How Erin Stays Healthy on Vacation

Yep, this was relaxing!

We’re going on vacay for this edition of Question of the Week! Okay, so we’re not technically “going” anywhere, but we are discussing how we stay healthy—or purposely and delightfully choose not to— when on vacation!

I never really set out to have active, healthy vacations. It’s not like I plan vacations around marathon running or climbing mountains or going white-water rafting. But when I think back on vacations I’ve taken in the last few years, I’ve noticed that most of them have elements of activity.

You know you’re an FBG when you don’t plan an active vacation, but they all end up that way…

Let’s start with the honeymoon, pre-Fit Bottomed Girls. It was a beach vacation in Mexico, but my husband isn’t a sit-on-the-beach-all-day type. So we walked on the beach. We swam in the ocean. We kayaked. We took a snorkeling trip. And a scuba trip. And went to Xcaret, where we snorkeled in caves. We certainly tipped back our fair share of drinks and yummy eats, but after our days of wearing ourselves out, we totally deserved it! Plus, just walking around our resort was exhausting as it was enormous.

Then there was a big move to Northern California, and my husband and I took advantage of his free time when it was available (not often enough) and did as many weekend trips and daylong excursions as we could. We kayaked Elkhorn Slough, hiked in Yosemite, walked in Muir Woods. We’d go to Tahoe for the weekend to hit the slopes.

Iguazu Falls. Amazing. Lots of walking.

Then we went to Argentina. And we walked Buenos Aires. And walked. And walked. And saw Iguazu Falls, and walked miles there.

We joined my family in Ohio last summer, and we hiked and hiked and hiked. And they came to visit last month and we walked and walked and walked in NYC.

Come to think of it, there were two trips we’ve taken that haven’t been totally busy-crazy. A trip to the Bahamas that was purely for relaxation (although we did still snorkel and island-jump like crazy). And a cruise to Canada—but I was battling obnoxious morning sickness so I wasn’t taking advantage of any activity.

I think being so busy and active on vacation is the best way to do it. You get to see a lot, and exploring on foot is an amazing way to see any city. Plus, you’re so active that you need the fuel and delicious eats to get you by! The best of both worlds, truly.

How do you stay active on vacay? Or do you just prefer to bum around and get back to business when you’re back home? —Erin