I found online a very informative article about the best beaches in the Dominican republic which gave me an idea to write the following post. If you are visiting the second largest Caribbean country, then the below tips might be helpful for you. We all know
Everyone’s honeymoon should be an idyllic fairy-tale holidays. We all would agree on that one, right? But frankly, how many of you are worried about eating too many different cakes on your wedding day (women, please be honest with yourselves) and then too many strawberries
Maybe you remember my older post which I published 2 months ago on my other blog where I talked about things to do on Mauritius. Mauritius is one of the beach destinations highest on my bucket list and I cannot wait to get there one
Many people ask me how I stay safe when traveling. It applies to my personal safety as well to my health safety. Well, as a health freak and also a Fitness Health Coach I know pretty well what too do in order not to risk
These days I started planning some of my trips in 2015 and I hope to revisit Thailand in October not just to go there to a travel blogger conference TBEX to meet up with fellow bloggers and potential business partners, but also because each time
When I stayed at the highest situated High Tatras hotel Sliezsky dom, we hiked as much as we could with my dad. The nature of the High Tatras, the highest mountain range in my home country Slovakia reaching 2,665 m a.s.l., offers beautiful views of
I stayed a week at the Samasati Nature Retreat close to Puerto Viejo in Costa Rica. Disconnected from the online world, connected to the nature, animals, myself and yoga. I took a few yoga classes with Max and then also one with Stephanie. Their style
I found online a very informative article about the best beaches in the Dominican republic which gave me an idea to write the following post. If you are visiting the second largest Caribbean country, then the below tips might be helpful for you.
We all know how it goes on holidays, especially if we tend to stay at all-inclusive resorts with abundant food 24/7. We spend days tasting many local meals and alcoholic drinks (in Dominican republic we are talking of for example interesting mamajuana – a mixture of red wine, rum, honey and herbs).
But you don’t want to put on weight while on holidays, do you? If not, keep reading.
All-inclusive resorts might be awesome, but there more than anywhere else is staying very active the key to not returning home heavier than before. Dominican republic offers a bunch of various activities, mostly water sports. I can only recommend snorkeling, swimming, scuba/snuba diving and surfing, kitesurfing, windsurfing or practicing yoga on one of the white sand beaches. Just make your way along the coast and find the right sports for you.
My favorite drink on the planet is no wonder young coconut water. And in the Dominican republic you are able to get many coconuts, especially on the beach. Coconut water is rich in nutrients and electrolytes, it keeps you hydrated on hot days (more effective than energy drinks), reduces blood pressure, facilitates digestion and it’s very low in calories.
If you do any of the above mentioned sports, then drinking coconut water is a necessity for you to regain the minerals lost when sweating. When I am in the tropics, I cannot go a day without coconut water and trust me, I could even drink up to 5 coconuts per day and not get bored of the refreshing taste.
Being located in the Caribbean, Dominican republic gives you an opportunity to fully explore all the tropical tastes. There’s so many different exotic fruits to munch on all day long. Do not settle for those you can get back home or you’ve tried in the countries you’ve visited before, but definitely give the unknown a try, too.
Go to a local market or to street vendors and ask for guanabana, guava, limoncillo, sea grape, noni, sapote, tamarindo, starfruit, bread of fruit, pineapple, avocado, mango, papaya (lechosa), cacao, passion fruit, acerolas, chayote or cashews. I am sure you will find a new favorite taste. Personally, I am a huge fan of papaya, pineapple, guanabana and mango but occassionally enjoy more of a sour taste, too.
Fruit might be high in natural sugar, but it’s the one your body can easily burn. So just swap heavy cooked meals for tasty fruit and you will be surprised at how much your weight might change. I am mainly eating just fruits and coconuts in tropical destinations to stay hydrated and have loads of energy and to be honest I’ve never felt better than on mostly raw vegan diet.
