Yayy! You made it to my first blog post! If we haven’t met yet, my name is Jessica. I am currently finishing up my Bachelors in Exercise and Sports Science at the University of Georgia before I get married to my best friend, Grayson, in March. I started this blog to fuel my passion of helping women pursue the healthiest version of themselves! If you want to learn more about me and my health journey, visit “About” here.

One topic I see a lot of questions about online is how to pursue a healthy lifestyle while on vacation. I know. I get it. There are so many temptations while on vacation and a lot of times there isn’t access to a weight room or you fall off your exercise routine. So today I am going to share my top tips to stay healthy while on vacation. (DISCLAIMER: I am not a registered dietician and my CPT certification is pending until my exam in August, but this is what I have found to work for me and what I have learned in my 5 years of undergrad.)

1. Find ways to move your body

Whether you are going to the beach, the mountains, a cruise, or going to explore Europe (dreaming of international travel again…), there are many ways to get creative and move your body. This past week, my family was at the beach, and one of our favorite things to do while at the beach is bike ride around town. This is basically the only exercise I do while I’m at the beach, but it gets my body moving and it really is great exercise. Sometimes if I’m really just craving resistance training, I will also pull up an at-home workout I found on YouTube or just use one of my own. These are usually just about 15 minutes with a warm up and cool down and I use mainly body weight.

2. Get in your steps

I have found that when I am traveling, I tend to get more steps than I typically would at home while I am in class or at work. If this is not the case for you, just find ways you can get in your steps (I aim for 7,000-10,000+ a day). If you are at the beach, talk a walk down the beach (TIP: I have also found that this is a great way to get an even tan—just be sure to wear your sunscreen!!), if you are in a city, try to walk to dinner instead of driving or getting an Uber. Just be creative and get those steps.

3. Follow the nutrition basics

I know nutrition is a touchy subject with so much false information out there, so I will be doing more posts on nutrition soon. For now, I will just explain how I try to eat healthy while on vacation. A lot of times, if we have a kitchen at the hotel or condo, we will try to cook once or twice a week. If you are cooking, just be sure to include all your macronutrients (lean protein, healthy fat, healthy carb). If you are eating out, try to choose an item on the menu that has each macronutrient. In the photo below, I ordered almond crusted mahi mahi with green beans and rice. This meal included all the macronutrients which kept me satisfied so I didn’t snack later in the night.

4. Have some fun

Vacation is supposed to be a time to relax and enjoy yourself. There are so many fun food options while on vacation and I don’t want you to restrict yourself. If you restrict your options, you will be more likely to cave and then binge. I seriously believe there is room for all foods in a healthy lifestyle. PLUS, ice cream is my weakness. While on vacation I usually have ice cream or dessert 2 or 3 times a week. With that being said, only eat until you are full. It really is okay to not finish that last little bit, I promise.

I hope these tips are helpful and guide you a little bit while you are traveling this summer! What are some ways you live a healthy lifestyle while on vacation? Let me know in the comments!