The Importance of Eating Healthy While On Vacation

Vacations are good for the soul. There’s nothing like getting away. Vacations should be the epitome of relaxation, but they often lead to stress. This is especially true if you’re trying to lose weight or eat clean.

Why Eat Healthy on Vacation

It can be tough to keep up with good habits while on vacation, but making healthy choices will make you feel good. Plus, you won’t lose any progress you made prior to your trip. It can be extremely frustrating to have worked so hard, then splurge on vacation and gain back some of that weight you lost. You’ll come back feeling discouraged and less likely to keep going on your diet.

In addition, eating healthy on your trip will leave your body feeling good and looking good while on your trip. Traveling puts additional stress on your body. People often retain water and feel bloated while traveling. This can be especially frustrating if you’re spending time in a bathing suit. Eating healthy can and drinking plenty of water can help with this bloated feeling.

Ways to Eat Healthy on Vacation

Since it’s important, for many reasons, to try and eat healthy while on vacation, you’ll need a plan in order to make it happen. First, look for vacations with healthy options. Rent a house where you’ll have access to a kitchen and can prepare some of your own meals. Or, go somewhere where there are many healthy options.

Visiting the Mediterranean is a great option for eating healthy while on vacation. The Mediterranean diet is rich in seafood and healthy oils. Greek island cruises are a great option if you’re looking to visit multiple locations in the Mediterranean at once.

Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate

Once you’ve selected a location where you can make healthy choices, it’s important to think about what you’re putting into your body. Staying hydrated is paramount on vacation. A lot of the time, adults don’t drink enough water in their normal lives. It becomes even more challenging to keep up with your water intake when out of your normal routine. Yet, you’ll need to drink more water than you typically would avoid the dehydration that comes along with air travel and being outside your element.

If you can, bring a water bottle with you on your trip. Purchase gallons of water at the local supermarket. Set a goal for yourself about how much water you’ll drink throughout the day. Then, stick to it. Drink a glass of water between alcoholic beverages as well. This will keep you hydrated and keep you from overdoing high-calorie drinks. Consider trying carbonated water if you need an option that seems more fun than still water on your trip.

Plan Ahead

Eating healthy can be just as tough as drinking enough water while you’re away. Plan ahead as much as possible. This might mean cooking some meals at your home base, or purchasing healthier premade options, and avoiding eating out every meal.

When you do go out, look at the menu before you go. Make decisions about what you’ll eat based on the ingredients in meals. Avoid options that are heavy in a creamy sauce, excessive butter, and carbs. Whenever you can, ask for sauce and dressing on the side. As a rule, the fewer ingredients in a dish, the better off you’ll be.

Follow the 80/20 Rule

Planning ahead and drinking enough water is important, but you are still on vacation. You should enjoy yourself. That means not withholding everything you love just because it’s not the healthiest choice. If you restrict everything you enjoy, especially on vacation, odds are you’re going to splurge at one point and ruin your diet.

To avoid this, follow the 80/20 rule. Eat healthy 80% of the time and enjoy your favorite things the other 20%. If you love breakfast waffles, have waffles. Then, eat healthy the rest of the day. If you want a fancy cocktail, enjoy it. But limit yourself to one and drink water otherwise.

If you make good food choices while on vacation, you’re guaranteed to come back feeling relaxed and good about your body.