Ahh, Spring Break. Its arrival is inevitable, yet its presence sneaks up on us every year.
Whether you’re planning on jetting off to paradise with the family or staying home in your swimsuit for a backyard tanning session, vacation time requires strict planning to ensure that you stay on track. When you’re in a state of relaxation, you may not have the same sense of urgency regarding healthy eating and active living, but this can have severe consequences! You may not have the same access to your usual resources (like RedMountain Weight Loss), but that doesn’t mean that you cannot do it on your own.
Committing to living life the RedMountain Weight Loss Way means staying dedicated, even when times get tough. Sometimes, it’s all about getting creative, and other times, it’s about keeping yourself motivated. Don’t give yourself any other options other than healthy living during your next vacation; you’ll never regret accomplishing your goals. Keep these vacation hacks in mind throughout the duration of your next trip and keep the memories of your vacation nothing but happy.
Keep a pair of tennis shoes on hand
Make a pair of athletic footwear the first thing you pack. Or last. Or 4th. Or 10th. It doesn’t really matter, as long as they’re packed! Having your tennis shoes alongside your flip-flops and other footwear will act as a reminder to get out and get moving whenever you leave to go anywhere. Not only that, having a pair of sneakers will keep you from opting out of unplanned events like hikes or other outdoor ventures that will get you moving!
Plan your outfits strategically
Bring a variety of clothes, including active wear. A great hack to motivate yourself to get active is actually wearing your running shorts to bed! If you wake up early enough, there’s no reason you can’t go on a quick walk or stop by the hotel fitness center. If you’re already dressed appropriately, the only thing coming between you and physical activity is yourself.
Shower in the morning
There’s a good chance you’ll be staying up late anyways, so you might actually end up knocking out and doing this anyways. Regardless of the reason why you opted out of a nighttime shower, saving the suds for the morning can benefit you in two ways. First, going along with waking up early to go for a walk or work out, if you take a morning shower then you don’t have an excuse to opt out of AM activity because you “might sweat”. Second, showering in the morning will jumpstart your day. When you’re forced to get ready, you actually become more motivated to do things, minimizing lounge time and maximizing vacation excitement.
Put that Mini-Fridge to good use
There’s no reason to be eating out for every meal when you have a functional refrigerator! Of course, dining out while on vacation is part of the experience, but that’s no excuse for eating against your diet plan for a whole week. For casual lunches and snacks especially, it’s a good idea to stop by the grocery store for a quick haul of fruits and veggies, and lean meats too if you have access to a stove or grill.
Wake up early
We’ve all experienced it – if you wake up at 10am or later, you end up feeling like your day flew by in the blink of an eye. While rest is one of the luxuries of being on vacation, so is getting to jam-pack your day with activities you actually want to do! When you wake up early, even if you’re not necessarily doing anything, you end up feeling more like you had a wholesome experience, as any opting-out of activities was done with complete awareness. Plus, if you’re awake, you’re likely also up and moving which is good for your health.
Keep a full itinerary
You can have a “lazy day” on any other weekend throughout the year, so don’t waste one of your vacation days renting a Redbox and lounging around. Now is the time to do the things you don’t usually have the opportunity to do – so do them! It doesn’t matter whether you’re at home or in a far off place, a quick Google search will come up with hundreds, even thousands, of options on what you can fill your day with. Shopping, surfing, swimming, and sightseeing are just a few of the things you can occupy yourself with.
If you must splurge, do so on a new experience
You can have a cheeseburger ANYWHERE, so don’t waste your calories on something so universal. If you’re going to cheat your diet, cheat mindfully and make it worthwhile. Try an exotic dish so you can boast the amazing experience to your friends or eat something your destination is known for so you know what authentic cuisine tastes like. Hot Cheetos are mediocre and forgettable; a new experience is not.
