You might be wondering, why would I care about losing weight while I'm on vacation? I actually don't. But because I am more active when I am traveling, I tend to burn more calories. I walk, bike and take trains more often to go sightseeing. Because of that, exercise has naturally been built into my vacation without me having to try.
When I visited Scandinavia, I biked, walked and took either the bus or train to do all my sightseeing. I did notice I felt hungry quite a bit, too. That's probably because I was constantly moving. In Copenhagen, I biked everywhere, and that is what everybody does there.
The same is true when I visit Asia. I walked so much in Kuala Lumpur, I splurged a couple times on a foot massage. I actually had to take a break because I started getting a blister on my small toe. Plus, getting lost while walking, adds to the calories you burn.
Walking might seem more natural when you're overseas and visiting walkable cities. What if you are traveling in the U.S and you have a driver's license? I supposed that would depend where you are visiting. In my article on comparing renting a car versus taking transit, I talk about how sometimes you'll need a car, like in Vegas. But, even in Vegas you can do a hybrid of car plus the Deuce. I mean, if sprawling Houston can build a light rail in its downtown center to help you get around, certainly you can get around the Vegas Strip and its downtown without driving.
Personally, I opt to visit places that allow me to experience the city outside of the car. Some of the most popular cities in North America allow you to explore and vacation easily by walking, biking or taking transit.
So, the next time you are visiting New York City, San Francisco or DC, if you are not driving, you just might be burning more calories than you think. So, help yourself to that extra dessert or have another drink. You're on vacation. At the very least, you're probably maintaining your weight by all the moving around you're doing.
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