Taking your family to Disney’s Magic Kingdom doesn’t mean you have to leave your healthy lifestyle behind. If you usually leave the park feeling like the bloated Ursula from “The Little Mermaid,” these tips are for you! 

Pack your own lunch and snacks.
This park allows you to bring your own lunch, snacks and water. Just store them in a small cooler and put them in the lockers off Main Street. Then, plan your daily route to head back toward Main Street for lunch.   

Download the app.
You might find yourself getting hungry while walking around the park, and you might not be close to your packed lunch. Download the Disney Parks Mobile Magic app, and you can see all the restaurants in your nearby land. This app features every
menu for every restaurant in the park, so you can make sure you pick one with healthy options.

When in doubt, head to Liberty Square.
The Columbia Harbour House in Liberty Square has some great choices. The Lighthouse Sandwich features hummus with tomato and broccoli slaw on toasted multigrain bread. Not bad if you skip the chips. There’s also a Grilled Salmon option, served with couscous and steamed broccoli or a Garden Harvest Salad with mixed greens, garden veggies, green beans, carrots and chicken.

Look for healthy bites.
Despite what you might think, there are healthy snacks for purchase in the Magic Kingdom. I loved the fresh-fruit options that were available around the park. The popcorn also isn’t too bad of an option when you’re in a pinch. 

Put on your walking shoes.
I read somewhere that you can expect to walk at least six miles when you visit the Magic Kingdom for the day. Well, we decided to jump around, crisscrossing the park several times, so I know we clocked in additional miles with our odd route. Make a route that gets you moving, too! 
 
Steve Orlando is the owner of SO FIT  Personal Training, with personal training, group fitness and nutrition services. Steve has more than 15 years of industry experience with a wide range of clients.

With 15 years experience in the fitness industry, I’ve gotten my share of fitness questions. In fact, each week I probably get asked a handful of fitness-related questions from clients, friends and family, and I’m happy to share my knowledge. So for this month’s blog post, I wanted to share the most frequently questions I receive and my responses. I hope this insider information will help you achieve your fitness goals.  
   
Questions #1: How do I shrink my love handles?
I get this question all the time from both men and woman, and doing a million crunches a day won’t make your love handles go away. Nine out of 10 times, I tell them they need to be doing cardio. I recommend doing cardio four to five times a week for 30 minutes. But cardio won’t do it alone. 90 percent of it is diet.

Questions #2: What should I be eating?
You should be eating a healthy combination of fat, carbohydrates and protein. But any good trainer will say that you really need to sit down for a full consultation, because everyone is different and has different needs. But my overall recommendation would be to NOT go on a diet. A diet is a temporary fix. If you aren’t reaching your fitness goals currently, you need a lifestyle change.

Questions #3: How do I get bigger or bulk up?
Again, a personal consultation is in order. But when men usually ask me this question, I generally say to follow a high-calorie meal plan. To get even more technical, I recommend they take 1.5 grams of protein per pound of their body weight each day.

Questions #4: If I lift weights, will I get bulky?
No. Women need to lift weights because they have a higher risk of osteoporosis. Lifting helps with bone density and that helps fight off osteoporosis.

Questions #5: Where should my heart rate be during cardio?
Your max heart rate is 220 minus your age. That is not where you want to be to burn fat. Your fat-burning zone is 65-85 percent of your max heart rate. Find that sweet spot instead.

Questions #6: If my 13-year-old child lifts weights, can it stunt his or her growth?
The answer here is yes. Bone growth occurs at the epiphyseal plate. When a child works out too young, they can damage the plates, which are still forming. That damage could stunt their growth. I recommend they start working out at 16 years of age with core strengthening.

Questions #7: What much water should I drink each day?
There are a lot of theories on how much water you should drink, but use your common sense. When you’re thirsty, drink water. You should be drinking water throughout the day rather than gulping it down at the end of a workout. I suggest always having water with you throughout the day.

