Thanks SO much for the fantastic tips!!! - 9/10/2010   2:22:48 PM

I travel alot for work, this is great information. - 8/19/2010   6:12:24 PM

I've been totally craving some overseas travel - you've inspired me. - 8/14/2010   2:17:12 AM

Good tips to keep in mind when I leave for Florida tomorrow! I already packed my running shorts and tennis equipment! - 8/11/2010   1:04:45 PM

Thank you! for sharing. - 8/9/2010   9:00:13 AM

such great ideas... - 8/8/2010   9:14:00 PM

great - 8/8/2010   5:46:16 PM

Great advice. I definately think if you stay active, hydrated and enjoy yourself you will actually lose weigh. I've been away three times this year and haven't put any weight on any of the time. Purely through drinking plenty of water and lots of walking to take in the sights! - 8/8/2010   10:35:30 AM

Great blog! I am getting such great tips from all the blogs I've read today. I am going to incorporate all the suggestions and tips into my daily routine.

Thank you! - 8/7/2010   2:08:21 PM

I always make sure to bring lots of water and pack some foods that don't need refrigeration. Also, grocery stores are where I stop for fresh food rather than going to a fast food restaurant--better food, healthier and cheaper! - 8/6/2010   9:40:03 PM

Having just comleted a 1/2 was across the country trip with a 3 &7 year old, I can say that hitting the stores for meals and snacks was a terrific choice. We did 2 meals a day in the stores and one out. It gave us exercise, bathroom break, gas, and food . The 3 year old got to where he said "No, no, not ........" because he wanted McD's. - 8/6/2010   9:23:27 AM

As I learned last week from my family vacation to Branson, Mo., don't always rely on the hotel fitness center. I picked a hotel with a fitness center that looked good from the pictures onthe website. When I went to work out the next morning, the eliptical was broke as well as both bicycle machines. The treadmill was ancient and unsafe to the point of injury to someone. Lessoned learned...I will take up back up dvd's, resistance bands and a pair of my free weights next trip. I did make a complaint to the hotel company and the GM emailed me personally back and stated he WOULD be correcting the fitness center thanks to my survey and complaint. - 8/6/2010   9:18:53 AM

brill blog loving it - 8/6/2010   4:03:06 AM

Jiffy Peanut Butter has these new little 6 pack mini containers to go. I leave one in my car and it lasts for a good 4 snacks. I sometimes bring a banana and spread it on it or just eat a tablespoon on its own. I really try to get protein and not too many carbs. Sometime when I go out to breakfast I will grab a couple mini jams instead of using them on my toast and then I can have PB&J on the go and make a fresh sandwich. Any other good suggestions to compliment the PB?
Thanks, Lily - 8/5/2010   11:52:03 PM

Great advice for anyone who does a lot of traveling. - 8/5/2010   7:20:30 PM

great advice! I find that I often LOSE weight on a vacation because I am walking and moving around all day -- this is especially true when I travel outside the country, because portion sizes are much more reasonable and food is usually FRESH and REAL and NOT PROCESSED. Therefore, even though I spent my past vacation drinking wine, eating bread and cheese, and having a scoop of gelato at least once a day (yes, there where days I had it twice), the hours I spent sight seeing and moving and not mindlessly snacking in front of my desk allowed me to have my cake and lose a pant size too! - 8/5/2010   6:16:59 PM

It is funny that I have started packing snacks in my car. Ironically, it wasn't to stay fit, but because my kids are ALWAYS hungry in the car. So, I make it a point to have something to munch on. Since I have been making a more concerted effort to be healthier, I have begun to pack more nutritious snacks. Thanks for reminding me that it is the little things that can make such a HUGE impact on our healthy lifestyle. - 8/5/2010   3:50:41 PM

Outstanding tips!! I will definitely add these to the list of must-haves for family and business travel. - 8/5/2010   3:16:07 PM

I love the tip "workout in the hotel gym"....they're ALWAYS empty whenever I go to a hotel. - 8/5/2010   2:53:30 PM

This was very helpful information. I know I once tried to take the stairs while carrying my 2 year old at the time (now five) up 15 flights of stairs in the Sheraton Hotel, but only made it 7 1/2 flights. I had to walk down 1/2 flight of stairs and take the elevator up 8 more floors. I was determined. Maybe if I didn' t have an extra 20 something pounds in my arms I could have made it up at least 4 more flights or so.