Add a lot of walking around the hotel and beach, hiking in the mountains/jungle, and a sport massage to tone up your muscles and you might even go back home in a better shape than when you left.
If you are visiting the Dominican republic, get some time if you can to hop on the surrounding islands for more adventure in the Caribbean. Highly recommended!
Everyone’s honeymoon should be an idyllic fairy-tale holidays. We all would agree on that one, right? But frankly, how many of you are worried about eating too many different cakes on your wedding day (women, please be honest with yourselves) and then too many strawberries covered with chocolate from mouth to mouth with your new life partner? And also bear in mind to add all the calories from the champagne shared in jacuzzi with your new spouse…
It all might sound like a paradise, I admit, especially when flying to a deserted island with private white beach where you can hang out for 24/7 enjoying your loved one.
However, after you get back home to your stereotype life again and force yourself to stand on that weight scale … you find yourself in a shock.
You don’t want this to happen, right?
I don’t know why but last night I had a dream about my honeymoon. I am not even engaged yet but maybe it was because a British friend of mine who is sharing a room with me for a week now in Spain talked about her upcoming engagement. So I woke up in the morning coming up with many honeymoon ideas.
I thought about not only the possible destinations for my (hopefully-one-day-coming) honeymoon, but as well about keeping fit on honeymoon. Is it really possible?
Keep stress level at minimum. I know planning both a wedding and honeymoon usually gets very stressful but most people put on weight when they are under pressure. You need to breathe in and out a few times to calm down before you start eating. Also, remember to sit down and not to eat while running from one place to another.
Plan some fun activities for you and your partner that will make you stay active. Go snorkeling, scuba diving, rappelling, kayaking, surfing, or practice yoga on the beach. Most hotels also offer a whole bunch of activities so you can even join volleyball in the pool or water polo. Find anything that makes you happy and if you can spend quality time together while doing so, that’s even better 😉
Buffets, and more buffets. All inclusive can get really annoying after a while and all the kilograms you lost to fit into your wedding dress could get back faster than you imagine. My best advice would be to always get tropical fruits for breakfast and lunch and then start with a fresh raw vegetable salad for dinner. You are gonna fill up your stomach with healthy food and it won’t make you feel that guilty (at least this trick works with my brain.) If you are still hungry, then get a bite of something less healthy. Try to balance things. Healthy eating is totally doable. Try to keep 80/20 balance – 80% of healthy meals and 20% of those I call cheating 😀
I swear on walking! There’s nothing that keeps me fit more than walking. You can walk in every destination. Get a map or just wonder around chatting about everything you want to do in future with your partner. Avoid taxis and public transportation and explore the surroundings on your own. If you are on an island or outside a city, go for a hike! The views from up the hill will be worth all the sweat drops. And if you happen to get lost, don’t worry. You will have a good story to tell your grandchildren in a few years. Even if you chose a luxury cruise for your honeymoon, there’s always a way to stay fit on a cruise.
PS: Explore on foot, especially after every big meal. Don’t go to bed nor lie down on the beach directly after a heavy meal, it will slow down your digestion.
I can only imagine most of you will ditch your gym routine when on honeymoon but it doesn’t mean you have to return a few kilograms heavier. Just remember, do your best every single day. That’s what counts!
Maybe you remember my older post which I published 2 months ago on my other blog where I talked about things to do on Mauritius. Mauritius is one of the beach destinations highest on my bucket list and I cannot wait to get there one day.
Similarly as for many, the island would be the best fit for honeymooners and high-end travelers. You don’t have to worry when looking for a Mauritius honeymoon resort. There’s so many great ones on the island! Does it mean I should find a boyfriend finally and take him to our honeymoon to this tropical island? What do you think? 🙂
Anyway, thinking of a paradise beach holidays on Mauritius sounds more than good to me…
But how about staying fit when traveling there?
Below, I suggest a few things so you don’t come back home with a few kilograms more (not baggage full of souvenirs, but I am talking about fat kilograms 😉
If you happen to travel with your partner, a new or an old love, then for sure you should remember that even simple kissing burns calories. The rest of the activities you can do with your loved one I will leave up to you. Hint: Just think of the famous picture book written way long ago in India 😉
Besides tender loving care burning calories, there are a few adventure activities you can do on Mauritius in order to maintain fit. I recommend things like paragliding, ziplining, hiking to get a perfect view of the island and the sea … Kitesurfing and canyoning are becoming very famous among young visitors, too. Swimming and snorkelling are not even necessary to mention as many people do both of them when spending time at the beach.
Photographers could keep themselves fit just running around and trying to snap a lovely photo of many wild animals around the island.
If you are not that much into sports and prefer lazy holidays over active one, you can still munch on fresh tropical fruits found at hotels and restaurants around Mauritius, get fresh juices an choose a veggie salad instead of a very heavy unhealthy dinner you can have back home. For sure, try fruits and vegetables that you’ve never seen and you will find many of them very tasty.
Good news for all the ladies – even being a shopaholic you could burn a lot of calories, especially in such a heat on Mauritius. Trying a lot of clothes and walking from one shop to another counts as exercise, too, doesn’t it?
PS: Don’t forget to buy travel insurance and stay safe when traveling to this paradise island.
Many people ask me how I stay safe when traveling. It applies to my personal safety as well to my health safety. Well, as a health freak and also a Fitness Health Coach I know pretty well what too do in order not to risk the most important thing I have – my health.
However, I admit that not everyone has spent weeks or even months reading about all the possible information to find out the most about human health as I have. I also know that many people are more worried, more clumsy or just most troubled than me (I gotta say that my positive thinking has been working so great!)
So I put up a list of some of my ideas to keep you as safe as you can while on the road.
1. You definitely need to get a travel insurance, just in case. Buying specialist medical insurance for travel will make you calmer, that’s for sure. Until now I have been pretty lucky or just intelligent enough to do what is necessary in order not to need to go to a doctor when traveling. But for sure anything can happen and travel insurance would save you a lot of money. Many travel insurance companies now even pay for your medical appointments or surgery straight away so no need to carry a lot of cash with you on the road.
2. Eat fruits and veggies. I cannot stress this one out enough. I am mostly vegan and after years of trying all the possible diets I have realized that eliminating meat and mostly dairy from my daily diet keeps me away from doctors and medicaments completely. Eating wisely is great for detox.
3. Use coconut oil. My monologue about the health benefits of coconut oil could go on and on as it forms maybe 95% of my cosmetics I not only travel with but I also use back at home. I wonder if there is anything retter in the world than this, honestly! I use the coconut oil as body lotion, after-shave cream, sun lotion (it has a natural SPF of 4), I brush my teeth with it (traditional toothpastes contain many chemicals I refuse to put into my mouth), i put it on my hair as a hair balm before washing … I have a huge bucket of coconut oil back home. If I need to fry/bake anything which is not very often, I also use coconut oil. It’s great for any skin cuts, bruises, to stop blood running, it’s anti-bacteria, anti-virus and anti-inflammatory so you can even have a spoon of it before going to sleep if you are not feeling very well. I recommend you to drink fresh coconut water as much as you can, too (easy to get in the exotic destinations such as Thailand, Mexico or Costa Rica.) It’s one of the healthiest drinks in the world.
4. Listen to your intuition. Personally, I do not do anything that might feel wrong for some reason. It does not have to be logical. After years of trying to be logical and listen to my brain I found out that my inner voice knows way more and I regretted each time when I did not follow my intuition. Just believe what the ”voice in your head” is telling you and sooner or later you will see why.
