Whether you’re doing it for personal aesthetics or better health, losing healthy amounts of weight is an admirable goal. However, staying consistent with your objectives can be especially difficult if you’re going on a trip soon. After all, traveling is all about rest, relaxation, and discovery.

You’re probably visualizing yourself lounging poolside and exploring various cuisines. These alone are a couple of reasons why weight gain is common on vacation. But that’s not all: jet lag can also disrupt your circadian rhythm, affect your gut, and change your metabolism, making you more susceptible to weight gain. That may be exacerbated by the time you spend sitting down while traveling, such as on long-haul flights.

If you’re committed to enjoying your time off, you might think, screw it—what’s a few extra pounds? However, if you’re really dedicated to your weight loss journey, you may want to find workarounds. It’s possible for enjoyable travel experiences to be healthy: the key is to make some realistic and achievable tweaks to your vacation plans. Here’s how you can make it work.

Track nutrients, not calories

It’s unfair to restrict yourself on vacation, so don’t force yourself to stick to a strict calorie count. You won’t just miss out on the various dishes you’ve been itching to try—you’ll also be more vulnerable to nutrient deficiencies that can affect your ability to enjoy your trip fully. Instead, track the nutrients you get from the food you eat. This tip aligns with what a truly healthy weight loss program asks you to do, as tracking helps promote consistency in eating better for weight loss. But by moving your focus away from calories, you’ll end up cutting out processed foods that contain things like added sugars and saturated fats. That gives you room to eat as much as you want, as long as it’s nutritious. It’s a tried-and-tested way to eat authentic and delicious food in the process. In fact, that’s why most Americans who travel to Europe lose weight while they’re there!

There are plenty of ways you can try this on your trip. Booking a room with a kitchenette and shopping local means you can choose what goes into your food. Researching the nutritional values of the meals offered by local restaurants helps you avoid eating at fast food chains when you want to eat out. And if you’re the snacking type, packing healthy options like fruits and nuts means you can munch on something other than chips.

Opt for active itineraries

Arguably the second-hardest thing to do will be sticking to workout plans while traveling. After all, simply eating the right food isn’t enough: you need exercise to burn even more calories and speed up your progress. And though you can always stay at a hotel with a gym and set aside time each day to work out, where’s the fun in that? For a truly healthy yet enjoyable trip, the better option is to follow an active itinerary. In other words, simply incorporate physical activity into your vacation. Traveling often involves sightseeing, swimming, and a whole host of other adventure activities like skiing, hiking, ziplining, and para-sailing. It’s a foolproof way to lose weight while fully immersing yourself in the destination of your choice.

Visiting cities like Barcelona? Try a walking tour. Down under? Dive or snorkel to explore the Great Barrier Reef. And, of course, there are things you can simply do for fun—visiting spots like Burlington means you can partake in various water activities by Lake Champlain, which can even help you burn calories after enjoying the city’s various desserts.

Stay hydrated

Finally, be mindful of your fluid intake. Water aids weight loss by increasing the calories you burn, even at rest. It can also fill up your stomach, naturally reducing your appetite so you eat less. And if you’re traveling to hot or humid locales in places like Africa and Southeast Asia, drinking water will prevent dehydration so you can make the most out of your trip. All that for a drink that contains zero calories!

That said, be sure to pack a water bottle with you so you remember to take a sip wherever you are. More importantly, don’t drink your calories: replace sugary or alcoholic drinks with water whenever possible. Of course, that’s not to say you can’t enjoy a nice local beverage like Indian lassi or Taiwanese bubble tea! Just make sure you’re drinking water for the majority of your trip.

If you’re trying to lose weight, traveling can be challenging—but with these tips, it doesn’t have to be. For more travel insights, check us out here on ElTakeItEasy!