1) Bring snacks - depending on where you are going, different types of foods will be available. This tip is especially important for those of us with food sensitivities. Because I have a tough time finding good snack options when travelling I always pack a few of my favourite protein bars (lately I love Elevate Me! bars) and protein powders. I also bring nuts and cheesestrings if I'm travelling somewhere that will allow it. That way I'm never stuck either 1) having to grab 'convenient' crappy food or 2) in a place where nothing is gluten-free and I have to go hungry.
2) Pre-planning and research - do some advance research on the place you're travelling. Is there dietary modifications available at your resort? What restaurants are best suited to your needs? If you aren't going to a resort, what restaurants are in the area of your hotel? Pre-read menus and plan ahead for some of the places you might want to go and if you're really ambitious you can always email the places ahead to time to see if they can accommodate you.
3) Keep moving! Depending on what type of vacation you are going on, often activity will be a part of it - sightseeing, doing outdoor activities, etc. BUT if you are going to a beachy place where you are tempted to sit on your butt all day, GET UP!!! Start your day with a long walk on the beach, head off the the gym for a half hour of intervals (I guarantee you, it'll be empty!) or head off for a game of tennis (or something similar) first thing in the morning. Get it out of the way early, because once you start lounging it will be much harder to get a move on!
4) Breakfast and lunch - keep it consistent! Of course when you travel, you won't be eating the exact same foods as when you're home. And you shouldn't be!! When you travel it's an opportunity to try new things. But rather than going wildly off track (and risking digestion issues because your normally clean diet won't like you going so far astray) stick to your 'at-home' breakfast and at least one other meal a day. Try to keep at least 2/3 of your day consistent with what you'd do at home - this includes drinking a ton of water. Then at your other meal, branch out a bit. Keeping those kinds of guidelines in mind, your waistline and digestive track will thank you for giving it familiarity and some degree of normalcy.
5) Pre-plan your indulgences! Vacations are definitely a time to let loose a little bit - but it's no reason to do a 180. Plan ahead. Pick a few meals/treats/restaurant that you are really excited to try. Think about what indulgences you really want and then enjoy every last bite of them. Don't just grab every last 'treat' and use the excuse 'I'm on vacation' - pick the ones you love most (especially the ones you couldn't get at home) and savour them.
6) RELAX!!! This is your chance. Take a nap. Read a book. Have a bath. Some people feel the need to go-go-go on vacation, and that can be really fun! But try to take some time to unwind. We all know how important sleep is for good health and for helping you to progress to your fitness goals. When we're working we don't often get the ability to have 'down' time. Make sure you get some on your vacation - afterall, this is when you actually get to recharge!
7) Get back into life: So often we try to max-out our getaways. That's great for the extra day...but my advice? Come home one day early. Get home, do your grocery shopping for the week (or at least enough to get you started). Do your laundry and unpack. Nothing is worse than travelling and then racing back home only to have to race back to work, with no food in the fridge and dirty laundry everywhere, losing any bit of relaxation you had built up in your system. Allow yourself some transition time and start your back-to-work-week right!!
On that note - happy vacationing everyone!! Can you feel my jealousy from here? Blogging about vacationing really doesn't cut it ;)
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