Guest Post: Foodie Stays Fit
Sup bloggies 😀 How was your Sunday?
Ours was pretty bueno- the beach, breakfast
FROYO
(I rolled with dairy-free raspberry + berries and chocolate chips)
Shopping
and a last-minute stop at Whole Paycheck.
We grabbed smoothies (almond milk, banana, blueberries and Vega Smoothie Infusion for me), snacks for the plane back to Tucson, HOT BAR for din din 🙂
I drank this water that was in the Pilot’s backpack:
We’re actually driving back to Valdosta right now, but wanted to put up this awesome guest post from Teri before we hit the road 😀 It’s about healthy travel tips, always come in handy– sticking to your at-home techniques can be a little tricky when you’re on the go. Also, if workouts and healthy eats go to the back burner for a legendary vacay, it’s totally worth it. You can always get back in the swing of things at home :) (Says the girl who totally hit the snooze to sleep in with the Pilot instead of yoga. Worth it)
Have a lovely night and I’ll see ya in the morning!!
soso
Gina
Hi Fitnessista readers! I’m Teri from A Foodie Stays Fit. I’m so excited to be filling in for Gina today. Her blog holds a special place in my heart as it was one of the very first health blogs I started reading; I credit her for getting me hooked on this wonderful health blogger world.
[I should probably tell you that I don’t have blonde hair right now. But that’s another story.]
I’m a bit of a travel junkie and having recently returned from a trip to Charleston, South Carolina, staying healthy while travelling is fresh on my mind.
Today I’m sharing 5 tips to stay healthy while travelling without holing yourself up in the hotel gym.
1. Book a condo instead of a hotel. When my husband and I travel, 99% of the time we rent a condo instead of booking a hotel. VRBO.com is one of our favorite sites to book condos (they have them listed worldwide) and we’ve used it to find great places in Hawaii, the North Carolina coast, Charleston, California, and even Moab, Utah. We’ve always had good experiences and usually get something much nicer and cheaper than a hotel. (We got a condo right on the water in Hawaii for less than $100 a night! Literally, the waves splashed through our window at high tide.) But aside from saving money and getting nicer digs, a condo comes with a kitchen. With a kitchen, you don’t have to eat out for all of your meals and can keep your healthy cooking habits even while travelling.
This was the view from our condo in Hawaii! We ate salad and whole-grain spaghetti for dinner after long days at the beach.
2. Eat in for breakfast. This is especially easy if you book a condo, but even if you are in a hotel, you can still eat in for breakfast. Store milk in your mini fridge (or swipe it from the continental breakfast) and tote along some high-fiber, high-protein cereal or bring your own muesli. Or make one of my favorite breakfast treats, the Breakfast Cookie – you can toss a baggie of protein powder and peanut butter in your suitcase or just pick up small packs at a local grocery store. If I start my day with a healthy breakfast, I’m much more likely to make better food choices throughout the day. 
3. Travel by foot. Skip the subway, skip the taxi, park your rental car and hoof it. You’ll see a whole new side of the city by walking through it and will likely stumble upon a few gems along the way. A small artisan bakery, a clothing boutique, a charming local…who knows? And along the way, you’ll burn some calories to let you indulge in a cupcake from Magnolia’s (but actually, if you’re in NYC, Two Little Red Hens is better). And even shopping or strolling through a museum is probably more activity than you get 8-5, M-F.
4. Splurge on local goodies, not items you can find at home. When I was in Paris a few years ago, I ignored tip #2 because I was following tip #4. Everyday in Paris for breakfast, I got a fresh croissant. I can’t get croissants like that at home…so I was taking advantage of it while I could. I also ate crepes for dessert and split fresh baguettes with my husband for an afternoon snack. The point is, I ate the things that were special to that city. But passed up on things that were available at home, like soda or ice cream from the Haagen Dazs scoop shop on the Champs-Élysées.
