5 Tips to Stay Healthy on Holiday

Let's face it, when you're out on a beach thousands of miles away from your obligations at work and school, it's easy to indulge yourself countless times - I mean, you're on vacation anyway! Enjoy life! But if you're planning your next holiday, and still want to commit to maintaining your #nutritiongoals while you're away, here are 5 tips to stay healthy while enjoying your much needed vacation time. I'll be sharing some photos of how I maintained a healthy diet (without missing out on the fun) during my honeymoon in Kauai, Hawaii!

1. Set Realistic Goals

Are you going to be full paleo-vegan-gluten-free-sugar-free during your vacation? Probably not. ;) In fact, when you get off the plane, you'll most likely want to fall straight into holiday mode. As you pack your bags, make a short and concise list of dietary goals that are realistic for you to maintain during your vacation. One or two restrictions are enough for you to be considerate to your dietary needs and also let loose and have some fun. 

My goals: One of my main criteria when I'm travelling is to avoid processed sugars and dairy! Setting yourself up with realistic goals before your vacation will set the stage for you to eat and enjoy your vacation with confidence.

2. Choose Where to Eat

Away or at home, this is one of the easiest ways to stay healthy and eat clean. Being able to choose the restaurant, cuisine, etc of your next meal makes it 273987 times easier for you, and pretty seamless for those you're with! Plus, who doesn't love browsing restaurants on Yelp for what's there to eat in the area? That's like, one of my favorite hobbies.

Where I chose to eat: Of course, I mapped out all of the local acai bowl joints in Kauai and based our days around visiting those restuarants hahaha. Also, I found some really great restaurants that had vegan dishes ahead of time!

3. Snacks on Snacks on Snacks

When in doubt, pack a snack! If your family is INSISTING on stopping by the local creamery that is famous for their deep-fried donut ice cream sandwiches, and your will is unbreakably set on eating clean: ALL HAIL THE SNACKS. Pulling out your trusty snack at dire moments like this will *hopefully* distract you from falling prey to the sugar-filled treats. Or at least, keep you satisfied afterwards if you just have one bite of the donut. I won't tell. ;)

What I ate: This is a bit of a clunkier option, but I stocked up on Kombucha at a local juice shop! Whenever I needed something sweet, I'd take a few sips. Gotta love clean and guilt-free kombucha!

4. Make Meals an Adventure

One of my favorite eat-clean / stay-healthy tactics on holiday is to weave in my meals with some sort of activity. Whether it's going on a hike, surfing, or cycling down the beach, a great way to segway into your next meal is by being active. Enjoy the sights of the town your in by taking a stroll past a famous landmark! See the sights via bike or on foot. Or better yet, make your final destination be the restaurant you want to eat at. Either way, nothing revs up your appetite AND your metabolism like movement. And plus, the food is guaranteed to taste 100 times better if you've broken a sweat to get there. That is a fact.

My favorite adventure + meal: Halfway through our honeymoon, I planned a drive and hike up to Waimea Canyon, one of Kauai's most famous landmarks! After our long hike, we followed the trail back down conveniently to the door of a restaurant that served an incredible vegan poke salad bowl. And yes, it did taste 100 times better after all of that hiking.

5. #StayHydrated

There's a funny meme out there that basically claims that water is the all-powerful saving grace after any period of indulgement. And guess what? To a certain point, it's totally true. Make hydration your priority! Even if you don't have any dietary restrictions for yourself this upcoming holiday, make it a point to drink lots and lots of water. It'll help keep you energized, your metabolism moving smoothly, and will expedite the flushing out of all those toxins you may be introducing into your system. ;) As much as possible, make sure you can verify your water source to avoid any contaminations. 

One of the simplest ways to cut down on calories / sugars / chemical whatnots is to drink water during your vacation. It's not only easy for you, but it's extremely good for you as well.

Lastly, don't forget to have fun! Take the time you need to relax, and hopefully these simple guidelines will help you let loose but stay comfortably within your own goals.

Aloha!

xoxo, Mickey 

@mila.modo