How to Stay Fit & Healthy at Disney World

As I sit here in my Animal Kingdom Resort room, I am in shock that this is my 4th time at Walt Disney World in 2 years. I sadly waited until I was almost 25 to go visit! It wasn’t until we had our son that I decided to visit this magical place and to finally see what it was all about. Today is our 5th day here staying at the Animal Kingdom Lodge and I have many tips to share with you in order to keep yourself in check.

Disney World is pretty much the happiest place on Earth… However, if you are not careful, it can be the unhealthiest place on Earth, too. Around every corner, you will find ice cream, funnel cakes, chocolate mousse, alcohol-you name it! And do not get me started on the dining plans that allow you to pick an appetizer, entree, AND dessert.

I admit, I have indulged a ton while at Disney in the past, but this time around is very different as I cannot eat much dairy due to breastfeeding my little girl who has a sensitivity to it. So my aim is to challenge myself to stay healthy while here and to share my secrets with you guys!

Here are my personal tips to staying healthy while at Disney World:

1.Wear your baby/kids. Seriously-you do not want to take a stroller to Disney World! The traffic is horrible and not to mention, you have to unload your stroller each and every time you get off of the bus from park to park. Also… to get on certain rides and attractions, you have to leave your stroller in the parking zone which means it could get stolen. Yes, this happens. Also, wearing your kids adds an extra weight to your body which means you burn MORE calories while walking! YAY! I like to wear my 4 month old and my 2.5 year old.

2.Wear a pedometer. Personally, I download an iPhone app that tracks our steps every single time we go to Disney because it is just simply amazing to see how many steps were taken at the end of the day. You will literally do so much walking and not even notice-until your feet start burning! Track your progress and use it as motivation to stay healthy while on vacation.

3.Pack good shoes. Since you will be doing tons of walking, you will need to pack good shoes. I would suggest Asics or Brooks-something that you would run a marathon in because, trust me, you will feel like you’ve at least walked one by the end of the day.

4.Use the fitness centers and pools at your resort. Depending on what resort you stay at, there is at least a gym or a pool there. Take advantage of it and enjoy because not many people will be there as they will mainly be at the parks! I noticed the gyms especially were always empty on my last trips and this time is no different. The feeling of walking into an empty gym is AH-MA-ZING. I asked my husband to watch my two kiddos this time around while I escaped into my own little haven for 30-45 minutes. It was a nice little  “break” to get myself together and to relax. Plus its FREE. Also, with the pool, your kids will enjoy it!

5. Choose healthier menu options. Most menus at Disney World will have a healthier option listed. This is where you’ve got to decide to go with the devil on your right shoulder or the angel on the left. Disney now started offering the option to replace your dessert with a healthier item such as a side salad or fruit. When you are on the dining plan, you will have to pick a dessert because it comes with what you have prepaid for-but please know you DON’T HAVE to. Skip the chocolate mousse or Dole whip and go for the healthier choice. I also tend to choose seafood and lean meats and skip adding a ton of carbs to my plate. Soups and salads are always a good choice as well.

6.Pack healthy snacks and bring water. One thing that I did this time around was packing my own snacks. I brought along my lactation granola bars from Oat Mama {get 10% off your order with discount code fitmommy10} and I even invested in a new Minnie Mouse Tervis Water Bottle to carry ice water in throughout the parks. I actually bought a water bottle not only for myself, but for my husband and son as well so we all stay hydrated and on track. I also packed my Alive tea from Teami Blends.

Disney with two kiddos requires LOTS of energy! That’s why I packed my Alive tea from Teami Blends with me to keep me awake and energized!

With Ginger, Honey, Lemongrass, and Green Tea, this tea helps to increase my energy levels by eliminating chronic exhaustion naturally while also relieving muscle pain & inflammation.

It also makes me very happy to know this tea has non-GMO ingredients and is safe for breastfeeding mommies! High five!

7.Indulge in moderation. Yes.. I know… Why go on vacation only to eat healthy right? Because you have worked too damn hard to throw it away at Disney, that’s why! But… I get it… we are all human and you wanna have a little bit of fun-no harm. When all else fails and you are craving that damn Dole whip, eat the damn Dole whip. Just don’t eat 5. Ok?

