It’s hard to stick to our diet and exercise regimen when we’re on vacation—and honestly, we don’t exactly want to. What fun is it to count carbs and miss out on the delicate flavors of a foreign cuisine? Or skip a museum tour to do laps on the park? Luckily, we can have fun and take a break from the grind while still being true (sort of) to our commitment to health.
Load up on vegetables
By all means enjoy the hotel buffet or the exotic food trip. You can burn the excess calories after you get back. But at the very least, load up on vegetables (every cuisine has its own menu of vegetable dishes!) which can give you energy and boost your skin cells. Studies show that beta-carotene can help prevent sun burns, and lycopene can minimize UV damage. Something to remember while tanning by the pool! (Read more weight loss tips that don’t involve counting calories.)
Keep drinking water
You’ll avoid dehydration, which often happens in the summer heat or while walking around the city. You can also order coconut water at the restaurant, which will help restore electrolytes.
Go sight seeing
Biking around the town, hiking down the nearby forest, or taking the historical tour through one of the older parts of an exotic city—these are all great ways of getting exercise without being stuck in the hotel gym. You can also end the day with laps in the pool, which can substitute for strength exercises you may have missed from your usual workout.
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