How to Not Derail Your Health Train While on Vacay

Last week the family and I went on a Spring break cruise to Key West and Cuba. The cover pic is of the lighthouse as you go into the Havana Harbor. It was great and super interesting to see Cuba and the major differences to the USA. But, when you are on a cruise the amount of food available...sheesh!

If you've ever been on a cruise, you know how hard it can be not to go nuts and just sit by the pool sipping cocktails and waiting on one buffet to the next in-between sticking your head under the soft serve ice cream machine. So, here are 6 tips to help you not derail your health goals while on vacation this summer.

1- Don't beat yourself up if you slip up. Healthy living is very much a mental game, a marathon not a sprint, and if you do decide to have a monster cone of optic white vanilla soft serve at 9:30am, 12:30pm and 11pm on the same day, realize that you did it, enjoyed it and that tomorrow is another day to get back on track. Don't safe eff it all, it's vacay and I'll "do good" when I get home. Just steer it back on the road the follow day and pay close attention to why you want it, when you know it's not the best choice.

2-Stay hydrated. Different climates, especially in the summer months, can dehydrate you quickly. It is very easy to confuse hunger with thirst. If you find yourself hungry at times when you normally aren't, start with a big glass of water and sit with it a few minutes. If you are still hungry, go for the less sugary food options. Berries, nuts, raw veggies and lean meats all fit the bill.

3-Enjoy dessert, just don't overdo it. It is perfectly fine to have dessert after dinner. But you don't need dessert after breakfast, lunch, and mid afternoon snack just because it's there. And when you do decide to have dinner, make sure it's worth it. You don't have to finish it because it's in front of you. You will hurt no ones feelings by not cleaning your plate. So take a couple of bites and see if that satisfies your sweet tooth, if so, leave the rest there. You don't have to stuff yourself because you are fearful of waste.

4- Be careful with booze. Day drinking will lead to dehydration and overall overconsumption. Plus, who wants to feel like crap all evening when the fun things are happening because you overdid it during the day. If you do plan on drinking alcohol, stick to the less sweet drinks. Sugar + alcohol = fat accumulation. So a few glasses of wine, lighter beer, and sipping liquor are decent options. And remember it's vacation and you want to remember it, so there's no real need to get sloshed to have a good time.

5-Don't carb load. You are probably not running a marathon on vacation. Be careful with French toast, pancakes, toast, and crepes, sugary cereal and yogurts or oatmeal with brown sugar, too. Sandwiches are ok at lunch but if you really pay attention, bread is cheap and there will likely be tons more bread than meat on the sandwiches. Your best bet is to eat only half the bread or just skip it altogether and just eat the guts out of the sandwich. The more protein and water filled fruits and veggies you can eat the fuller you'll be from the water and fiber, so the less likely you'll be to have cravings to eat the crap. Most of the time at dinner you will be offered a small piece of protein with veggies. Which is perfect. Skip the bread bowl or eat only half a piece. You can still enjoy different flavors and the overall experience without going crazy.

6- Stay active. Take tours, walk around the ship, maybe even hit the gym once or twice. You can never out exercise a bad diet. So, don't feel guilty if you don't hit the gym. Leisure walking or biking can work wonders for your metabolism, too.

Hope these simple tips help you enjoy your vacations and still maintain your health goals. Let me know if you have your own tips that work for you on vacation!

Cheers!

Check out these cute Cuban Taxis

Statue of Jesus in Havana. Second largest in the world after Rio.