These days I started planning some of my trips in 2015 and I hope to revisit Thailand in October not just to go there to a travel blogger conference TBEX to meet up with fellow bloggers and potential business partners, but also because each time I visit Asia, I fall in love with it more and more. The last time I was in Bangkok was in fall of 2014 and I spent a week there practicing Muay Thai boxing and learning how to protect myself with thai boxing moves in case there was a weirdo following me somewhere on the road.
Right now, wondering about which of my bucket list destinations and activities I would like to check off, I found a post on the Scenic Tours blog about their new plans. Vietnam and Laos are definitely the Asian countries that do stand out for me and I so love Thailand that just the idea of enjoying a luxury Mekong river cruise sounds more than like a plan to me.
It was this time 2 years ago when I was just preparing myself for my first cruise ever. I have been on many boat and catamaran trips as they are my very favorite activities and I try to do a lot of snorkeling and swimming. But my first longer ”real” cruise was back in March 2012. It was around the Mediterranean sea.
Now it seems I could get to know a lot in Asia without the stress of many flights and most of all without a backpack and just hop on a cruise. That would be my first longer river cruise as until now I have only spent a few hours on some, such as the Danube cruise in Budapest where I enjoyed the romantic candle-lit dinner.
river Bangkok Thailand
For many, Asia is a backpacking destination, I admit. Most of the newbie bloggers and those who get the guts to leave everything and go on their first long solo trip (or the famous gap year) choose Asia as their first destination. Asia, maybe except Singapore and Hong Kong, is mostly cheaper than many other world destinations and it is easy to travel around with a backpack staying at hostels. That is a fact.
But how about the luxury travelers like me? I don’t want to sweat with a dusty backpack on my back but still want to visit all the breath-taking destinations. Now with this new cruise concept there is a chance to visit the 12th longest river in the world and all the main spots next to it.
Honestly, I was really happy to find out about the Mekong’s most luxurious ship the Scenic Spirit which will give you an opportunity to explore the best of Asia from the comfort of your luxury suite.
I can imagine what you are trying to say now …
Yes, I have heard many times too that it is just older people going on cruises and I have to disagree. There are a lot of preconceived notions about cruising and this is one of them.
You can stay fit onboard a cruise and you do not have to be over 60 to go on one.
If you would like to find out how not to put on weight onboard a cruise, then read my article about the 6 tips on how to stay fit on a cruise. You can definitely practice yoga in your suite, go to the gym, choose from the exotic fruits for lunch, burn some calories during the day trips ouside of the cruise and take steps instead of the lifts.
healthy food on board a cruise
When I stayed at the highest situated High Tatras hotel Sliezsky dom, we hiked as much as we could with my dad.
The nature of the High Tatras, the highest mountain range in my home country Slovakia reaching 2,665 m a.s.l., offers beautiful views of peaks, lakes, rivers, flowers, animals, villages at the edge of the mountains …
When trekking around, to keep calm and warm in that cold and windy weather, I stopped and practiced yoga in the High Tatras for a few minutes. How many times can you practice yoga in a national park and in such a high altitude?
As you can see, you can practice yoga anywhere, no excuses, even yoga in the High Tatras when hiking in the 2,000 m a.s.l. can be an adventure and a way of staying fit when traveling. A few minutes of stretching are better than nothing, especially in the nature breathing fresh air and just add those views! 🙂
Yoga for me is not only a workout, it’s more about lifestyle and incorporating it into life. It’s the attitude towards life.” Max said. ”Yoga is better with a mind of a beginner. Then we are open to learn new things.
Face the fear – it’s painful but it pays off. It’s worth it.
Yoga lesson 1: You deserve gratitude and abundance.
Yoga lesson 2: Being a child feels awesome. Be playful.
Yoga lesson 3: You have light in you. Bring it with you all the time, even when you travel. Shine it out. Show light you have inside the whole day wherever you go.
Yoga lesson 4: It’s good to live in abundance and be able to select. Yoga teaches us also how to be selective, to know our value. You do have a right to say no. It’s good to say no sometimes if we recognize we are worth more than what we are getting offered.
