Here is how I made my time on the ship healthy:
~I started each morning with yoga and a walk around the deck.
~I asked the waiter to make me a green smoothie every breakfast and dinner (it became the talk of the table!)
~My husband, son and I went to every dance party! (Super FUN, and a great workout!)
~I ordered my dinner with extra vegetables.
~Every night we ordered a plate of fresh fruit from room service for an evening snack.
~I pretty much stayed away from the all-day-all-you-can-eat buffet.
During excursions I took the walking trip option or explored on my own and was pretty much walking all day long. I stopped at wonderful places for delicious lunches and people watching. In Nice I had Salad Niçoise and socca, a local chickpea bread.
In Florence I had a delicious salad with smoked salmon and a delicious chocolate-hazelnut gelato. In Rome I had gluten free pasta and escarole greens. In Sorrento I had gluten free pasta with salad. And in Barcelona I had grilled fish with vegetables. Everything was made to local perfection.
Local fairs and festivals.
Living in New York, summer is prime time for street fairs and street foods. One of my favorites is the San-Gennaro Festival in Little Italy at the end of every summer. There’s a stage with live music, amusement park delights like a giant ferris wheel and spinning tea cups, lots of street food and a dozens Italian restaurants with street, garden-like seating.
Street food is a wonderful way to sample local and ethnic cuisines. Look for dishes that are loaded with veggies. Many stands will serve grilled vegetables and stirfry's.
Festivals have many opportunities to be active, walking, dancing and playing games. So plan to participate and have fun!
Enjoy people watching, the decorations, the activities and the ambiance. Remember that food is just one aspect of the event, so don’t just focus on that.
Hotel Stays
When visiting locations far from home, hotels are a popular and convenient option. They can also mean no kitchen and that all meals have to be eaten out. Although a challenge, you can still be the happy (and healthy!) tourist by incorporating the following helpful tips:
Call ahead and ask the hotel to have an EMPTY refrigerator in your room. That way, you will avoid the empty calorie and overpriced temptations and you can fill your refrigerator with produce and healthy picks from local markets.
~Ask the hotel if they have a fitness room or if they are affiliated to one. It can be a nice way to stay active if you’re into gym workouts.
~Google vegetarian, vegan and organic restaurants in the city you are visiting. You don’t have to be vegan to enjoy a healthy, plant-based meal.
~Sign up for walking tours. They are a great way to connect with people, sight-see and get loads of activity while having fun.
~Visit local farmer’s markets. You can find delicious and fresh produce to take back to your hotel room to snack on or to take to a picnic (instead of eating out).
Enjoy the food! Don’t deprive yourself of local specialties, eat and enjoy! When I travel I usually eat one luxurious meal in a restaurant everyday and the rest of my meals are healthy snacks, takeouts and lots of fruits and vegetables.