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8 Essential Ways To Keep Fit For Your Year-End Trip

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Nasreen Nasir •  Nov 02, 2018

With the end of the year coming up, you’re probably gearing up to go on your long-awaited vacation. But before you do, it’s important to prepare your body so that you’ll be able to feast on all that yummy street food guilt free or trek up that Insta-worthy mountain without a sweat ?

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We’ve compiled 8 easy ways you can keep fit in time for that beach body you’ve always wanted ? You might even be surprised with some of the new things you’ll take away from this, so keep on reading!

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1. Prepare your own meals

When you’re about to embark on a new trip where the local food is more exotic than what you’re used to eating, you’d definitely want to prepare your gut and boost your immune system to avoid getting sick during your trip! Preparing your own meals ensures that you can get all of the necessary vitamins you need. If you’re not sure what to cook, check out some of our recipes. But if you’re tied for time, we’ve got you covered with these simple yet healthy recipes.

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But if preparing meals is too much of a hassle for you, cultured milk drinks such as VITAGEN Less Sugar will be an easier yet yummy way to ensure you’re getting the necessary (and good!) bacteria for a healthy digestive system.

2. Use the stairs

Let’s admit it – when given the chance, we’d rather opt for a cool, comfortable lift than going up the stairs to get to another level ?

If you’re planning to do rigorous activity during your vacation (such as hiking up a mountain), why not start training now? We know how daunting it can seem, but baby steps (no pun intended!) is key! Start small, with a few steps at a time and gradually move on to adding more flights of stairs during your next try.

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Research has also shown that stairs are helpful in improving mental health, blood circulation and cardiovascular health. Sparing 10-15 mins a day for your well-being to reap multiple benefits doesn’t sound so bad now, does it?

3. Avoid unhealthy eating habits

Indulging in snacks and dessert once in a while is perfectly okay, avoid doing so frequently! Sure, a cheat day doesn’t hurt for a day or two but if you’d really like to keep the pounds at bay, it’s best to avoid these unhealthy eating habits because once you start, it’s so difficult to stop ?

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That applies to beverages too. Did you know that a regular-sized glass of bubble tea has a total of 230 calories? Wouldn’t want that in your body if you aim to stay fit right? ;) The thing about sugary drinks is that while they do give you temporary energy boost, they contribute to weight gain as well.

The same goes to a can of diet soda! Although it has zero calories, it still contains intense sweeteners like Sucralose, Acesulfame K and Aspartame that may condition our palates to demand for even sweeter food and drinks, jeopardizing our diet (yikes!).

Other beverages that have “reduced sugar/light” label slapped on them usually also contain ingredients like Maltitol or Sorbitol. These sugar alcohols are the major culprits of producing abdominal gas, bloating and diarrhoea which could potentially ruin your holiday before it even starts!

Still craving to satisfy your sweet tooth? Opt for VITAGEN Less Sugar instead, while maintaining your health – it has 50% less sugar (naturally, which is awesome!) than regular cultured milk drinks and boosts your immune system!

#HHWT Tip: It’s also important that we highlight in Islam, the Quran urges us to “Eat of what is lawful and wholesome on the earth.” (Quran 2:168). That means choosing wholesome food and avoiding unhealthy food are essential to good health ?

4. Take advantage of exercising for free

With a big trip coming up, you’d probably want to save more funds instead of spending on your usual monthly membership at the gym.

No worries about that, just take a look around you - your neighbourhood park, or even your bedroom floor are sources of exercising without paying a single cent! All you need is a good pair of running shoes or a yoga mat. With so many free online workouts available, there’s no excuse for you to not spend 10-15 minutes a day with a quick workout. If you’re the type that needs motivation, invite your friends or loved ones for a quick jog!

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The best thing about these activities is that your flowing endorphins will boost your mood, increase your energy levels and keep you super fit!

#HHWT Tip: If time doesn’t permit, consider doing mini HIIT workouts at your accommodation. Believe it or not, a simple 10-minute HIIT workout can easily burn 100 calories.

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5. Take essential supplements before your trip

Travelling can put a lot of pressure on our immune system, especially when you need to deal with time differences and jet lags. It’s important that you keep your health in check before anything else – like taking basic vitamins and supplements.

And you can always start with the most important one that allows you to eat your heart out – your gut! For example, VITAGEN Less Sugar isn’t just a cultured milk that is high in fibre, but it’s also packed with Probiotics. When you’re travelling, the last thing you want is to suffer from constipation or diarrhoea especially when you’re constantly out and about so be sure to prepare your gut by keeping them strong and healthy before you travel.

#HHWT Tip: Besides being made with real fruit juice, VITAGEN Less Sugar does not contain any sweeteners so you can be assured that you’re getting the best for your body.

6. Download fitness apps

For those of you who want to take things to the next level in keeping healthy, download fitness apps!

With the help of technology these days, keeping your health in check while on the go is effortless. Things, like recording your calorie intake and planning your mini workout routines at your fingertips ensure that you’re always one step ahead in staying fit!

7. Get vaccinated

We know what you’re thinking - you already have supplements in hand, why would you need a vaccination? Well, contrary to popular belief, keeping yourself fit is more than just consuming the right food and supplements.

In other words, you’ll need more than that to keep you safe. Like vaccinations!

What many fail to realize is that travelling abroad has the potential to expose your body to serious diseases especially when you’re in developing countries. Make an appointment with your local doctor and seek advice.

Though it may not be cheap to get vaccinated, remember that it’s always important to put your health first before anything so a little cost shouldn’t hurt that much.

8. Prioritise sleep

We’re saving the best for last because it’s something most of us are guilty of ? With so many of us juggling and hustling many things in our daily lives, sleep tends to be shelved as the least priority.

Lack of sleep has long-term effects on your health, making you prone to serious diseases such as obesity, heart disease and diabetes ? In order to enjoy your holiday fully and improve your overall health, take a step back and prioritise your health by making sure you get at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep a night!

Staying fit may seem like a chore but the knowledge of the long-term benefits is a great motivator. Especially when you know there’s no better way to enjoy your holiday when you’ve prepared yourself physically, mentally and emotionally, thanks to these 8 tips!

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This article is brought to you by VITAGEN Singapore.