93 (18STRONG): How to have a great vacation without sabotaging your Health

What this episode covers

Summer time is here, which often means golf trips, family vacations and time spent at the pool, lake, etc. This can also mean slipping a little on the workouts, diet and training regimen. Just this past week, I took a trip with my family to Table Rock Lake, where we had an incredible time. I played some golf, we fished, we boated, swam and took in lots of scenery. And I have to say, it took some will power to not just say “forget it” when it came to the diet, workouts, and booze. And in all honesty, in some ways I would say I succeeded, and in some, not so much 😉 Given that it’s summer time and you just may be embarking on a vacation soon, too, I thought this would be a perfect opportunity to give you some tips to have a great time, but not get too off track when it comes to a few topics including: * Golf * Eating * Exercise * Drinking * Relaxing You can listen to the episode below or find it on iTunes/Stitcher: Subscribe to the 18STRONG Podcast on iTunes and stitcher by clicking the button below: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/18strong-podcast-golf-golf/id918983997?mt=2andls=1 () http://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=53823andrefid=stpr () Notes from this Episode We took a trip down to Table Rock Lake this past week and spent some time at the http://www.topoftherock.com/ (Top of the Rock) facility which is a creation of Johnny Morris, the owner of Bass Pro Shop and Big Cedar Lodge. The place was incredible, including golf at http://www.topoftherock.com/buffalo-ridge-golf-course/ (Buffalo Ridge) (a championship 18 hole course that is a regular stop for the Champions’ Tour, http://www.topoftherock.com/bass-pro-shop-legends-en.html (Legends of Golf)), the Natural History Museum, and the Lost Canyon Cave Tour. (see below for a few pics of the family and some of the highlights of the trip) In this episode, I wanted to address some of the areas that are easy to slip up on when traveling, especially for vacation. The main ones being: Golf, Eating, Exercise, Drinking, and Relaxing Golf Plan the night ahead * What to eat for breakfast * warm up at home or the range? * how much time do you need before you tee off? * What are you going to do? * warm-up exercises * driving range * short game * get your cart/bag ready * suggested items to have: shaker bottle, protein bar/shake, electrolyte drink, resistance band Eating It’s hard enough to eat well at home, much less on vacation Know what your accommodations are and what you’ll have access to. Things to think about: * will you be eating out more or cooking in * how many days of each? * go to the local grocery to stock up on fruits, veggies, water, etc * resist the temptation to go crazy with snacks and processed food because it’s easy Do some grilling: chicken, beef, pork, fish, veggies, etc. Use some of the leftovers for your snacks rather than “snacks.” If you are going out to eat a lot, stick with the basics, non-processed, whole foods: meats, fish, veggies Exercise Look at the accommodations and figure out what will be available to you (weights, cardio, nothing) Determine what your schedule looks like ahead of time and how much you want to devote (you’re on vacation so try to figure out how this won’t impede your experiences and time frames). Are there other activities that you are going to be doing that are active like hiking, biking, etc that could be considered a replacement for a training session? Here are some suggestions based on accommodations: