Family travel is no reason to go sabotage your diet or slack-off on your workouts. It’s okay to indulge once in a while, but pigging out on your vacation may leave you less than satisfied, especially if you recently lost a lot of weight. The good news is you can eat healthy and lose weight on vacation. Don’t believe me. Here’s my story.

How I lost weight on my family travel to Great Britain

My dad and I took our first international trip together to Great Britain in 1997. I was nervous, he was nervous, and we both lost weight. I lost about 15 pounds, and my dad lost about 12 pounds. How did we release the pounds? Keep reading.

Family travel usually includes sightseeing. Many destinations offer walking tours. Not only is walking is a low-impact form of exercise, but it’s perfect for the entire family. You lose weight by spending time with each other walking around the sites. It’s a win-win situation!

The trip that I took with my dad included a lot of walking tours. We walked around the gardens of Henry VIII’s Hampton Court Palace (England), Edinburgh Castle (Scotland), the town of Llangollen (Wales), and many other places throughout Great Britain.

Tip: Bring a good pair of walking/hiking shoes; otherwise, your feet will be sore.

Since my dad and I were visiting/touring another country, our eating habits and schedules were off. This was a good thing. We mostly had buffet style dinners; however, we weren’t used to some of the British foods. I wasn’t and still am not a big fan of lamb (I’m now a vegetarian), so I ate the fruit and vegetables.

I tried the “pop or soda,” but it tasted flat to me. I stayed hydrated by drinking water.

Tip: Avoid drinking alcohol or soda when you fly. You could become bloated or thirsty during your flight.

I was sad to leave Great Britain because it’s a wonderful country rich in art, culture, and history. There’s a lot to see which is why most people visit over and over again.

When my dad and I came home, my mom and sister didn’t recognize us. They were stunned by our weight loss.

So you see. It’s possible to eat healthy and lose weight while your family travels. I did!

How Families Can Eat Healthy and Lose Weight on Vacation

Family Travel: Eat Healthy and Lose Weight Photo Credit: ChrisWatk, visit www.dolcevita-images.com

Reduce the amount of soda, sugary fruit juices, and energy drinks you drink

Drinking water is good for your family. Kids may want sugary drinks, but they’re not good for them. Purchase bottled water (recycle bottles when possible) or use a filter system if you stay in vacation rental condo or home. It’s okay to have a ‘sugary drink’ once in a while, but don’t make a habit of it while you’re on vacation. Why? You and your kids could become sluggish and may not feel like doing anything. You’ll miss out on all the fun.

Avoid fast food restaurants and mall food courts

It’s easy to grab something to eat at a food court because it’s fast and convenient. It’s best to skip food courts and eat a healthy meal at a restaurant.

If you stay in a vacation home, shop for fresh fruits, vegetables, lean meats, etc. Buy organic when you can. Cook a healthy meal for your family. Let the kids help too!

Eat a good breakfast

Start your family travel off right by eating a good, hearty breakfast. Skip the stack of pancakes with a side of bacon and eggs and have a heart-healthy breakfast such as whole grain toast, whole grain cereal, egg whites, egg white omelet, oatmeal, fresh fruit, low-calorie/sugar fruit smoothie, or some other yummy breakfast.

FYI: Most restaurants have gluten-free foods and figure friendly breakfasts’.

Shop at local grocery stores and farmers markets for healthy snacks

Families staying in a vacation rental home can shop at the local grocery stores and farmers markets. Buying local and organic is a great way to stay healthy and lose weight on your family vacation. It’s also a good way to support and grow the local economy.

Ask for meals to be prepared ‘lightly’

Family travel may include eating at restaurants, delis, diners, and cafés. Don’t be afraid to ask your waiter or waitress if the chef or cook can prepare a meal differently. For example, if the chicken dinner you want is fried, ask if you could have it baked. When you order a salad, ask for dressing on the side. Instead of ordering a creamy ranch dressing, get a light dressing such as balsamic vinegar. Ask for substitutes, if available.

Use the above tips to eat healthy and lose weight on your family vacation. You can stick to your diet and exercise plan when you’re on a family vacation. Happy travels!

What’s your secret to eating healthy and losing weight on your family vacation? Share.

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Bonus Tip!

When possible, walk or bike instead of renting a car. Take advantage of public transportation too.

Related articles

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• 5 Hot Tips to Help You Plan Your Family Vacation (guestquest.com/blog/)
• How to Recover From Air Travel (traveltips.usatoday.com)

It’s easy to plan your family vacation, right?

Not so fast.

Families are diverse. Everyone has their favorite travel vacation destination. Teens may not want to go on a family vacation because they think they’re too old to hang out with the family. Ugh! What are parents to do?

Never fear, GuestQuest Vacations is here. We take the stress out of planning your family vacation.