All in all, your biggest obstacle will be what you EAT while at Disney. While I do not believe you should deprive yourself since everything is ok in moderation, here are some tips and healthier choices to help guide your way. Personally, I usually choose one or two meals out of the day to splurge in moderation while choosing the other one or two meals to be clean. On the positive side, you will burn a lot of calories while exploring the parks, but remember it takes a lot of walking to burn off the extra calories though so it is easier to eat CLEANER. The average person will burn between 80 to 140 calories per mile.

Here are some general tips to eating healthy in the Disney parks:

• Look for fresh, not processed foods: You can find fruits and veggies in every theme park. When you’re in a resort food court, consider a salad, boiled egg, or pita and hummus.
• Learn to be a “bother:” Order sauces on the side, substitute veggies/fruit for fries, ask that your meat not be cooked in butter, or see if you can order a half-portion of an entree for less money.
• Watch portion size: Disney likes to give you your money’s worth when it comes to food, so be aware when you order. Make a meal out of an appetizer, and when you splurge on a rich entree or huge dessert, share with someone else at the table.
• Eat breakfast: Breakfast is going to be one of the easiest and cheapest meals to eat healthily in a restaurant, so book mid-morning breakfast ADRs and fuel up with eggs, veggies, and wheat toast. Plus, there’s no temptation of ordering dessert!
• Call ahead: If you’re eating at a set-menu restaurant or want healthier, or no-sugar-added dessert options, call or write to Disney ahead of time (SpecialDiets@DisneyWorld.com, or 407-824-5967).

Now, here are some healthy menu options for each of the parks:

ANIMAL KINDGOM

Flame Tree Barbecue – The St. Louis Ribs and Pulled Pork Sandwiches sure are good but some healthier alternatives may be the marinated, slow-smoked chicken or the Jamaican Jerk Chicken Salad.

Harambe Market (Africa Area) – Lots of healthy options here like the grilled chicken skewer with roasted broccoli and tomato salad, or the grilled vegetable stack with herb pesto served with chickpea salad.  The nearby Harambe Fruit Market has lots of healthy fruits and veggies to choose from.

Gardens Kisok – Hummus with vegetables, gluten-free snack items, and fresh fruit cups.

Kusafiri Coffee Shop & Bakery -fruit cups, yogurt and a hot breakfast wrap made with egg, sausage, spinach and goat cheese.

Pizzafari –  Heart of Romaine Saladand Mediterranean pizza.

Restaurantosaurus – Black Bean Burger or Chicken BLT salad.

Yak & Yeti Local Food Café – Roasted vegetable couscous wrap, Ginger Chicken Salad or an Asian Chicken Sandwich served with Sun Chips.

HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS

ABC Commissary – Asian salad with salmon or chicken, roasted salmon with steamed broccoli, couscous and qunioa pilaf, .   Apple slices available as an alternative to french fries with other meal options.

Anaheim Produce –  Fresh fruit and veggies.

Backlot Express – Galacti Chicken Salad.   Carrot sticks available as an alternative to french fries with other meal options.

Catalina Eddie’s – Caesar salad with chicken.

Fairfax Fare – Fairfax salad with romaine lettuce, chili, tomato, roasted corn, sweet peppers and Monterey Jack cheese or 1/2 chicken with black beans and corn.

Min and Bill’s Dockside Diner – Sushi vegetable roll served with edamame salad, marinated tomatoes and cucumbers, and chocolate cake.

Pizza Planet Arcade – Vegetable pizza and antipasto salad.

Rosie’s All-American Café – Vegetable black bean burger or the soup of the day.

Starring Rolls Bakery (Lunch only) – Turkey sandwich, spicy tuna and salmon sandwich, sushi sampler, soup and salad, roasted vegetable sandwich, mixed greens salad and assorted whole fruit.

Studio Catering Company –  Greek salad, or grilled vegetable wrap.

