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Through Heather's Looking Glass

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10 Simple Ways to Stay Healthy During Your Family Getaway

August 1, 2013 | blogging, fitness, Giveaway, Guest Post, health, tips, Travel

**Please enjoy today’s guest post, there is also a GIVEAWAY at the bottom you won’t want to miss!

***FREE DINING and a new room only discount are out for Disney World this fall! VERY limited availability, email heather@travelwiththemagic.com for details.***

Eating healthy and maintaining your fitness routine while on vacation with your family can be difficult but it doesn’t have to be.

Avoid the post-vacation health blues by following these ten simple tips for incorporating fitness into your getaway!


Stay Active on Vacation by Leaving the Rental Car Behind and Walk the City

1. Skip the Elevator & Take the Stairs

Whether in hotels or higher-altitude spots like the Eiffel Tower, leave the elevators behind and climb the stairs. What a great calorie-burner!

2. Go On a Walking Tour of the City

From the magnificent parks of London to Tianamen Square, there’s often no better way to take in the joys, scents, and surprises of the cultures you’re visiting than on foot. You’ll be able to take in the scenery in a way that quickly passing by in a car would never allow for (not to mention you’ll save on cab fare or gas for your rental car).

3. Play with the Kids

Enjoying pool time with the kids helps you both stay active while having fun!

Go ahead, relax and sunbathe a little, but make sure you have some calorie-burning fun with the kids, too. Play “Marco Polo” in the pool, go bike riding, shoot hoops, pick up sea shells on the sea shore and go for a long walk after dinner. Chances are, you’ll have as much fun as the little ones.

4. Plan Your Day in Advance – and Include Exercise

Is the morning full of standing (and very little walking) in art museums and cathedrals? After lunch, take off for aerobic adventures. Go for a nice long walk along the park or shore, hike up a mountain or ask your hotel’s concierge for walking maps of the area. If you’re in unfamiliar territory, your concierge should also be able to point out safe, crime-free pedestrian routes that show you beautiful sights in the city.

5. Turn Airline Terminals Into Walking Tracks

Instead of sitting and waiting for your plan to board, plug into your favorite music and march up and down the terminal.  Sure, it’s not a full-blown workout, but every step counts. “With just 15 minutes of brisk walking, you can burn 100 calories or more,” says Scott Danberg, MS, Exercise Director at the Pritikin Longevity Center & Spa. Plus, all that walking may keep you from getting bored and ambling into the airport’s pizza stand.

6. Use the Hotel Gym

Start your morning at the hotel gym where you can mentally & physically prepare for the day ahead.

When booking hotels, choose only those with fitness centers and/or guest passes to nearby gyms. If you can roll out of bed and roll into a gym minutes later, you’ll have given yourself the best insurance that you’ll fit fitness into each day. Plus, working out every morning will increase your motivation to eat more healthfully throughout the day. It also provides a great opportunity to mentally and physically prepare for a full day of fun!

7. Enjoy Outdoor Activities Like Hiking and Snokeling

Sure, it’s great to know there’s a gym just downstairs from your hotel room, but vacation’s also the time to have some fun! The kids want to hike up a mountain? Lace up your sneakers! Are they bound for scuba/snorkeling class? Join in!  Go paddling in river canoes. Learn salsa dancing. Play beach volleyball. Water ski. Anything that elevates the heart rate and allows you to have fun is a win/win situation on vacation!

8. Find Restaurants That Are Within Walking Distance From Your Hotel

Why take a taxi when you can enjoy a leisurely walk in the cool evening air to and from the restaurant? Plus, “walking after a meal is a wonderful way to help keep blood sugar levels down,” advises Robert Bauer, MD, diabetic specialist at the Pritikin Longevity Center & Spa.

9. Get Short Workouts In (50% of Normal Routine)

While vacationing, you may not have as much time as you do at home for your regular workout, but that’s okay. Always remember: Doing something is a whole lot better than doing nothing at all. Shoot for at least 50% of your normal routine and supplement that with fun activities throughout the day.

10. Enjoy the Benefits of an Active Vacation

Each day as you wake, anticipating the wonderful things you’ll be doing and the inspiring sights you’ll be seeing, remind yourself how great it feels to be able to move. “Travel imparts new vigor to the mind,” said the ancient Roman playwright Seneca. Because you’ve taken good care of yourself by staying fit, that vigor is yours!

Maintaining a certain fitness level on vacation will mean you feel better about yourself both during and after the trip. There’s nothing worse than the post-vacation health blues – avoid them at all costs by incorporating fitness into your vacation.

***Pritikin is willing to offer one of my reader’s a free 30-minute consultation with Kimberly Gomer one of their registered nutritionists and dietitians! Who doesn’t want to chat with an expert to jump start their healthy life or get through a plateau? This could be the thing to really get you going! Simply follow the rafflecoptor directions below to enter.***

a Rafflecopter giveaway

***The winner of my Sport Hooks medal hanger giveaway is Cristiana Ignacio! Please e mail me at heatherslookingglass@gmail.com. Thanks for entering everyone!

This guest post was written by the expert staff at Pritikin Longevity Center & Spa, a health resort in Miami, FL. Learn more about healthy eating at pritikin.com.