5 Hot Tips to Help You Plan Your Family Vacation

"5 Hot Tips to Help You Plan Your Family Vacation" Photo credit: Irina Naumets

Don’t wait until the last minute

It’s not a good idea to wait until the last minute to plan your family vacation. Why? You could miss out on fantastic deals and specials that only last for a limited time.

Most families take a family vacation each year. Right?

Think about next year’s vacation a few weeks after you come home from this year’s family vacation. Why?

It’s a good way to jumpstart your vacation planning. This way you won’t stress out about it next year. You don’t have to book your family travel immediately but start thinking about it.

Do whatever you must to alleviate the stress of planning your family vacation.

Ask your family for travel ideas

Moms and dads involve the kids with planning the family vacation. As children get older, they may not want to keep visiting the same places over and over again. It’s fun to travel to a new destination.

Ask kids where they’d like to visit. It’s a great opportunity to education them about the U.S., Canada, U.S. Virgin Islands, Africa, etc. Children can only learn so much from books. By experiencing new places, they’ll have a better understanding of the culture and history of a location.

Visit family

How long has it been since your kids saw grandma and grandpa? Many parents retire to warm and sunny areas such as Arizona, Florida, California, etc. If it’s been a while since the kids visited their grandparents, book a flight or take a road trip.

Read the travel section of your local newspaper

Most newspapers have a travel section and invite readers to submit photos and travel articles. This is a great way to plan your family vacation. Find out where other families traveled and what they liked about their destination and accommodations.

Purchase or read travel magazines online

Thanks to the internet, most travel publications can be found online. Choose one or two magazines and read the travel articles and reviews. Keep an open mind when you read reviews which could be biased for one reason or another. You may want to participate in Twitter chats or forums to find the best family vacation destination.

What’s your “hot” tip for planning a family vacation? Share.

Free Download: Travel Brochures. Start planning your family vacation now!

There’s no doubt that frequent family travelers have a list of must-haves. But you can’t squeeze everything into a suitcase, car, or carry-on bag. Below is a list of must-haves for families that are ‘seasoned’ travelers and those who are taking their first trip.

7 Frequent Family Travel Must-Haves

A first-aid kit is a must-have for your family travel and vacation. Photo credit: Stock Exchange

Healthy family

You probably already know that it’s important to get regular checkups. Your health is a MUST-HAVE for your family travel. Traveling when you’re sick is never a good idea. You won’t have any energy and you can make the people around you sick.

It’s never a good idea to travel with with sick children.

Make sure everyone sees the doctor before you leave on your family vacation. It’s important that your family is in good health to travel. Otherwise, you could find yourself dealing with sickness on your vacation, and you trip will be a short one.

Toys

Family road trips can be fun! However, it’s important to bring your children’s favorite toys. Allow kids to choose one or two ‘special’ toys to bring with them. This is a great way to keep your children entertained in the air or on the road.

Snacks

Bring plenty of snacks with you. Kids often say, “I’m hungry!” This isn’t something you want to hear while you’re traveling 30,000 feet in the air. Shop for and bring nutritious snacks that will satisfy and make your kids happy.

Comforts from home

Family travel can be a pleasant experience when you bring comforts from home with you. Bring your MP3 player, iPod, iPad, favorite robe, beauty products, etc. Don’t pack too much because you don’t want to be weighed down by your luggage. Bring the essentials that will make you travel more enjoyable.

Medicines

It’s important to bring your medicines with you. Before you take your family on vacation, see your doctor and get ALL medicines refilled. Bring your doctors’ contact information with you in case you need to call your children’s pediatrician or your heart doctor.

First-aid kit (pets too)

Accidents can happen on your family vacation. Bring a first-aid kit that includes the following:

• Band-aids
• Eye care
• Antiseptic
• Rubbing alcohol
• Vinyl gloves
• Burn ointment
• Tapes, wraps, and dressings
• Tweezers
• Sharp scissors
• Cotton balls
• Styptic pencil
• Safety pins
• Thermometer
• Blankets
• Cold packs
• Splint
• Soap
• Calamine lotion
• Emergency phone numbers

Some families travel with their pets, it’s important to bring a ‘pet’ first-aid kit as well. Include the following in your ‘pet’ first-aid kit:

• Antiseptic
• Pet first-aid book
• Rubbing alcohol
• Cotton swabs
• Cotton balls
• Vinyl gloves
• Styptic pencil
• Tapes, wraps, and dressings
• Tweezers
• Sharp scissors
• Safety pins
• Pet thermometer
• Blankets
• Cotton swabs
• Splint
• Soap
• Veterinarian phone number
• Pet alert card

Camera

Family travel wouldn’t be complete without a digital camera or video recorder to capture your travel memories. Keep your camera or video recorder and its accessories in a protective case. Bring enough memory cards. Of course, you can always purchase more as you need them.

