OxygenD's Editor Blog with Diane Hart

Monday, July 20, 2009

Vacation secrets

Okay, I’m heading off to the first vacation I’ve had in three years and my biggest fear? All the hard work I’ve done in the gym over the past several months will vanish the moment I step off the plane. Do you feel the same way? Tell me this – how do you stay motivated – and on track – when you’re on vacation? Got any secrets to share? I’d love to know! One of the ways I truly try to stay in shape is to do a modified version of my program no matter where I go – if there are weights around, I’m in business! I’ll go for a run, then grab some weights…all before breakfast. But what do you do? Let me know if you have a minute…me, I’ve got to run. (I have, of course, left my packing for the last minute and I know I’m doomed…wish me luck!)

6 comments:

  1. Hi Diane,

    Where are you going on vacation?

    I ususally have intentions of working out when I get to Jamaica but with all the parting and coming back to the hotel at the break of dawn....it just doesn't happen.

    To tell you the truth, I end up losing weight. go figure.

    Anyways, enjoy your vacation.

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  2. Generally I am doomed because I end up doing nothing even resembling a work out. I took a trip last month and gained almost 10 pounds!

    I have a trip to Hawaii in a couple weeks and I'm hoping all the surfing, snorkeling, and swimming will help when I inevitably get too distracted to hit the weights.

    Have Fun!

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  3. What really helps my to stay in shape while on vacation is running. If I feel safe about the area, I usually take a run around town to see shops or sites I would have missed while in a car.

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  4. The only thing I do that helps is stay really active. My vacations are usually 'site-seeing' trips so I walk, walk and walk some more everywhere! I have to do this because I generally partake in everything my heart desires at the time :) One more thing that helps is that I keep portions small!

    Have a great time :)

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  5. I think the hardest part to stay on track while on vacation is the food! Who wants to be on a strict diet or eat completely clean while on vacation? I do cheat while I am on vacation, but to a moderate degree. I only cheat on one meal every several days. Before I eat my cheat meal, I drink a couple glasses of water so I am not completely starving before the food comes. When I am at a restaurant, I look for words such as "grilled, steamed, broiled" on the menu and stay away from fried food, dishes that are "buttered," or "creamy."

    As far as exercises go, that's a tough one. Depending on where I am, I try to do exercises that use my own body weight, e.g. dips, chin ups on monkey bars at the park, incline/decline pushups at the playground, toe taps, jump squats, etc. Just get creative with the exercises. For example, if you don't have a jump rope, just pretend that you have one and start jumping. Both feet. One foot. It doesn't matter. Just start jumping to get ur heartrate up. If you put ur arms up laterally while you jump, you'll work your shoulders at the same time. Compound exercises! Saves time and I like that! You don't have to have weights (from the gym) to get a good workout. Bodyweight and plyometric exercises are just as hard. They are great conditioning exercises!

    And more importantly, have fun on your vacation. Hope you have a BLAST!!!!!!

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  6. Hi Diane! :)

    My favorite way to workout on vacation is to plan fun, heart-pumping activities! Surfing, swimming in a cove/ocean/lake, hiking, long walks after meals to see some sights...they're all great! If it's winter, snowboarding, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and ice skating are great options. If I'm staying in a hotel, I'll try and find one with a small gym so I can throw a little lifting in, too. Sometimes, it's really humid/cold/rainy and there's no gym, and in those cases, nothing beats a mini hotel room workout. I bring an exercise band and do 2-4 circuits of squat-jumps, pushups, crunches,rows, bicycles, mountain climbers, biceps curls, side plank dips , tricep dips (with the bed), and v-ups. By alternating body parts like that I can get a good sweat going and save on time! :)

    Hope you have a great vacation!!
    ~Marissa

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