How To Keep Your Health A Priority When You’re On Vacation
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How To Keep Your Health A Priority When You’re On Vacation
Many of us are finally taking time off and going on vacation. Holidays are a must for overall wellbeing as they help to reduce stress and reboot your nervous system. But how can you enjoy your break without going off the deep end and undoing all of your healthy efforts?
If you’re looking to maintain healthy habits while you’re on holiday, these tips will help you to stay on track.
Stick to a regular meal schedule
You might be out and about during your days, but aim to eat your main meals at a similar time to your usual schedule. This makes it easy to jump straight back into your routine when you get back.
Of course, this doesn’t have to be super-strict – if you’re usually up at 5am, you don’t have to wake up just to eat breakfast at the usual time when on holiday! But for example, if you eat one hour after waking and have lunch around 4 hours later, keep that routine up.
Try to avoid skipping meals when you’re on break. Even if you have something light, it keeps your mind and body in a regular routine.
Keep yourself hydrated
Another common habit that goes out the window when on vacation is staying hydrated. This can happen because you’re busy enjoying your time off, or it could be because clean water is less accessible. Whatever the case, make a gameplan to ensure you can drink at least 1-2L of water per day.
Some handy tips include:
Drinking plenty of water when in transit – at the airport, on your flight, or when driving
Starting each morning with a big glass of water (aim for 500ml within an hour of waking)
Having a reusable water bottle with you so you can refill regularly
If you’re somewhere that clean water isn’t always accessible, purchase a slab of bottled water to keep at your hotel
Packing your favourite tea or herbal tea bags
Pick up some snacks from the local grocery store
One of my top tips is to stock up on some nutritious snacks when you arrive at your location. This means that you have something filling to enjoy between meals. Plus it acts as insurance in case you are jetlagged and wake up ravenous in the middle of the night!
Some of my go-to options for healthy snacks you can get almost anywhere include:
Yoghurt
Fresh fruit such as berries
Tinned tuna
Rice cakes
Nut butter
Pack your essentials
Everyone has their must-haves when it comes to their healthy habits. This is individual to you, so take a look at which staples you know will help you to stay on track.
If you’re a total lughead like Mitch and myself, you might pack your protein powder! Or you might have a favourite healthy snack that travels well or a couple of key supplements that help you feel your best.
Stay active
Now don’t get me wrong here – you don’t have to hit the gym for 2hrs every day when you’re on holiday! But you do want to make sure you still stay active and don’t turn into a total couch potato.
The easiest way to do this is to aim for your daily steps each day. Set a goal of 5k, 8k or 10k steps a day, and incorporate that into your schedule. You can hit this goal any way you like – go for long walks along the sunny beach, take a walking tour of the local area or head out on some hikes.
Keeping up some form of physical activity will make it easier for you to maintain your current state of fitness and get right back into it when you arrive home.
Make time for rest
When you’re on vacation, you might be tempted to try out everything and pack your schedule full of activities. But remember that rest is just as important – particularly if you’re recovering from burnout.
Rest can include:
Getting enough sleep – 7-8hrs on average per night
Napping (a must if you’re fatigued or catching up your sleep debt!)
Doing something relaxing that unwinds you each day
Make sure you include time in your schedule each day for some R&R.
Enjoy yourself!
There is no point in going on holiday if you’re going to be super-strict and stress yourself out even more. Taking time to unwind, be present in a new location and take in the sights is just as important as what you eat or how you move.
Try the local cuisine, have a cheeky drink or two more than usual, and have fun! Even if you fall off the wagon of a healthy habit, you can still pick it up when you return home.
Looking for nutrition tips and healthy hacks to help you feel better?
Hey there, I’m Rachel!
NUTRITIONIST, PERSONAL TRAINER, WELLNESS COACH
Here I share healthy recipe ideas, training plans, and nutrition & wellness advice you need to know.
Check out my free guide to healthy eating to design your own version of a healthy lifestyle so that you can feel energised and vibrant, or hire me to work my magic on your health through mindset, nutrition, and movement.
While we make every effort to make sure the information in this website is accurate and informative, the information does not take the place of medical advice.