how to stay healthy during your spring break travel

Sleep as much as you can.

Even though it’s tempting to skimp on sleep while you’re away to do more, know that sleep is absolutely essential for keeping you well — and when your body is already compromised from the stress of travel, taking some steps to ensure you get adequate quality sleep is a non-negotiable. The recovery of sleep helps your immune system, energy levels, metabolism and so much more.

Eat as much fruit and veggies as you can at every meal.

Fruits and veggies are not only hydrating, but they are also full of minerals and antioxidants that can serve as anti-inflammatories naturally in your body while you travel. Pick up bananas and berries with breakfast; apples for snacks; spinach, tomatoes and peppers with lunch; and any veggie you can get your hands on with your dinner. A great way to get a lot of veggies in one sitting is with a big entree salad for lunch every day, and perhaps even a veggie and fruit-based smoothie for breakfast too.

Walk everywhere and choose walking over riding.

When you’re away from home, it can be tempting to pay for Uber rides and cabs to get you to your destination, however, if you opt for the walking option — you’ll be saving money and burning calories too. Leave time in your schedule to walk to restaurants or museums, and you’ll have the added benefit of soaking up fresh air, precious natural vitamin D (don’t forget your sunscreen) and perhaps even some greenery from trees and plants. Aim for 12,000 steps a day while you’re on vacation instead of your usual 10,000 goal, and that will give you something to work toward in a fun way.

Get fresh air every single morning and ground your feet.

What’s a great way to start the day? Being outside! If you’re away on a trip, it’s so beneficial to start every morning by getting your bare feet on the ground outdoors and breathing in the fresh air. This is sometimes called ‘grounding’ and when you do this, your body is positively affected in many ways. Our bodies make their own electricity, and when you travel or are stressed or ill, your internal electrical balance can be thrown off. Making contact directly with the earth through your feet can regulate that electrical imbalance and bring you back to a neutral state. Grounding is said to help with bone health, improve your sleep, reduce inflammation and much more. And you can get the whole family involved in this one by taking a barefoot walk on the beach or (something about being barefoot in the grass?).

Choose active ways to see the sights.

Instead of riding a double-decker bus around a new city, why not sign up for a walking tour or biking tour? If you’re more of an independent traveler, you can also set out on foot for a nice jog along the waterfront or downtown area to get the lay of the land when you arrive at your destination. Renting kayaks. Hiking. These are also active activities that will give you valuable exercise while you’re having a good time too.

Dine out wisely but enjoy yourself.

When you go on a vacation, you don’t have to eat the same lean chicken and steamed broccoli that you do at home for dinner for every meal, and you definitely don’t have to bring all of your food with you from home. It’s totally okay to try the local cuisine and have treats here and there and eat out as well, but the key is to mostly fill up on quality food and leave those indulgences as an extra only. If you are fueling your body properly with a lot of fruits and veggies and lean protein, then you won’t have as much room for the hot dogs, ice cream sundaes or sugary cocktails. Each day, know which treat you are most looking forward to and try to eat mostly healthy for your other meals. And when you dine out, no need to fill up on bread that’s not worth it to you — ask the waiter to hold the bread, sip lots of water and focus mostly on enjoying the company of those you are traveling with, rather than putting all of your attention on your food.

Bring a tailored plan from your Fitness Together trainer.

We know you’re on the go a lot, so at Fitness Together, we provide with workouts you can do on the road to stay on track and keep getting stronger, even while having fun on vacation. If you know you’ll be gone for an extended amount of time, all you have to do is have your trainer come up with a few short and effective workouts — designed just for you — that you can complete using minimal equipment in your hotel room or in the hotel gym. And your trainer will also arm you with some meal advice and nutrition tips to keep you feeling great, wherever you are.