Questions #8: I’ve been doing the inner-thigh machine but it’s not working. How do I work that area?
Just like the love-handles question, you can’t do a million inner-thigh repetitions to tone that area. Continue to do cardio, four to five times a week for 30 minutes each day. Then, do side lunges to stretch and tone that area.

Questions #9: I follow my workout when I’m at the gym, but what should I do when I travel?
Traveling shouldn’t be an excuse to give up your healthy lifestyle. During layovers in the airport, walk around and take the stairs whenever you can. Once you arrive at your hotel, find the hotel’s gym and plan a quick cardio session each morning. You can also book fun outdoor activities to keep you active throughout the trip.

Steve Orlando is the owner of SO FIT Personal Training, with personal training, group fitness and nutrition services. Steve has more than 15 years of industry experience with a wide range of clients.

My last few columns have only focused on exercising, but that’s only half the story. Eating right is an  essential part to living a healthy lifestyle and achieving your fitness goals. So here are a few tips to keep in mind the next time you head to the grocery store for your weekly meal shopping.

Make a healthy list and stick to it.
This pre-planning helps set you up for success. Plus, you’ll be less likely to add to that package of Oreos into your cart if it’s not on the list.

Never shop when you are hungry.
Being hungry and food shopping is a dangerous combination. It can cause you to grab a few not-so-healthy impulse purchases. 

Shop the outside aisles of the store.
That’s where some of the most healthy food choices like, like fruits, vegetables, lean meats and dairy, while carbs and processed foods can often be found in the interior aisles. 

Speaking of fruit and vegetables, taste the rainbow.
You want to make sure you have plenty of different colors of these foods in your cart. The colors reflect the different vitamin, mineral and phytonutrient content of each fruit or vegetable.

Shake up your old routine.
Add in some new choices to keep your healthy eating fun, like sweet potatoes instead of regular potatoes or spinach instead of regular iceberg lettuce. 

Read the labels.
You should know what you are putting into your body. The labels can be tricky if you’re not well-versed in them. Rule of thumb: Avoid foods that have more than five ingredients, artificial ingredients or ingredients you can’t pronounce. 

Steve Orlando is the owner of SO FIT Personal Training, with personal training, group fitness and nutrition services. Steve has more than 15 years of industry experience with a wide range of clients.

Are your New Year’s resolutions collecting dust? Did you have big plans to make a lifestyle change, but those plans never turned to action? Staying motivated long after the ball drops is a challenge for most of us, but it’s easy to get back on track. 
  
Start by writing down your goals. This sounds like an easy step to skip, but it’s important to actually write them down, and review them. Are your goals realistic? Have you set yourself up for failure by expecting a lifestyle change overnight? Set goals that are achievable yet challenging. You won’t push yourself if the goals are too easy, and you’ll give up if they’re too hard. 
 
Partner with a friend. Friends are always great for company, and they also double as additional motivation when you work out together. Create a schedule that you can both stick to, and then make your partner stay accountable. Share your goals, and track your weight-loss progress together. Even friendly fitness emails throughout the day can help you both stay motivated.   
 
Commit publicly. You don’t have to take out a billboard ad, but mentioning your fitness goals to your friends and coworkers can help you succeed. They’ll get the clue that fast-food lunch spots are out, and maybe they’ll stop bringing in leftover desserts from home. In fact, you might find a few friends to join in your fitness commitment! Plus, sharing your commitment to fitness will help you stay accountable.   

Get in on the competition. A little friendly competition is a great way to rev up your workout engine. Look online for local fitness-based events or high-energy group-fitness classes like Zumba and Cardio Boxing. You can also find a program, like a community Biggest Loser competition, which incentives you to work out while you compete against others for prizes and bragging rights. Sometimes, that added incentive is all you need to get moving! 
 
Be positive. There will days when you don’t feel like working out. Try to remember why you started the goal sheet to begin with — you wanted to make a change, and every day you chose whether you work toward that change or not. Give yourself a cheat day, read your goals again and get back to it. You can do it!
 
Steve Orlando is fitness consultant and personal trainer in Oldsmar, FL with more than 15 years of industry experience.