The Tress family is mid-vacation at the beach in FL. When the hubs and I first got married, vacations included long runs on the beach, peaceful meals out at our favorite restaurants, lots of time at the pool and beach relaxing, and ice cream and a movie almost every evening. Vacations with a toddler and preschooler look far different than they used to. We no longer have the freedom to do long cardio and our restaurant choices are ones that accommodate noisy kiddos.

Here’s a few ways my vacation workouts and meals have changed – but the truth is, I look better and feel healthier now than ever.

• Since we no longer have time for long runs on the beach or long cardio at the park, we try to incorporate movement into our vacation activities. This morning we went to the beach and ran/played in the water with the kiddos. When we went to the pool I incorporated a few laps to get my HR up.
• We try to enjoy a late lunch/early dinner so we aren’t at restaurants when they have a wait. Since I’m in the midst of my Intermittent Fasting experiment, I’ve been breaking my fast early-to-mid afternoon. It’s been working out perfectly for vacation.
• Years ago, we would eat ice cream and watch a movie every single evening. Cole does not sit still long enough for a movie, so we go to the park and play. We also went to the beach and got some ice cream and took a walk/jog last night.

I used to insist on getting in long cardio every day on vacation. On this trip, I haven’t done a single day of long cardio. Rather, we try to incorporate movement during vacation activities and I’m really enjoying the intermittent fasting lifestyle on vacation. It’s giving me the opportunity to enjoy some delicious foods guilt-free. Not only that, I actually think I look stronger and leaner than EVER before … even after enjoying ice cream, burgers, fries, french toast, pie, and some other very yummy treats in moderation.

Here are my tips for success on vacation with your kiddos:

• Incorporate movement in your vacation activities.
• Bring a laptop and use the Beachbody on Demand workouts. I’ve been completing the INSANE Abs workout, and I love it. Only 30 minutes, and a KILLER workout (Shaun T).
• Consider intermittent fasting. You can log your food on My Fitness Pal to ensure that you’re on target with macros (fats, carbs, protein). This lifestyle is not for everyone, however I’ve really enjoyed it especially while on vacation.
• Bring Shakeology on your trip. I’ve been eating at least one shake per day to be sure I’m getting enough of the right nutrients.
• Realize that even if you miss intense workouts for a few days, you’ll be absolutely fine if you’ve been working hard to develop lean calorie-burning muscle leading up to your trip.

Do you workout on vacation, or do you use the trip to completely rest?