I am currently holidaying with my little family in the USA. In total we will be away for 17 days and it is extremely important to myself and Irondad that we stay fit and healthy whilst away. Irondad is competing in a half ironman only 4 days after we get home so he needs to ensure he maintains his training schedule and gets the right mix of bike, running and swimming training. This can be tricky depending on available equipment etc but he has not once missed a session and better still it has not impacted on our time away. He gets up at 5:30 and goes to do his workout before the rest of us even wake up, then we all go for breakfast together once he is back.

That brings me to my next point, breakfast when holidaying in America (or anywhere for that matter). The lure of the BIG buffet breakfast can be a challenge especially in the first few days when it all seems so exciting and different to what we usually eat. I have changed my regular diet so much in the last 4-5 months that I actually felt very sick after I over indulged  one morning at breakfast. My body was not used to the fat and processed foods and boy did I pay the price afterwards! Since then, I have tried to eat more like I normally would at home (with the exception of an American waffle here and there…. Yummy!). It makes it even harder because I am dairy free and there seems to be cheese on everything!!! It is proving quite tricky some days that’s for sure. I have been asking for no cheese or butter on everything, which does seem to get some strange looks.

I am trying to find healthy-ish lunch options, below was today’s lunch…. Chicken noodle soup and Thai chicken salad, it was a very big serve but was yummy.

I am not a big believer of “oh I’m on holidays I can eat whatever I want all day long”. That just recreates bad habits I have worked hard to change and it means I will have to work so much harder when I get home. You can’t out train a bad diet especially when you are not in your usual routine. We have been walking a lot during this trip a often carrying the extra weight of our baby in the baby carrier but on its own that would not be enough if I continued to eat bad food. I haven’t done as many gym workouts as Irondad but I have been exercising in our hotel room at night. At least it is better than nothing. I am going to work hard on my running again when I get home, for now I’ll try to fit in a few more treadmill runs. Later today we are all going swimming (Irondad and I will take it in turns to swim laps while the other one plays with the kiddies) and then I will use the hotel gym tonight.

         

Even room service meals usually have salad options, this grilled chicken and crispy noodle salad I had was delicious. Of course, Miss Lily just had to try American Mac & Cheese while we are in the US!!

    

Below is an example of one of the hotel room workouts we have been doing while here. It requires no equipment and doesn’t take very long at all.

60 seconds running high knees

40 push-ups

60 ab brace

60 seconds jumping jacks

40 squats

45 second ab brace

60 seconds burpees

40 tricep dips

30 second ab brace

(if you want more of a workout… Do it twice)

Staying fit and healthy on holiday can be done, it does take discipline and willpower but you will feel so much better if you continue your good exercise and nutrition habits, it will also make life so much easier when you get home. We are totally loving our holiday but hopefully this show people that if being healthy and active is a priority in your life then you can still ensure you can maintain it while you are away. You just have to want to.