Gino Caccavale: Don’t Take a Vacation From Your Health!

So you’re booking your vacation online, checking airfare, hotels, dates, times, etc,  and trying to make the week as relaxing and fun-filled as possible. Online you check the outdoor pools, cabanas, restaurants and nightlife, vowing it will be the best trip ever. But when you’re shopping for vacation spots and viewing the amenities different locations have to offer, do you check to see if the places have a fitness center?

Some would call me obsessive because this is the first thing I do. To have the peace of mind 

knowing it’s at least available to me is crucial. I have had people tell me that they are not even packing their sneakers, or “what kind of vacation would that be if I worked out every day?” I am here to tell you, there is a balanced and reasonable solution.

Yes, recuperation is important for your muscles and your mind. And if you’re training hard and eating right, a little splurge is more than deserved. Take that 7-10 days and unwind, but don’t sabotage all the hard work you’ve done. At home your goals should be to make muscular gains, lose body fat and increase performance. On vacation your goal should be to maintain your fitness level, but not necessarily to increase it, and maintaining takes work. Utilize your resort or hotel’s fitness facilities to stay on top of your exercise.

Also, remember that every meal can’t be a cheat meal – even on vacation! It’s very unhealthy to go from 2,000 to 2,500 calories a day, to between 4,000 and 5,000. Have protein powder, fruit and nuts as your non “dining” meals.

Here are some tips that could help find the balance between fitness and fun on vacation.

1. View hotel fitness centers online and find out hours and fees.
2. Buy a pair of super lightweight sneakers, easy to pack.
3. Work out approximately half the days you are on vacation.
4. Work out first thing in the morning, so you have whole day to yourself.
5. If you can’t do morning workouts, workout 2 hours before an elaborate meal.
6. Pack protein powder in zip lock bags as healthy, inexpensive quick meals.
7. Use amenities to your healthy advantage. Swim in pools, hike and explore, run on the beach and use fitness center.
8. Make your larger meals a big breakfast or late lunch instead of late night calories.
9. Drink red wines and light beers instead of frozen sugared drinks.
10. Try to keep sleeping habits close to the same as home so your body clock isn’t extremely altered.

Most importantly, have fun, relax, enjoy and celebrate your heath. You will return invigorated and recharged, without having to play catch up after all that fun.