My family and I just got back from our Spring Break getaway. And it was such a fun trip. I love every opportunity I have to get away and have fun with my family. I love being able to take a break from work, errands, and everyday life. But I never feel like I need a break from my healthy lifestyle. Because when I’m on vacation, I want to feel good. I want to feel rested. I want to have energy while I’m running around. A healthy lifestyle isn’t something you take a vacation from. A real, sustainable healthy lifestyle is there to make your vacations even better.

Are your vacations hurting your health?

How many trips have you gone on where you get home and need a few days to recover? As we head towards spring and summer vacations, I want you to rethink how you can approach your getaways within the context of a healthy lifestyle. Yes, that means staying away from non-stop deep-fried food. And it means making sure that your daily workout is more than just standing in line for a ride. But there are bad vacation habits that you might not think of right away. And these mistakes are just as likely to affect how you feel during and after your vacation…

Dehydration: When you’re on vacation, do you forget to drink water? Are you out in the sun more? Are you drinking more soda and alcohol? All of that can dehydrate you. And dehydration can lead to lethargy, headaches, and confusing thirst with hunger. 

Skipping breakfast: Maybe you want to get an early start, or maybe you didn’t plan ahead, but skipping breakfast can mean that you spend the first few hours of your day hangry and low-energy. You might also start binging on the sugary, deep-fried snacks that you come across.

Not stretching: Have you ever woken up on your second day of a trip and felt like you couldn’t move? Long plane rides, long car trips, and extended walking sessions can lead to sore, tight muscles that can cause discomfort for days. Especially if you forget to stretch.

Not resting: Loud hotels, cold campsites, early flights... your sleep schedule is going to suffer. But are you also someone who burns the candle on both ends on vacation. Do you pack every hour of your schedule with activities and tell yourself that you can rest when you get home? Too many sleepless nights will start to affect your mood and your health.

Eating green salads: It feels healthy and refreshing to order a green salad. And of course fruits and vegetables are important. But what your body really needs to keep its energy up is protein. A less is more approach when it comes to eating while traveling will leave you feeling fatigued.

You don’t need a vacation from the right, healthy lifestyle

So what’s the answer? How are you supposed to go on vacation, let loose, have fun, and still feel great? 

First, plan ahead. Think about what your schedule will be and bring snacks and water with you. I always pack a cooler with high-protein, healthy snacks so that we’re not crashing in the middle of the day. Download a few 30-minute workout videos so that you have them on hand if you need them. Prepare to eat, drink, and move in a healthy way, and you’ll most likely follow through.

Next, think beyond hotels. I opt to stay in condos over hotels whenever I can. With a kitchen, my family and I can make meals, and store groceries. It’s also an easy way to avoid noisy hotels, sleep better, and have space to work out and stretch.

Finally, schedule rest. We all want to get the most out of our vacations, but don’t you also want to create good, happy memories that don’t involve exhausted fights and painful muscles? If you have a long, activity-heavy day, schedule a late start for the next day. Or cross one thing off your schedule so that you can have a break. Your body needs recovery time. Scheduling rest will leave you with more time to enjoy the vacation. 

If you’re creating a healthy lifestyle the right way, you shouldn’t need a vacation from it. A healthy lifestyle should make your vacations even better! If you’re ready to create that lifestyle, schedule a time to talk with me. Let’s create habits that will give you a life with less stress, more energy, and more resiliency!