Have you ever noticed how hard you have to work to maintain a fit and healthy life, but how fast all of your hard work can be derailed? 

Take a week off from training and eating clean, and you’ll be amazed at the amount of weight you can gain and muscle you can lose. If you’re on vacation, maintaining healthy travel practices can be a big challenge.

Although challenging, healthy travel is possible—and maybe even easier than you think. Here are a few tips to implement the next time you travel to ensure you don’t hinder your health and fitness goals.

1: Hydrate

While travelling you may be inclined to trade water for alcohol or sugary beverages, but don’t skimp on H2O.

Drinking water throughout the day will help ensure you enjoy your vacation without feeling lethargic. It can also help alleviate the effects of jet lag and combat dry skin from the airplane.

Pack a reusable water bottle in your luggage and refill it often.

2: Shop savvy

A trip to the grocery store may be the last thing on your mind on vacation, but stocking up on healthy basics can go a long way towards maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

You can pick up foods like oatmeal (most hotels have a kettle in the rooms for you to use), eggs (you can make boiled eggs in the coffee or tea maker), healthy snacks such as baby carrots and fruits like bananas and apples.

Having healthy items on hand can help stop you from consuming unnecessary calories.

3: Lace up your walking shoes

One of the best ways to discover a new destination is by exploring on foot, making it easy to incorporate fitness into any outing.

Remember to pack a pair of sneakers or comfortable walking shoes as incentive to lace up and get moving—no matter where you are.

4: Find a fitness class

Whether you’re travelling for work or pleasure, chances are you’ll have access to a group exercise class (most hotels now offer this amenity).

You should definitely sign up to participate in one during your stay. You can even base where you book on whether classes (yoga, boot camp, etc.) will be available.

5: Pack simple fitness equipment

If you don’t have access to a gym or prefer not to use one, you can pack your own workout equipment.

Exercise bands and a jump rope are easy to slide in among your belongings for a simple, go-anywhere workout. You can easily work up a sweat with some skipping and resistance work.

6: Don’t skimp on sleep

If you’re not accustomed to getting enough sleep at home, a vacation can be the perfect opportunity to catch up on much-needed rest.

Sleep helps increase your energy levels and boost your mood, which will make it easier to maximize your travel time.

7: Eat breakfast

By starting your day with a nutrient-packed meal, you’re setting yourself up for success since breakfast helps increase your energy level and boost your metabolism.

Make sure your first meal includes carbohydrates like fruits as this is where your energy is derived from, proteins such as eggs, and healthy fats like avocado.

Don’t make the same mistakes so many people make while travelling: viewing vacation as a time to cheat and skipping exercising but eating more. There’s no need to deprive yourself, but you can implement some simple changes to put a healthy twist on travel.

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