Staying Fit On Vacation

Summer brings the inevitable summer vacation. It's a chance to spend time with family, get away from it all, and relax. But how do you stay healthy while you're getting away from it all? Here are some tips to help make your next trip a little healthier.
• Take advantage of local produce. It’s a good chance to get fruits and vegetables that may be out of season where you are, or that your location is known for producing. On my wedding trip to Hawaii, I think I ate my body weight in local pineapple!
• Don’t eat big all day long. Part of the appeal of vacation is sampling the cuisine in a new place. However, that doesn’t mean that you have to eat large meals all day long. If you know you’re going for a special dinner, eat a lighter breakfast and lunch, or if you go for a big breakfast or brunch, follow it with a lighter dinner.
• Bring your own snacks. Carrying healthy snacks such as granola or protein bars, nuts, or dried fruit means that you have healthy options available all the time.
• Walk! Many destinations offer lots of chances to get out of the car and explore by foot or by bike. You can even find walking tours. My brother and I took The Freedom Trail Tour in Boston, and it was a great chance to see the city, have a history lesson, and get in a good walk at the same time.
• Try something new. Many vacations offer the opportunity to try an activity that you haven’t tried before. You can hike a new trail, give snorkeling a shot, go horseback riding…the possibilities are endless. You can even give surfing a shot!

I hope these tips help you to have a healthier vacation. We all want to relax and get away from it all, but I think that the experience is even better if you know that when you return you won’t have undone all the good work that you’ve been doing. Relax and enjoy the trip!

Cookout Time!

Around here, Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial start of the summer cookout season. I always look forward to the chance to hang out with friends and enjoy some great food. Here are some of my strategies for staying healthy at these gatherings (without being "that girl" with the food issues).

• Offer to bring a dish to share, and make it a healthy one. A big green salad, a veggie tray with low fat dip, or a fresh fruit salad is always welcome and it's a good way to get in your produce servings for the day.
• Don't get carried away with condiments. Top your burger with plenty of lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, and mustard, but keep in mind that the calories in ketchup and mayo can really add up.
• If you're having a cold beer, make it a light one and save yourself 80-100 calories. Also, monitor the amount of alcohol that you consume. Not only do those calories add up quickly, with your inhibitions lowered you may end up eating more food than you planned to. A good trick is to follow every alcoholic drink with a glass of water.

Have a great weekend everyone!