5. Go running! Yep, I’m telling you to do some actual exercise. But instead of hitting the treadmill, get out into the city. It’s a great way to sight-see; I saw more of Charleston in a 45 minute run than I did by walking through the city for 2 days. Since I went relatively early, around 8 AM, not many other tourists were out and I had the run (ha!) of the place. One thing I love about early runs on vacation is that cities have a totally different feel in the morning – try it, you’ll see. And like tip #3, you’ll probably stumble upon some things you’ll miss otherwise. Last week in Charleston, I ran by a charming cafe and a bakery. I wouldn’t have known about them otherwise, but we went back to them later in the trip and loved them both. 
But most importantly, if you can’t sweat, don’t sweat it! You might not have time to get in a “real” workout. Or you might only have time to do 20 minutes instead of your typical 40. You might indulge in dessert every day. Maybe twice a day, if you’re anything like me. And you know what, that’s OK! It’s vacation! The 5 pounds you might put on from hitting every gelatoria in Rome will totally be worth it. Same goes for the 5 lbs you might gain from not moving from your beach chair for a week straight. Totally worth it. Once you get back to your usual habits at home, you won’t remember any temporary weight gain. But you will remember how amazing your trip was. 
How do you stay healthy while travelling?
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Great tips! I often follow many of the tips you mentioned, especially eating in for breakfast. I’d much rather splurge on a nice dinner…or lots of fro yo! 😉
These are great tips! I like to try to see as much as I can on-foot when I travel too. You get a good workout in, and it’s a great way to learn your way around and see the sights of a city as well. Love the tip on renting a condo! I get tired of restaurant/hotel food really fast, so it’s great to have a kitchen.
Gina – I’m pretty sure I’ve had that same water before! When I used to live in the Middle East, that’s the kind we used to buy because the tap water is salty (and gross). Your fro yo sounds delish!
Great tips! We love staying in condos as well and often eat both lunch and breakfast in the condo, if our schedule permits. Then we can save for a fun dinner out, and it is SO much cheaper to eat some yogurt and fruit for breakfast at home as opposed to a restaurant. I always remind myself to drink as much water as possible; flying kills me with the dehydration factor.
Your hair is super cute and makes me want bangs!
Your posts with the Pilot have been so cute. You and the Pilot really are a ridiculous cute couple. So glad that you guys are able to be together again.
I’m also so glad that you chose A Foodie Stays Fit for one of your guest posts since she just got back from Charleston, SC where I just found out this week that I am going to be moving to this summer. Lots of great info there.
What can I say,I think we can both agree that its been a great week 🙂
Great tips! I’m off to Argentina in 3 weeks and we are renting a condo! I”m excited to be able to eat in and also eat out. 🙂
argentina?! wow, have an amazing time! let me know how it is 🙂
Great tips! I especially love eating in for breakfast and running to explore places!
Love love love VRBO.com. We usually rent condos. Cheaper, healthier food and just all around easier with our 4 year old.
Charleston is gorgeous and awesome for running. I took a trip there a few years ago and didn’t run, but if I went now I definitely would! We were actually considering moving there and it is still on the list for potential relocation 🙂
What great tips! I’m so excited to try out a condo next time I go on vacay! I’ve never done that before and I have NO IDEA why not – it’s genius!
Hi Teri, love your traveling tips!
I also always try to stay in a condo too, vrbo is a great resource. Usually you can find a condo cheaper than you can a mainstream hotel…and you get all the extra space, a fridge, a place to spread out…it’s a total win win.
But when I travel, I try to focus on fresh fruits and veggies. It’s easy to get caught up eating “road food” and prepackaged things but if I take the time to go to a local grocery store (that’s the other thing i do…cook at “home” even when on the road at least somewhat so go to the groc store) but just eat plants, fresh produce, and enjoy the trip no matter what 🙂
Thanks for the travel tips, we are going to FL in June and can’t wait to plan our meals with the fresh seafood there (something we don’t have here)! I’m really excited to run there as well!! Any good tips for snacking while traveling in the car?
I always pack nuts and dried fruit for the car, but have to be careful about not over-eating them. I recently airpopped popcorn before a road trip to take with me. It was a great – and totally healthy – snack!
