If you’ve gone away this summer or are planning to go away anytime soon, you might be familiar with the “preparing for vacation” fears that so many of us go through. Personally, I always end up freaking out about bloat ruining all of my hard work at the gym or not fitting into the dress I bought specifically for that “one” special event. When you’re living out of your suitcase, there’s only so much you can work with if you’re having an “off” day. Until now!
Here are four ways to look and feel your best when you’re on vacation:
- Stay Hydrated
I can’t stress enough how important it is to make sure you stay hydrated throughout your trip. Especially in the summer months, it can be easy to become dehydrated and lose water through sweat. Rehydrating will keep your body from feeling the effects of travel too harshly (jetlag, for instance, is helped greatly by drinking enough water on and before your flight) and keeping your skin supple so you always look your best!
- Avoid Airport and Airplane food if possible
Although it’s nearly impossible, if you can bring your own snacks or food from home and avoid eating while traveling, then your body AND your wallet will thank you. As tempting as food from the sky might be, it’s definitely better for your post-travel self if you settle for just some peanuts and water instead–at least, until you land. The sodium levels alone in the food will be enough to throw you off balance unless you’re quick to remedy it after. Which brings me to my next point….
- Walk everywhere that you can
Walking is, by far, a vacation’s best friend. You can more easily take in the sights, get to know your surroundings, and more easily pop into local shops and eateries. Besides all of that, your legs and waistline will thank you tremendously for the effort you unknowingly put into them while you were simply just enjoying yourself!
- Continue to avoid your usual suspects
Whether it’s dairy, gluten, sugar, or anything else, if you usually avoid it at home, you should probably continue to avoid it during vacation as well. I recently went on a trip to Italy and the dairy consumption from gelato and pizza caused me so much acid reflux pain and bloating that I had to limit myself to one or two treats each for the entirety of the trip. But did I make up for that by indulging in pasta and focaccia? You bet I did. It’s of course fine to enjoy dishes that you usually avoid if it won’t cause too much imbalance to your body, but if you know you’re only going to pay for it later–don’t overdo it.
Overall, you want to make sure that your vacation is as enjoyable as you can make it. Take in the sights, breathe in the fresh air, and enjoy the delicious food you otherwise may not get to have very often. You have a limited amount of trips you can take a year, so enjoy it!