Yoga lesson 5: Passion is the key. Do everything with passion. Practice each yoga pose with passion.
Yoga lesson 6: Yoga is a creative process. Be creative. We create yoga poses, it’s art, too.
Yoga lesson 7: Through yoga you overcome your fear. Some poses seem fearful but you become fearless slowly. The same applies to your life. Do what you are afraid of and after a certain time you will learn how to deal with fear.
Yoga lesson 8: We are perfect inside where it matters. Choose to witness our inner beauty.
Yoga lesson 9: Cultivate gratitude. Look for the things you take for granted and be grateful for them. There’s so much to be grateful for. You have many things that others do not.
Yoga lesson 10: I am glad to see my friends at this yoga class. Celebrate the friendships and relationships you have.
Yoga lesson 11: Remember, you always have a choice. Choose your perception, choose to see the positive.
Yoga lesson 12: Karma does pay back. It’s worth it. Give more and you will get more.
I already mentioned on my main blog, that my favorite restaurant in Costa Rica was Puerto Pirata Puerto Viejo. It’s located right on the local beach in Puerto Viejo town. I ate there maybe more than 10 times and there’s maybe less than 10 restaurants in the entire world where I returned so many times. What does it mean?
Puerto Pirata is special!
Mostly organic and locally produced ingredients, young coconuts, freshly squeezed juices, smoothies, salads and sandwiches … plus a lot of herbal teas made by a Bribri indigenous doctor for different health issues.
Flora, the owner, put up nutritionally balanced meals based on ayurvedic principles. They all taste awesome, look awesome and are awesomely healthy 🙂
Plus, the deli and the coffee shop is 30 seconds from the beach so you can swim, have some drinks here, then swim again, have a lunch here, and then swim some more. The only disadvantage is that Puerto Pirata Puerto Viejo closes at 6 pm. I so wish I could dine out there, too.
There’s many vegetarian, and even vegan options which I was really grateful for. Even a bunch of raw vegan drinks and meals. Thumbs up!
I tried loads of things from the menu together with my friends and my favorite ones were:
Explorer and storyteller at heart, I find inspiration and stories waiting to be told everywhere. From international shores, to my own backyard in Seattle, it’s never hard to find. When I’m not giving into wanderlust and traveling, you can find me kayaking the waters of Washington, snowboarding the Cascades or Rocky Mountains, and climbing everything I can get my hands on.
Calling the Pacific Northwest my home and favorite romping grounds has had a huge impact in my journey and my story. It’s where I grew up and where I discovered two of my deepest passions in life, photography and the outdoors. They allow me to create amazing relationships with the environment, the people of the outdoor community, and to build a life I love. I call myself a sports and lifestyle photographer but everything inspires me and it’s constantly evolving. In the end, all I hope is to meet amazing people, see the world, love the environment, and live a life that tells a great story. Explorer, photographer, hippie, my name is Jess Brown. Check out more at Trekking around with Jess Brown.
1. Honestly, do you find it hard to stay fit when traveling? If so, what is the biggest challenge for you?
It depends on how long you are staying somewhere I think. It is so easy to stay fit when you are constantly on the move, the momentum of traveling sort of just keeps propelling you to move. But when you stay in one place like I am currently and all your work is on a computer, sometimes you have to be really intentional about moving your body. I’m a photographer, videographer, and writer and yes some of that involves moving to get the photos, the videos, and to experience the things to write about. But what people don’t realize is the behind the scenes editing and writing involves sitting on the toosh, for hours and hours at a time, day after day.
