Much to my delight, both my clothes and my scale were still my friends when I returned from a trip to the beach last week.
While you can learn several proven travel/fitness strategies in my recent newsletter (sign up with my free ebook), here’s how I used serendipity to my advantage:
Spin a negative into a positive
For us, a last-minute family reunion on the central California coast had one disadvantage—we couldn’t find a house right on the beach. But the two-block distance from the ocean turned out to be a blessing in disguise—since we headed to the sand as often as possible, we burned off a few extra calories making the round-trip (and it was uphill on the way home!).
Never pass up an interesting turn-out
Californians know you never drive past any group of lookie-loos along Highway 1! That’s how we discovered a fabulous afternoon of walking at the elephant seal viewing spot in Piedras Blancas. During the same drive, we pulled in to the Hearst Castle visitor’s center for a necessity break, and purchased tickets for the following day’s tour. The tour helped both our intake and output of energy, as the food was too expensive for us tight-wads to pop for, and the 45-minute tour included 300+ stairs, some incline walking, and all the strolling through stunning estate grounds we could handle!
Love your kitchen labor
Because we opted against a hotel, our house afforded us the advantage of a fully-equipped kitchen. We planned ahead on our dinners, brought along some staples, and played it by ear the rest of the time. As a result, we enjoyed fresh farmer’s market produce, discovered a local sausage deli, and controlled portion and ingredients on all home-cooked meals. Yeah–hundreds of calories saved (and a few dollars, too!).
Be a kid again
At the beach, we found a great ways to move. One group swallowed their pride and headed off to the swings. My crazy brother actually braved the cold salty water and swam in the waves. And we all endured a brisk, windy hike to watch sea otters frolic in the kelp.
Enjoy your summer—and let the healthful opportunities fall where they may!