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The health of my family is more important to me than anything else. Naturally, I include myself in this equation, so I always make an effort to eat well, exercise regularly and do whatever I can to keep the whole household as fit as possible. When we travel it becomes necessary to make a few tweaks to my usual formula. We eat out more, spend time in hotels and airports and don’t have access to the usual forms of exercise. Nevertheless, it’s not that hard to make a few adjustments and apply my knowledge about fitness to our road trips.
I always do plenty of research before making reservations. Finding a hotel with a good fitness center makes a big difference. Some hotels offer other exercise options such as pools, tennis courts or perhaps bicycle rentals. These all help us get regular exercise no matter where we might be staying. For our upcoming trip to Orlando I did just this. With so many hotels in Orlando, sites like Gogobot can be a huge asset. Of course, I still have to push my family to actually use these amenities, but that’s not usually so hard. We’ve come to learn that we feel better and have more energy when we work out regularly.
There are some vacations where people mostly sit around and do nothing and others where they stay very active. I try to ensure that our vacations fit into the second category. No matter where we go, there is some opportunity to engage in some fun physical activities. The kids enjoy playing sports like soccer, football and basketball. The slower paced adults also have many options, whether it’s volleyball, badminton or golf. Sometimes we play catch or throw a Frisbee around in a park. The point is, there’s always something to do that involves moving around.
It’s important to drink enough water, especially when you’re traveling and spending time in the sun. Your body starts to dehydrate very quickly, long before you even notice that you’re thirsty. When it comes to beverages, alternatives are almost always inferior, so I make sure we drink water rather than soda or sugar-filled energy drinks. When we make a pit stop at a grocery store, I always stock up on water. That way, we always have a good supply, whether we’re in the hotel room, driving or taking a walk somewhere.
One simple principle I recently discovered is that it’s both healthier and more environmentally friendly to eat locally grown food. That’s why I patronize stores and restaurants that specialize in locally produced foods. When we’re traveling, I try to guide my family to keep up this practice. This type of food is not only healthier, but it’s generally tastier as well. This includes produce, meats, dairy products and locally caught fish. Aside from choosing this type of restaurant, it’s fun to shop at local grocery stores and farmer’s markets when we travel.
Practicing healthy living involves doing lots of little things. At home, it means packing nutritious snacks and lunches for my kids when they go to school. It means encouraging everyone to exercise regularly, whether at the gym or on a sports team. I’ve found that these habits can be practiced, with some modification, even when we’re far from home. By choosing the right activities, hotels and restaurants we are able to stay as fit on the road as we do at home.
In closing healthy living blogger, Lou Ann Donovan includes a few of her healthy traveling tips for family road trips!
Vacation is a much needed break from your work and daily routines but shouldn’t be a break from your healthy habits. 
So pack up the car, the kids including the family dogs and hit the highway for a fun and healthy vacation!
You can avoid packing on those dreaded vacation pounds by packing healthy foods and workout gear instead. Fill the cooler with chopped veggies, fresh fruits, bottled water, low-fat yogurt, peanut butter sandwiches and pretzels all make easy travel fare. Try not to go more than 4-5 hours without eating. Being famished hinders your ability to make healthy choices and triggers overeating.
We all want to make good time drive time in reaching our destination, but it’s also important to take time to stop and relax on your road trip! Just three 10-minute breaks adds up to 30-minutes of activity. Take the dogs for a walk, stretch and run around with the kids. You’ll be more alert and energetic when back in the car.
With a little planning you can enjoy your vacation and keep your healthy habits too!
Photo credit: Photodune.net
I’m a Midwest gal who began on a journey to live a healthier life way back when I was in college. Now just like all of you, the twists and turns of my life have led me to where I am today. Passionate about healthy living, community and social media, I invite you to Live Young with me!
