by: Samantha Rosario
Eating healthy seems more manageable when you follow your every-day routine, right? Although making healthy food choices when on vacation or traveling for work-related reasons, might be difficult, it’s not impossible. There are many ways to create a balance and make the right decisions. Maintaining healthy habits while traveling will help you enjoy your leisure time, plus you won’t be bloated or tired when you return. Check out these practical tips:
1. Preparation is vital
When traveling by plane, you are likely to be tired by the time you board. Besides, dragging your luggage around the airport terminal isn’t that easy. If you try looking for something nutritious and satisfying, all you end up finding are overpriced fries and burgers. Finding healthy food inside the airport or plane is not an easy feat. That is why you should consider packing your snacks. For instance, you can pack:
· Dried fruits
· Rice cakes
· Nut mix
· Fresh fruit
Make sure to check with the attendants as passengers are not allowed to bring their food on some flights.
2. Healthy eating starts where you stop
When traveling by road, note that whether you eat healthily or not will be determined by the stops you make. If you keep stopping at a fast food joint, your food choices will be limited and unhealthy. You could also choose to stop at a grocery store. Here, you will find an array of healthy food choices, such as nuts, vegetables, and fruits. You may also stop at a supermarket that has a salad bar, where you can quickly reduce your junk-food temptations.
3. Keep off the “feel bad foods”
Everyone has those moments where they crave an unhealthy snack. The moment you succumb to the temptation and eat the bite, it leaves you feeling depleted or sick. When on the road, you need to keep off foods that leave you with an awful mood after you eat them. Foods in this category include deep-fried foods, sugary snacks, partially hydrogenated junk, nonfat desserts, and excess alcohol.
4. Three a day!
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner: this should be your routine. Make sure you stick to square meals even when you are traveling. Most travelers like skipping lunch so that they have a buffet in the evening. If you want to stay lean or cut some weight when moving, do not skip meals! There are also a few options to try if you want to shed some pounds when traveling.
5. Talk to the locals
Ask around and make friends with the natives. When most people travel, they barely set foot outside the hotel bar. There are many healthy options out there, which you can only explore if you liaise with the locals. Most healthy food restaurants are affordable and are hardly ever on Yelp or Google. People are happy to recommend nice places, but make sure you ask a credible person, such as the hotel workers.
6. Limit your snack portions
Bites can make or break your travel experience in a jiffy. The ideal snack ought to include a fruit, vegetable, whole grain or lean protein. Remember that snacks shouldn’t make full meals and must never exceed 200 calories. Keep off processed foods like baked goods, candy, and chips. Plain Greek yogurt, dried fruits, and sliced veggies are ideal options.
7. Stick to low-sugar, nonalcoholic beverages
Staying hydrated when traveling is crucial. However, you shouldn’t go for the high sugar options as these will only derail you from achieving your diet goals. Opt for unsweetened tea and coffee. Sometimes the anxiety of traveling might prompt you to take a few cocktails, but avoid alcohol at all costs. It can disrupt your appetite signals and dehydrate you, making you eat food even when you aren’t hungry.
8. Water is life
As cliché as this might sound, your body requires water for almost all its functions. If you do not take enough water, there won’t be enough of it to flush your body of toxins, help you eat less and keep your skin fresh. Water will also help you to prevent travel lag, junk-food cravings and symptoms of overexposure to the sun or heat.
9. Avoid breaking the cycle
It can be difficult since temptation is all over the place. Fast foods have become more common over the years, and resisting the urge only gets worse when you travel. Sometimes the hotel will be closed, and you’ll be thinking, “Fries cannot be as hard if I take them today only.” however, that one-time can have an impact on your diet plan and mess you up. That is why you should always have a wholesome backup snack that you can eat to replace meals. Note that you should do this only under unavoidable circumstances and you shouldn’t make it a routine.
As you can see, eating healthy while traveling is achievable. Remember to be set for success by proper preparation and choosing your goals before leaving the house. Also, sample the local cuisine of where you are headed; you might find some fresh cooking ideas and spices.