1. Watch What You Eat and Drink
When you’re on vacation, you may get the urge to splurge. You might indulge in all sorts of foods and drinks you wouldn’t normally consume. That’s normal. Just don’t go overboard with what you eat and drink.
Alcohol is one of those drinks you definitely have to watch. Super-high in calories, it will kill your body if you drink too much and I don’t mean liver cancer. There’s a reason beer bellies are called that. All of those calories sit in your body, collecting until you have a nice pouch of fat on your belly. And I guarantee you that pouch won’t look good in a bikini.
This doesn’t mean you have to cut out alcohol entirely. You’re on vacation indulge a little. But maybe eat some high-protein foods first. Those will give your body the boost it needs to really process those extra calories.
If you’re vacationing near an ocean or beach, odds are there will be lots of fresh fruit around. Eat it. You already know fruit is good for you because it’s high in vitamins and antioxidants and everything you’re body really needs to function. Fresh, organic fruits like the fruits you can buy at little farmer’s markets near beaches are even better. They’re not processed or sprayed with all kinds of chemicals that are bad for your body. And they’re delicious: who wouldn’t want a sweet, juicy peach to munch on while strolling down the beach?
2. Stay on Your Feet
If you want to keep the weight off, you need to stay active. That means be on your feet as much as possible, moving around. Start a game of beach volleyball with your family or friends. If your hotel hosts activities for guests, you could participate in some of those activities. That way you can meet new people and stay active.
If you’re vacationing in the city, don’t stop to hail a cab; keep walking. If you don’t have a time schedule (which you shouldn’t have because you’re on vacation), you don’t need to rush around. Take your time to get to your locations. Look around the city. You’ll see the sights the city has to offer, and you’ll get the exercise you need. If you do have a schedule, use the rapid transit system, like the Tube or Metro; you’ll get to your next destination about as fast as a cab, and you’ll get a lot more exercise walking through the station.
3. Get Your Beauty Rest
Vacationtime is notorious for causing sleep deprivation. You want to take advantage of the fact you don’t have to go to work, so you spend every minute relaxing or seeing the city around you. You shop, swim, and party. That’s understandable. But you shouldn’t cut sleep out of your schedule, replacing it with the vacation activities. Your body needs sleep, and not just to function. You need sleep to stay in shape too.
If you don’t get enough sleep, you’ll crave food more often, but you won’t know when you’re full, so you’ll keep going back for more. You’ll eat breakfast and still be hungry. You’ll go back for second breakfast, then elevensies, and then lunch. You’ll be like a hobbit, only worse because hobbits are fictional and have the metabolism to process that much food. You don’t. So give yourself the sleep your body needs so it knows when you’re hungry and when you’re full.
Chris Milleris a professional writer, blogger, and English grammar enthusiast. Chris recently received a nutrition certification online, and he enjoys learning about new health products, procedures, and ideas.
