Guest Post: Tips for Staying Healthy on Vacation

I knew I would have so much fun in Hong Kong so before I left, I asked Rachael to write a guest post on anything she wanted and … she agreed! Her tips below are on point and I’ve been *trying* to keep up with them. I’m happy to report, so far so good. Thanks, Rachael! I love your blog and you motivate me every day and I’m happy that you are my first ever guest poster. If you aren’t already following her … you’re missing out!

And to all of Rachael’s readers … hi. Thank you for stopping by and I hope that we can become friends! Leave a comment so I can check out your blog!

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Hello Mouthwatering Morsel readers! I’m Rachael and I blog over at Happy Healthy Runner about running, being (mostly) healthy, and my adventures in marriage. I’ve been a longtime reader of Melissa’s blog, so naturally I was thrilled when she asked me to guest post for her while she’s off being a world traveler.

Since Melissa is going on vacation I figured what better thing to talk about then being healthy on vacation?! I mean, that’s what everyone thinks about when they’re traveling, right? How best to stay in shape? Just me?

If you had told me five years ago that it was possible to go on vacation, indulge, and not gain weight I would have laughed at you. However after two week-long trips to Vegas where I’ve managed to do just that, I can say with complete confidence it is possible. It just takes a *teensy* bit of work.

1. Bring workout clothes with you: Pretty basic stuff here: If you have them, there’s no excuse not to use them. So bring a couple changes of workout clothes and your shoes and hop to it!

2. Make time for exercise: Any exercise is better than no exercise. I’ve found that waking up an hour or so before everyone else so that I can hit up the hotel gym, do some bodyweight exercises in my room, or take a jog around the area I’m visiting is the perfect way to sneak in exercise without it cutting into my sight-seeing time. Plus, push-ups, crunches, squats, lunges, and all of those classic exercise moves can be done with zero equipment.

3. Choose cheat meals wisely: I love food. I mean LOVE food. But I also understand that there are times to indulge and times not to. If breakfast and lunch are going to be eaten on the go choose something light and filling, such as oatmeal with fresh fruit, a salad, or a turkey sandwich. That way if you’re going somewhere awesome for dinner you can indulge guilt-free. If brunch is the main meal of the day then indulge then and make sure your other meals are healthier.

4. Drink water obsessively: One place that people trip up a lot is with their beverage choices, especially on vacation. At least I do, so I assume everyone else struggles with that too. 😉 Instead of ordering sodas and other drinks that are loaded with sugar opt for water instead. And if you’re going out at night have a glass of water after every alcoholic drink. It’ll keep you hydrated, minimize the hangover in the morning, and help you pace your drinking.

5. Split calorie-heavy meals and desserts: Half the fun of being on vacation is all of the good food, right? Instead of skipping out on all of it, split it with a friend or family member instead. That way you still get to enjoy it, but you have a much lesser chance of overdoing it.

Doing these things has completely changed the way vacations go for me, and hopefully they will for you too! A big thanks to Melissa for letting me take over her blog for a bit, and I hope you all have happy, healthy travels!