After 13 years of co-vacationing, my husband has his job as our family travel agent down to a science.
If it were up to him, vacation planning would consist of a quick spin on Expedia to find the cheapest flight and convenient hotel, throwing some things in a bag, and we’d be off to the races. Or, rather, a National Park (his destination of choice.) Having me as a travel partner, however, necessitates a slightly longer mental checklist in order to cover all the bases.
I’ve come to find out that he and I aren’t alone. During a recent chat with friends regarding an upcoming excursion, I learned we share many of the same travel habits. We tend to think about things others might not, and this behavior has become weirdly normal to our spouses.
Healthy people want to also feel healthy while on vacation. This desire, among others, is one of the reasons they fell in – and stay in – the healthy category in the first place.
You probably also belong in this category if any of the following sound familiar to you:
- The hotel you book must have, or have access to, a fitness center. Unfortunately some cute independent lodges are collateral damage in this decision, but when going to a strange place, you never know if there’ll be a safe route (or weather) for an outdoor jaunt. And yes, you can technically exercise in your hotel room, but the person still sleeping in your room might not enjoy that as much as you. There aren’t many things that make you feel worse than a planned day of indulgences if you can’t at least start the day with a quick workout.
- You get excited when the fitness center is actually good! Many hotels throw a treadmill in a closet and label it a gym (with, of course, a mirror to give the illusion you aren’t in a closet,) so when you come upon one with actual free weights and more than 2 pieces of cardio equipment, you take a picture to show whomever is still sleeping in your room.
- You’ve ever typed the words “vegan friendly” or “Paleo friendly” into TripAdvisor. Restaurant options play a pretty big role when deciding on your vacation destination, and who doesn’t want to enjoy good (nutritious) food on vacation?
- You’ve scouted out the breakfast options before you go to bed the night before. Free continental breakfasts and buffets are selling points to the masses, but not to you. You aren’t expecting freshly baked quinoa porridge and steamed greens, but starting the day with waffles and pastries is not an option. Sometimes securing room service the night before is the only way to ensure a healthy cooked-to-order breakfast of choice.
- The thought of boarding the airplane a moment before it’s absolutely necessary is not appealling. You’ll happily have the airline check your bag at the gate, if it means an extra 20 minutes to stand and stretch your legs or walk laps around the concourse. Not to mention, lessen the time spent in a stale-air-germ-infested-vessel.
- You have ever scheduled an outbound flight to allow for a morning workout. Or, at least, a good night of sleep. Both are very important to maintain energy for a long day of travel.
- You’re unable to pack light. Not packing workout wear for most days of the trip, along with a pair of sneakers, is about as unthinkable as not packing underwear.
- You always look forward to coming home to a routine. Even with the armament of healthy strategies and thoughtful choices, you were still on vacation! You still frolicked. Perhaps over-frolicked. As lovely as Paradise was, there is also something so perfect about your Monday morning green smoothie as you’re thrust back into the real world.
Are you guilty of any of these?
