CAROL’S CORNER

Welcome to Friday night in Carol’s Corner. Kind of getting a really late start. Everything I touched tonight seemed to go wrong. Just one off those nights. Today’s picture was again taken in my friend’s hospital room. Decided to call this outfit “Royal Blooms”. Wearing one of my favorite colors, love all the colors in the blouse and my Genie Cami Shaper underneath is a perfect match to one of the purple’s in my blouse.

Love my jewelry as well as my FitBit combo.

It’s always cool when the narrow clasp covers can combine so well with my band.

So for today’s topic we are going to discuss travel and your diet. Tips to help stay on track and so forth.

For starters I’m going to use something from best health mag.ca. It’s titled “7 tips to avoid weight gain while traveling”.

TIP # 1.TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE SETTING

A beautiful beach setting isn’t just good for photo ops. It can also be a great setting to scorch some calories. Jogging on the beach works your muscles harder than jogging in the city. Plus the sand cushions the impact, meaning your body will experience less competitive stress. Post-run you can hit the water to cool off with swimming, another great way to get in some exercise. To swim safely in the ocean , swim lengthwise along the shoreline, rather than straight out.

TIP # 2. PUT ON YOUR WALKING SHOES

Walking is one of the easiest ways to sneak in a calorie burn without sacrificing precious vacation time. In fact vacation usually involves a lot of walking so take every opportunity to walk as much as posible. A quick way to amp up a leisurely stroll is with bouts of brick walking. Try this. Pick a landmark and walk briskly till you reach it. Then walk at a relaxed pace until you recover and then maybe repeat it with another. High effort walking will engage the heart and lungs for better cardio, and your metabolism will get revved up for greater fat burning, something important while you are in traveling or vacation mode.

TIP # 3. PLAN TO STAY WHERE THERE IS A HOTEL GYM

Almost all hotels offer at least a small gym where you can use a treadmill,elliptical ,or exercise bikes. So make sure you plan to stay where one is available for your use.

TIP # 4. PLAN AHEAD AND PACK SNACKS

Being hungry and left wandering the airport in search of food is a surefire way to end up scarfing down sugary or high-fat foods. The problem with foods of this type is that they won’t fill you up long as well as packing in the calories. And they most probably will intensify your cravings for carbs and sugar. Instead pack healthy snacks such as high fiber granola bars, nuts, seeds , or whole wheat crackers and peanut butter, so you’re never without a healthy option. If your on a road trip you can pack a cooler with all kinds of healthy options such as lots of fruit and veggie options and bottled or flavored waters.

TIP # 5. WATCH YOUR ALCOHOL INTAKE

A little sun, sand, and a few margaritas sounds innocent enough, but those 200-400 calorie drinks can quickly add up. Plus when you’ve had a few too many you are more likely to make unhealthy food choices. Also make sure you already have a full stomach before you indulge in those drinks. A full stomach will help slow the absorption of alcohol into the body. If you must indulge choose drinks that aren’t overly sugary, and opt for mixes like soda water or diet pop rather than regular pop or juice. Trick yourself into thinking you’ve had more by choosing bottled beer instead of cans ( there is less in a bottle) and drinking from a smaller wine glass ( you’ll take less but it will look like more). This is kind of along the same line as eating from a smaller plate. And always have water or soda water in between to stay hydrated.

TIP # 6. INDULGE….. WITH CAUTION

Giving up on your favorite treats on vacation isn’t exactly the definition of a great escape. The best way to indulge in your can’t miss favorites is to do it mindfully. Be picky with your treats. Indulge in treats that you really love and when you do, portion it out. Let yourself enjoy it and know you can have more tomorrow. A ” get it in now” mentality guarantees a pig-out.

TIP # 7. MASTER THE BUFFET TABLE

The countless options at the buffet table can be intimidating, especially if you’re trying to make healthy choices. The first place to start is with your plate and we all know what that means don’t we? Choose a smaller plate and you’ll take less. Fill half of your plate with salad or veggies, then head straight over to the protein rich foods like meat, fish, and beans, filling one quarter of your plate with lower fat options. The last quarter of your plate can be one or two grain or starch options like pasta, rice, or bread, preferably opting for whole grains. Give yourself 30 minutes to finish your first portion and if you’re not quite full, head back for more veggies and protein. I would probably say try to fill up on the veggies.

HERE ARE SOME MORE USEFUL LINKS

http://www.webmd.com/diet/9-ways-to-take-your-diet-on-vacation. 9 ways to take your diet on vacation.

http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/tips-for-sticking-to-your-diet-when-traveling.html Tips for sticking to your diet when traveling.

http://www.weightlossresources.co.uk/diet/diet_tips/travelling.htm Top six tips for traveling on a diet.

http://www.independenttraveler.com/travel-tips/safety-and-health/eating-well-and-staying-active-while-traveling. Eating well and staying active while traveling.

I hope you all find this to be helpful to you in your future travels. I know there are many who have wanted to see this topic addressed. I would appreciate your feedback on this and really on any of my blogs. I always want to be doing things that you need to be successful as you weave your way on the roadways of our journey.

I leave you with this.