Great tips and all so true. When traveling I try to stick to eating healthy knowing that theres going to be some treats along the way. I follow a 90/10 routine, 90% good healthy food and 10% splurging treats. You gotta enjoy your vacation but you don’t need to over indulge.
great tips!!!
just saw the youtube clip of you and the pilot coming home and was drawn to tears! so happy he’s back for you : ) i also think your idea of writing that book would be amazing
Teri is so pretty.
And so are you and your pilot. So happy for your continued journey in love. Your life seems so magical to me.
this is very helpful since I am basically on a working vacation right now! thank you!
I love these tips! I stay healthy by eating a great, protein-rich breakfast (egg whites or oatmeal), moving around daily, and sleeping a lot 🙂
Loved the tips! Helps me feel less guilty for relaxing on spring break. Soso to you too Gina! :p
Great tips! I especially love the condo idea 🙂 Will definitely keep that in mind for our next vacation.
Just gotta say I got engaged under Delicate Arch last October. That’s my favorite place in the world!
That’s so cool! Congratulations! What a gorgeous place to get engaged!
Great guest post!
I just try to keep my portions limited. Sure, I can have white pasta and bread, I just can’t eat the whole huge dish or the whole basket!
I try my best to find balance when I am on vacation, though sometimes it can be a challenge. I try to get in as many fruits and veggies that I can (I scope out lots of street markets) and keep as active as I can…though many days I do just end up lounging on the beach. It’s vacation, so you gotta soak it all in and just have fun!
Yay! These tips are great. I love to rent a house while on vacation so I can cook some of my own food. Makes sure I never miss out on my green smoothies or green juices!
Gina, I was so confused why you took a picture of the water bottle…living in Saudi, ALL of our water looks like that, it took a while to click that in the states, duh, they wouldn’t! HAHA!
LOL! i thought the bottle was so cool-looking 🙂
I’m going to Charleston in…3 hours! So glad I checked the blog before leaving for the airport 🙂
Great advice Teri! I always try to pack healthy, satisfying breakfasts when I’m travelling. Usually I feel disgusting when I have breakfast out because its so heavy and fatty. Ugh.
I also like the running idea. Usually I hit the hotel treadmill, but next time I’ll have to try outdoors.
Awesome tips! 😀 I haven’t gone on a real trip in so long. But whenever I travel anywhere, I like to pack my own breakfast and walk everywhere! And I like to stay at hotels with a gym so that I can squeeze in morning workouts.
Great tips! I liked this post a lot. I always eat in on vacation – it’s much more fun to indulge in lunch or dinner out! And my husband and I love to go running and explore whatever town we’re visiting. It’s a great way to get a feel for the new location, and still feel good throughout the traveling.
(always eat breakfast in)
Great tips! These tips do double duty, since most of them will also save you money. I eat breakfast in when travelling and often hit a market or grocery store for picnic lunches. Then, in the evening, I indulge in restaurant meals.
Ok, now I want FROYO for breakfast!! 🙂
Cool guest post. When I’m traveling I do a lot of walking, which generally balances out all other indulgences and I usually come home a little lighter in luggage. 😉
Thank you for the tips. I’m going to be planning a trip soon and will definitely check out a condo.
Great tips — I love the idea of the condo vs. hotel room!
Thanks for the condo link. My husband and I would love to start exploring the US. Great post. You are so lucky to have travelled to so many place 🙂
Travelling by foot is definitely the very best tip!! It’s a great way to see a location and a great way to get a work out in. Last thing you want to do is have to spend a bunch of time in a gym when you can just as easily get your activity while soaking up the sights :).
Thank you for the tips!! I always try to book a hotel with a kitchen, but the condo option sounds so much smarter!! Slash girl you are GORG, I am going to go find out what your hair looks like now!
So happy for you guys! Looks like you had a wonderful time!
FAB post girlie!! VRBO rocks…we always check that too! I think we should travel together…Paris…croissants…oh yaaaah xoxo