Eating healthy on vacation

Here's one of the things I hate about taking a vacation (actually, it's probably the only thing. Seriously, who hates a good vacation?)- missing my refrigerator. Whether I'm at a relative's house or at a hotel, it seems that there is no good substitution for all the healthy foods I have stored back home. And normally taking vacations means long road trips or airports, which means lots of fast food stops. So somehow, this vacation that was supposed to make me feel great turned into a long period where I'm feeling icky from all of the fatty and sweet food. Well, the good thing is that my family travels A LOT. When I say a lot, I mean that if we haven't been out of town in a month, we start getting antsy. So with all of this traveling that we do, I have found lots of ways to keep healthy during our vacations and would love to share them with you. So I invite you to take a journey with me to the Land of Healthy Habits While on Vacation.

Let's begin with the traveling portion of our journey, shall we? Planning and preparing is essential to eating healthy on the road. Who says that you need that you need junk food to make traveling worth while? Well, I guess I said that in college. In fact, that's often what made a road trip fun for me- seeing all the gummy worms, energy drinks, Doritos, and chocolate you could fit into one car. But when I started living healthier, all those items weren't fun for me anymore. In fact, they made me sick because I wasn't used to eating them anymore. And raise your hand if you like being sick in a car. So I decided that I would need to pack healthier snacks when traveling. Now, it's hard to pack a ton of produce when you're going to be traveling for several hours- it will often go bad before you can get around to eating it. But never fear! I have found many healthy snacks that will last you many hours in an airport or in a car. Here are some of my family's favorites:
- Craisins or raisins
- Apples and oranges (they last forever and don't need to stay cold)
- Nuts, trail mix
- Fruit leather (I prefer the homemade kind!)
- Bananas
- Any other kind of dried fruit
- Air popped popcorn
- Whole grain crackers or breakfast cereals

When it comes to mealtime though, your selection gets a lot trickier. Sure, you can pack a healthy sandwich for your first traveling meal, but if you're going to be on the road for days it's not exactly realistic. And I am all about being realistic when it comes to eating healthy. So yes, you are probably going to need to stop at a McDonald's or Taco Bell, especially if you're going through the Midwest where there are very limited options for eating. But, here is the good news and it won't be a surprise to you- there are healthy options on fast food menus. So opt for the salad instead of the burger, the apples instead of the fries, and the yogurt and fruit instead of the milkshake. I know you all have seen these items at your favorite fast food restaurant. But speaking of being realistic, you can't expect to eat a salad every meal of the traveling day. BORING! I certainly wouldn't expect that of myself even. You're going to get a hamburger now and then, and it's ok! But be choosy and try limiting the amount of unhealthy things you eat. For example, if you get a cheeseburger, then don't get the fries with it.

The other thing I can suggest to bring for long traveling days is lots and lots and lots and lots of water. It will keep you from being tempted to order sodas and juices. And when you have water, you certainly don't need energy drinks. Your bladder's warning signs will be enough to keep you plenty awake!

Now what about when you arrive at your destination? Things can get a little tricky. If you're staying at a hotel, you are probably going to eat out a lot. What I say to this is "make smart choices." I know it sounds cliche, but its as blunt as I can get. Eat out where you know there is a healthier menu. And once again, if your options are few, limit the portions of unhealthy foods you eat. And if you can, find a grocery store and pack that mini fridge full of fruits, veggies, and other healthy snacks for you to munch on during the day.

If you are staying with a relative or friend, it could get a little awkward. You don't always want to go out and buy a bunch of healthy groceries and risk offending them. So what I do is that I offer to help with meal making. And after all, it's the least I can do for free room and board, right? I can put together a nice side of vegetables, fruit salad for dessert, or even make the whole dang meal healthy. And I have never once offended or heard complaint from my friends when I do this. And the great thing is that when I plan to help with the cooking, I usually have to go out and buy a bunch of ingredients anyway. So if I'm making salad, I usually buy a few more vegetables than I need. That way I can eat the veggies I didn't use in my salad later on in the week. I also slip a few healthy snacks into the grocery cart while I'm there. I know, you all are jealous of my stealthiness...

The one healthy thing we haven't talked about for vacationing is exercise. I feel like this habit is actually easier to keep when you're staying at a hotel. Most of them have gyms. But if you dont' have this luxury on your trip, here is the best advice I can give- just keep moving. If you're at a beach, go swimming or try surfing. If you're at a national park, you know you're going to do a lot of hiking! If you're at a lake, break out the kayaks and canoes. And if you're at a place like Disneyland, chances are you'll do more walking than you realize. But what if you're just visiting relatives in North Dakota where there is NOTHING around? Keep moving and get them moving. My husband's family loves to play board games when they get together, which can be fun. But it's not very active. But my family is a younger crowd (my littlest brother is only 10), so we often have to plan outdoor activities to keep everyone from getting bored. We usually end up playing capture the flag, hide and go seek, or football. If you plan an activity like this once a day, you'll be golden and keep yourself in shape. I always seem to run a little faster and play a little harder when it's with family anyway. And whenever we play these outdoor games with Dave's family, it feels like we're bonding a little more than we would if we'd kept sitting around the table.

So you should feel all set to go on vacation now! Speaking of which, I have my own family coming to visit this week to get ready for... See all you fellow travelers later!