Personal Fitness and Weight Loss on Your Rome Vacation

Anyone traveling to Italy realizes the culinary spirit from the moment they step off the plane.  From pizza to veal chops, you're constantly enticed with arguably the world's best cuisine.

How do you indulge in your European vacation while heeding the sound weight loss advice of your Denver personal trainer?  This is an example of balance and choice-especially while keeping your weight loss plan intact.

First, and most important, you must decide on your approach to the table.  Every Italian table starts with a fresh bread basket.  This is incredibly hard to resist and will leave you salivating while watching your neighbor's table if you resist.  If you can't shove away this carb delight, take 1 piece of bread and send back the rest (just because you're charged for it doesn't mean you have to eat it all).

Also, split everything.   I fully realize that part of the Italian experience is an "eating" one.  Instead of eating several solo courses as Italians do, split a non-dairy pasta and then choose a fish entree with veggies.  You'll still taste several dishes without over-stuffing yourself.  

Finally, split your dessert as well.  While you might steal a taste of Italy's infamous gelato, stick to the fruit-based sorbet.  You'll save yourself the calories and the fat by kicking aside the diary and still indulge in a flavor-punch, frozen indulgence.

Second, with a sound approach to the Italian table, your activity will certainly outweigh the calories you eat (pun intended).  As with every European vacation, I became an urban hiker from day 1.  On each day, I choose 2 neighborhoods that I explore.  While on my 10-hour walking journey, I arm myself with a couple of Larabars and bottled water in a small backpack and avoid public transportation unless absolutely necessary.

During this time, I plan at least 1 tourist site that involves stairs or hills.   You may want to add the top of St. Peter's Basilica (over 500 steps!) or the stairs and climbs of the Roman Forum to your itinerary.

You can also sign up for a 4-hour bike tour too.  Considering that you're mostly on side streets, traffic safety isn't a problem.  This is a great way to burn calories for your personal trainer and see the most of the city (including Rome's off-the-beaten paths).

While a vacation should be an opportunity to treat yourself, there are still plenty of ways to achieve weight loss and still please your personal trainer.  The tips above will help you with a guilt free trip!