And for the gym, I never had clothes to workout in but for the future I will definately be prepared. - 8/5/2010   1:32:41 PM

Great tips. Thank you! - 8/5/2010   1:05:57 PM

GREAT BLOG !!!!! I PACK FOOD IN A COOLER WE ARE GOING TO BE MAKING A TRIP TO CAL AND IT IS A 8 /9 HOUR DRIVE FOR US WITH 3 KIDS IT WOULD GET WAY OUT OF HAND TO EAT AND GET DRINKS..AND NOT AT ALL HEALTHY - 8/5/2010   1:02:10 PM

Thank you for this blog. I will be going on vacation in September and then again in October. Your blog provided some meal and snack ideas. - 8/5/2010   12:42:40 PM

When we went on vacation to Europe we walked so much every day while sightseeing that I didn't think about exercising at a Hotel. When we were in Prague it was 104 temp and walking across the river bridge was all the exercise I needed. - 8/5/2010   12:42:08 PM

Thanks for all of the helpful tips. Though I am not currently planning any travels, these are good to keep on file for the future. Especially the one about staying hydrated. - 8/5/2010   12:34:50 PM

I travel quite a bit and I always try to plan ahead. Even planning whole meals in advance if I know where or where I'm going to be eating. It makes the trip easier and I feel a lot better about it too. - 8/5/2010   12:30:41 PM

I love exploring vacation sites via my daily run. I find shops and sites that I normally wouldn't have had I not run. Always check with hotel/B&B/Inn staff before you run. 1. You'll learn about neat places to go and 2. You'll learn about places you should probably NOT go. - 8/5/2010   12:23:27 PM

Thanks for all that great info will help me out. - 8/5/2010   11:48:56 AM

My trick for staying on track when travelling is my notebook and my pen. Yup...if you can't track it here online, write it down and enter it later, even if it's a few days later. At least it's keeping you accountable somehow.

Packing food for the trip is pretty normal for us...we travel usually with kids that have HUGE appetites, and eating in restaurants is simply out of the budget. Rent motel/hotel rooms with kitchenettes (if you don't travel in an RV or camper like we usually do). You can prepare your own food and keep track of your portions that way, too. The cost of preparing your own food usually cuts down on the travel expenses and will somewhat offset the cost of the rooms during peak travel season.

- 8/5/2010   11:04:22 AM

My husband and I do a great deal of walking whenever we are out of town. - 8/5/2010   11:00:59 AM

Great advise. I always walk when I go on vacations as a means of transportation (also keeps the costs down) to the sights since I pick a place to stay that's centrally located. Walking is a great way to get to know the neighborhood and find some cool places that only locals know.

I always keep my bag packed with my water bottle and snacks, even if it's just a trip downtown for the day. My backpack is my best friend. Some places don't allow backpacks but they usually have a coat check that I can check it so I can tour a museum and still have my snacks/water for afterwards. - 8/5/2010   10:51:44 AM

Hi All,When I travel in the car I freeze my water and have a ice chest with me at all times..I loved this blog alot..I t is better to take your own food on a airplane ,I do. - 8/5/2010   9:48:33 AM

Tip #1, Hydrate, is the most important! Once I forgot to bring my 1litre-bottle and have to rely on my 500ml bottle and end of the day, with all rush to go lots of places, I got bad headache, very dried lips like a mummy (actually could buy another mineral water but as it was hard to find toilet, couldn't take the risk, hehe). I always want to try gym at hotels but never got the oppurtunity - too short hotel stay, too afraid to go to gym at night (as I always spend one night only). - 8/5/2010   9:14:46 AM

Excellent ideas! I have found that even for trips to town when I will be gone most of the day, if I pack my snacks, etc, I really am not even tempted to get things I shouldn't - 8/5/2010   8:56:41 AM