Review these “7 frequent family travel must-haves” before you take your family vacation. Happy travels!

What is your number one family travel must-have? Share.

Free Download: Travel Brochures. Start planning your family vacation now!

Related family travel must-haves articles

• 12 Travel Apps You Must Have (www.familyvacationcritic.com)
• Relaxing Family Vacation Must Haves (www.ciaomom.com)
• Why Travel Insurance is a Must-Have for Your Family Vacation (www.takingthekids.com)
• How to Take Your Family on a Family Vacation That Pleases Everyone (guestquest.com/blog)

A family vacation is when a family comes together to share a wonderful travel experience; to create memories that will last a lifetime. Sometimes, it works out that way. And sometimes you have travel memories you’d like to forget.

“Are we there yet?”

“I’m hungry!”

“I have to go to the bathroom!”

How many times have you heard those phrases while you’re speeding down the highway in your SUV or RV with the entire family? What about when you’re 30,000 feet in the air?

Let’s face it; taking the family on vacation can be an adventure in and of itself. Please everyone and you’ll have an enjoyable family vacation.

You can please everyone on your family vacation. Photo credit: Billy Alexander-Stock Exchange

Have a meeting about your family vacation

Before you surprise your family with a family vacation, hold a meeting to discuss it instead. Hear and listen to what your kids have to say about ‘suggested’ family vacation destinations.

Teenagers may not be thrilled to travel during the summer if they look forward to attending summer camp. Toddlers may not be ready for whitewater river rafting.

Ask everyone for their feedback. Hint: This shows your children that you care about what they think and feel.

Once you’ve gathered the data, choose a family vacation destination that receives the entire family’s seal of approval.

Ask family members to write (help younger kids with this) down their “top 7 vacation destinations”

This piggybacks on Point #1 about holding a family meeting about your vacation. Asking all family members to write down their top 7 travel vacation destinations is a good way to see where everyone would like to go on vacation.

Review all of the selections and narrow it down to the best location for your vacation. Keep the list of vacation destinations for next year, or plan a vacation over the holidays when kids are out of school.

Request travel brochures and guides

You can get plenty of family vacation ideas from travel brochures and guides. Most travel websites such as GuestQuest.com offers free travel brochures and guides. With a click of a button, you’ll have plenty of travel information that will help you find the best family vacation for everyone.

Speak with relatives and friends

Speaking with relatives and friends is a great way to discover a family vacation that will please everyone. Ask questions such as:

• Where did you vacation last year?
• Did you stay at a hotel or resort? Other accommodation?
• How ‘kid friendly’ was your vacation destination?
• How ‘pet friendly’ was the lodging?
• Did you have a good time?
• How much did it cost?

Read online travel reviews

TripAdvisor provides readers with reviews of vacation destinations along with ratings for accommodations. Reading reviews about family vacation destinations can help you plan yours. But, it’s important to read reviews with a keen eye. One family may have had a terrible experience, while another had the time of their life. This is where your ‘mother or father’s intuition’ kicks in. Follow your gut instinct.

Always choose the family vacation destination that’s best for you and your family. Use the above tips as a guide to planning your next family vacation. Whatever you do … have a fun family vacation. Bon voyage!

How do you choose your family vacations? Share.

Free Download: Travel Brochures. Start planning your family vacation now!

Related family vacation articles

• Activities at Georgia State Parks (traveltips.usatoday.com)
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• 10 Most Interesting Places for Children in California (traveltips.usatoday.com)

Is your family vacation to South Carolina coming up, and instead of feeling excited you’re feeling nervous of getting on the plane? You shouldn’t have to deal with anxiety on your vacation, you should only be thinking of all the fun you’re going to have on the beach with your family. Here are a few tips for beating that fear of flying before it’s time to fly.

Before your trip, listen to a self-help tape about the fear of flying or read a book. There are many of them out there that answer every paranoid question you want to ask but haven’t. Educating yourself will make you feel much better about flying and you’ll have an easier time overcoming your fears.

Eat a hearty meal before you board. Low blood sugar causes stress, so make sure you eat a good meal before it’s time to fly. Also avoid caffeine because it can make you jumpy.

Give yourself plenty of time to get to the airport. Many people who are afraid of flying try to delay getting to the airport because they’re afraid of boarding the plane. However, delaying will just make you stressed that your family is going to miss the flight and then you’ll never get to start your family beach vacation. Rushing to board will increase your stress and that’s the opposite of what you need to do. You need to approach the flight being as calm as you possibly can.

