Tips for Eating Healthy on Vacation

Vacations are for relaxing and that includes relaxing the guidelines you follow for a healthy diet. While one of the goals of getting away may be to indulge in the local cuisine and enjoy eating out, over-indulgence may result in less energy for such activities as dancing, sightseeing, hiking and swimming.

Balance your desire to indulge and the need to maintain a healthy diet by following these few dietary tips for a more active and healthy vacation.

Eat a Light Breakfast

Avoid lavish breakfasts filled with carbohydrates, cholesterol and sugary breads. These weigh you down and make you feel sluggish all morning. Opt for seasonal fruit and whole grain toast, accompanied by a local blend of coffee or tea.

By mid-morning, you may feel hungry again. Indulge in a snack, such as cheese and crackers or vegetables and dip. If these snacks aren’t available as appetizers or side dishes at restaurants, try the local delicatessens or grocery stores. Enjoy the snack picnic style at a park or by the pool at your hotel.

Make Lunch a Full Meal

Eat lunch a little later in the day, and enjoy a full meal at a restaurant or bistro. Lunch menus often similar to dinner menus, but the portions are smaller and the prices are lower.

Indulge in a hearty meat and potato meal, or soup and sandwich with all the trimmings. Make this meal your indulgence, and you won’t end your day on a heavy note. Rather, you spend your afternoon burning off calories, even if you just take a swim and sit by the pool until evening.

Diversify at Dinner

Take advantage of appetizer plates and unusual side dishes at restaurants and eateries, and make dinner a lighter meal. Eating ala carte makes for an interesting sampling of local cuisines, as well as a way for you to avoid an overload of calories. Keep the main dish simple; look for fish or chicken served with vegetables instead of potatoes.

Allow yourself a bit of indulgence for dessert, and enjoy an after-dinner drink if you are so inclined. Eating fewer fatty foods late in the day, and more vegetables and salads, makes you feel more energetic in the evening. You spend the night dancing and walking along the beach, rather than lying in the hotel bed staring at the television.

Don’t Deprive Yourself

Good food is part of the fun of vacationing, and you don’t want to feel like you’re missing out on this part of the trip. If you have the opportunity to sample a local delicacy or rich treat, don’t pass it up because you’re worried about extra calories. Simply adjust for the intake by lightening up at lunch or skipping dessert the next day. You don’t want to regret not trying an exotic new food, so eat and enjoy, and indulge just a little.

Resources:
USA Today
Farmers’ Almanac

Further Reading:
Celebrate National Dessert Month with Apples
Foodie Lifestyle Reduces Risk of Heart Disease and Treats Celiac Disease
How to Raise Your Good Cholesterol Levels


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