A few days ago in the post Avoid Vacation Weight Gain I talked about healthy vacation foods, but it’s not just the good-eats we need to worry about when we’re away from home. Staying active is also very important. You can whine it’s vacation, and getting up to run on the treadmill is the last thing you want to do, but I can tell you now that you can stay fit and active on vacation and never see the hotel gym.
1. Join the Kids. Remember when you were sitting pool side while the kids and hubby were off riding waves? This vacation it’s time to get off your duff and join them. Didn’t you know a boogie-boarding mama is a hot mama?
2. Walking Tours. Leave the car behind and check out some local sites. Carlsbad, land of Legoland, has a painted fire hydrant walking tour, while New Orleans has numerous ghost tours.
3. Forget the Car. This is a great way to really experience a city. Many destinations have attractions that are within walking distance from hotels and most cities have terrific public transportation if you happen to find you’re too tired to make the trek back to the hotel — plus you don’t have to worry about paying for parking and you’re being good to the environment.
4. Inline Skate. One of my favorite vacation memories was rollerblading along the Galveston, Texas beach. This could be another “hot mama” moment. But try and practice before you give it your all, it may not be pretty if it’s you first time, especially if you wander into traffic.
5. Rent Bikes. This is fun for the whole family. And it doesn’t even seem like exercise. Pretty much every vacation destination has bike rental shops and many hotels and resorts offer free bikes to guests.
6. Rise and Shine. Some of you might think vacations mean sleeping in, but one of my favorite things to do is sneak out while the rest of the family is still snoozing and walk or run along the beach or hike the mountain trails. Sometimes a little alone time on vacation is a good thing.
