Healthy and Happy: Balancing Health with Luxury On Vacation
By guest blogger, Cassie Steele
A study published by the US Library of Medicine found a direct correlation between going on vacation and weight gain, a subject that concerns many people who don’t want to forgo a luxury holiday in order to maintain their health. The link, however, can be attributed to our tendency to ‘let go’ and overindulge on high days and holidays, and it’s easily avoided: it’s entirely possible to maintain healthy habits and enjoy a luxury vacation at the same time.
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Your Holiday, Your Plate
A vacation is a rare nugget of time dedicated to relaxation, rejuvenation, and fun, and its parameters are within your control. If you’re planning a luxury holiday but you’re concerned about maintaining your healthy lifestyle, then part of your planning should be focused on how you can achieve that. Resorting to supplements isn’t necessary, and can come with hidden complications: research tours and packages that allow you to control what you put on your plate, ensuring that you absorb all the nutrition you normally do, while still sampling local delicacies and exceptional cooking. Select the treats you want from the buffet table, but eat mindfully, and make sure you incorporate healthy, fresh foods into each meal, allowing you a rich nutritional profile alongside your holiday favorites. ‘Luxury’ doesn’t have to mean ‘bad for you’: it can be as simple and satisfying as fresh produce cooked in the styles local to the places you’re visiting and can include a variety of healthy delicacies from seafood to cheeses.
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When Healthy Becomes Unhealthy
Our health isn’t limited to our bodies: it’s in our minds too. While focusing on indulgent treats with little nutritional value can certainly contribute to a dip in our mental health, forgoing treats entirely isn’t a healthy decision either, making us feel resentful and irritable as we watch others around us eating the piece of cake or the ice cream we’re denying ourselves. Indulging in the occasional treat can be a healthy part of a luxury holiday, and if it’s an expected part of the plan, you can enjoy it without guilt and avoid accidental slip-ups later when the enjoyment is marred by feelings of failure. Part of the purpose of a holiday is to relieve stress and spend relaxed, quality time with your loved ones, both things that are just as beneficial to our health as a good diet.
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Have Your Cake And Eat It
As well as eating mindfully, there are many factors of a luxury holiday that you can use to balance food choices that might be different from your usual menu. Whether it’s dancing, swimming, walking or trekking, much of what you choose to do for fun on vacation ensures that you’re often enjoying extra exercise without even realizing it. You may find yourself in a resort that offers yoga or other classes: even if you’re unfamiliar with what’s on offer, now could be a great time to pick up a new, healthy hobby. If you plan to drink alcohol on your holiday, balance it with water to ensure that you stay properly hydrated, and make sure you nourish yourself with healthy meals every day. Make small, active choices like using the stairs instead of the elevator, and walk to as many of your planned tourist spots as possible: this way you’ll see more of your destination too.
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It’s possible to worry too much about our health at the expense of enjoyment. Fun should be at the heart of any vacation, and a little luxury goes a long way. Besides, there’s nothing you can do over a week’s holiday that will have a catastrophic impact on your health when you get home, so go ahead: relax.
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About Cassie;
Cassie originally worked as a flight attendant for over a decade, taking her all over Asia, including South Korea, Malaysia, Japan, Vietnam, Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia, and India, among others. The combination of interesting cultures, low prices, and delicious food was the reason why Asia became a favorite stop of hers.
A couple of years ago, Cassie took a step back to spend more time with her family and became a freelance writer and editor in which she uses her vast knowledge on Asian destinations to further inspire other travelers to witness the beautiful continent.
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