Summertime means vacation time. We look forward to it all year. Many of us will work extra hard on eating less and exercising more before vacation so we can wear our bathing suits and shorts. Unfortunately, the vacation is the beginning of the end of that great resolve.  After working so hard, many will spend their entire vacation eating out and not exercising. Inevitably, they return home to a busy schedule and work to catch up on. Soon thereafter, school starts. Before you know it, it’s Thanksgiving and then Christmas follows close behind. We all know the holidays are laden with eating opportunities.
Well, finally it is January, time for New Year’s resolutions and people begin thinking about losing that 15 or so pounds they have put on since summer vacation. After all, bathing suit season is just around the corner! Sound familiar?
     This summer, think about changing this vicious cycle. Granted, vacation is a time to relax and unwind, but healthy eating and physical activity can be included in your plans. My family recently went to the beach for a week.  We rented a house with a kitchen and all of us shared the responsibility of shopping and cooking for the group. My kids have never enjoyed being called in from the beach to shower and go stand in line and wait for a table in a restaurant. There were 10 of us and we calculated that we spent about $55 per person on food for a whole week! That’s about two evening meals at a restaurant. When everyone pitches in, the kitchen work is fun and the clean-up is quick.  
    We took advantage of the fresh shrimp and fish offerings as well as the great fresh veggies and fruit. We boiled shrimp and grilled fish and then simply steamed the vegetables. We made a big salad every night. Breakfast was bagels and cereal and fruit. Lunch was turkey or ham sandwiches with fruit and sliced tomatoes.  I baked some brownies and chocolate chip cookies, but with teenagers around, those didn’t last long and the grownups didn’t get many of these.
    I don’t know why, but walking on the beach doesn’t seem like exercise to me. I could do it for hours.  There were some great bike paths, so we rode bikes daily and of course went swimming to cool off. There were some beach volleyball games and Frisbees to throw. Don’t forget the naps in the afternoon when it’s too hot to be on the beach anyway.
    Maybe you can deal with preparing the breakfast and lunch meals, or letting everyone make their own sandwiches, but prefer to eat out at night. Choose grilled fish and steamed vegetables. Split large portions with someone else or take home a doggie bag. ( I guarantee any teenagers will eat any and all leftovers about midnight.) This summer, have fun on your trip, but don’t let your healthy habits go on an extended vacation.