Common Food Mistakes Made on Vacation
By Sara Butler
Travel is good for you. It takes you out of your comfort zone, presents you with new opportunities, and gives you much-needed rest and relaxation to help you de-stress. But travel isn’t always good for your digestive system. When most people go on vacation, they tend to choose foods that are a bit more indulgent. This can leave you feeling lethargic and dealing with the side effects of an unhappy digestive system in the process. To help you feel your best when you’re away, here are some food mistakes you should avoid.
Snacking Mindlessly
Sometimes, the long miles logged on the road as you drive toward your destination can get boring, so you stop at a gas station and load up on snacks. You could be the most health-conscious person you know, but something about a convenience store on a road trip suddenly makes you feel like a 10-year-old with $100 to blow on snacks -- and the food choices often reflect that.
You can avoid mindless snacking on the road by making sure to eat meals regularly. Don’t try to push through. It’s important to stop, stretch, eat, and then get back on the road. When you do take snacks with you, make sure they’re going to fill you up. Fruit, cheese and crackers, or nut butters are always a good choice. You simply need to make sure when you eat it that you’re actually hungry and not just snacking because there’s nothing else better to do as the miles stack up behind you.
Overindulging
Vacation is a time where it feels natural to splurge -- including on the food you eat. You may be presented with endless choices of foods you wouldn’t normally eat, but it’s time to be mindful. It’s OK to indulge just a little bit, maybe 20 percent of the time. But the rest of the time, you should try to stick to your healthy eating habits. This can often be helped by renting a vacation home with a kitchen, so not every meal is eaten out.
Not Enough Water
You may be on vacation and surrounded by water -- but are you drinking enough of it? Staying hydrated is a challenge on a regular day and being on vacation makes it that much more challenging. Try to keep water on you at all times and set a reminder to sip at least every hour.
Vacation is meant to be fun and you should focus on rest and relaxation, but don't forget your overall health and wellness goals in the process!
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.