacation is easier than it sounds.  Yes you may be eating at restaurants and drinking alcohol, but it is all about making good choices so you do not waste away all of your previous three months’ worth of work.

Diet

Avoid the trap and stay on your diet over the summer.  If you stay at a hotel, try and find one that has a stove or a place to cook.  If you stay in a vacation rental, cabin, or beach house, you are in luck because you will be able to cook as much as you want at the house.  In order to keep your weight loss program flourishing, remember that you have to eat your meals.  One of the biggest traps to fall into during your vacation is to skip a meal (especially breakfast) and drink the calories later on in the day.  Skipping meals will not only have you feeling hungrier later in the day, but it could cause you to eat more when you finally do eat.  Consider finding healthy recipes for the duration of your stay and save money and cook at your lodging.  Create a menu such as this with healthy recipes in order to maintain a reasonable caloric intake. In addition, if you drink alcohol, consider drinking in moderation and be cautious on those sugary, flavorful drinks.  Consider the healthy tips below to help you stay on your diet for your vacation.

1. Anything with a –lada or –ooler at the end of the drink will contain high amounts of sugar, so take caution. Beer in moderation is okay, but be cautious on the empty calories you are consuming with beer.
2. Eat some light salads for lunch with added protein for a healthy mid-day option.
3. Consider six ounces of lean steak (with the fat cut off the slice) rather than eight or ten ounces.
4. Eat small snacks throughout the day with your favorite trail mix or fruit to help keep you hunger levels adequate throughout the day.
5. Lastly, drink plenty of water. Too often, individuals go on vacation and drink nothing but diuretics.  Your thirst mechanism has some ties to your appetite so the better hydrated you are, the less likely you are to over eat.

Fitness

Your vacation rental may not offer a gym, but does this matter for you?  Keeping your fitness program is just as important as sight-seeing so continuing with your gym goals will make this summer vacation a success.  Consider the following tips below for maintaining your summer fitness program.

1. Workout in the morning before you gets busy with events. Perform body weight exercises if you have no gym offered with your place.  Aim for a 30 minute workout every day you stay on vacation and if you are worried about becoming sore or draining your energy for the day, consider a 30-45 minute moderate-intensity workout instead.
2. Don’t be an “active couch potato” while on your vacation. An “active couch potato” is an individual who works out regularly every day, but sits more than six hours every day.  While there will be times where you need to sit while driving, take walks throughout the day so that you don’t sit too much.  Make it a goal to walk around everywhere you go.  Through this, not only will you stay active on vacation, but you will see more of your destination.
3. Take frequent excursions. Go to the beach, run on the beach, play in the water, rent a jet ski, throw the football around, and have a good time.  After all vacation is fun, train your brain to have fun while being active with the family.

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