Leaving Las Vegas {Healthier Than I Arrived}

healthy las vegas

[trip style = active + weekend getaway + urban + sun]

HAPPY THANKSGIVING to our friends down South! Here at the Vancouver, Canada-based TS headquarters, we toast your fine-feathered cocktail of turkey, beer and football. Enjoy!

When Lady Luck started shaking her sequins and stomping---in stilettos no less---down the Las Vegas Strip, she wasn't thinking about burning calories or reaching 10,000 steps a day. Ye-Old-Days Lady Luck was too busy sipping scotch on the rocks and sucking back cigarettes. Flash forward to today, and modern Lady Luck still chinwags with the same crowd, yet in her time-refined wisdom, she's picked up a healthy trick or two RUNning the Strip.

Like Lady Luck, I've learned a thing or two on the road, and am pretty protective about maintaining my wellness while I wander. With health on my mind, on my recent trip to Vegas, I was surprised to leave healthier than when I arrived. While most people don't travel to Sin City to sip smoothies, eat spinach salads and workout more than they go out, I made it my mission to test wellness on the Strip without sacrificing a smashing cocktail or Michelin-starred cuisine.

Here's how to stay well while under the LV spell:

run the LV strip

1/ Run the Strip Jogging the LV Strip is a thing. Rise and shine early enough in the AM---from 6am to 8am---and you'll see a ton of fit cats chasing last night's calories down LV Blvd. Bonus: most of the hotels blast music, so no is iPod required.

spa in las vegas + detox

2/ Detox at the Spa I've had TREATments at most of the major sp-ahs lining the Neon City's most glitzy stretch. Recently, I re-familiarized myself with these cocoons of calm and wrote about a private Turkish Hammam and other must-soothe experiences in Las Vegas Spa Hopping for the Expedia Viewfinder Travel Blog.

yoga among dophins las vegas

3/ Yoga among the Dolphins There's yoga, and then there's yoga practiced between a circular viewing area below Vegas' only dolphin habitat. The second you arrive nature's miracle mammals perk up and come to greet you like kids waiting for their parents at the airport. Dolphins dig yoga, so there's a parallel play synergy that takes place as I sink into warrior pose while the pod floats by. Classes are offered Fri - Sun mornings and cost $50 {which also includes a post-yoga smoothie and day access to the Mirage's spa pools and heat havens}.

las vegas MO hotel

4/ Hotel Most travelers I talk to aren't aware that Vegas has a few non-gaming hotels. Translation: no slots in sight! My favorite of the few is the Mandarin Oriental. See my review in Trip Styler's latest Roam+Board hotel feature.

bacchanal buffet caesars

5/ Eat well In the past five years, Vegas has turned into a foodie destination worthy of the 50+ world-renowned chefs whose restaurants season the Strip. Case in point, while I was there, I sipped cognac three feet away from Guy Savoy at his namesake restaurant. One of the newest eateries you "knead" to know about is Bacchanal Buffet at Caesars Palace. Before you write us off for even mentioning a buffet, think of it like more like a collection of nine restaurants manned by chefs who've all worked in Michelin-starred restaurants. Yes there are stations, yes there are 600 seats, but it also boasts a hearty list of awards to back up its baking and made-to-order dishes.

Trip Styler Tip: While I'm not a huge Starbucks fan, if you want to eat a healthy snack on the go, Seattle's coffee institution can be found around every corner offering a bevy of fresh-prepared and reasonably priced snacks mingling fruit, veggies, cheese and nuts.

[photos by @tripstyler]

Eat Like A Chef

[trip style = foodie]

Food is central to travel. We must eat, so why not eat well? Plus, discovering a decadent dish on the road is akin to travel euphoria, no? {If you don't agree, I implore you to try pear and asiago ravioli in Italy, this dish will change your world}.

Introducing Chefs Feed, a professional palate-powered app dishing the meals celebrated chefs love in their own city! Featuring 500+ chefs and 18,000+ dishes, this 2013 webby award winner gives new meaning to curated cuisine. Think of it like Yelp, version 2.0.

