How to stay healthy when you’re traveling!

How to stay healthy when you’re traveling!

How to stay healthy when you’re traveling!

Written by: Guest Writer  Shelly Stinson  

When you’re away from the comforts of home, sometimes even the simplest things can prove slightly more difficult. Staying healthy is definitely one of them. Not only do you lose access to your own kitchen full of nutritious foods, but you also no longer have the option of working out in your regular gym. 

While this may make you want to set your healthy behaviors aside until you return, doing so could really derail your fitness goals. Besides, it is completely possible to continue to be healthy when you’re traveling, as long as you follow some basic guidelines. Plus, won’t it feel great to come back, knowing that you treated your body right while away? 

 

  • Choose accommodations with access to fitness equipment

If possible, secure lodging someplace that has an onsite gym or fitness center. That way you can work out at the beginning or end of the day and burn some calories or build some muscle before heading back to your room to shower and freshen up. 
Your lodging options don’t have this amenity available? No problem. Simply check with local gyms to see if they offer discounted pricing options daily or by the week (whatever length of time you’ll be there). 

Have a little fun with it and see what other venues have to offer. Sometimes it’s nice to exercise in different surroundings. 

Quick Tip: Some of the top hotel search sites like Trivago allow you to do an advanced search to find lodging that offers fitness-related amenities, making this step easier.

 

  • Give yourself permission to enjoy local food

One of the worst things you can do when traveling is tell yourself that you can’t enjoy the local cuisine because it is “bad” for you. This way of thinking either sets you up to not experience your trip (or your life) fully or it encourages you to gorge when you find the temptation just too strong, neither of which is good. Instead, give yourself permission to enjoy some of the local favorites, but do it in a way that enables you to stick to your health goals at the same time. How?
Well, one option is to allow yourself a treat meal or treat day while eating nutritiously the rest of the time. It works for college students looking to avoid the Freshman 15, so certainly it could work for you! Another alternative is to choose smaller portion sizes. If you’re traveling with someone else, splitting a local cuisine is a great way to go. 

 

  • Take healthy “tools” with you

Of course, if you really want to set yourself up for health-related success when you’re away from home, you can do that by taking some healthy “tools” with you. Don’t worry; this doesn’t involve putting your weight set in your suitcase or lugging a big cooler. It’s actually much easier than that.
Here are some travel-friendly tools to consider:

  • An empty water bottle, saves you money and encourages you to keep hydrated without adding a ton of calories to your diet.
  • Resistance bands, enable you to exercise pretty much anywhere, even without access to a gym.
  • Your athletic shoes, so you can walk your way to fitness while checking out the local area, kind of like a two-for-one.
  • Protein bars, in case you get hungry between meals (be sure to choose ones low in sugar).

Being healthy while on the road may take some planning and a little creativity, but it is completely possible if you operate within these types of guidelines.

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