Ever get back from a trip and think, "ugh, I really don't want to get on the scale"? Travel and/or vacations are often on the top of our clients lists of things that knock them off track. What is it about getting out of our routine that makes our everyday goals so much harder to obtain?
Aside from jet lag, we really shouldn't be pushed so far out to left field when we travel.
Daily movement is not for only when you are home and doing your normal day to day activities, it is for EVERYDAY!!!
So, when you travel, look at your itinerary and figure out when you can work some movement into your schedule. If it's a long trip and you will be in airports for many hours, use your layover time to walk around the airport or do some laps. It will help keep the swelling down in your legs too if you have a long haul flight.
When you get to your destination, walk everywhere you can. Walk to get coffee, walk to dinner, take a walking or biking tour of the city, find local urban hikes or parks to explore. You don't have to get all sweaty; consistent movement will add up and keep you on track for your goals and increase your general feeling of well-being.
Many hotels and resorts have fitness centers- USE THEM!!! They may not have all the fancy equipment that a regular gym has, but even a few dumbbells and a treadmill serve as awesome tools for a really killer workout. If you check it out ahead of time you can even email Myles and he can write you a workout program using what your hotel has for equipment on hand.
If your hotel doesn't have a fitness center, take your resistance bands in your suitcase. They take up zero room and weigh nothing. As we all have learned during the pandemic, those little bands can be used for all sorts of movements and you can get a fantastic workout in your hotel room with very little space needed.
Then there is the nutrition side of things. This is another hang up while on vacation. We tend to eat out more, which usually leads to us over eating/drinking and not getting the quality nutrition we get at home.
When Myles and I travel I make food and take a lot of snacks for the plane. I try to avoid extra smelly food like fish, broccoli, or eggs, but I would be lying if I said I haven't ever whipped out a tuna sandwich on an airplane. If you have healthy options on hand you will be much more likely to choose those over buying a stale burrito in an airport deli. If you don't have time or don't want to mess with preparing food, Starbucks usually has good salads and protein snack options available. Just avoid the muffins, sweetbreads, and cookies when you stand in line waiting to purchase your healthy snack.
When eating out during your trip I have a couple tips for you.
Eat light during the day if you know you have a big, rich dinner planned.
Eat a healthy breakfast full of protein to keep you satisfied until lunch time.
Drink plenty of water to keep you hydrated and help with your feeling of fullness during meals.
Buy a smoothie for breakfast or lunch and take it on a walk with you.
Carry some nuts or a healthy bar in your purse or pocket so you can eat a small snack and avoid overeating at meal times.
Limit desserts, don't get a gelato at noon and have chocolate cake after dinner.
Limit your sweet/blended drinks. Sure margaritas and pina coladas are amazing, but just have 1. Then switch to something less caloric to drink after your "treat" drink AND consider that your dessert too.
And lastly just a quick note about sleep. We can do a deep dive into time shifting and organizing your sleep around your new time zone, but for now we will stick with very simple rules. If you want to feel normal, try to sleep the same amount you do at home. For example, if you usually average 7 hours a night at home, don't expect to have a stellar vacation surviving on 5 hours a night with an occasional airplane nap snuck in. You have to be consistent! Your hours of sleep may change but your duration of rest should remain as close to normal as possible.
All right, you are all set. Go forth, have a vacation, and come home feeling revitalized and ready to keep up with your normal routine. There is nothing worse than having a vacation hangover for a week after returning back to the daily grind.
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