Luckily I love moving my body, I crave adventures, and I am really into sports. So in that sense it’s really easy to stay fit when I am doing the things I love. But it is a little harder to motivate myself when I am in the groove of editing and sitting and being lazy feels really good. But I never look at it like I have to exercise today cause I feel fat, or I need to get my body in shape, or get the body I want, for some reason that’s never motivated me. What motivates me is knowing how I feel when I am moving my body, I do it to stay sane, to get out of my head, to get inspired, to get into the present moment, to interact with the environment around me, and to feel happy, all of those things really motivate me. When I am not doing the fun adventurous stuff I love like climbing, snowboarding, hiking, I love to bike, swim, and do yoga. Biking is probably my favorite and it’s an awesome way to explore a town. I really think it’s about the headspace you are creating for why you are staying fit. It’s to keep my head and heart fit, and the body sort of just follows suit when my head and heart are in the right place.
2. What do you think about vegetarian/vegan/raw food diets? Do you follow any of them?
I tried the vegetarian thing for 8 months a few years ago, and it was great, I really got to discover food in a new way. I realized though that I really love meat and so does my body, in moderation. When I do eat meat I try to make sure it’s responsibly fed and cared for, and try to keep the portions smaller than my iPhone. I also discovered a year and a half ago that I am gluten intolerant, like severely intolerant. So that changed my diet for sure and I got to explore so many news foods because my old go-to’s were basically plates of gluten ha. Now I have incorporated a lot more raw fruits and veggies because I know you get more nutrients from them that way, un-processed foods, and more fish and meat.
I think there are a ton of benefits to being a vegetarian, vegan, or following a raw diet. But when it comes down to it I think everyone’s body is different and no one way works for everyone. I think everyone needs to listen to the needs of their own body and try to nourish it in the best way for them, not necessarily following a strict regime and that is what I try to do and sometimes that means no meat, sometimes it means raw, sometimes it means I need a big bowl of ice cream. I just try to listen and love my body.
3. What sports do you practice on the road?
What sports don’t I practice would be easier. I started sports when I was young. I was into gymnastics at age 3 and then a select soccer team by the time I was 6. I will join in on anything when sports are involved. I usually seek out climbing, board sports of any kind (snowboarding, surfing, longboarding, wakeboarding), biking, swimming, yoga, and dancing. But I will join in on Frisbee, beach volleyball, a pick up game of soccer. To be honest I am usually on the road because I am going somewhere to do some sport of sport.
4. Do you think mental or spiritual side is also important when staying fit? Is meditation close to you?
100% yes. I think it takes huge mental stamina to be traveling and still make time for a workout. But like I said I do it for the mental benefits but sometimes the internal debate I have with myself to just change to go workout is exhausting in and of itself haha. Meditation has been huge for me in that department. When I meditate I shut up my head and get to hear my body, I also find myself meditation when I am moving my body whether it’s yoga or a bike ride a mantra will usually pop up and carry me through the tougher movements. Meditation has been a game-changer for me. I used to be really weak mentally, sort of beating myself up with negative talk in the middle of a workout. Meditation not only taught me to quiet that nagging lying voice and gave me strength to tell myself something new over and over again until it sticks. So it’s sort of re-wired my brain for positivity and strength.
5. Your top 3 tips for other travelers to stay fit when traveling?
My number 1 tip is always to find ways to move your body that you absolutely love. Whether it’s swimming, biking, yoga, or dance make sure you love it. When you love it you look forward to doing it and working out isn’t a drag.
Number 2 would be to pack and wear clothes that you can walk around in and workout in. This has a few positive effects. One it leaves more space in your bag when clothes are multi-purpose. Two if you are intentional about making them for walking around and working out you’ll probably buy cuter workout clothes. When you have cute workout clothes you feel more confident and want to wear them. And most of all this makes it easier to participate in fun ways to move your body, and when the mood strikes to workout you are already dressed and ready to go.
And number 3 is just do it. Work it into your travels with fun excursions, explore a new city by bike, stay in a place with a gym or close to the beach. It’s easy to make happen and usually you get to experience a place with such new eyes when you are doing it from a fitness perspective and it’s a fun way to bond with locals or fellow travelers.
