How I Stay Healthy And Balanced While Traveling (Plus My Travel Essentials)
I love traveling, as I am sure you do too! I also crave and love my healthy routine that I have at home which gets thrown off when traveling anywhere, which I am sure you can probably relate to. One of the best parts of traveling is being able to get away from routine and just live a little more freely, but so often living a little too freely can come at a price. Traveling itself can put so much stress on the body, whether traveling by car or plane, and then adding in fried/processed foods and alcohol on top of it can wreak havoc on your digestive system, mood, energy levels, skin and more. I learned years ago after going on a trip with some girlfriends that ditching my healthy lifestyle and “living it up” didn’t exactly lead to more fun, it lead to me feeling like crap. So since then, instead of ditching my lifestyle completely, I decided to incorporate a more balanced approach to traveling. I realized that I still wanted to try a fun meal at a restaurant on my trip, while still feeling good- and this meant that I had to stick to my healthy routine and add balance in at the same time. Below are some of the tips that I use to stick to a healthy routine and have balance so I don’t have to compromise how I feel and still enjoy myself.
start the morning with a healthy breakfast
This is something that I make sure to do always, but especially while traveling. I love to start out my days by having a breakfast full of healthy protein, fiber and healthy fats. Sometimes this means a smoothie, an açaí bowl or a savory breakfast bowl. Starting off with a healthy breakfast will help curb cravings, keep you full and satiated and help you make better choices throughout the day. It is also great to start off the day with something that will increase your energy and mood, rather than deplete you of it first thing in the day. Plus, when you start off the day with a healthy breakfast, you’ll have room to play in your diet later in the day.
prioritize movement
Depending on the type of travels you have planned, sometimes it can involve lots of movement or it involves lots of lounge time. I love a vacation where I am out hiking or walking around sight-seeing, but I also love a vacation where I get to stay put and have my drinks and lunch served to me pool or beachside. When I know that I am going to be mostly sedentary on my trip, I always make sure to prioritize movement first thing in the morning. For me personally, this can look like:
bringing my ankle weights and resistance bands along with me for an “at home style” workout for 45 minutes
hitting the hotel gym and utilizing the bike, elliptical or free weights for 45 minutes
getting out for a walk
Movement is so important for your overall health. It can also improve your energy and mood (something I like to keep high during vacation). And while I am a big believer that you don’t ever have to earn food, it does feel a little bit better ordering the tacos or ice cream later in the day knowing that you moved your body that day.
pack snacks
This is something I do any time I travel. Having healthy snacks on hand like protein bars, will help you stay on track while you’re traveling. Having your favorite healthy snacks around will keep you from buying something ultra- processed at the airport or picking up a not so healthy snack from the gas station on your road trip. I also love having healthy snacks around while on vacation because it helps me limit how much processed or fried foods I am consuming. Most of the time when we are hungry for a snack on vacation, we reach for things like fried chips and salsa or fried finger foods because those are typically what is available for snacking items on menus. So instead, I like to have a protein or energy bar on hand to avoid over indulging and to keep me full, satiated and energized.
add in veggies when you can
I try to add in leafy greens and vegetables anywhere I can while on vacation. A lot of restaurants make the protein and carbohydrate source the main attraction on a plate and often leave out the beautiful fruits and vegetables we need in our diets. While protein and carbohydrates are important, you also want to make sure that you are getting in some vegetables at every meal- a key ingredient to stay feeling good while traveling. Here are some of the tips I use when ordering out:
Opt for a side salad instead of fries if possible
Swap out the bun on the burger for a lettuce bun or ask for it to be served over a side salad
When ordering chips and salsa or other dips, ask for a side of sliced veggies for dipping
Choose a vegetable forward appetizer (especially if you plan to order something on the “not so lighter side”!)
Ask for your burrito or other wrap to be served over greens or rice instead of a flour wrap
I also love sneaking in greens by getting a green juice or smoothie at a local juicery. Greens are so important for energy, promoting a healthy complexion, beating the bloat and digestive issues and more.
keep one thing from your usual morning routine
I love my morning routine but when I travel, I am not able to give it my all which usually results in skipping it completely. By skipping my routine completely, it affected my mindset during the day and it was also a lot harder for me to get back into routine when I got home. Instead, I keep one thing from my routine and do that daily. This depends on what my routine currently looks like as it changes often. I have found that lowering my expectations for “staying on track” and focusing on keeping just one single part of my morning routine helps make things much more doable.
my healthy lifestyle travel essentials:
A Water Bottle- Hydration is key while traveling! I love carrying this water bottle with me when I travel. I also love bringing these hydration packets with me to add to my water for electrolytes that contain added potassium and magnesium.
Protein Bars- These bars here are my favorite! They are low in sugar (something that is already so easy to get in your diet while traveling) and high in protein so they will be sure to keep you full while traveling.
Light Workout Gear- I always bring these ankle weights and this resistance band with me when I travel. They are light and fit easy into any travel bag. I also love this travel yoga mat that folds perfectly into a suitcase and takes up minimal room!
Supplements- I love to bring a digestive support supplement like this pre & probiotic supplement when I travel. Travel stress, fried foods, alcohol and more can throw off your gut microbiome quickly. Taking a digestive support supplement helps to keep your gut in check while still enjoying yourself on vacation.
