Vacation gives us an opportunity to explore new places, be amidst nature, get away from the day to day stresses of life.

No matter what you aim for when you take a vacation, health must be the top most priority since it is not difficult to go off track and indulge in junk or give up on staying active.

Remember, vacation means to destress but it does not mean overeating and being a couch potato. This attitude will not help you to rejuvenate and raring to go once your vacation gets over and you are back to normal life.

So following tips can help to keep the nutrition intact even while on vacation – 

1. Keep snacks with you if possible like makhana, roasted chana, nuts, protein bars or chikki, fruits etc to help you sustain during a long trip.

1. While eating at restaurants, order a bowl of steamed vegetables or a soup first/start the meal with it if the buffet is there. Choose a clear soup with vegetables/chicken rather than a cream-based one. Ex: Clear vegetable/chicken soup, lemon coriander soup, etc. 

1. While ordering starters, look for those which are not deep-fried like tandoori vegetables/tandoori paneer/ tandoori chicken/ tandoori fish, or steamed momos/wantons.  

1. Keep the portion sizes in check – serving large portion sizes is the norm at restaurants and hotels. Share your meals with your dining partner if served a large portion size. If you don’t know what is in a dish or don’t know the serving size, please ask. 

1. Avoid carbonated drinks as much as possible, instead, order fresh lime water/soda without sugar/honey or coconut water or plain buttermilk or jal jeera. Preferably order plain dal rather than dal fry/dal tadka. 

1. Have more dry vegetables with less fat; prefer grilled /roasted, barbequed chicken/fish. Prefer chapati or missi or tandoori roti in place of Nan or poori. Maida (refined flour) based preparations like naan or roomali roti contain added fat that can increase your blood sugars and trigger lipids as well. 

1. When ordering for pasta/pizza, prefer whole wheat pasta/whole grain thin pizza base with minimum cheese, loaded with vegetables and a dash of olive oil. 

1.  Preferably avoid eating Chinese food like fried rice or order it without ajinomoto (MSG).  

1. If tempted to have a sweet, prefer a mixed fruit salad or ice candy as advised in your plan.

1. Keep yourself hydrated, drink loads of water to help flush out any toxins from the body and prevent constipation. Avoid excessive intake of tea/coffee/alcohol as they can dehydrate your body and interfere with your sleep cycles if you are traveling across the time zones.

Vacation is for enjoying. But not at the cost of one’s health. Mindful eating with loads of walking and sufficient sleep can help you rejuvenate and get back to routine with high spirits.