If you live in or are visiting one of the 23 cities currently supported in the app {London, Vancouver, Seattle, NYC, Vegas, SF, etc...}, search chefs' recommendations near or afar for sure-thing eats. For example, in Vancouver, L'Abattoir's Lee Cooper digs the moules frites at Chambar; in Vegas, the Border Grill's Mary Sue Milliken, indulges in the whole fish at Estiatoria Milos. The icing on the cake? The more each chef eats {which is a given}, the more they update the app.

Travel {or your Friday night date}, just got a little more tasty. And, this virtual feast is free.

PS - I'm adding this to my essential travel app toolkit.

How It Works - sign in {you have to sign in because chefs are always updating their fav dishes} - select a home city - once you select your home city, browse any city - search chef-by-chef and dish-by-dish - see each chef's restaurant picks on a map - available for iPhone and Android

More Travel Apps magicJack - a free calling app Instagram - as a travel tool TomTom - navigate abroad without using data

[photos via chefs feed app]

Healthy On The Road :: Cruise Control

[trip style = any]

When she’s not training clients or being trained by her dog Zuzu, Leah writes Healthy On The Road, published bi-monthly.

Last month, my traveling troupe hit the open road for a week-long road trip in our Volkswagen Westfalia. {Road tripping is easily one of my top three trip styles.} My husband and I have never really been lured by the golden arches, unfortunately our 4-year-old son can spot them from a mile away. My number one defense against fast food temptation while chillaxing enroute is having healthy snacks, lots of water and a few treats on me AT ALL TIMES. If I don't plan ahead for controlled cuisin'---get it?---then me, Wendy and Ronald become BFFs. To keep our bodies in fit form, EVEN on the open road, here are our must-have snacks for the highways and byways:

H2Eau Hydrated road trippers are happy road trippers. I s-w-e-a-r by this. Hot, cold, lukewarm; just drink it and drink lots of it, because we often mistake thirst for hunger. I always have a smaller water bottle on hand for each of us, and keep one or two bigger bottles filled for top-ups. On the topic of copious water consumption and stopping frequently for potty breaks, wouldn't you rather stay healthy, than be parched and famished atj every mile?

Herbal Tea I find drinking tea a really helpful way for me to ward off absent minded munchies. Before we set off, I make a big thermos of tea, or just hot water and lemon. It stays hot forever and I just sip away. Mint or ginger tea will even help with the occasional bouts of travel sickness I experience.

Savory Nibblies This trip we were really into snacking on baked lentil chips, low-salt tortilla chips, pretzels and Pirate's Booty {an all-natural, gluten-free snack with half the fat and fewer calories than the cheezies I typically obsess over while on the road}.

On-The-Go Meals Turkey pepperoni sticks, veggies {bags of snow peas or mini carrots}, cheese {Babybel---OBVIOUSLY} and crackers are my top trippin' foods. I'm also ga-ga over Ryvita crackers because you can easily top them with the above, and they are substantial enough to be called lunch or dinner.

Nuts Unsalted, protein-boosting cashews are where it's at. Pair them with an apple or a banana, and you're set!

Fruit Gummies and Jelly Beans Finally, a little cheating is ok once a day. To stop my fam from the temptation of gas station treats, I bring SMALL amounts of candy to satisfy our cruisin' cravings.

More Healthy On The Road Jari Love's Beach Body Tips Toned In Transit Every Day Is A New Day Eat In Technicolor The 15 Minute 54321 Workout {you can do anywhere!} Keeping Fit In Hotel Hallways The 20-min Exercise Itinerary Healthy DIY Plane Snacks Hotel Room Exercises {You can do in your underwear}

[Graphic assembled by @tripstyler with images sourced online. Am-ah!-zing camper van Copyright © Alexandre Verdier, 2006. Verdier.ca]

Healthy On The Road :: Jari Love's Beach Body Tips

[trip style = any] {Editor's Note: Leah, our Healthy On The Road warrior, is on vacay right now, so I'm excited to give the floor over to Jari Love, a world-renowned personal fitness trainer.}

Recently I was in the Canadian Rockies on a fitness trip---literally, each day was packed tighter than Sly Stallone's biceps with activities like barre fitness, TRX and cross-country skiing---and one of my prime moments was meeting and working out with Jari Love. Jari has a six-pack that verges on eight-pack territory. Her arms are perfectly chiselled like a Roman statue. Most importantly, she's really lovely with finesse, smarts, passion and a physique that screams "workout wonderwoman." Oprah Magazine listed her Get RIPPED! workout as one of her favorite things; um, amazing.

