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Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Vacation time!

A lot has been keeping me busy these long summer days. A typical day consists of....work...run...rehearsal! Yes, rehearsal, I'm in a play! Fortunately, this past weekend I was able to get away and join my family for some beach fun in Destin, FL. We had a wonderful time catching up eating...eating and eating! My sister always has to hit The Donut Hole. I fall victim to the strawberry filled..and then there's the cream filled, coconut chocolate and of course glazed! I try to tell myself to relax on vacation and eat what I want. To keep from completley over indulging the first thing I did was headed to the grocery store. This way I would have healthier options on hand. Grocery list--water, humus (spinach and artichoke is my favorite), whole wheat pita bread, bananas and peanut butter.

When you are on vacation most of us leave our healthy eating habits back home. Because, a vacation is a time to let your hair down and take a break from the norm. Just don't forget your overall health goals. It doesn't take long to fall of the wagon.

Top five ways to stay in control on vacation:

1. Monitor your splurging!
It's easy to sit and have 3 donuts. You will find yourself saying "Hey, I'm on vacation" a lot! Allow yourself to have a donut along with a serving of fruit or a low-fat yogurt-balance your plate!
You can easily stick with this if you prepare. Head to the grocery store and stock up on snacks: fresh fruit, low-fat dairy options like string cheese or Greek yogurt, whole grain crackers and portable protein like peanut butter!

2. Continue to track your calories.
If you do so (even if you know you are going exceed your daily allowance!) I use the livestrong app on my iPhone. Research tells us, those who track their calories weigh less!

3. Plan your exercise schedule.
No, no this does not mean you need to be hitting the gym for 2 hours everyday, but nobodies stopping you! If you are in the habit of walking or running daily, keep it up! Make it a point to get out of the lounge chair and walk along the beach. Try new things! My niece, Amber, has taken up hula hooping as a hobby. She is really good! She taught me some tricks and I think I'm addicted now. What an amazing workout. The whole time you keep your abs contracted and your heart rate up. It doesn't get boring because of all the different tricks you can incorporate.This exercise is a major calorie burner. According to Spark people, a 118 pound women can burn 98 calories in fifteen minutes. I wonder if I can get Brian to hula hoop...humm..We also tried the stand up paddle board. A lot harder then it looks. First, you have to get yourself up on the dang board then you have to stand up, then you have to stay up. I was able to get up on it twice and able to fall right off after about 20 seconds.





4. Avoid coffee and caffeinated drinks.
Caffeine serves as a diuretic...meaning it pulls fluid out of the body leaving you more prone to dehydration. Drink water, water, water. Aim for more then 64 oz per day! Water also helps to fight fatigue.  

5. Recognize your hunger cues and try not to skip meals.
Your body needs and craves consistency. Continue to eat 3 balanced meals a day. Remember, stop eating when you feel satisfied, not full! You are the one in the bathing suit!


 Fun Family pics! Unfortunately, the hubby was not able to come =(

 My beautiful niece, Amber
 I'm sucking in hardcore!!
 Cindy and Amber
 I busted, hard!
 Gorgeous sister, Tess
 More Amber and Cin

Happy Summer you guys! Continue reading as I continue my mission: 

Healthy Huggins!

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