Distract yourself, especially while you’re taking off. Read a book or a magazine. While you’re in the air, listen to your iPod, watch a movie you’ve never seen, eat some peanuts, talk to your neighbor, do anything to take your mind off your fears.

Have a drink. Keyword here, one drink. Try a rum and coke to calm your nerves, but do not drink too much because you’ll eventually feel awful and risk becoming sick on the plane.

Ask questions. If you think you see a wing flapping unnaturally or you hear a weird noise, ask your cabin crew what it is. It’s probably nothing and they can relieve your stress by assuring you everything is going smoothly.

Following these tips will get you ready for your next family beach vacation in no time, and this time you won’t have to dread travelling, instead you’ll be excited you get to spend a week in paradise with the people you love most.

• If the hotel room has a safe, use it for all your valuables including jewelry, electronic devices such as iPods, cameras or anything else that will fit that’s of worth to you or a family member. If the safe is electronic, wipe down the touch keys before operating with a damp cloth and dry it before entering your safe password. Also once you have keyed in your code and closed the safe door, press all the other keys that don’t make up the code. Certain hotels have found their staff putting a light oil residue over the touch keys that shows them what numbers were pressed when a special light was shined on it. A few staff members were opening safes from a few rooms and taking small amounts of money from each. Although this is a rare occasion, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

• Never carry a large amount of cash in your wallet. If you do have to carry a lot of bills, don’t pull all of your money out when you go to pay for something. It will attract the wrong kind of attention. When possible carry Traveler’s Checks or credit cards, which are much easier to track if stolen or cancel if needed.

• Wear pants that have zipper pockets, they are harder to pickpocket. Also don’t leave things, such as a wallet hanging out of a pants pocket or purse that is unzipped, it will tempt thieves to steal it.

• Never invite strangers into your room. When you are on vacation you may like to meet people who are also on vacation enjoying themselves. After a few drinks, you may think this person is your best friend, however, you don’t know them, so until you’ve hung out with them enough to feel like you actually know them, don’t invite them back to your room.

Whether you are travelling on a business trip or taking a family beach vacation, arranging the contents of your suitcase is important to ensure nothing gets too wrinkled and you have room for everything you need. Many people tend to over pack, which just creates more work for you. Lugging around a heavy suitcase at the airport is no fun, especially when you really only need half the contents for your trip. Here are great packing tips to follow for the next family beach vacation you plan:

• First, make a list of everything you think you need to bring on your trip. Keep in mind where you are going, what activities you plan on doing and whether or not you’ll have a washer and dryer available while on the trip. After the list is complete, go back through and eliminate things you really don’t need to bring. Choose your shoes wisely. Go for pairs that can be dressed up or dressed down. Wear your heaviest pair during travel and pack two pairs or less. If you’re paranoid you are forgetting something, just remember, if you arrive at your destination and realize you left something behind, odds are if it’s an emergency and you need it, you can buy it at a local store.

• Make sure to pack travel size toiletries. Pack lotions, shampoos, and powder makeup in individual plastic bags so if there is a spill, it doesn’t get all over your bag and everything else, and airline inspectors can see the contents easily. Packing toiletries in a pocket of your suitcase or in a makeup bag is the best way, and it also makes it easier to keep track of everything during your trip.

• Pack whole outfits, not just a shirt here and a pair of pants there. You don’t want to get to your destination and see that you didn’t bring anything to wear together. Plan your outfits for each day of the vacation, this will make it easier to determine what you need. Make sure to consider that you may need a day outfit and a night outfit on some days. If you’re going on a family beach vacation, you probably don’t need too many day outfits, just bring two swim suits instead and re-wear day outfits if you aren’t at the beach as much as you thought.

• To start packing, lay everything out on your bed. Fold each clothing item in half, starting with the heavier items like pants and jackets. Roll each item tightly until you reach the end; you should now have a tight cylinder that you can neatly place in your suitcase. This rolling method helps to prevent wrinkles and allows you to fit more things in your suitcase. If something is unable to be rolled because it’s a delicate item, place it folded on the bottom of the suitcase or hang in a separate garment bag. Fill your shoes with socks and underwear, if possible, to save space.

• After you’ve loaded your suitcase with your clothing items, it’s time to stuff your shoes along the sides. You may also stuff your belts along the sides.

• Find a place in the center of the suitcase for your toiletries bag. Being surrounded by other items will reduce the chance of anything being squished and spilled.

• After you’ve fit the smaller items in all the available space between items in the suitcase, cover the surface of the suitcase with a dry cleaning bag. The slippery surface of the bag won’t allow anything to stay in the same place long enough to get too wrinkled.

• Make sure to wear any nice jewelry during travel and if you’re planning on checking your bag, you should keep all jewelry in your carryon. You wouldn’t want your family beach vacation to be ruined because your favorite necklace was stolen.