EPCOT

Electric Umbrella – oak-grilled with green beans and roasted potatoes,  Latin chicken soup, roasted tomato soup, roasted beets & goat cheese salad, spicy togarashi seared tuna noodle salad, vegetable flatbread sandwich, grilled fish tacos, Caesar salad, Vegan Korma with Dardein meatless Chik’n and other seasonal selections.

Kabuki Cafe / Japan Pavilion –  Edamame, California rolls and sushi.

Katsura Grill / Japan Pavilion – California roll, spicy tuna roll, vegetable roll, udon, teriyaki salmon,  teriyaki chicken, sushi, Japanese curry rice, chicken cutlet curry, miso soup, edamame, and steamed vegetables.

Kringla Bakeri og Cafe / Norway Pavilion – Norwegian club sandwich, vegetable torte, Norwegian meatballs, mixed greens, and fruit cups.

Les Halles Boulangerie & Patisserie / France Pavilion – Brie, apples and cranberries in multi-grain bread; chicken sandwich with cheese, tomato, red onion and pesto; country bread with grilled eggplant, peppers and goat cheese, bleu cheese salad, nicoise salad, and quiche Florentine,

La Cantina de San Angel / Mexico Pavilion –  Chicken tacos, fruit popsicles, and refried beans.

Liberty Inn / America Pavilion – Southwest chicken salad, freshly grilled vegetarian “chick’n” breast with corn salsa, and Red, White and Blue Salad with Grillled chicken.

Lotus Blossom Café / China Pavilion –  Hong Kong Style Vegetable Curry over Rice, Sesame Chicken Salad, and vegetable egg rolls.  Note:  you can probably get better Chinese food at home.

Outpost Snacks – Seasonal fruit cup and frozen yogurt waffle cone.

The Tangierine Café / MoroccoPavilion – Mediterranean Wraps, Vegetarian Platter, hummus, tabbouleh, and CousCous salad.

MAGIC KINGDOM

Aloha Isle / Adventureland – fresh cut pineapple spears.

Auntie Gravitie’s /Tomorrowland – Fruit smoothies and whole fruit.

Be Our Guest / Fantasyland – This is a quick-service location at lunch only.  French onion soup, potato leek soup, tuna or chicken nicoise salad, quinoa salad, vegetable quiche, and assorted sandwiches.

Cheshire Café / Fantasyland – whole fruit.

Columbia Harbour House / Liberty Square – Hummus Sandwich with tomato & broccoli slaw, grilled salmon with couscous and broccoli, broccoli peppercorn salad, garden harvest salad, clam chowder, vegetarian chili, and steamed broccoli.

Cosmic Ray’s /Tomorrowland – Rotisserie chicken,  vegetable burger, grilled chicken sandwich, turkey sandwich, vegetable sandwich, Greek salad, and cucumber salad.

The Diamond Horseshoe / Frontierland (open seasonally) – Mixed green salad, portobello salad, portobello sandwich, tuna salad with croissant, turkey sandwich, and mixed fruit cup.

Friar’s Nook / Fantasyland – Vegetable and chips with hummus and fruit.

Gaston’s Tavern – Fantasyland – Mixed fruit cup, mixed vegetable cup with dip, and hummus and chips.

Main Street Bakery / Main Street USA – Smoothies and flavored green tea.

Pecos Bill’s Tall Tale Inn and Cafe / Frontierland – Southwest Chicken Salad, vegetable burger, and corn on the cob.

Pinocchio Village House / Fantasyland – Caprese flatbread, Mediterranean salad, Caesar salad with chicken, and tomato basil soup.

Prince Eric’s Village Market / Fantasyland – Apple slices, mixed fruit, watermelon, grapes, pineapple cup, whole fruit, hummus with chips, mixed vegetable cup with dip, juice, teas, and lemonade.

Sleepy Hollow / Liberty Square – Waffle with strawberries, and Nutella and fresh fruit waffle sandwich.

Tomorrowland Terrace Restaurant / Tomorrowland – Citrus shrimp salad.

Tortuga Tavern / Adventureland – Chicken burrito, taco salad, vegetarian burrito, Caesar salad with chicken, and black bean soup.

Your trainer and friend,