Tips on How to Stay Fit While Traveling

Trying to stay fit and healthy can be challenging when traveling. I always tell my clients that the goal should be to maintain, not gain while away. And while I am an advocate for living life and enjoying all that is has to offer, going on vacation shouldn’t become a free for all to throw in the towel when it comes to health and fitness.

* This is a guest post by Sloane Davis. See bio at end of the article.

A common question I receive from many prospective clients is “I am going on vacation soon. Should I wait to start the plan or start right away?” My answer is always this: There is never a “good” or “easy” time to start. You have to learn to live a healthy lifestyle which is what my plans aim to do. In other words, start the plan today. That way, when it does come time for vacation, you have the tools you need to maintain, not gain.

While you won’t track every food that goes into your mouth on vacation, subconsciously you are much more aware of how your meals should look and be balanced if you are following a plan prior to vacation. I can’t tell you how many clients come back to have not gained an ounce. THAT is WINNING!

Here are some tips to help you stay fit and healthy when traveling:

Drink a lot of water – Lots of walking, hours spent outside in the sun… traveling can be exhausting. The airplane ride alone will dehydrate you from the altitude. I love to take a reusable water bottle and fill it up after I pass through security to take on the plane with me. This ensures that I am drinking throughout the flight and don’t have to wait for the flight attendants to serve me. And when they do come to serve, take it! Drink all the water you can. You will feel so much better getting off the plane hydrated instead of tired, queasy, tight, and drained.

When you get to your destination, continue to drink water. Incorporate foods that also contain a lot of water such as lettuce, watermelon and cucumbers.

Stick to your normal routine as much as possible: Just because you are away doesn’t mean you have to throw in the towel and eat everything in sight. This goes especially for all inclusive resorts or a buffet. Just because you pay for something doesn’t mean you have to overdo it. Breakfast included in the hotel? Stick to an omelette, a piece of toast or oatmeal, some fresh fruit and one “treat.” You don’t need muffins, bacon, hash browns, pancakes AND french toast if you normally don’t eat that at home. That’s just being a glutton. Pick one savory food and enjoy it. Tomorrow is a new day and a few hours later you will be eating your next meal again.

Keep things in moderation: You don’t have to have everything in one day. Bread, alcohol, dessert all add up at one meal. All 3 along with your meal could mean your total daily allowance of calories or more. So pick one, and choose another the following day. It doesn’t have to be all or nothing.

If you tend to eat more at night, then keep your breakfast and lunch on the lighter side. If you know you are going to have a few cocktails for happy hour then moderate your intake during the day. It is all about balance.

Try to keep active: If you normally workout daily then try to go to the gym half the amount of days you are on vacation. Vacation is just that…a break, so don’t feel like you have to hit the gym at 7am each morning to feel good about yourself. Let go of some of the stress. Go for a walk, enjoy the outdoors and do something entirely different then you are used to.

If there is no gym and you do want to workout, pack resistance bands. They are super light and there are so many exercises that you can do with them (see my video on how to here) . You could also incorporate some body weight exercises or plyometrics in your hotel room (see hotel room workout video here). Just 20 minutes a day will make you feel a whole lot better and most likely help you make better decisions throughout the day.

Have the willpower to stay on track: I know sometimes this is easier said then done, but I can guarantee that you will feel so much better coming home from a vacation knowing you enjoyed it yet didn’t gain a pound rather than coming home 5 pounds heavier only to have to work it back off. We all know how easy it is to put weight on and how difficult it is to take it off. Just a few minor tweaks each day while away can mean the world of difference.

You are stronger than you think. Choose your battles while you are away. Don’t cave into defeat. You can do it! Vacation is so much more than eating everything in sight. Take the time to enjoy those you spend it with, the scenery, and the culture it has to offer. The food is just a bonus, not the entire package.

Bio: Sloane Davis is a Certified Nutritionist and Personal Trainer who has helped thousands of people, both men and women, around the world get in to top shape both mentally and physically. Sloane has her undergraduate degree in Bachelor of Arts from Syracuse University and became accredited through ISSA with her degree in Sports Nutrition and Personal Training. She works personally and online with thousands of clients around the US and globally.

She has been featured in People, Fitness Magazine, New Beauty Magazine, Apple News, The Daily Mail, Yahoo News, Westchester Magazine and Fox 5 Good Day New York.

The Classic Sights You'll See Around Wildwood

When it comes to visiting the Jersey Shore, North Wildwood is our favorite place to be. While many of the southern Jersey areas are beautiful, we think North Wildwood has the best (free) beaches, the best place to sit and dolphin watch and well...it's the prettiest part of the entire Wildwoods island!

Today, I'm sharing some photos that we took on one of our recent trips down to Wildwood. These are common sights you'll see while visiting this popular island, and yes...it's an island!

First up...as you are coming across one of the three major bridges leading onto the island, you'll most likely see the famous Ferris Wheel that sits on Morey's Piers...right off the boardwalk. You can see it from MOST areas on the island and is an icon for locals and tourists alike. I got this beautiful shot just as the sun was setting one night and you can see the beautiful colors in the sky and the neon carnival-style lights!

If you're walking up and down the famous boardwalk...look for the Wyland Whaling Wall that sits on the side of one of the buildings. The Wylan Whale Wall is quite large and you won't miss it, if you're looking for it. Every time we travel, we try to visit various Wyland Whaling Whales all over the United States and several are overseas too!

