I’m going to give you some vacation fitness advice. You see, I’ve had a great summer. I just returned from a ten-day visit to Italy. I went to Venice, Florence, and Rome. It was ten days of eating, drinking, and walking. And then more walking. And even more walking. All three cities were fantastic. Lots of history, lots of churches, and lots of gelato shops.
Walking, walking, and more walking
Here’s my thinking on taking a vacation. I was so happy to be in shape. All my running and lifting and working out paid off. I walked a lot of steps, significantly more than normal for me but I did it without problem. I climbed up some steep hills and lots of stairs and did it without too much huffing and puffing.
If you listened to our first podcast episode, you may remember that we talked about having to lift a suitcase. Well, we rode the train from Venice to Florence and then from Florence to Rome. The train ride required us to lift our heavy suitcases over our heads and into the racks above. It was not the easiest thing because it was awkward, but I lifted that suitcase and got it up there. Not a problem. I got it down too without dropping it on anyone’s head. So, having some upper body strength was great.
I didn’t work out at all. I didn’t run, I didn’t do pushups, I didn’t do squats. Not to be repetitive but I walked. I figured it was a vacation and I wasn’t going to worry about it. I’m happy to say that I didn’t fall apart when I returned home. On my first full day home, I went for a run and was afraid that I’d be back to walking and running. Surprise! I ran my three miles without problem.
Today I went running and I’m happy to say that I’m back to my speed that I was running last September when I was ready to run the Akron half marathon. That’s a victory because I was very slow just a couple months ago. So, being gone for ten days didn’t slow me down.
Italian Food
I also ate what I wanted. I resolved that I was not going to worry about dieting or my weight or skipping carbs or reducing fat or any of the things we do routinely. Instead, I ate croissants at breakfast and pasta at lunch or dinner, drank wine and beer, ate gelato, and enjoyed the food tremendously.
I did eat salads because I wanted them. The salads in Italy were beautiful. Everything was crisp and fresh and just lovely. The only dressing was olive oil and occasionally some balsamic vinegar. So enjoyable.
I didn’t think of this but I never snacked. We might stop and get a cappuccino but we really just ate our meals and that was it.
I did not have to buy new clothes when I got home. I think I look pretty much the same.
Vacation Fitness Advice
Now, I don’t get to travel like this very often and this was a vacation, not a business trip. I knew this was a limited time trip so deciding not to work out or run and to eat what I wanted only made the trip that much more enjoyable.
That’s my conclusion: don’t be afraid to enjoy yourself. All that work taking care of yourself pays off when you actually do something different.