I usually make an effort to workout when on vacation, but I wasn't successful at this on my most recent trip to Paris and London. My ten-day get away was packed and I wouldn't have it any other way. I savored every delicious bite of every meal I had and totally absorbed the cultures. However, I did make sure I walked at least 10,000 steps a day. That was my saving grace. This is not hard to achieve in Paris and London. I believe there was one day I actually walked 20,000 steps. My philosophy is to "keep moving" and not to beat myself up over not getting the perfect workout. There's no better way other than walking to explore a new city and get the body moving.
I did use some moderation when it came to my meals. I definitely enjoyed them, but made some simple choices. Instead of having a croissant every day while in Paris, I waited till I found the most delicious boulangerie DU PAIN ET DES IDEES . I always made sure to have my green veggies whenever I could and of course drank lots of water (at least 2 liters a day).
When returning home to Manhattan, I took my first full day back off from the gym, but started getting back on track soon after. The first couple of days home I made sure to get 60 - 90 minutes in of both cardio and light weights. It felt great to get my body back to a workout routine even though it was slightly modified. My sprints weren't as fast and the weights weren't as heavy at first, but that was ok. I was moving and getting back in to the groove. I quickly got my mojo back. Also, I made it a priority to begin fueling my body properly with lots of veggies and lean proteins. I can't tell you how good it felt to eat kale and spinach again!
Remember to enjoy your vacation and don't beat yourself up if you don't get the perfect workouts in and your diet is not perfect while you're away. Definitely try to get the workouts in if you can. If your hotel has a gym, give it a shot or go for that run. At the very least, keep moving by getting those steps in and be sensible about the diet. Most importantly, enjoy your vacation. A good friend told me, "remember the assault bike and weights will be at the gym when you return, but this time in London and Paris can never be replaced."