Wellness Tips - Staying Healthy on Vacation

Vacationing doesn’t have to mean giving up your nutrition and exercise habits. Here’s how to keep up your healthy lifestyle while away.

Score some healthy snacks

With your own snacks in reach, you won’t find yourself stuck with only less-healthy options. Some easy-to-pack snacks include lean and low-sodium turkey jerky, hummus with carrot sticks, tuna or chicken lunch kits, roasted chickpeas and low-fat yogurt and cheese.

Go for H2O

Drinking lots of water will help you avoid jetlag, stay cool in the sun and heat and keep hunger away between meals. Pack a reusable water bottle for each member of your family.

Make your move

Vacation is not the time to backtrack on your fitness goals, so choose at least one form of physical activity per day, such as: hiking, swimming, paddleboarding, cycling or playing beach volleyball. A 30-minute stint in the hotel gym also counts, as does walking to a destination instead of taking public transportation.

Practice the art of compromise

Staying healthy on vacation doesn’t mean you have to miss out on all of the local food. Aim to have a healthy breakfast and lunch, with the promise that you will try something fun and new for dinner.

Get your z’s

Time changes and new environments can make it tough to catch quality sleep. A few days before your trip, start adjusting to the new time zone by heading to bed earlier or later.

Vacation is a time to enjoy life and to make memories in a new place, so if you get caught in the moment and slip up here or there, forgive yourself. It’s not all-or-nothing; each day is a new day. No matter what happened yesterday, recommit to following the healthy lifestyle you’ve worked so hard to establish.