 

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  1. Chelsea @Run Like A Princess says

    August 1, 2013 at 5:24 am

    My best tip would probably be to eat sensibly. Enjoy, but don’t overindulge!

  2. Maria says

    August 1, 2013 at 6:11 am

    I am loving this giveaway!

  3. Mindy @ Road Runner Girl says

    August 1, 2013 at 7:37 am

    Great vacation tips! I found exercising while on vacation helped me have more energy!

  4. Carolyn says

    August 1, 2013 at 8:17 am

    Love this article! 5K runners could also look for a local 5K in their vacation destinations cities

  5. Kristen @ The Smith Summary says

    August 1, 2013 at 8:08 am

    My tip for staying healthy is to try to do something active each day – and don’t go overboard on what you eat but do enjoy, it’s vacation after all 🙂

  6. Emilie says

    August 1, 2013 at 8:15 am

    Best tip is everything in moderation. Many people overindulge in goodies while on vacation, limit yourself to one treat a day!

  7. Tom says

    August 1, 2013 at 9:15 am

    Very good list, will keep in mind for the next vacation. Something else to consider: When you’re visiting interesting cities, it’s actually more enjoyable to go through them if you’re incorporating your running workout into the sightseeing. You’ll also see a lot more. Although not necessarily advisable in overly polluted ones. And make sure to have your smartphone with you so you don’t get lost. 🙂

  8. Laura @losingrace says

    August 1, 2013 at 10:04 am

    Best tip is just pick active things to do…walk around, go to the beach, play in the pool. And walk where ever you can, best way to see things and get the burn in!

    Plan ahead- find a hotel that has a gym, or one that is near a running path…Scour the internet for local gyms or fitness activities in that area. I went to a really small town on business trip back in June, and before I went I found a local recreation center that allows you to pay guest pass fee and have unlimited access to the pool, gym and all fitness classes!

  9. Christina says

    August 1, 2013 at 11:44 am

    WHAT? WOO HOO! I guess I am not in the midst of Alexander’s terrible, horrible, no-good very bad day after all! Emailing you now. Thanks again for an incredible give away!

    • Christina says

      August 1, 2013 at 11:46 am

      HAHAHA I CAN’T READ. Sorry about the excess excitement that was unwarranted.
      Note to self: don’t blog without glasses on. Congrats to my very-similar-name doppleganger 😉 (Christina Ignacio over here.)

  10. Marc B says

    August 1, 2013 at 11:47 am

    Eat “decent” while still enjoying the trip, one weekend of “cheating” won’t kill you in the long run, just don’t keep the habit when you come back.

  11. Kallin says

    August 1, 2013 at 11:49 am

    My vacation tip is balance and listening to your body. Just because it is vacation time, your body doesn’t stop letting you know what it needs

  12. Stacie M. says

    August 1, 2013 at 2:03 pm

    Pack your running shoes and explore the local trails

  13. Libby Syzdek says

    August 1, 2013 at 8:23 pm

    Tried to run in Disney last week while on vacation with my family. Just so hard to get up after spending all day in the parks with a 6, 4, and 1 year old. My runs this week have been hard after taking so many days off. Also I love this giveaway. Totally could use some advice as I am in marathon training and really don’t want to gain weight with often happens.

  14. Marla says

    August 2, 2013 at 4:59 am

    My tip is to workout in the gym before you really start your exploring for the day. Then, walk as much as you can. That way, you can eat what you want and enjoy yourself!

  15. Nori S says

    August 3, 2013 at 3:36 pm

    My best tip is eat sensibly. You’re on vacation, so of course you are going to indulge, but don’t go overboard.

  16. Bridie Rist says

    August 6, 2013 at 8:15 pm

    Definitely stairs rather than elevator. I have gained any weight on our last five cruises because I rarely take the elevator. Also, small portions of things if you are hitting the buffet.

  17. Amanda says

    August 7, 2013 at 4:39 am

    Best tip – everything in moderation!

  18. Heather @ HeatherRunsFast.com says

    August 7, 2013 at 6:16 am

    Best tip: Find the closest grocery store and pick up healthy snacks. It’s so easy on vacay to justify mindless junk food eating. Having healthy options on hand leaves you plenty of room to splurge/indulge/enjoy the local cuisine for your main meals. I agree with Amanda above… everything in moderation 🙂

  19. Kristen Grimes says

    August 7, 2013 at 11:53 am

    My best tip is to pack my own food as much as possible. I’m more willing to overeat and make bad choices when I am on the go.

  20. Online Pharmacy says

    May 9, 2014 at 5:40 pm

    I was recommended this web site by my cousin. I am not sure whether this post is written by him as nobody else know such detailed about
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  1. runningwithsass says:
    August 1, 2013 at 2:16 am

    10 Simple Ways to Stay Healthy During Your Family Getaway…

    **Please enjoy today’s guest post, there is also a GIVEAWAY at the bottom you won’t want to miss! Eating…

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I am Heather Montgomery, a 30 something southern girl living in Knoxville, Tennessee with my husband Bobby, 10-year-old daughter Emma Kate, and our goldendoodles Dolly and Luna. I’m just a regular girl who likes to workout, travel, hang with my family, text, and eat chips and queso. Be sure to check out my “about me” page for more info!
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