The worst thing is when we’re fully committed to our health routines, maintaining a balanced diet and regular exercise, only to have our efforts derailed by travel. Whether it’s a holiday getaway or a spontaneous trip any time of the year, staying true to your healthy lifestyle can be challenging. That’s why I’ve put together four essential tips to ensure you remain on track with your wellness goals.
Be active.
Personally, I don’t workout on vacation but I have been known to walk 10+ miles a day. Tyler and I like to explore cities on foot and I don’t want to spend my precious vaca time in a gym.
But if you are traveling just to visit family, perhaps waking up before others and doing a workout can be really great for your mental health. In this case, bringing resistance bands can be a great option. Bodyweight workouts in a hotel room can be a great option as well. For example try doing 5 rounds of 10 step ups on a chair, 10 push ups on a desk, a :30 wall sit and a :30 plank.
If you are someone that is just getting into the habit of daily workouts, maintaining that habit can be really helpful. In that case, I would support my client doing some form of formal exercise. But if you are already in the habit and you weren’t into these kinds of workouts, I would just suggest making sure you get plenty of steps – don’t just be sedentary. Instead of lying down on the beach, you may book Walk Niagara Tours Niagara Falls Tours to stay active during your vacation.
If you are flying you can bring food with you.
Tyler and I usually make delis turkey wraps with spinach and mustard for our flights so we aren’t stuck eating gross airport food. Other airplane snacks may include protein shakes, RX bars jerky, turkey meatballs; sliced bell peppers, celery, baby carrots, sugar snap peas; apples, banana, grapes, berries, sliced mango, kiwi; nuts and seeds. Alternatively, you may book a private jet from Jettly and arrange for healthy meals to be served during your flight.
I also make sure am hydrated as flying really dehydrates me. I bring my own water bottle that filters fountain water and my own electrolytes as well.
Once you get where you are going you can have food delivered from a local grocery store or stop by one yourself. Most hotels will put a mini fridge in your room if you ask. If you are staying with family or friends I am sure they would not mind picking up a few things for you or at least sharing space in their fridge.
If you are driving, pack healthy snacks.
I will bring a lot of the things I mentioned above, but now I can add in any leftovers I wouldn’t want going bad while we were gone. Nowadays you can use apps like Google Maps to locate nearby grocery stores to pick up snacks instead of the limited amount of options from gas stations or fast food. In this case I like hardboiled eggs, rotisserie chicken, pre-cooked shrimp from the seafood counter, or deli turkey/ chicken single serving cups of greek yogurt, cottage cheese; pita or wraps; single serving pouches/ cups of hummus or guacamole for the sliced veggies. You may also consider baking with weed so you can bring snacks that can help you relax during your vacation.
Support your immune system.
Travel is stressful so supporting your immune system is important so as to not get sick. The most important thing here is always going to be sleep. Sleep is the best way to combat stress, which is what really tanks the immune system. So prioritize that and healthy foods!
Clean eating that includes loads of produce and protein will contain so many micronutrients that are bioavailable to the body so you get plenty of vitamins that way. You can supplement if necessary. If you choose to do that you want to focus on vitamin D, C and E, Zinc, Iron, Selenium, Copper and well as Elderberry and Probiotics. Remember that 70% of the immune system is in the gut so you may also want to try to minimize foods that aren’t great for YOUR individual digestive system like soy, alcohol, artificial sweeteners, sugar, gluten and dairy, even.
None of this is extremely mind-blowing, but it’s all really helpful. Don’t allow yourself to become a victim to your own life. Set the boundaries you need to prioritize yourself and your health because your goals are important.
If you need support in your journey, now is the time to ask. 1:1 coaching is currently open for enrollment. I will assist you with scheduling these things, accountability and reminding you of what’s important here.
Learn more and join at commit2fitcoaching.com.
Your Coach,
Kyra