Spring has sprung and vacations are about to abound. What do you do when you travel? Are all bets off and the ice cream bar is open? How does that actually help you out and make you feel good while you are trying to relax and enjoy a break?

I have a few simple rules (yeah, you can call them guidelines if you want, but for me, I like the enforcement factor for my life) on how to handle when I am traveling that keep me healthy and not feeling horrible all vacation long because I binged on pizza, pasta and ice cream.

1. Bring your workout clothes! Pack them and USE them. If the hotel doesn’t have a gym than do the 3-5oo’s workout – 500 squats, 500 sit-ups/crunches, 500 jumping jacks. This is a GOOD workout and will help to set you off right for your day. So, get it done right away when you wake up in the comfort of your own hotel room.
2. Walk, walk, walk. Take that walk down the beach rather than laying on the beach for 8 hours straight. Walk through the entire tiny town and window shop. Walk the city home after dinner. Walk! You would be surprised, but you can actually get more steps in on your vacations than you do in your normal life.
3. Enjoy special things, not everything. You’re on vacation, so you are probably going to be eating out a lot. However, you don’t have to get the fried chicken everywhere, along with the pasta salad and the mediocre ice cream that every restaurant will have. Instead, treat yourself once a day to something special and other than that, eat like you normally would – cut out the bread, the pasta, the processed – and enjoy great food that is out there. But, if you happen to be in Belgium, get yourself a waffle for goodness sake when you are out once. If you are in Canada, keep driving, don’t get the poutine. : )

Hope that this helps to give you some ideas. The biggest thing is that you should enjoy your time with your family and friends – not constantly have to excuse yourself because you ate too much or you are feeling horrible after the carb-binge.

Here’s to some awesome vacations for one and all!