I have a special guest for you today.
Traveler and blogger, Cole Millen, has some helpful advice on how to maintain a nutritious diet while traveling.
If you’re looking for ways to stay healthy, trim, and stress free while on vacation, you will appreciate what Cole has to offer.
Thank you Cole for sharing your travel tips with our readers.
So you’re finally ready for your vacation. You’ve saved up, you’ve packed and – most importantly – you’ve got your beach body in top form. So now that you’re in rocking shape, how do you avoid gorging yourself while on vacation and coming back with extra pounds in tow?
If you want to avoid packing on the pounds you worked so hard to get off before your trip, all it takes is a little bit of planning and a whole lot of self control. Neither should be a problem, as you’ve likely exercised plenty of both in order to get in shape for the trip over the past few months.
It starts on the plane, where you can avoid eating unhealthy, over-processed meals by having a home-cooked meal beforehand or simply bringing one with you. You can also burn excess calories by walking around the airport rather than taking lifts or moving walkways. If you’re in for a long trip, consider bringing healthy snacks like dried fruit or trail mix along in your carry on luggage.
You also want to make sure the place you’re staying is relatively health conscious. After all, not every hotel at every vacation destination is a 24/7 buffet. The best way that I have found to receive the most accurate information regarding these needs is through consumer reviews. I recently found a great site that listed extremely helpful reviews for Las Vegas hotels. This ultimately led to me finding a hotel in sin city with a fitness center as well as a gluten free restaurant! These amenities were so extremely helpful to maintaining my healthy lifestyle. Many places offer full gyms, spas and tons of outdoor activities like hiking, canoeing and swimming, which will entice you to stay active instead of stuffing your face poolside. You can also stock your hotel’s fridge up with healthy food in order to avoid late night snacking from the mini bar. Smart travelers will minimize both unhealthy eating and spending by bringing along a simple crockpot when they travel. With a cheap plug in model, you can prepare chicken, rice and steamed vegetables easily, even if your room doesn’t have a kitchenette.
Going out to eat is part of the vacation experience, and you shouldn’t go out of your way to deprive yourself of exotic foods and beverages. However, you can control what you eat when you’re dining out. Check menus before you arrive for healthy options, and avoid going places with “all you can eat” signs or excessively unhealthy menus. Also, having a small healthy snack such as an apple before you go out can make sure you’re not tempted to overeat. Once you get to the restaurant, feel free to ask questions about the origins of the food, the cooking style and the ingredients. You may feel like a tourist at first, but you’ll feel better knowing exactly what you’re putting in your body.
Alcohol is also a huge calorie contributor on vacations. Not having any responsibilities can lead to excessive drinking throughout the day, leaving you bloated, tired and hung-over come the morning. Temper your tendency to start drinking too early by making sure you stay active (swimming, hiking, boating) during the day. Save the relaxing – including the drinks – for the evening. Follow these suggestions, and you’ll be sure to come back relaxed, fit and feeling better than ever.
If you wish to contact Cole, send him an email at colemillen@gmail.com
Nuggets of Gold 