March is National Nutrition Month, which means it’s the perfect time to focus on your health and wellness. But, March is also the month when millions of Americans take time off work and school to enjoy spring break. Is it possible to reconcile the two?

Enjoying a Healthy, Guilt-Free Spring Break

The week long vacation season takes many forms. Some will enjoy a relaxing spa excursion in the mountains. Others will go on a wine tour through Napa Valley. Still others will prefer to party on the beach.

No matter how you choose to spend your spring break, there’s a good chance that, leading up to it, you’ll try a health and fitness routine to get beach-ready. Preparation is great, but you also want to think about what’ll happen when you arrive at your destination. You don’t want all the hard work you put in to go to waste!

Here are the best ways to enjoy spring break while maintaining good health and nutrition.

1. All Things in Moderation

Have you ever tried sprinting without warming up first? Not a good idea. You spent months getting ready for spring break, so don’t spoil your fun by going zero to 60 on day one. However you enjoy the week, do it in moderation.

2. ‘ A Shake a Day’ Is Your Mantra

Most vacations involve delicious food, and that’s OK. As long as you have a strong nutritional foundation, leave the food guilt at home.

Whether you commit to one healthy meal per day or decide to cut out certain foods, sticking to one doable healthy routine throughout spring break will help keep you on track.

One of the easiest ways to maintain a balanced diet is by keeping a shake a day as part of your routine. Drinking a shake for breakfast, lunch, or dinner ensures your body is getting some solid nutrition each day.

Is there more you could do? Sure. But, at least that shake a day is creating a baseline and may even help you make healthier choices for the rest of the day.

3. Give Yourself a Gut Check

Speaking of good food, there’s a chance those tasty treats may surprise your stomach like an M. Night Shyamalan plot twist.

Don’t shock your gut during a week when digestive issues could really grind the party to a halt. Instead, fight the battle on two fronts: 1) probiotics to support long-term gut health and 2) digestive enzymes to help break down food and absorb nutrients immediately.†

Foods like yogurt, fermented foods, and kombucha are high in probiotics, but if you don’t want to carry a container of yogurt with you on vacation, taking a probiotic supplement will do the trick.  Plus, you don’t have to refrigerate it, so you can keep it with you throughout the day and you won‘t need to run back to the hotel. Digestive enzymes are also beneficial for gut health and comfort.

4. Antioxidants Are Your Friend

Antioxidants are good for you — several scientific studies have shown this time and time again. What makes them even better during spring break? It all goes back to maintaining a nutritional foundation while enjoying your vacation.

Products rich in botanicals and antioxidants are key to feeling great, especially when the body is under stress from hot weather, new foods, and unfamiliar environments. Ingredients like turmeric (Curcuma longa) root extract are part of a long list of botanicals that can benefit your body while on vacation.

Berries and dark leafy greens are also fantastic antioxidant-rich foods and the perfect snacks to meet your botanical quota.

5. Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff

Most importantly, this is your vacation. You worked hard to get here, you put time in at the gym, and you followed your plan. Don’t beat yourself up over “one too many” treats or a delicious meal.

It all circles back to point number one: All things in moderation. Get your body the right nutrients, and enjoy your spring break!