This is a guest post written by Ann of Ann Plans Travel. To learn more about Ann, check out her bio at the end of the post!
Some of my favorite memories growing up were of me and my mom spontaneously throwing our suitcases in the car and heading down to southern Utah for a long weekend during the week of spring break. Getting out of town for a family spring break vacation is a rite of passage. The kids are out of school, spring has finally sprung (fingers crossed) and everyone is in desperate need of some sunshine and a break from all responsibilities for a few days.
However, what about all the hard work you’ve put in to living a healthier lifestyle the past few months? Getting in your early morning workout before the kids wake up, measuring out your fruit and vegetables to stay on track with your macro or calorie count, and skipping out on weekly pizza night entirely.
Does taking a well-deserved vacation mean that all that hard work has to go to waste? Of course not! There are a few simple ways to help you stay on track with your health and fitness goals while still enjoying a wonderful spring break with your family.
1. Plan Ahead!
If you only utilize one piece of information from this article, this is it.
Preparing for family spring break can be overwhelming! Especially when you’re the one doing all the planning and packing for the entire family. However, preparing ahead of time will go a long way.
Personally, I use my travel planner to help me prepare for my upcoming trip. I have everything organized in one location so I can reference it whenever I need. It has a meal planning page so I can plan my meals ahead of time and also an exercise log so I can track in advance when and what type of workouts I want to incorporate during my trip.
Simply taking a few minutes before you head out on vacation to write down your plan will help keep you committed. You’ll also be able to make arrangements with your partner or other family members to help out with the kids when you’re getting in a quick workout or need to grab some groceries.
2. Bring Healthy Snacks
If you’re headed on a road trip, bring a cooler full of your favorites. I’ve compiled a list of my favorite healthy snacks from Trader Joe’s. However, most of the items I’ve included can be purchased at any local grocery store. If you’ll be flying to your destination, check to see if you can schedule an order pickup for your groceries when you arrive at your destination. This will save you time from having to drag the whole family with you or wandering aimlessly as you try to navigate an unfamiliar store layout. Instead, you’ll just need to park your car and wait for your groceries to be brought to you.
Always plan to bring enough healthy snacks to share with everyone. Two years ago, I went to Disney World with my family and made the mistake of not packing enough food to share. When I ended up sharing my pre sliced carrots, tomatoes and mixed nuts with the whole family, I ended up not having enough snacks for myself. Hangry Ann does not equal Happy Ann, and I have yet to make that same mistake again.
It’s always a good day when you can get your family to eat vegetables, so take advantage while you can! Most people enjoy eating fruits and vegetables, they just don’t like the prep work that comes with it or that’s involved. Most will happily take some of yours when they are already prepared, and no one will feel left out if you bring enough.
3. Compromise With Travel Companions
If you’re traveling with your kids or other family members, be aware of their eating preferences. There is no need to prep two meals every time you eat.
Make things that allow for customization so everyone can pick and choose what they eat. Some of my favorite meals for spring break family vacations include tacos, pizza, and salads. These allow each person to pick and choose what toppings they want to include for their customized meal.
If you’ll be eating out during your family spring break, search for restaurants ahead of time that will accommodate healthy eating. Always look at the side dishes and if you see that multiple dishes come with vegetables, chances are you’ll be able to order them à la carte.
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4. Get Plenty of Rest
This is much easier said than done after a long day. Once you’ve put the kids to bed you may be tempted to scroll through social media, watch the latest episode of The Bachelor or listen to a podcast.
Instead, go straight to bed. All those things will still be there once your vacation is over. Getting a good night’s sleep will help keep you feeling rejuvenated and refreshed the next day.
5. Wake Up Early
This goes directly along with getting plenty of rest. If you go to bed at a decent hour, waking up early won’t be so difficult. Give yourself time in the morning before the kids wake up. Whether it’s to prepare your food for the day, get in a few minutes of yoga, or writing in your journal. Starting the day off right is going to allow you to enjoy your time with family instead of being distracted or drained of energy.
6. Stay Active
If you’re traveling with kids, this should be fairly easy. You’ll constantly be on the move.
When possible, take 30 minutes to yourself every day for additional exercise. Run outside, do a quick HIIT workout, yoga or take a long walk near your accommodations. If you’re looking for inspiration, you can read about my favorite fitness apps here.
Taking time to focus on your health will help keep you on track and allow room in your diet for delicious desserts and high carb foods!
With your family spring break vacation just around the corner, start preparing now. If you know exactly what kind of healthy habits you want to maintain during your trip, you’ll be set up for success.
Most importantly, remember that quality time with your family is what matters most. Have a wonderful trip and I wish I could come along with you!
About the Author
I created Ann Plans Travel to share my combined love of travel and living a healthy lifestyle. Dishing out all the best tips and tricks for maintaining health and fitness goals while living the good life on the road! While sharing my experiences of how to create the perfect marriage between healthy living and travel.
You can follow Ann’s blog, or check her out on Facebook or Pinterest!