Who doesn’t look forward to summer vacation—a time to silence your alarm clock and indulge your taste buds, especially for Baby Boomers and seniors! And while fitness may not be on the top of your vacation goals, it can be a time to enjoy physical activity and sunshine! So get packing, keep moving and eat sensibly—bring home memories, not extra pounds with these four strategies:
1) Plan ahead!
Research fitness opportunities your vacation locale might provide. Will you have access to a swimming pool or hotel gym? Can you take advantage of any stairways for climbing, or safe parking lots, community centers, parks or indoor malls for leisurely walking?
Make sure you have comfortable shoes and clothing. And plan accordingly for the weather–pack sunscreen, hats, sunglasses, insect repellant and bottles for water.
2) Make movement a priority!
Too much sitting time, while a prerequisite for all vacations, wreaks havoc on your body! So when travelling, don’t forget to engage your large leg muscles every hour or so. Stand when seatbelts aren’t required on the plane, and make frequent stops while driving.
Once you reach your destination, find more ways to enjoy physical activity. Rent a bicycle or roller skates or row a boat. Walk the downtown area to discover local food. Join nature walks whenever possible. And let the kid inside you run free! Soar on the swings, run through the sand, wiggle a hoola hoop or fly a kite.
3) Bring your own exercise equipment
Lightweight gear such as jump ropes and exercise tubing or bands are easy to pack and provide great workouts. You can also find fitness apps like the 7-Minute WorkOut (http://www.7-min.com/), which you can do in your room with no special equipment.
4) Pack your own goodies
A recent study found that eating out in general added an average 200 calories per day, with more cholesterol, total fat and sodium. So pack a small ice chest with fresh fruit and veggies, low-fat yogurt (don’t forget spoons), natural peanut butter, hummus and bottles of water. Add whole-grain crackers or pretzels, unsalted or lightly salted nuts or even protein bars, and you should have plenty of sustenance to get from stop to stop.
For more information on fitness for Baby Boomers and seniors, get my free ebook!