You spent months dieting and working out, just to get into shape for your vacation. Why ruin all that hard work by packing on the pounds with junk food and high-calorie snacks? There’s nothing wrong with indulging yourself with some great meals while on vacation, but you can make up for the extra calories by using your hotel room as a healthy base of operations.
The mini bar in your room can be your friend, but not in the way management would like it to be. Take everything out of the minibar and you’re left with a small refrigerator, just the right size for stocking up on healthy treats. Keep those mini bar snacks in a bag and replace them at the end of your stay.
When it comes to restaurant meals, breakfast is the least glamorous. It won’t be a hardship to give these up and substitute healthy food in your room. Find a grocery store and stock up on whole grain bagels, yogurt, fruit, and juice or milk. You’ll avoid hundreds of calories of greasy food and, as a bonus, get to relax in your pajamas while having breakfast. That’s a real vacation. Convenience foods fill every grocery store now. While you might never buy them while at home, these foods are a healthy traveler’s best friend. Stock up on individual salads, pre-cut fruit, and veggie pieces, packets of dressing and di,p and pre-cooked chicken strips.
Turn the top of your dresser into a pantry and food preparation surface. There’s plenty of room for bagels and English muffins, paper plates, and bowl, and a coffee cup to hold your condiment packets. Move the coffee maker to this area if it’s, like in many hotels, in the bathroom. With the numerous soups and hot drinks you can buy that just call for hot water, the coffee machine will come in handy almost every day, even if you never brew a cup.
All the good intentions in the world won’t do you any good unless you plan to stay somewhere that’s health-friendly. I have found that reading reviews are the best way to determine how likely a hotel is to cater to your health needs. I was recently searching for reviews and found a great site that listed hotels in Las Vegas with reviews regarding everything from restaurants to amenities. This type of information can be extremely helpful. Go online and search room views for your hotel to make sure it has a mini fridge or large mini bar to hold your food. Opt fooversizeded dressers with lots of surface space. Find places to stay near grocery stores and farmer’s markets for convenience in making healthy meal choices.
There’s nothing wrong with treating yourself while on vacation. By all means, make reservations at that special restaurant you’ve been hearing about. Indulge in local cuisine you’ll never find at home. But keep indulgences like this as a treat, not an all-day habit. If breakfast in your hotel room is every bit as tasty and satisfying as one in a restaurant, why spend the extra money on a meal that will pack hundreds of unwanted calories and tons of unhealthy fat? Plan for a couple of special meals while away from home, and eat the rest in your hotel room for healthier choices.