“Healthy Horizons: Stay Active, Travel Better, and Live Well on Every Adventure”

Traveling is something that we get to do in life rather than something that is owed to us which is why I feel that there should never be a vacation experience that is taken for granted. Over my years in the health & wellness industry the focus that we all know and hear about is getting fit for your vacation, feeling good in that swimsuit, getting beach body ready and so on. This goes for both men & women because as much as we assume that men don’t feel the pressure I am going to argue with the fact that some do. What I never hear about are things such as getting ready for that vacation so you feel good during and after that long flight, so you can walk without discomfort and have the freedom to explore anything you want to. I rarely, if ever see anything about focusing on creating healthy eating habits long before you travel so you have energy, feel more positive and optimistic and stay healthy on your vacation. Last but not least there is knowing and understanding what to eat when it comes to buffets so we can maintain overall wellness while we are away from home rather than suffering from uncomfortable stomach aches or nausea. In this blog, I’ll explore how living healthily at home translates into feeling our best when we are away from home, with tips and insights that have personally helped me.

Let’s get started with getting ready for your vacation long before you’re ready to go, which translates to creating a healthy lifestyle rather than going on a diet so you can look good or feel skinny. I would love to encourage anyone reading this to let go of the idea of restriction or the thought of thinking you need to look a specific way for that one week you are in your swimsuit. What about taking one day at a time with the idea of releasing the “extra” visceral fat that is surrounding our organs so everything in our body begins to function optimally again, gaining lean muscle, releasing inches and becoming stronger in your mind & body. I like this thought much better personally, I hope you are with me on this too.

Next I would love to chat about taking daily steps that slowly adjust cravings such as sweets or salty snacks. We all know that the more we consume the more we crave. Most of us feel that over the Christmas holidays when all of the sudden we are searching for more sweets or salty foods throughout our day to eat that we didn’t even think about in the fall. Rather than going all or nothing because let me remind you that treats are not bad and neither are you for eating them, I would love to encourage you to just become more aware of the messaging from your brain. It sounds deep but it’s really not, our brain is simply telling us that it wants to repeat what we normally do in our day because that’s what it knows. The neat thing is that we can change this by taking small steps daily to send a new message that says after lunch I have a little sweet treat such as a piece or two of dark chocolate to satisfy my cravings and I feel best when I don’t eat the whole chocolate bar. End of story, we still get the chocolate but we are learning not to eat the whole thing. At this time I like to remind myself to take a break mid afternoon to have a little snack so I’m not starving by dinner. Typically this is a fruit or veggie with a protein. These habits become so valuable and you will see why over time and while you are on vacation too. It’s just a little message that we learn to listen to because it’s also letting us know when to have more water so we don’t become dehydrated or to go the bathroom so we don’t pee our pants. These messages are valuable when we pay attention to them and actually make good use of what we have the power to do with them. When you walk up to the buffet it will feel easier to make sure you grab some clean protein such as yogurt or a hard boiled egg, with that you will likely want some fresh fruit or veggies and meats that aren’t smothered in a sauce. I’m not saying you won’t have other foods but maybe you will find yourself wanting some of the clean foods that are available because you now know you feel best when you eat them.

Of course I have to mention exercise and sleep! Our bodies are meant to move and we are also meant to sleep. We need to move so our muscles and bones stay strong & healthy. When we take time for movement we are more likely to feel good on our vacations too. Even if it is a relaxing vacation there is still daily movement that takes place. Finally, let’s end with sleep. The more I’ve learned about sleep I have now released the old thought in my mind of thinking that I don’t need as much sleep as what studies show we need. What I know without a doubt is that the sleeping or resting hours are about taking time for our body to rejuvenate. Even if we can’t sleep for the hours that we probably should be, I have learned that those valuable hours are also about taking a break from technology which most of us need.

In closing, I hope this helps to think about your health from a fresh perspective. As much as the health & fitness world likes to encourage us to focus on our outward appearance I would like to remind you that a healthy life is an inside job. When you get this right it will make travelling so much more fun. 

Please note that this information does not take the place of what has been advised to you by a Medical Professional. My background is in Personal Training, Nutrition and Mindset Coaching which I am still passionate about and keep up my Certification with. My career now is owning our Travel Agency and helping clients to create their dream vacations but without our health it can become difficult to fulfill those travel dreams which is why I felt the need to share this blog and bring my past and present careers together in one place. I hope you found it helpful in some small way. Trish