3 Easy, Stress-Free Ways to Eat Healthy While Traveling
Hi gorgeous!
Mark and I are neck-deep in our big move to Canada. He graduated last Friday and we started our trip bright and early Saturday morning -- driving allllll weekend and finally ending up in Ohio (where I'm originally from) to visit my family for a few days.
Tomorrow, we will make it to the PROMISED LAND of great Canada!
Still so surreal to me that all this is happening.... BUT I'll write more blog posts about it, or else this email would be way too long and I know you're busy ;)
Whether you travel for work or pleasure, maintaining a healthy lifestyle that makes you feel energized and great does NOT have to be stressful! In fact, you can stick to a pretty similar routine, even when you're on the road - it just takes a little education and planning ahead.
Here are my three go-to tips when it comes to staying healthy while traveling:
1. Pack yo snax!
Even if you're traveling via airplane, you can bring SO many different options for snacks. And if you're traveling in the car, this is even easier. Some of my favs include:
- Pre-cooked chicken breasts
- Hardboiled eggs (better if not on a plane because #stinky)
- Sliced veggies like peppers, carrots, etc.
- Individual bags of SkinnyPop popcorn
- Protein/nutrition bars - my faves include KIND, Quest, FitJoy, Lara Bars (I honestly prefer the bars like Kind/Lara with whole-food ingredients, even though they have less protein. Sometimes the protein bars bloat my belly, but they're still great travel options if I need to.)
- Pre-made protein pancakes or energy balls (oats, PB, protein powder, cinnamon)
- Fruit (apples, berries, bananas, whatever)
Not only is it MUCH cheaper to pack your snacks ahead of time, it's usually much healthier than having to make choices on-the-go.
2. Pick healthy options at restaurants/gas stations.
Chances are, you'll probably be eating out a lot more and won't have the chance to cook all your food like you would at home.
Of course it's fine to enjoy yourself and indulge in things you normally wouldn't get the chance to (see point 3), but 80% of the time, make healthy options that revolve around protein and veggies, and always get sauces on the side. A good example of my go-to out meal is either steak or chicken, side of steamed broccoli, and a side salad with balsamic vinaigrette on the side; or a #BAS (big azz salad) with lots of protein and veggies - again, with dressing on the side.
If you're stopping at a gas station, best options include fresh fruit, pre-made salads (without the dressing), greek yogurt, hardboiled eggs, protein bars, carbonated water.
3. Be discerning.
Like I said in point 2, you're traveling - enjoy yourself! But be discerning about things you REALLY want vs. what you think you 'deserve' or 'should want' simply because you're on vacation.
If you know you're going out to pizza that night, for example - no need to opt for a salad! Just make healthy choices for breakfast and lunch that day (i.e. eggs, salad, etc.).
A vacation doesn't need to be a free-for-all where you eat yourself to death. Focus on finding enjoyment in things other than food. Trust yourself to make healthy choices, and when you DO indulge, make sure to do so mindfully - because feeling overly stuffed and needing to unbutton your pants isn't comfortable, either ;)
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Hope this helps :) Save this email and refer back to it next time you're traveling! And if you have a friend or family member that travels a lot, please forward this along to them.
I'll update you when I get to Canada!
xo
Julie