Summer is vacation and travel season for a lot of us.
But instead of looking forward to your vacation, you’re thinking “I’ve been eating so well, exercising, taking care of myself…and I’m just beginning to feel better and see results. How am I gonna keep all of that up while I’m away from home?!!”
Okay, first of all…take a deep breath. I’ve got your back. 🙂
Being on the road and in unfamiliar surroundings can cause some serious stress when it comes to eating healthfully and staying on top of self-care.
After years of traveling for work and for adventure – to places as close as Portland and San Francisco and as far away as Cambodia and Bali – I’ve zeroed in on a few things to bring and ways to be to help me stay in control of how I feel (physically and mentally) when I’m away from home…while allowing plenty of room for the lovely surprises of travel.
Check out my top five healthy and stress-free travel tips…and ENJOY your summer travel adventures!
1. Up your game before you go.
In the weeks leading up to your trip, do your best to step up your self care. Eat what your body needs (i.e., whole foods). Stick with exercise. Get enough sleep. Be good to yourself! All of that stuff that we’d love to be doing all the time but that sometimes drops off as life gets busy. Focus on shoring up your self care habits so your body is ready for anything.
2. Let go of control.
It’s just for a while; and if you have a strong base (see #1), your body will bounce back more quickly than you think. Part of the joy of travel – for me, at least – is exploring new places via food. Make room for indulgence and new culinary adventures; otherwise, you’ll miss out on one of the great pleasures of life…FOOD!! (If you’re like my client Tiffany – always forgetting that you’ve been able to bounce back from less-than-optimal eating/exercise/etc. before – make a list of the times that you went on vacation and your healthy self survived. Keep it in your wallet and look at it every time you doubt yourself. It’ll be like having me in your pocket saying “Um, wait. What about that time you went to Italy and ate piles of pasta and cheese and gelato and loved every bite…and got right back on track with healthy eating when you got back? Or that time you went to New Orleans and ate so many beignets that you…?” You get the idea. 😉
3. Follow the 90/10 Rule.
Sort of the same idea as #2, but it’s helpful for some to have an actual rule to follow. Eat as well and healthfully as you can 90% of the time; save the other 10% for serendipitous yumminess. And for serious travel and culinary adventures, I’d make this more like 80/20…or maybe 70/30. 😉 (For more tips on avoiding junk food on the road, check out this post.)
4. Be prepared.
You’ve probably gathered that I’m a little bit of a control freak, particularly when it comes to self care and feeling great; so it will come as no surprise that I travel with snacks and other “self care accessories”…always. (I know I just told you to let go of control; but having just a little control can help you feel less stressed out…and that’s a good thing.) Here’s what you’ll find in my suitcase or carry-on on most trips:
- Fruit and nut bars. Kit’s Organic and Larabar are my go-tos.
- Nuts. I like almonds, but any will do for a quick, filling, and sustainable energy boost when nothing else looks edible. (It does happen occasionally.) Try Trader Joe’s for single-serving nut packets if overindulging is a concern.
- Whole fruit. Apples and bananas are the most portable and durable.
- Ginger tea. To settle my tummy when I overdo it.
- Water bottle. Staying hydrated is so, soooo important, especially when you’re traveling. It’s easy to forget and then wonder why you’re starving and/or craving sugar all the time (both side effects of dehydration). For longer trips, I love my Vapur foldable water bottle.
- Earplugs. I’m obsessed with sleep no matter where I am…and for good reason (see this post from a couple weeks back). If you’re a light sleeper – or even if you’re not – I cannot recommend bringing earplugs highly enough. You just never know what fun noises you’ll encounter on the road (like the roosters living in EVERY SINGLE HOUSE in Bali that crow at the top of their lungs pretty much all night long). I even have a favorite brand: Mac’s Pillowsoft Earplugs. Those little foam ones you stick in your ears just don’t work for me.
- Sunscreen. It’s summer. D’uh. Oh, and I’m obsessed with Humangear GoToob travel bottles for stuff like sunscreen, lotions, face wash, etc. Try one. You’ll love it!
- Running shoes. Even if you hate running, you can’t argue with the fact that running (or walking) is the most portable form of exercise. You can do it (almost) anywhere. If you have room or are traveling by car, you could also throw in a yoga mat and do yoga classes on YogaGlo.com in your hotel room.
Do what you can…and let that be enough.
That pretty much sums it up. You’ll be okay. Have fun! 🙂
My bottom line? Being healthy and feeling great isn’t the end game; it’s the tool I use to experience life feeling the way I want to feel. If I skip out on life in favor of “being healthy,” then I’ve totally missed the point, don’t you think?
What about you? How do you handle staying healthy on the road? Tell me in the comments.
xo,
