[lead]I was so lucky this week to have the opportunity to travel to Santa Barbara with Dan for a couple days while he was there for work.[/lead]Kid Free! You heard me right….kid free!!!! It was a glorious two days but I was still so excited to return home to my babies.
I take my vacations very seriously, especially now that I have kids, since they seem to get a little bit further and fewer in between. My ideal type of vacation involves lots of rest, relaxation, reading and great food! I always treated vacations like a free pass from trying to eat healthy or work out. The only trouble with that is that I always returned from vacation heavier than before I left and feeling sluggish.
This short getaway I attempted to “vacation” another way. Since Dan had to actually attend meetings/events for work while I was there, I figured I would have quite a bit of downtime on my hands. So, I actually packed a workout outfit and my tennis shoes with the mindset that if I found time, I’d try to hit the hotel’s fitness center at least once. Full disclosure: I used to make fun of people that worked out while on vacation, usually while stuffing my face.
I was so happy that I did because the hotel was right on the beach and had such a beautiful hiking trail that ran parallel to the ocean. The first morning that I was there, I went for a great hike/walk on the beach.
I truly believe that one little hike helped set the “healthier” tone for the rest of my trip. I chose a healthier breakfast that morning that didn’t leave me feeling full and bloated the rest of the day. At lunch, Dan and I split a sandwich and salad and then I splurged at dinner.
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- Healthy (but delicious) egg white omelet at breakfast.
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- Beautiful hike at our hotel.
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- Including an ocean side downhill run
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- And balancing it all with some R&R
I never felt deprived and found a great balance between choosing lighter (but still so delicious) options at some meals and then still enjoying cocktails and some non-healthier options in between.
[blockquote size=”full|half|third|fourth|two-thirds|three-fourths” align=”left|center|right” byline=”The Domestic Dietitian” rating=”0|1|2|3|4|5″]I think it just goes to show that eating healthy and being active has to be a lifestyle choice.[/blockquote] Meaning it’s something you strive for everyday, no matter if you are at home, on vacation, at a birthday party, etc. You have to find the balance that allows you to enjoy yourself at those special occasions but still remain healthy.
I’d love to hear any tips you have for how you find the balance between staying healthy and still celebrating life’s little pleasures.
