Eating Healthy While Traveling
If you’re someone who travels a lot, whether it be for work or pleasure, it can be a challenge to stick to a healthy routine. I come across this issue a lot with my own clients and have put together some steps you can take to stay on track and continue eating healthy while traveling.
Pack your essentials
When preparing for your trip, make sure you pack all you need to feel good and still have a great time! When my husband and I travel, we like to pack our multivitamins, macro-friendly snacks/food items, protein bars (we love G2G bars), and we bring a ziplock bag of protein powder. At home, I drink hot tea every morning, so I like to bring some tea packets with me as well. Basically, whatever “routine” you have that makes you feel good while you’re at home, bring it with you!
Hit the grocery store
Whether you are staying in a house and you have access to a kitchen to cook or are staying in a hotel, head to the store and pick up at least SOME groceries! If you have plans to dine out while you’re traveling, then at least get some items for breakfast and/or lunch. This can REALLY help you stay in control of your food choices and stick to better portion sizes than if you picked up food on the run. If you aren’t staying somewhere where you can cook, just grab a few items such as lunch meat, low carb wraps, oatmeal, protein bars, fruit, protein shakes, etc. that you can keep on hand in your hotel room. If your room doesn’t come with a mini-fridge, you can request one ahead of time from the front desk.
Eat light during the day
Save up the majority of your calories for the meal you want to enjoy the most or the meal you know you aren’t going to have much control over. For most people, that is usually dinner. So, load up on lean protein + veggies for breakfast and lunch, and keep your starchy carb and fat intake low. Save most of that for dinner so you can relax and enjoy since you’ve saved room for some extra calories. Avoid all-day snacking and mindless eating. If you must snack, opt for veggie slices like cucumbers (helps reduce bloat) and a few spoonfuls of hummus or a protein rich snack like the Iconic Protein drinks (Found at Sprouts and Central Market).
Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate
First thing when you wake up in the AM, drink a large glass of water. When traveling, our bodies are more prone to dehydration, and since we aren’t in the same routine as when we are at home, we can simply forget to drink water. In the mornings I like to drink a mug of hot water with 1 lemon squeezed into it. This also helps with digestion among many other things. Right before you go to bed drink another glass of water. If you are drinking alcohol in the evening at social events, this will be especially important. Who wants to wake up with a hangover?
Like anything, staying on track while traveling just requires planning ahead and having a game plan. If you can incorporate these steps into your next trip, I believe you will feel better and when you return, you won’t feel like you have to “un-do the damage” or “get back on the wagon.” I am always stressing to my clients that CONSISTENCY is key and health and fitness is a lifestyle. If you can adopt that mindset and view eating healthy as a part of your everyday life and not some diet you have to “cheat” on, you will have greater long-term success, a healthier relationship with food, and truly feel your BEST.
This post was written exclusively for Happy Girl Life by trainer Anna Pilling. Click here to learn more about Anna and her passion for helping women achieve their fitness goals.
