When traveling, it can be difficult to always stay fit, eat healthy and keep organized. That's why I was thankful to learn that Balance Bar was running a campaign to share some great tips and tricks as well as helpful resources on how to do just that.
Not only do they have a couple of great travel tips videos on Facebook, found here and here. But also a great list of tips from their expert on staying healthy and balanced which I found interesting and helpful as well!
1. Don't Forget Your Sneakers - Make a plan to work out on vacation by dedicating some of that valuable space in your luggage to your sneakers. Having them with you will be a great reminder to take a few minutes out of your day to go on a run. If you don't actually use them on your trip, you'll be upset you used that precious space in your luggage for items you didn't use.
2. Pack Some Balance - Pack a Balance Bar (like Balance Bar Bare bars or the Double Chocolate Brownie bar) for every day of your trip, including the travel days. By planning ahead, you have a portion-controlled snack for the airport or the car, a few to stash in your bag when you are out exploring your vacation destination, and a couple for breakfast when you have an early start and don't have time to go to a restaurant.
3. Remember Your Cs - Vitamin C doesn't just help support your immune system, it has also been shown to help fight cell-damaging free radicals. Make sure to pack a couple packets of vitamin C powder so that you have your on-the-go support plus a daily dose of antioxidants.
4. Workout at the Airport - The surprising fact is that you start racking up calories burned even before you arrive to your destination, especially if you do "carry-on only". Just the act of traveling (lugging your bags through a busy airport, getting lost in a foreign train station) can burn an average of 117 calories per hour. Want to burn some more calories? While killing time in the airport, try carry-on bag curls, terminal lunges, calf raises, or wall sits.
5. Do a Quickie Workout in the Hotel Room - If you don't want to interrupt your vacation relaxation, before you get out of bed in the morning, do a quickie workout! Kick your legs, circle your arms, get your abs involved and burn some calories before you even start your day! if you brought your computer, download an ExerciseTV workout and do a full-on sweat session in your room.
6. City Tripping? Take Yourself on a Walking Tour! - Familiarize yourself with a new city by power walking or running through it. You will have the opportunity to notice the details, talk to people, and feel its beat much better while pounding the pavement instead of through the window of a car. Make sure to bring along plenty of water and a Balance Bar to keep hydrated and energy levels high!
7. Eat Simply, Local and Share - When you to a local restaurant, talk to the chef to see what's local and fresh. Ask for the item prepared in the simplest clean way to bring out the ingredients' natural flavors. I love fresh, simply grilled fish, ceviche (raw fish and cucumber marinated in lime juice, spices), a fruit platter flavored with fresh lime or even cayenne pepper. I also LOVE guacamole, but instead of using fatty fried chips for dipping, try jicama, carrot sticks, celery or radishes.
8. Brake for Health! - Weekend traffic to popular beach and outdoor spots can mean lots of idle time sitting in your car - and that means slowing metabolism and stiff muscles. Take a break every 45 minutes to an hour to get out of the car and stretch. A quick round of lunges, leg and arm stretches will get you quickly refreshed both physically and mentally. Of course, don't derail your diet before you even arrive with high-calorie car food. Pack a nutritious cooler with plenty of water, Balance Bars and some fresh fruit. You'll feel much better upon arrival at your destination.
9. Drink Skinny - Cocktails can be the ultimate calorie sabotage while on vacation, so watch how many you are having and opt for lower calorie options that still pack a flavor punch. For example, ask for your margaritas "skinny": tequila, fresh squeezed lime, agave, and a little fresh juice or a seltzer float if you want.
10. Outdoor "Adventuring" - The average person is more likely to try new things (sample more exotic foods, and experience different forms of exercise) when on vacation. While you can't bring home the exotic foods you've tried, you can bring home the renewed enthusiasm for exercise. Get out of your box and challenge yourself with Stand Up Paddle, Rock Climbing, Paragliding, White Water Rafting, or Swimming with Sharks - the sheer fear-factor while burn a ton of calories too!
I found many of these tips helpful for my own family travels. One of the things that stuck out most to me was to Pack Some Balance. Packing something like a Balance Bar for every day of the trip would make it much easier to plan ahead and have a portion-controlled snack available to me, rather than last minute stopping and buying something unhealthy like a bag of chips. This a great tips to remember not just for myself, but for my whole family as when we are traveling.
Speaking of Balance Bars, have you ever tried them? Balance Bar sent us a variety of Balance Bars to try, as well as a fun gift pack for traveling. I wasn't sure how well my family would like the Balance Bars, but to my surprise (since I have pick eaters) they all really enjoyed them! They taste good, and best of all I know that we're making healthier choices by choosing a Balance Bar as a snack.
And, Balance Bar wants to give one lucky reader the chance to try their delicious bars as well!
Win It: One very lucky reader is going to win a Prize pack like the one we received which will include a variety of Balance Bars, a travel journal and travel cooler. To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter giveaway below.
This giveaway is open to US Only.
My favorite tip: City Tripping? Take Yourself on a Walking Tour!
Thank you!
No. 6 — City Tripping. Every summer I visit a friend who lives in downtown Toronto, Canada, and we spend more than a week walking around or riding bikes from one end to the other.
The City Tripping walking tour sounds great to me!
skkorman AT bellsouth DOT net
I found 7. Eat Simply, Local and Share most helpful
Brake for Health...good idea.
Eat simply, local and share! That's what we have been trying to do!
Drink skinny! It is actually not hard to do, these are so many healthy drinks to choose from :)
Don't forget sneakers! I tried to travel once in heels and that was a mistake!
#1 Don't forget your sneakers. First time I went to Europe, I didn't take them because Europeans don't usually wear them and I didn't want to stand out. BIG MISTAKE. We walked everywhere and my European walking shoes gave me blisters.
Do a quickie workout in the hotel room!
I like the idea of an airport workout. Thanks for the chance to win!
mrsmchappell at gmail dot com
Eat Simply, Local, and Share would be the best tip for me. I am trying to get rid of complicated or processed foods, sugar and enriched flour products, etc. I eat mostly fruits and veggies, nuts or nut butters, meats and fish. Local meats was a great pick recently. We did not get a garden in but benefitted from two great people who shared with us...melons and tomatoes recently. We have apple trees and just producing now. Feel SO much better about eating foods without hormones or pesticides or additives.
i like the tip on drinking skinny!
Don't Forget Your Sneakers is a good tip.
Drink skinny. The one thing I do for my health.
The tip to monitor your alcohol intake because it's high in calories was the best tip for me.
I like the health break idea. It's really good to stretch and move around every 45 minutes to an hour.
Don't forget your sneakers! I ALWAYS keep a pair of shoes in my car so that if the urge hits, I have no excuses!
coriwestphal at msn dot com
The tip about carrying vitamin C powder is useful especially since Winter is upon us!
I like the tip about doing a quickie workout in the hotel room, no excuses! tylerpants(at)gmail.com