Dr. Polo's Healthy Travel Tips
Now that summer is almost here, many of us are hitting the road and roaming the world. In all the excitement of booking travel plans, packing and dreaming about adventures to come, it can be easy to forget about sticking with healthy habits. Travelling doesn't mean you have to give up on your health goals! New Westminster Naturopathic Physician, Dr. Allana Polo is here with her favorite tips for staying healthy while on vacation!
"Going on vacation does not mean you are going on vacation from your healthy habits and lifestyle ways," says Dr. Polo. "If you view vacation as a free for all, you’re more likely to come home feeling lethargic, up a few pounds and not rested from your trip, when you should be returning feeling the complete opposite. Don't be one of those people who comes back from their travels saying that they need a vacation to recover from their vacation. Stay on track with your goals so you're sure to come home feeling energized and motivated that you can be healthy no matter where you are in the world."
Dr. Polo's Healthy Travel Tips:
Plan ahead- Scope out healthy restaurants and grocery stores, view menus and create a "meal plan" before heading on vacation.
Book a place to stay with a kitchen- Preparing some of your meals yourself will allow you the freedom to eat the way you eat at home, eat local produce, and save yourself thousands of hidden calories.
Scope Out The Hood- The first day you arrive, take a walk around the neighborhood and check out your cafe, restaurant and grocery shopping options. Also ask staff at the hotel about their favorite healthy places to grab a bite!
Be Active Whenever You Can- It''s tempting to grab an Uber or hop on a sightseeing bus when visiting a new city, but consider doing exploring by foot! Rent a bike or strap on a pair of sneakers and get that calorie burn up while travelling.
Schedule Workouts- Just because you are on vacation, doesn’t mean you have to skip your workout. Most hotels will offer a pool or gym. Try for 30-minute workouts where your heart rate is elevated and you work up a sweat. That’s all it takes!
Find the Other Pleasures- Remember why you are travelling in the first place. Whether you are exploring ancient ruins, or lying on a beach in Costa Rica, focus on the pleasures of vacation that have nothing to do with food and everything to do with relaxation and new experiences.
Kick Your Sight Seeing Up A Notch With Added Weight- Whether your visiting the Eiffel Tower or strolling the beaches of Maui looking for sand dollars, strap on a pair of ankle weights or wrist weights while walking and sight seeing for an extra metabolic boost!
Practice 80/20... or 75/25- Chances are you've heard of the 80/20 rule. Eat healthy 80% of the time and treat yourself the other 20. When on vacation nutrition is often the first thing to fly out the window, often as soon as we get to the airport. Don't deprive yourself, enjoy your vacation, but treat yourself 25% of the time and make healthy choices the rest of the time.
Skip Tapas and Appies in Favor of Backpack Snacks- Stock up on healthy snacks at a local grocery store or health food store when you arrive at your travel destination. Pre-plan your snacking for throughout the day. Eat a healthy snack 30 minutes to an hour before you go out to eat. You are much more likely to order too much food an unhealthy choices when you look at a menu while starving versus when you have a bit of food in your tummy.
Take the stairs- Make a game of taking the stairs wherever you go. Skip the elevator at your hotel and go up and down the stairwell instead. Even if you are staying on a high floor and you can't imagine walking all the flights up, walk down the stairs to burn a few extra calories.