Life is about balance, and in a lot of ways, vacation is about restoring that balance. We all need time to recharge. Big picture, indulging a little on vacation is totally okay, as long as balance is restored. There are unique ways you can keep up with your healthy habits while on vacation so that you feel amazing both during and afterward.
- Book a farm-to-table experience with a guided farm tour where you are immersed in local agriculture. Not only do you get to know the local culture and its traditional foods in a unique way, but you’ll be eating a wholesome meal at the end of it.
- Visit a uniquely local market and pick up produce and other odds and ends to enjoy for snacks or breakfast. There’s a famous outdoor market in Modena, and I picked up tomatoes, garlic, aged balsamic, olive oil, and fresh bread that we had for breakfast the next day. We did the same thing in Lisbon, where the big Time Out Market has a dizzying array of interesting tinned seafood.
- Eat breakfast at your home base. It saves time and energy so you have more of the day to explore your destination. It can be simple and balanced to get you started right. Pick up what you need at a local market.
- Take an outdoor cooking class focused on healthy eating. It’s edutainment! You get a hands-on learning experience, and then you are nourished with the fruits of your labor.
- Packing snacks may be basic, but they can be a lifesaver. I always have mini energy bars and individually-wrapped prunes with me. They’ve saved me more than once on a long hike, or even a long drive.
- Pre-packing your vitamins in a daily pill organizer – whether it’s a multi, prenatal or something more specific – can keep you on track with your wellness goals. Taking care of this when you’re home and in planning mode means less to think about when you’re on vacation.
- Use your legs for transportation to stay active. That could mean walking, biking, or skating to where you want to go. I love walking on vacation and seeing the place I’m visiting on a human scale. One time in Geneva, we rode our bikes alongside vineyards to get to our lunch destination in a small town in France. It was magical.
- Take a fitness class in a venue that is unique to your destination. On a recent weekend in Ojai, my partner and I did outdoor sunset yoga at a meditation center in the mountains and it was amazing.
To read more genius ways to eat healthfully while on vacation without deprivation, check out my interview with MindBodyGreen here.
