Staying Healthy in Vegas? It's 100% Possible!

What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.

But, I'm breaking the rules just this once with some tips and tricks for staying healthy and fit while in Sin City.

Don't get me wrong- it's totally fine to let loose a little on vacation. But, it doesn't have to turn into a free-for-all that takes weeks to bounce back from. If you do a little planning ahead of time, it can be easy breezy to stay on track.

While it might not seem like the place for healthy living, beyond the night clubs and flashy lights Las Vegas has endless options to help you work up a sweat. Whenever I book a hotel, I always check to see if they have a gym in the building. Some of them require you to pay for a day pass, while others are free. A simple call to the hotel can clear that up for you.

Fitness

Not only do most of the major hotels have gyms, but they also have fun classes that can add some spice to your normal routine. Here are some hotels that go above and beyond:

Cosmopolitan: Fitness center with state of the art equipment, tennis court, personal training and Sweat 60 (a boot-camp type class).

Aria: Fitness center spanning 6,000 square feet with just under 100 pieces of cardio equipment, weights, stability balls, stretching center and more. All while overlooking the the hotel's beautiful pools (there's 3!).

Wynn and Encore: Two fitness centers, personal training and classes including yoga, total conditioning, kick-boxing, indoor cycling, and more!

Mirage: Not only do they have regular and poolside yoga classes, but you can take a yoga class alongside the underwater dolphin viewing area! Fitness facility too!

The Venetian: Fitness center, classes AND a rock climbing wall at the Canyon Ranch SpaClub.

If your hotel doesn't happen to have a gym, you can save/screen shot some body weight work-out routines from a reliable source on Instagram or Pintrest. Or, here's a great hotel room workout by my brother, Kevin Neglia, NSCA-CPT, FRCms, USAW-L1:

"Ladder to the Stratoshpere Workout"

Warm up your body then set a timer for 20 minutes. Then repeat the following until time runs out!*

1 burpee

2 Walking Lunges

4 Air Squats 

2 Burpees

4 Walking Lunges

8 Air Squats

3 Burpees

6 Walking Lunges

12 Air Squats

*Follow pattern, increasing reps by 1, 2, and 3 respectively until the time runs out

@kevinneglia

Not into going to the gym while your away?  Dancing, swimming, and walking along the strip definitely count. Here are some other fun ideas for those of you that like a little adventure:

Guided Hike and Bike Tours: Be one with nature just 25 minutes outside of the Las Vegas strip with All Mountain Cyclery.

Love horseback riding? Try a Wild West Horseback Adventure trail ride with the perks of visiting a cowboy town and a petting zoo!

You can find all sorts of fun activities in Vegas (who knew?!). For some great deals, check out Las Vegas Deals!

Food:

As far as food goes, I rarely find it difficult to find healthy options while eating out. Yes, there will be some restaurants that you will visit to really experience the menu and cuisine. So my advice would be: pick and choose your indulgences. For the other "less special" meals, make more nutritious choices to balance it all out. Here's a few options that are healthy AND delicious:

ProteinHouse:  Founded by a bodybuilding couple, ProteinHouse offers healthy options from salads and wraps, to burgers and protein pancakes. They even list their nutrition information on their site!

Side Note: I would avoid the juices and acai bowls. Look at the information on the site to determine which meals would best suit your needs.

EATT: Influenced by French cuisine, this healthy eatery also has vegan and gluten free options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They have pictures of their food on their website that are drool-worthy. And the chef is nice on the eyes as well ;)

Canyon Ranch Grill: Located inside Canyon Ranch SpaClub in the Palazzo, I can say from experience that this place is LEGIT. Start with an egg white omelet or tofu scramble for breakfast and come back for a roasted veggie salad with protein topping of your choice (tofu, salmon, chicken, or shrimp). They have vegetarian and gluten free options, and provide stevia as a sweetener for coffee/tea!

IMPORTANT NOTE: Don't forget the alcohol. You don't have to forgo it completely, but just understand that a few drinks a day can add up to another meal. Steer clear of any fancy frozen or mixed drinks. Distilled liquor on the rocks or with soda water is your best bet. You can also go with wine or light beer.  And HYDRATE!!! Have a glass of water in between each drink.

Snacks and Such: Stock your hotel mini fridge with yogurt, cottage cheese, fruits, veggies, and plenty of water. If you need some options for on the go (including the plane ride!) I like KIND bars (including their Popped!, Strong and KIND, and breakfast bars), Quest bars, Glenny's Soy Crisps, Enlightened Crisps, Oatmega Bar, RXBar, Nugo Slim Bar, Think Thin Lean Protein and Fiber bar, and Good Greens Wellness bar.

