Trying every new food you come across in a new place, enjoying a glass (or 3!) of wine on the flight, and lounging by the pool all day. Are you think what I’m thinking: “Sign me up!” You’re on vacation, after all, so who wants to watch their diet or exercise?
It’s possible to experience everything you want to while traveling and has a healthy balance. No one wants to arrive home after an epic time in a place like Australia or Hawaii and feel sluggish or have health issues.
Here are a few tips to help you keep a healthy balance while traveling.
1. Take control of your nutrition.
While it’s much easier to get proper nutrition when cooking for yourself at home, it’s possible to take control of what you’re putting in your body while traveling. Avoid salty and fatty hotel breakfast foods like bacon, pastries, and fried potatoes. Instead, start your day with fruit, yogurt, and grains. This kick-start will help set you up to allow for some food experiments later in the day. Whatever local culinary delights you eating, be sure to add in fruits or vegetables throughout the day. Strive to get 50-60 grams of protein per day from good food sources. This will help boost your metabolism. And don’t hesitate to ask for substitutes at restaurants, especially if you follow a specific diet, like vegan.
In addition, drinking plenty of water is vital to a healthy balance while traveling. I can’t stress enough how important it is to hydrate when you travel. If you’re getting to/from your destination via air travel, the hydration starts on your flight.
I talk with many travelers that don’t want to drink water on a flight, because they don’t want to use the airplane bathroom. But ending up with swollen ankles for your entire vacation or, worse yet, in the hospital due to dehydration just because you didn’t want to use the airplane toilet is not fun. I get it, airplane bathrooms aren’t my favorite, but I’m willing to risk accidentally touching anything there versus not staying hydrated. Just don’t forget your hand sanitizer!
2. Find fun ways to exercise.
You don’t have to sweat away in the dark hotel gym when you travel. Find a healthy balance that gets you outdoors or introduces you to a new activity. Walk the streets of a neighborhood to see how people really live in that location, do your morning stretches on the beach, sign-up for a walking or biking tour, go snorkeling or surfing, find a local exercise class, or go on a morning run and take a different route each day of your trip. There are plenty of options to add movement to your day while maintaining your full vacation mode.
3. Prioritize sleep.
It’s your vacation, and you want to fit everything in, but you’ll enjoy it more if you sleep. Plus, an adequate amount of sleep will help you keep a healthy balance throughout your trip. Avoid red-eye travel as much as possible. It’s difficult to get a whole night of sleep on an airplane, bus, or train. Also, implement the bedtime routines you do at home while traveling. If you take a warm shower before bed at home or read a book, do the same while you’re away. Keeping your routine will help your body and mind rest.
What are ways you keep a healthy balance while traveling? Leave your tips in the comments below!
