When the Extra Weight you Carry Home Isn't Just From Souvenirs

By Kat Edwards

Food is a universal language we all speak...

It has been said; when Americans travel they always have a story about one food, which sticks out in their head. I suspect this is true of other nationalities as well.

Years later, and hundreds of miles away, when we reminisce about our adventures there is always that one perfect dinning experience that sticks out. Looking back, you can almost taste that perfect meal.

So, it's no wonder that true travelers often over indulge. In many ways, the experience would be lessened if spent on a strict diet.

If spending a week in Tuscany, leave Atkins at home!

But in today's day and age, we are completely bombarded with news reports about the spread of obesity and the health risks associated with being overweight.

If returning home means purchasing a whole new, plus sized wardrobe, that cheesy plastic Eiffel Tower looks like a much a better souvenir then a spare tire.

So how do we keep our weight in check, while enjoying the local cuisine?

The answer is easy...

The laws of physics apply on every inch of the planet earth!

If people more calories then they burn, they will gain more fat. (Approx: 1 lb for an extra 2,500 calories)

Traveling doesn't make it easy to count calories. Portions are unpredictable sizes, and food is made with unknown ingredients. Furthermore, when presented with a wide array of choices, it is hard to not want to sample everything!

Eating to many calories might just be unavoidable on the road. There is simply to many pleasurable opportunities to increase our daily calorie intake.

Luckily there are also many equally pleasurable opportunities to increase our daily calorie burn.

Walk, everywhere
Not only will the walking help burn calories (approx 100 per mile on flat terrain), but also, one can take in a lot more sights by foot, above ground then in a car or on subway train.

Plan active excursions
When faced with the choice of taking a scenic train ride or scenic hike, choose the later. As an added bonus, more calories are burnt when there is an incline. Even a .5% can help burn 50% more calories.

Participate in a local race. Triathlons, distance runs, 5 and 10Ks, distance swims or biking events are hosted all over the globe. Check Active.com before departing, and sign up for a race.

Dance the night away
Sometimes, sampling the regional drink is one of the best ways to emerge yourself in the local culture. However, liquor is high in calories, and alcohol is more easily stored as fat then other sugars.

However, drinking often offers a great opportunity to dance. Nightclubs are available all over the planet, and are often packed with young locals. Get out and hear the music, pick up the local dance, and feel less guilty about drinking five glasses of that home distilled Tequila.

Traveling offers us the ability to live a life that is different then the ones we were born into. A huge part of that is getting to eat foreign cuisine. By all means, enjoy the food, feast on the unfamiliar, and come back with great stories and recipes.

But traveling also offers us the ability to test our physical capabilities. Earn some bragging rights by climbing the highest local mountain. Hire a guide to navigate the rainforest on foot. Or perhaps show off dance moves from a foreign nightclub at home.

Remember the simple rule, calories in should equal calories out. Find opportunities to enrich the traveling experience by becoming more active and return home a fitter person with better stories.

Article added on December 06, 2005