Finally, if you want the ultimate wellness package, consider a Stay Well Room (offered at the MGM grand or at 6 different Marriott properties). These rooms come with air purification, a natural foam memory mattress, a shower infuser to keep hair and skin stay soft and smooth, circadian mood lighting, aromatherapy and more!

In closing: stay active, mind your alcohol, and pick and choose your indulgences!

Grocery Shopping: Best Brands Part I

Food labels can be confusing. While most of us know that whole wheat bread or yogurt is good for us, choosing the right brand can make or break our healthy eating efforts. Here's a couple of brands that have the best labels when it comes to sodium, calories, and quality of ingredients:

Bread: To make sure you're making the best choice, make sure the first ingredient on the label reads "100% whole wheat" or "stone ground whole wheat".

Ezekiel Bread
Nature's Own 100% Whole Wheat Bread
Pepperidge Farm Stoneground 100% Whole Wheat Bread

Yogurt: Your best bet is to stick to plain, unsweetened yogurt and adding in your own sweetener such as fruit, stevia, or a light drizzle of honey. When fruit is added to a yogurt it is mostly sugar (around 3-4 teaspoons!).

Siggi's Icelandic Style Skyr
Chobani Plain Greek Yogurt
Fage Total Plain Greek Yogurt (0% or 2%)

If you cannot tolerate eating plain yogurt, try on of the flavored Siggi's yogurts or Simply Chobani (this variation has less added sugar).

Oatmeal: Try adding cinnamon or fruit to sweeten plain oatmeal or try one of the following combos: peanut butter and banana, blueberries and walnuts, or strawberries and unsweetened coconut flakes. For a thicker, creamier oatmeal, try adding a spoonful or two of plain yogurt (see best choices above) or canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling!).

Quaker Oats Old Fashioned Quick 1-Minute or Steel Cut
McCann's Irish Oatmeal

If you NEED a flavored option: Nature's Path Qi'a Superfoods Hot Oatmeal Cinnamon Pumpkin Seed OR Nature's Path Flax Plus

Cold Cereal: You want to find a cereal that is made with whole grains, has less than 10 grams of sugar, and has at least 3 grams of fiber.

Cheerios
Post Bran Flakes
Love Grown Power O's
Nature's Path Flax Plus

Condiments: Depending what you're using, condiments can be really high in sodium and calories. While the sodium may still be high for some of these items, they are better than most!

Annie's Naturals Ketchup
Dinosaur Bar-B-Que Sauce or Annie's Organic Original BBQ sauce
Soy Vay Veri Veri Teriyaki sauce
Bolthouse Farms Yogurt Dressings or Vinaigrettes
Annie's Lite Dressing
Bragg's Liquid Aminos (instead of soy sauce)

Rainbow Salad

If you think salads are boring, then you've been making them wrong! Salads are my go-to almost everyday and they always contain healthy fats, lean proteins, and loads of colorful vegetables. I always choose a base of dark leafy greens such as kale, spinach, or arugula. My main source of carbohydrates comes from roasted sweet potato or roasted butternut squash. One of my favorite vegetables to add are brussel sprouts. Roasting them brings out their rich, nutty flavor. Mushrooms, zucchini, asparagus, and bell peppers are some of my other favorite vegetables to roast or grill and add to salads. I always pick a lean protein such as chicken, fish, shrimp, tofu, or Beyond Meat Chicken Strips. My absoulte favorite dressing is so easy. Plus, it packs a ton of flavor with very little calories. There are so many ways to make salads delicious, filling and satisfying. Because let's face it, lettuce and grilled chicken is NOT going to cut it. The more colors you can add to your bowl the better!

Paprika shrimp, roasted sweet potato, tomatoes, blueberries, avocado, spinach, roasted brussel spouts and my Honey Mustard Dressing 

Pumpkin Mozzarella Turkey Burgers

This are great for a healthy, quick, delicious meal. I used pumpkin to make the turkey burgers more moist, and used oatmeal as a healthy replacement for breadcrumb. I love mixing my cheese in with the other ingredients. It ensures that each bite is full of cheesy goodness. If you are dairy-free, my favorite vegan cheese is Daiya Mozzarella. It melts really well and tastes delicious! These are great served alongside some sweet potato fries!

Pumpkin Mozzarella Turkey Burgers

Ingredients:

1 lbs lean ground turkey breast (I used 99%, but 93% is fine too)
3 tablespoon egg whites (or one egg)
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup pumpkin
1/4 cup oatmeal
1 tablespoon Bragg's Liquid Aminos (or soy sauce)
1 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients in one large bowl. Mix together well.
2. Preheat grill (I use my George Foreman). Form into 6 equal size patties (or 4 if you want a larger burger).
3. Grill until no longer pink (mine took about 7-8 minutes).
4. Eat!