With December 31 quickly approaching, now is the time to make your New Year’s resolutions.
Nearly half of Americans who make New Year’s resolutions set wellness-related goals, such as adopting an exercise routine or a healthier diet.
Just because you’re on a relaxing vacation in Orlando, enjoying exciting attractions and dining at popular restaurants, doesn’t mean you have to break your resolution to stay fit. When you stay at Rosen Plaza, you have access to a modern fitness center and healthy dining options.
Here are some effective (and easy!) ways to stay fit during your trip to Orlando and how Rosen Plaza can help.
How to Eat Healthy on Vacation
By the first day of vacation, many travelers give in to the siren call of all-you-can-eat buffets and extended happy hours. And that’s perfectly okay — after all, vacation is a time to enjoy yourself.
But if you’re worried about losing months of progress in a single week, there are many ways to eat healthier and stay fit during your Orlando vacation, including:
Choose Your Splurges Wisely
Before you arrive in Orlando, research local restaurants and choose your must-tries.
Perhaps you had the cheddar soup at Le Cellier as a kid and have been dreaming about it for decades. Or you want to go all out at one of Orlando’s recent Michelin Star recipients. Maybe you’re determined to explore Orlando’s growing craft beer scene.
When not enjoying your splurge items, choose healthier dishes.
Rosen Plaza has plenty of great on-site dining options. Visit ’39 Poolside for fresh poke bowls or salads. Or, if expertly cooked steak is on your splurge list, have a seat at Jack’s Place.
Pack Healthy Snacks
When staying at the parks from dusk to dawn, snacking is essential.
Tasty but unhealthy snacks abound at Orlando’s theme parks. If you put Mickey Bars or turkey legs on your splurge list, then snack away. Otherwise, stick to healthy bites between meals.
While you can get things like fresh fruit and hummus in the parks, you can save money by bringing your own nutritious snacks.
Guests are welcome to bring their own eats to Walt Disney World Resort and Universal Orlando Resort. Before you leave Rosen Plaza, you can stop by Lite Bite Express to stock up on snacks. When packing your bag, avoid glass bottles, loose ice, and anything that needs heating.
Eat Smaller Portions
When trying to stay fit on vacation, make “everything in moderation” your motto.
Enjoy your favorite foods by eating smaller portions of them.
Of course, restaurants often serve massive plates of food. To keep yourself from overindulging, see if anyone at your table wants to split a dish with you. This strategy is especially useful if you’re eyeing an appetizer or dessert.
Another option is to box up half your dish and enjoy it later in your vacation.
That way, you can stick to your wellness goals and enjoy two meals for the price of one. The guestrooms at Rosen Plaza have minifridges and microwaves, making it easy to save food for later.
Stay Hydrated
Given Orlando’s hot, humid weather, everyone should drink lots of water here.
If you’re watching what you eat, staying hydrated can have extra benefits. The human brain often mistakes thirst for hunger, leading us to eat when we’re not actually hungry. Studies also suggest that water boosts your metabolism. And it can help you slow your pace at happy hour, making you less likely to go overboard with carb-heavy beers and sugar-laden cocktails.
There are water refill stations throughout the theme parks, so pack a reusable bottle.
How to Stay Active on Vacation
One of the best things about vacationing in Orlando is that there are many fun ways to stay fit. As you explore the city, you may not even realize that you’re exercising. Consider the following options:
Set a Daily Step Goal
Walking is a wonderful way to burn calories, relieve stress, and boost your immune system.
While on vacation, use your phone, pedometer, or smartwatch to keep track of how many steps you take. The results may surprise you. When exploring Orlando’s theme parks, it’s common for guests to take tens of thousands of steps each day.
To give your step count even more of a boost, take stairs instead of elevators whenever possible.
Unless there are attendants directing traffic when you arrive, you can also park your car further from the theme park gates and walk instead of taking the tram.
Plan Active Excursions in Orlando
Theme park steps aren’t the only way to stay fit in Central Florida.
Thanks to our mild winters and gorgeous natural areas, you have many options for staying active. Go kayaking through one of Orlando’s natural springs, surfing in Cocoa Beach, or hiking on the Shingle Creek Trail. In the event of rain, take a walk around the Florida Mall or Mall at Millenia.
Take Advantage of the Hotel Gym
One of the easiest ways to stay fit during your trip to Orlando is to take advantage of your hotel’s amenities, such as the fitness center and pool.
When wanting to stay fit, it is important to consider a balance of weight training and cardio. Rosen Plaza’s hotel gym and on-site pool can help you with both styles of workout. Our hotel gym is great for keeping your muscles toned by lifting weights, and our pool is the perfect place to get your blood pumping while swimming laps.
Visit the Nearby Rosen Aquatic & Fitness Center
Looking for greater fitness resources than what our hotel gym can offer? Check out the nearby Rosen Aquatic & Fitness Center (RAFC).
This state-of-the-art fitness center gives you a comprehensive exercise experience while on vacation in Orlando. Their fitness center is equipped with over 60 machines, including:
- Treadmills
- Ellipticals
- Stationary bikes
- Arm, back, chest, and leg machines
- Free weights and squat racks
If you need external motivation to stay fit, RAFC offers several group fitness classes. Activities like Zumba, tai chi, and HIIT offer a more focused workout with an instructor who will help you stick to your fitness goals.
If you’re worried about other guests interrupting your laps at the Rosen Plaza hotel pool, RAFC offers two Olympic-sized pools, equipped with private lanes and diving boards.
Super-low Rosen Aquatic & Fitness Center Guest Rates
A major advantage of staying at Rosen Plaza is that hotel guests get deeply discounted hourly, daily, and weekly rates at RAFC.
Book a room at our Orlando hotel for your vacation and enjoy RAFC rates starting at:
- $5 for two hours
- $10 for one day
- $30 for a one week
Discounts are also available for employees in the hospitality industry.
Stay Fit During Your Stay at Rosen Plaza on International Drive
One of the best things about staying at Rosen Plaza and working out at RAFC is that they are both located on International Drive, only a 6-minute drive apart. That distance is a brisk 1.2-mile walk — if you don’t have a vehicle or are looking for a way to boost your step count.
Between our world-class workout facilities, walkable location, and healthy dining options, our hotel has everything you need to stay fit during your Orlando vacation.
