Quote of the day: "There are no short cuts to any place worth going." - Unknown

Article of the day: 5 Great Moves with the Resistance Band, The Ultimate Resistance Band Workout, and Get Fit on The Go.

Healthy Eating On Vacation

Conscious indulgences: Even though you are on vacation, still indulge consciously. If you have an ice cream sandwich as an afternoon snack, skip the key lime pie at dessert. You are on vacation, so you don't want to deprive yourself completely. But indulging every meal can make you come back from vacation with more than a few souvenirs.

Repeat after me... Alcohol has calories! Many people don't think about how many calories they consume a day from alcohol. If you have 4 light beers while at the beach that is 400 extra calories. That is about the same as a full meal! Make sure you are conscious of how many calories a day you are consuming from alcohol. If you have a couple of beers at the beach, skip the margarita at dinner (which cost you over 500 calories a piece).

Explore the local farmers market: Check with your hotel's front desk and find out where the local farmers market is located. Stock up on local produce and bring it back to your hotel. Now you have fresh fruit and veggies to snack on in your room (bye bye vending machine) and take with you when you go out and explore the city!

You don't always have to pack lightly: If you are not in danger of exceeding your suit case weight limit, save a little space to bring your favorite healthy snacks with you on vacation. Whenever I travel, I always bring packets of oatmeal with me for breakfast, Kashi granola bars and 100 calorie packs of almonds for on the go snacks, and dried fruit or 100 calorie pack kettle corn bags for a healthy late-night snack. When you have healthy options with you, you are better equipped to fight off the lure of unhealthy processed food!

Research, Research, Research: Google can be your best friend in the war against unhealthy restaurant foods! Most restaurants have their nutrition facts posted online. Check out the restaurants around your hotel before you leave. This way, when you get there you know what restaurants and dishes won't ruin your hard earned beach bod!

Don't be afraid to be picky: Whenever you go to a restaurant, don't be afraid to ask to make changes to your entree. Subbing fries for a side salad, cutting the bacon and cheese on a cobb salad, asking for dressing and sauces on the side, ordering grilled instead of fried chicken, swapping mayo for mustard, or ordering wheat bread instead of white bread can all make a big difference in the caloric and fat content of your meal! I'm so bad about changing entrees, I usually just tell the waiter or waitress before I order, "I'm sorry, but I'm probably going to be really annoying." They usually just laugh and say no problem. But hey, at least I warned them!

Working Out on Vacation

Vacation in a Fitness Friendly City: Shape Magazine rated the top 10 Fittest Cities in the U.S. Check out if your city made the list: 1) Washington D.C. 2) Boston 3) Minneapolis/St. Paul 4) Seattle 5) Portland, Oregon 6) Denver 7) Sacramento, California 8) San Francisco 9) Hartford, Connecticut 10) Austin, Texas (Yes! At least one Texas City made the list!) Researchers at the American College of Sports Medicine evaluated the 50 largest metropolitan areas looking at factors such as personal health indicators, rates of chronic health concerns, and community and environmental issues (such as number and size of city parks, farmers markets, pools, and Rec Centers).

Make a fitness center a requirement: Whenever I research hotels, I always check out the fitness center. Cardio equipment...check, free weights... check, cute foreign gym assistant...check! (just kidding on the last one) Make sure the fitness center is well equipped and inviting. Anyone can spare 45 minutes a day to hit the gym, even if you are on vacation!

Look for fun outdoor activities around your hotel: Think outside the box when you are planning your vacation activities. Does your hotel have kayaks you can rent, or group exercise classes you can take? When we went on our honeymoon, the resort actually offered two spin classes and one yoga class every day. It was fun to take a class from a brand new instructor. Going to a big city? Check to see if your hotel provides jogging maps or walking routes? On the beach, go for a jog in the sand! At a ski resort, try cross country skiing one day (it's a killer workout). Hiking is a great way to explore the great outdoors, burn calories, and tone your lower half all at the same time.

Take a walking or biking tour: Many cities offer walking or biking tours as an alternative to the traditional bus tour of the city. You will get to experience the city up close and personal. Walking and biking will let you explore the city at your own pace and see it from a local’s perspective. How much can you really take in from the top of a bus going 40 mph anyways?

Bring the gym with you: If you do end up at a hotel without a gym, have no fear you can take the gym with you on vacation! Resistance bands are light, portable and easy to pack. You can do a total body resistance workout using just the bands! It really is the frequent travelers’ best friend. Check out the articles of the day, for a total body resistance band workout!

Remember you are on VACATION: Don't forget this is a vacation. It is suppose to be relaxing and enjoyable. Don't beat yourself up if you skip a workout!

Yours truly,

Lauren G.

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