I agree that taking the steps everywhere works- especially on cruises. I've managed to never gain weight while cruising, and have splurged on wine and desserts all the while. Also, if you can swing it, consider condo or house rentals for your vacations so you have a full kitchen. THe more meals you prepare yourself, the more control you have over what you are putting into your body. - 8/5/2010   8:54:21 AM

I just returned from a cruise and only gained a pound. Using the ship's gym and taking the stairs really worked in keep the pounds off. Fish was usually the main course I chose, though I tasted several of the other main courses from my DH's plate. Thankfully, the gym was on one of the ship's top decks and overlooked the bow. It was enjoyable to walk on the treadmill or use the elliptical while seeing the ship pull into ports. - 8/5/2010   8:14:43 AM

I travel a lot for business, these are great ideas. Some I've tried and some I'll try now. Many citys are coming up with "share a bike" programs. Great to investigate if your in a bigger city. Stay healthy my friends. - 8/5/2010   8:04:21 AM

Just remember to empty your bottle... Depending on what the TSA crew is like.. you could have an issue of you have some water left! I make sure that I'm holding my bottle while standing in line at security, and finish drinking it before I get up to the screening set up! Caused me some embarrassment the first time that I forgot to drink it all! Luckily, they let me drink it all instead of pouring it out! - 8/5/2010   7:39:23 AM

Walk, walk, walk! Walk everywhere! Also, take any opportunity to get some extra fitness into your day. Don't forget about the hotel gym. - 8/5/2010   6:26:16 AM

On my last vacation, I found a great path along the beach to run on. I got to see a bald eagle up close. I never would have seen it had I not gotten up early to run.
Also, note on hotel work out rooms. Be sure to check the hours before planning to use it. Some are open all the time, but one we went to wasn't open until 7am! (Not good for an early riser.) - 8/4/2010   10:47:30 PM

I try to take a little something special when I travel too...like a chocolate bar or something. That way I skip dessert when eating out in order to sample a bit of the chocolate. I also take pre-packaged nuts from Trader Joe's, fruit, and sometimes Crystal lite so I can add somethin' special to my water. Makes me feel pampered. As other commenters note, I also take my workout clothes and shoes. I prefer working out in hotel gyms rather than risk going outside in strange places, too. But it depends on where I'm going and what the weather is like. Next week, I'm off to Orlando so it will likely be too hot to enjoy exercising outside...even in the early morning. But the following week I am in Santa Fe and that is an entirely different story. I'm expecting to get a lot of exercise and have time to walk around/jog... - 8/4/2010   10:43:39 PM

pb and pretzels were my go to snack for my most recent air trip - 8/4/2010   10:31:23 PM

Great blog. I always try to walk every chance I get when traveling. - 8/4/2010   10:27:43 PM

Great Blog!! - 8/4/2010   10:11:19 PM

Great advice! I've always walked when familiarizing myself with a new city. I would only caution, however, that until you're familiar with the traffic patterns and the terrain, biking could be a daunting if not downright dangerous experience on strange turf. - 8/4/2010   9:44:23 PM

Crazy - I didn't even think about taking an empty water bottle with me to the airport! I always buy one on the other side... Wonderfully Frugal! I also love hotel gyms and figure them in very carefully when planning where to stay on business trips. - 8/4/2010   9:37:06 PM

Fruit saved me on my vacation. I ate necterines, plums, peaches and grapes and dates that I purchased at farmers markets and fruit stands. I also kept snacking to once a day. - 8/4/2010   9:35:58 PM

great ideas. I need to chec k out a rec ipe for homemade trail mix - that really fills me up on the road. - 8/4/2010   9:33:06 PM

thank you I needed that info as I am flying to CA from WI. I was wondering what to do about food. Splurging on something special like the Gourmet food is a great idea. - 8/4/2010   9:00:01 PM

I agree with these - I ALWAYS bring my own water bottle through security - usually just chugging it before going through if I forget to empty it ahead of time :-). Some airports have food services with soda fountains that you can fill your water bottle at - far easier than the drinking fountain.
Bringing snacks and/or a meal is also a good trick - when I come home from visiting my parents, they always pack me some leftovers for the plane, and some fresh fruit for dessert - apples travel well.
- 8/4/2010   7:31:33 PM