Another great thing about Wildwood are their beautiful playgrounds. If you're taking the kids to the Jersey Shore, they have some of the best public playgrounds around. This particular one sits right on the beach in North Wildwood, not far from where the official start of the boardwalk begins. My grand daughter LOVES playing at this playground and it makes for some great picture-taking opportunities for the kids!

At the south end of the boardwalk you'll find the Wildwood Convention Center. They host business events, expos, fairs, music concerts, sporting events, etc. You can find their schedule online and often times you can buy tickets for the events online too. If the event isn't sold out, you can buy them at the ticket office at-the-door. During the summertime, you may have an issue finding parking nearby, so plan ahead if you're attending any of the big events or shows.

Right next door to the Convention Center you'll find those famous Beach Balls! Thousands upon thousands of people every year stop by to see them and they make for some great picture-taking opportunities for you and the family. The kids love to sit on them to have their photographs taken! They are a lot larger than what they appear in my pics! Fun!!!

If you're driving around or walking around the central Wildwood area, You'll probably see the iconic Wildwood Water Tower looming above. Every coastal town along the coast seems to have one of these water towers and I've photographed many of them over the years. Just drive around from one coastal town to another and you'll see them for sure!

Finally, I want to talk about the beautiful Wildwood beaches! You'll find wide beaches that are cleaned and maintained every day during the in-season. They're free beaches and you'll find plenty of paid parking nearby. There is free parking too, but you have to park several blocks away to get those limited spaces. During the in-season they have lifeguard on-duty to keep you and your family safe.

If you're interested in visiting Wildwood, Stone Harbor, Avalon or Cape May in New Jersey, you'll find hundreds of travel blog posts here on this blog about the south Jersey Shore. We've blogged many times about the things you an do while visiting the area, places you can eat and places you can stay. You'll find it all in our NEW JERSEY section of our travel blog.

Note: All photos in this travel feature are clickable. If you click on them, they will open up in a new window & in an enlarged size. This will allow you to see all of the pretty details up close & personal.

7 Farmer's Markets and Flea Markets You Should Visit

We're located in south central Pennsylvania and within 1 hours driving distance we have access to many of the area's fine Farmer's Markets and Flea Markets. We love to support local businesses and one way we can do that is by buying our fresh produce, meat, cheeses, pantry goods, candy, etc. from local vendors. In addition, we enjoy visiting the flea market to pick up some great deals on household items.

7 Farmer's Markets and Flea Markets You Should Visit

Strites' Orchards Farmer's Market is located  in Harrisburg and is open year-round. They offer over 300 acres of sustainably grown fruits and vegetables. Throughout the year Strites' hosts various theme'd events & festivals where you can pick-you-own fruits & veggies, craft activities for kids, hayrides & corn mazes in the fall and so forth.

Hershey Farmer's Market is located Hershey, away from the downtown area. I'm not sure if they're open year-round or not, but I do know that they're open Spring, Summer and Fall. You can buy fresh local produce, flowers, outdoor Fall harvest items, etc. When we're down in Hershey for the day, we like to stop buy and pick up some watermelons, apples and peaches which are typically offered at a fair price.

Saturday's Market is located in Middletown and is open year-round, but only open on Saturday's (indoors and outdoors) and on Sunday's (outdoors). If you're shopping for fresh produce, bread, meats, cheeses and other food items...they're sold indoors. The Flea Market is typically what's hosted outside in their parking lot. On Saturday's they can get extremely busy, so you'll want to arrive really early.

Paulus Farm Market is located in Mechanicsburg and is one of our favorite farmer's markets. Why? Because they offer all kinds of activities for children! They have an on-site "farm park" where children can feed farm animals, play on hay bales, go on tractor rides, hayrides, etc. The farmer's market itself is indoors and offers fresh produce, meats, cheeses, bread, homemade desserts, etc.

Green Dragon Farmer's & Flea Market is located in Ephrata and is one of the largest one's in our area. They're ONLY open on Friday's, so you need to plan accordingly. You'll find 2 large buildings where the majority of the meats, cheeses, pantry goods, homemade desserts, breads, candy confections, etc. are sold by local vendors. Outside you'll find smaller-sized buildings that also host vendors which typically sell household goods, tools, handcrafted furniture, craft items, apparel, etc. The parking lot is where you'll typically find row upon row of flea market vendors.

Williams Grove Farmers & Flea Market is located in Mechanicsburg and happens to be one of our favorites! It has been around for years! They're open year-round on Sunday's where you can find fresh produce and other foods from vendors. During the spring, summer and fall seasons we always see a ton of flea market vendors selling their wares. After shopping, we usually stop by one of the food vendor trucks for a quick bite to eat. Nearby you'll find the Williams Grove Speedway too.

Farmstead Farmers Market is located right outside of Palmyra. We love visiting Farmstead several times every year to get fresh produce, meat, deli items and fish! Right next door you'll find The Nest Antiques and inside the antiques building you'll find several vendors selling mostly antiques, along with a few handcrafted items. It's one of my favorite local antique's shops to visit and I typically find something to buy almost every time!

In addition to these 7 Farmer's Markets and Flea Markets in south central Pennsylvania, you'll find many more! All of them have their own vibe and clientele and we enjoy visiting them all for different reasons. If you're passing through the area or live in the area and looking for something to do, we highly recommend that you check them out!