It’s not impossible to eat well while vacationing. Your vacation state of mind can include light eating and better choices or it can run amok.  Here are a few ways to help you stay on track.

Here are 5 Healthy Tips while Traveling:

Tip # 1  Choose Light.  It’s not just about eating a lot of fresh fruit during the summer.  Even though juicy and refreshing, don’t overdo the fruit.  Chances are you are most likely choosing sweeter fruits. One or two fruits should be it for the day. Stick with most of your plant foods being vegetables.  There is an overabundance of fresh vegetable produce to pick from this time of year. 

Tip # 2  Go outside:  Take advantage of the wonderful weather.  If it’s too hot, aim for starting your outdoor adventure early in the morning before it gets too hot.  Take that early morning walk, run or hike.  Forego outdoor activities midday when the sun is at its peak.  And remember to always bring water with you.  I remember several years back going on a hike in the local Santa Monica mountains.  I was a rather inexperienced hiker and so I was not well equipped with the necessities.  I found myself feeling faint as we neared the peak and I almost passed out.  Something I’ll never forget – I now know to always have water and a snack with me even if it’s only a brief 30 minute walk around the neighborhood.

Tip #3  Pick Salads Instead of Burgers: I’m not opposed to burgers. Should you decide to have one, make sure you limit all or most of the bun. Also, french fries are usually part of the equation, so ask for a side of salad instead.  Main course salads are always a good pick. They are crisp and nutritious, however watch all the extras like highly caloric dressings, croutons, excessive amounts of ingredients like avocado, bacon, cheese. Although all of these are healthy, there just might be too much of it for one serving size.  While traveling, it’s not very easy to use a doggy bag, unless of course you have a fridge back in your hotel room or bed and breakfast.  If you don’t have any refrigeration order a small size or split a large size with your travel partner.

Tip # 4  Good Stuff Available Everywhere:  Believe it or not there is healthy food available everywhere you travel. Many foreign countries eat better than we do here.  Most cultures pride themselves on fresh fare and healthy portion sizes, as in enough to satisfy your hunger and not feeling overstuffed. Even if your host country offers greasy, large entrees you can still opt for something else.  Even though Mexico has now officially surpassed the U.S. as being the most obese country in the world (I would suspect it has a lot to do with processed foods having become more prevalent there) there is still plenty of excellent, healthy foods to choose from while visiting there.

Tip # 5   Alcohol Not Necessary:  Choose a Skinny drink – not necessarily a Skinny Girl Margarita. I like the “Skinny Girl” brand concept, but not so happy about the aspartame found in these drinks.  Aspartame, an unhealthy artificial sweetener, is known to be toxic to the brain. If you are choosing a cocktail you can make your own skinny version by replacing soda with mineral water instead.  Remember alcohol can cause you to overeat and crave certain foods like more sugar in the form of dessert.  So taste a little not a lot and save your waistline this summer.

Happy Trails!