6 Tips for Staying Fit on Vacation

Vacation is a time to slow down, enjoy the location, see the sights…and sometimes put on a few pounds! Restaurant eating, eating while on the road, big meals with your extended family are all ways we can put on a few pounds right in the middle of bathing suit season.

So Sharon Zarabi, Registered Dietitian & Nutrition expert for Focus28 Diet (www.focus28diet.com) has given 6 tips below to help you keep those pounds off so you don’t have them as a souvenir of your trip.
Zarabi says it is hard to fit in exercise when traveling but the key is to stay focused! MOVE, MOVE, MOVE!!! Here are her 6 tips:
• Move - Your body was meant to move, so make it a point to take the stairs whenever you can. The only time you should be using the elevator is to drop off your luggage the first day and last day to return to the lobby- heck, you can even leave your bags with the bell boy. Even more of an excuse to take the stairs to your room. If you are a high floor, take the elevator half way, and climb the remainder. The more active you are, and the more of a burn you feel in those legs, the less guilt you will feel when indulging in that margarita or dessert at dinner.
• Explore - If you are spending your time outdoors look for trails, and explore the area you are vacationing.
• Water Walking - If you are staying by a beach try walking at a level where the water reaches half way between your foot and knee. The extra resistance of pushing through the water will emphasize your calves and legs from working to get you through the walk. The greater resistance you have, the more calories you will be burning.
• Exercise Large Muscle Groups - While in your room, try to do exercises that use large muscle groups. Try doing 15 -20 set of pushups on your knees (for those more advanced, try them on your toes). To vary the muscle groups in your upper body, do wide grip pushups, then closed grip to target the triceps (the flabby part of the back arm.)
• Squats/Crunches/Sit-Ups – When brushing your teeth, for two minutes, try doing squats. You know you need to brush your teeth twice a day when waking and sleeping so this would be the best time to fit in the fat blasting leg workout, if you have mastered the basic squat, try doing jumping squats. This plyometric exercise uses more power and might even break you out in a sweat. Now that you have targeted the upper and lower body, try doing 3 sets of 30 crunches. For those more advanced, try doing full range situps.
• Stretch - After your workout be sure to stretch. Elongating the muscles will keep you feeling revived, and will enhance blood flow throughout the body. If you are not very flexible, use a towel in the hotel room to assist you with stretching.
Zarabi tells Family First by incorporating the stairs when possible and taking long walks on the beach you will get the cardio you need. The squats, pushups and sit ups can easily be done in the comfort of your room- just blast on the radio and make it a point to do these moves before you leave the room. Consistency and planning is key to success- even when traveling!
See Sharon’s tips on how to eat healthy while on the road here.
Sharon Zarabi http://sharonzarabi.com/ is a Registered Dietitian (RD, CDN) and certified personal fitness trainer by the International Fitness Professional’s Association. Devoted to a life and career of promoting healthy living, Sharon is an active member of several nutritional associations, including: The ADA – American Dietetic Association, IDEA Health and Fitness Association, Greater New York Dietetic Association, Long Island Dietetic Association, American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery and the ECA World Fitness Alliance.
Alongside private counseling for Weight Loss Surgery Patients of Lenox Hill Hospital PF New York, Sharon works as a highly enthusiastic aerobics instructor, employed by various health clubs including: Lucille Roberts, Impact Health and Fitness Club, the Jewish Community Center of Roslyn, and BOOM Fitness of Park Avenue. Sharon desires to spread her ardent belief in health and fitness with those looking to improve their lifestyle with healthy habits. Her vision is to use fitness and nutrition as a means to offer spiritual and emotional upheaval in people’s lives.

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