Just after she whipped me into shape, I asked her to share a few hard truth tips for getting closer to achieving a shipshape bod. Knowing summer is coming, I wanted to share the Jari Love around:

When people ask me about diet, I always recommend the same principles that I follow: 1/ Stick to three meals and two snacks per day. The meals are around 300 calories and the snacks are between 200-250.

2/ When preparing my meals and snacks, I opt for fruits and starches that are low-glycemic, and lean proteins.

3/ When it comes to protein, I recommend things like lean meats, egg whites, fish and whey protein powder.

4/ For fruit, one cup of raspberries is a great option because that gives you eight grams of fibre right there.

5/ I try to get my fibre intake up to 35 grams per day because it helps me feel full and satiated. Another great way to get some extra fibre is adding psyllium husk and ground flaxseed to your cereal or protein shake.

6/ Finally, I always load up my plate with fresh veggies and try to limit my carb intake after 5pm.

On Bathing Suit Motivators... 1/ Put your bathing suit in an area where you will see it all the time. I recommend writing down your goals and also getting a workout buddy who will help you stay motivated.

2/ Take a photo of yourself now and set dates to take photos of your progress. Being emotionally attached to your goals is key.

3/ Think about how you felt at a time that you were at your goal weight and post a picture of yourself at that time beside a current shot of yourself. Seeing this every day will really help you stay the course.

4/ Choosing a diet and exercise regime that you enjoy is critical. If you like it, you’ll follow it!

More Healthy On The Road Toned In Transit Every Day Is A New Day Eat In Technicolor The 15 Minute 54321 Workout {you can do anywhere!} Keeping Fit In Hotel Hallways The 20-min Exercise Itinerary Healthy DIY Plane Snacks Hotel Room Exercises {You can do in your underwear}

[photo via @jarilove]

Healthy On The Road :: Finding Time To Work Out When Traveling With Kids

[trip style = any]

Editor's Note :: Today's post is a hybrid between Healthy On The Road and KinderHop.

Fitting in that daily workout while on vacation {with or without kids} always requires some planning and forethought---talents we tend to leave at home when we’re footloose and fancy free. Yet when traveling with our kiddies in tow, organisation becomes the name of the game.

A Plan I think our munchkins need breathers from the hustle and bustle of daily life as much as we do, however, there are parts of their daily routine that must remain, or, let’s be honest, no one’s relaxing! My son’s need for routine has turned out to be a real gift to me, the non-planner. Case in point, when it comes to keeping our children happy and occupied, even the most relaxed parent has some sort of family vacation plan.

A Challenge Parents: I challenge you to treat your trip's parenting plan as a scaffolding of sorts, and on your next trip, build on it to construct your health and fitness routine. Ever since I started building my exercise into my son's routine---versus compartmentalizing the two (which is more doable at home)---I have a much easier time staying on top of my travel fitness than I did pre-parenthood.

An Example Plan: Family pool time // Daily Fitness Routine: Your 30-min Workout Pools are perfect places to meet everyone’s needs {provided the water comes higher than your ankle}. 1/ Be intentional about fitting in a cumulative 30 minutes---ideally in 10 min bouts---of heart-pumping exercise {you should be able to talk, but in breathy sentences}. 2/ Do a mini water circuit and get the kids involved. For example, one of your stations might be treading water while towing a tot on their floatie x4 widths of the pool, or running/racing in the shallow end with your older kids.

When she’s not training clients or being trained by her dog Zuzu, Leah writes Healthy On The Road, published the first Wednesday of every month.

More Healthy On The Road Toned In Transit Every Day Is A New Day Eat In Technicolor The 15 Minute 54321 Workout {you can do anywhere!} Keeping Fit In Hotel Hallways The 20-min Exercise Itinerary Healthy DIY Plane Snacks Hotel Room Exercises {You can do in your underwear}

[photo by @tripstyler taken in Acapulco, Mexico]