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How to Beat Weight Gain on Vacation

Even if you plan to simply read by  the pool at the hotel, you will be hard pressed to find one without the poolside snack bar or restaurant with servers who are more than happy to deliver the goods you crave without your having to lift a finger.  Simply put, vacation culinary temptations abound in seemingly overwhelming proximity and proportions.

The average weight gain on a week long cruise is 8 pounds, though most of us have experienced vacations on dry land which have yielded the same or greater results.  Anytime your daily routine is interrupted and you are confronted with the allure of foods you don't normally eat, doled out in larger portions than you are used to, the weight you
lost the first part of the year will find its way back. 

So, how does one battle the bulge on a trip and win?  Certainly we are not all destined for the same routine each year... gain holiday weight, exercise and diet to lose holiday weight; gain vacation weight, exercise and diet to lose vacation weight.  Judi Sheppard Missett, Jazzercise Founder and CEO offers the following tips:

. Take your own healthy snacks along.  When hunger strikes you won't give in to temptation.
. Drink lots of water. Soft drinks, alcohol, iced mochas, etc. pack a big punch when it comes to calories. 
. Order smart. To limit fat, choose entrees that are broiled, steamed, braised or roasted.  Ask for your salad dressing on the side, and
request a spritz of lemon on your vegetables rather than butter.
. Plan your splurges. You deserve to have some fun, just don't overdo it. For example, make healthy choices at breakfast and lunch to compensate for that mid-afternoon ice cream sundae.
. Weave exercise into your day.Use the hotel stairs rather than the elevator. Sightsee by foot. Play in the pool.

In addition to this helpful advice, why not consider a different type of vacation? Bypass the hotel altogether and rent a vacation home instead. Not only will this be cheaper in most instances, it will also afford you more control over what you eat and reduce your chances of impulse indulgence. You've wanted to try some new low-carb recipes; now is the perfect time to do it and you get to make a mess in someone else's kitchen instead of your own!

Take time to discover local Farmers' Markets where you can find fruits and vegetables native to the area you are visiting. The Agricultural Marketing Service provides a website where you can find Farmers' Markets by State at: http://www.ams.usda.gov/farmersmarkets

"A major benefit of renting a vacation home is the chance to experience your destination from the perspective of a local," says Bradley G. den Dulk, president of National Directory of Vacation Rentals.  "Often, vacation home owners will provide a list of attractions, restaurants and excursions that you won't get from the concierge at the hotel."

Renting a vacation home does not mean you will never dine in a restaurant during your entire trip, it just means you don't have to.  Thus you have more control over what you eat and when.

If you don't have access to someone's private vacation home there are many people who rent their home out when they are not using it themselves.  The Internet is the best place to find these rentals and particularly vacation rental directories that list thousands from all points across the globe. For rentals in the United States go to National Directory of Vacation Rentals (www.ndovr.com). Other USA and world wide directories include www.greatrentals.com and www.choice1.com. You can also subscribe to a newsletter focused on vacation rental travel called "Vacation Rentals Getaways," which provides travel destination information, travel tips, vacation rental deals and more also at National Directory of Vacation Rentals (www.ndovr.com).

About National Directory of Vacation Rentals:

With over 700 vacation rentals listed in its directory, National Directory of Vacation Rentals (www.ndovr.com) provides travelers with many vacation rental options all in one convenient place on the Internet.  Whether you're looking for a log cabin in the woods, a
condo or home on the beach, a romantic bed and breakfast, a campsite/RV park at the river or a houseboat on the lake, National Directory of Vacation Rentals is the place to go when you want the option to cook in your own way, at your own leisure.

Like large travel websites such as Expedia and Travelocity, National Directory of Vacation Rentals is a fully searchable directory based on multiple search criteria, including rate, rooms, bathrooms, sleeps, current availability and more. This helps travelers find the vacation rental they are looking for minus the hours of tedious browsing of individual rental sites.

National Directory of Vacation Rentals, Inc. is a Nevada based company with offices in California, whose dual mission is to be the central source for vacation rental owners and managers in the USA to professionally promote their vacation rentals as well as become the online source for travelers worldwide to search and find vacation rentals located in the United States.

For more information about National Directory of Vacation Rentals please contact Britton Jasper at (800) 933-4732 or brittj@ndovr.com

Edited by Dave Shultz

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