Health Nut Claire: Staying Fit On Vacation

I just got home from my senior trip - one week in Panama City Beach with all of my closest friends.

At first, when the term "senior trip" came to mind all I could think of was booze, hang-overs, and fourth meals and the thought of that just made me cringe. Now, to some of the people who go on senior trip the thought of all of those things might get them all excited. Those people are crazy stupid and I sure as heck am not one of them.

So thankfully I found ways to get around all of the negative aspects of this trip that I had been dreading coming encounter with.

These little tips apply to any kind of vacation because frankly if there is a will to be healthy then there is a way to be healthy. Healthy is happy, add a vacation to the mix and it's pure bliss.

While on vacation you might think..."There's no where I can get a good workout in". Wrong.

More than likely whenever you're lodging on vacation will have a stair case. Run or walk your hotel's (or in my case condo's) stair case for at least half an hour.
If your vacation involves a beach then use the sand to your advantage. Running on sand creates resistance which creates an awesome butt kicking, leg burning workout. Run up and down the beach for at least half an hour.
I don't care where you are may it be the mountains, lakes, beach, or snow there is always a place for a HIIT! Pick out a few cardio exercises (jumping jacks, jump squats, mountain climbers, burpees, jumping rope, etc...) and perform them for 30 seconds to one minute at an intense pace and then rest for 1-2 minutes. Repeat for at least 20 minutes.

While on vacation you might think..."There aren't going to be any healthy meal options if I can't cook my own food". Wrong.

If you're going to be gone for a while then go grocery shopping! Stock the condo or hotel fridge with quick and easy meal options. First thing I did was buy Greek yogurt, granola, and seasonal fruit to guarantee I had a healthy breakfast every morning.
You can usually always find something healthy hidden somewhere on even the worst of the worst menus. Look for grilled or blackened protein, complex carbohydrates (sweet potato, quinoa, brown/wild rice, etc...), and any kind of vegetable.
You can say yes to desserts! Share a dessert or an appetizer with the group you're with that way you can still enjoy the food without over indulging.

While on vacation you might think..."I'm not going to be able to have fun while still trying to eat healthy and exercise". Wrong.

Exercise doesn't have to be confined to the gym. Vacationing offers so many great opportunities for fun activities such as skiing, snow boarding, beach volley ball, hiking, swimming, deep sea fishing, even just walking to shops or restaurants!
Rest days are just as important as all the other hard working days. Take a day to just enjoy whatever your vacation surroundings may be.
Research and register for races and other fun, active events that might be going on where you'll be staying.

If anything, while on vacation always remember to:

Stay hydrated! Drink lots and lots of water!
Keep your focus by writing things down in a fitness journal!
Have fun and enjoy yourself!

I'm very happy to say I had a wonderful time on my senior trip with an amazing group of people. It might not have been easy waking up before everyone else to go for a run or to pass on booze and fried food at times but in the end nothing took away from the great experience I had. Love you guys!