Travel is one my favorite topics, and seeing as my family is about to embark on our summer trip, I thought now would be a great time to remind my readers (and myself) of some easy tips to ensure your wellness goals don’t get completely off-rail when traveling.
Why Plan For Healthy Travel?
If you’re younger, you may be in the same mindset I was in my 20s and 30s: travel is the time to let go of all restrictions and just enjoy! Eat & drink what you want, don’t worry about a sleep routine, and make sure the most rigorous exercise is the walk on the beach. Now that I’m in my 40s, I’ve learned the hard way that even just a few days of indulgent eating or a wacky sleep schedule leaves me feeling fatigued, bloated, and just overall….crappy.
My Healthy Travel Toolbox includes ways to ensure you can still enjoy your vacation while feeling energized and vibrant both during and after!
Carry-On Must-Haves
There are a few items I never travel without to ensure I’m feeling my best while traveling. Whether you’re road tripping or boarding a plane, toss these things into your bag, sit back, and enjoy the vacation!
- Refillable water bottle: The air in airplanes is extra dehydrating, which is what often leads to travellers feeling groggy, tired, queasy and headachy after a flight. To save money, I bring an empty water bottle through security and then find a water fountain near my gate. Buying a large bottled water once through security works, too!
- Although flights include beverage service, they’d have to bring you a LOT of those little cups of water for you to properly stay hydrated: the bare minimum recommended amount is 8 oz per hour. That means for a medium-length flight of 4 hours, you should be drinking a liter of water. It also helps to hydrate well BEFORE your flight–that morning, or while waiting in the airport to board.
- A lot of people avoid drinking a lot of water while traveling because they don’t want to make extra pit stops during the drive, or hate getting up to use the airplane restroom. Get over that. It’s worth it.
- Electrolytes: To tag onto the hydration theme, bringing your own electrolytes is key for proper hydration as it provides key minerals that plain water can’t. My go-to is Ultima Replenisher Electrolytes, which come in powder form, including convenient travel packs. Ultima uses no sugar and no artificial colors or sweeteners, and comes in a ton of delicious flavors. Bye bye, Gatorade!
- Oil of Oregano: This is a potent oil that provides a fantastic boost for your immune system, which is key while traveling and especially being in close quarters with a lot of people. Oil of Oregano has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antomicrobial properties (aka it will kill any virus or bacteria it touches). Take a few drops on travel days. Do be careful: it is extremely potent and can be toxic if overused. It should be used according to directions, and only for a short period continuously (3-5 days). It can burn your lips or tongue, so I get a mouthful of water and THEN use the dropper. I also use this when I feel a cold coming on!
- Calm Magnesium Supplement powder: Anyone else suffer from travel constipation? You’re not alone. Travel disrupts our normal routine–which I’d argue is one of the main benefits– but that can throw off our sensitive digestive clock and bowel regulation. This powder is gentle and has dual benefits: keeping you regular, and calming any travel nerves. Magnesium also famously helps with restful sleep, which can definitely be elusive when sleeping in a new bed. It is a powder that is simply mixed into water and can be taken at any time of day, though I prefer in the evening. Try the raspberry lemonade flavor!
- Exercise Bands: Getting some daily cardio in is usually pretty easy while on vacation–think beach walks, sightseeing, bikes, and hikes. Strength training can be harder. If you’re staying at a hotel that has an onsite gym, take advantage by doing some resistance exercises once for every 3 days of your trip. If you don’t have gym access, this is where resistance bands come into play. These bands are super light and take up hardly any suitcase space – the kind that look like giant rubber band loops, not the kinds with handles on the ends. You can get creative with your own upper and lower body moves, or find plenty of free videos on YouTube to guide your workout.
- Sleep Tools: These come in handy for both the airplane and once you’ve reached your destination to ensure you’re getting enough sleep. The older I get, I find that I need more rituals and/or items to help me get my 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night. Add in a new bed, strange sounds, or trying to sleep upright in an airplane seat and I will take all the help I can get! Here are the sleep tools I always bring with me: a sleep mask, noise-canceling headphones or earbuds with white noise playing, Nighty-Night tea, my nightly magnesium glycinate pills, and a travel sized lavender-chamomile pillow spray. If it’s a road trip, you’d better believe I’m bringing my pillow!
- Healthy, Portable Snacks: When you’re traveling, sometimes you don’t know where or when your next meal will be. Here are some easy things to carry with you in the car or plane to keep blood sugar stable and avoid any hangry outbursts:
- Nuts or trail mix without added sugars
- Cheese sticks or Babybels
- Mini grass-fed meat sticks (try Chomps or Archer Farms)
- Dried fruit, no sugar added
- Dark chocolate covered almonds
- Travel size nut butter packets – with no added sugars or oils
- Protein bars – I like Aloha brand
Nutrition Non-Negotiables
Of course you want to–-and should–-sample all the local flavors and treats of wherever you’re vacationing. That is one of the best parts of travel and probably the part that my husband and I most look forward to!
While on a trip, I make sure to meet these daily non-negotiables so I can maintain my energy while indulging in fun new foods.
Non-Negotiable #1: Daily Water Intake 80-100 oz. This is easy to keep track of if you use your water bottle and carry it with you throughout the day, whether it’s to the beach or while sightseeing. Again, hydration and electrolytes are key to feeling great! If sipping throughout the day is hard for you, load up on water first thing in the morning.
Non-Negotiable #2: Daily Protein Goals. Lean protein keeps you feeling full longer, boosts metabolism, and preserves lean muscle. Even while on vacation, getting your daily protein will help you stay on track with your wellness goals. For active adults trying to lose fat while building muscle, the recommendation is 1g protein/pound of body weight. While traveling, if you go a little under this that’s ok. If tracking this takes the joy out of your vacation eating, simply aim to eat some lean protein with each meal. Great lean protein sources are eggs, cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, fish, beans and poultry.
Non-Negotiable #3: Daily Produce x3. Aim for three servings of produce each day; one serving of fruit and two servings of veggies. This ensures a daily dose of fiber, which does wonders for the digestive system, as well as minerals and vitamins essential to maintaining overall health. Produce also fills us up, preventing us from overeating. Yes, of course I want to stop at that French patisserie for a chocolate croissant–-but I don’t need to try one of everything!
Finally, travel typically involves a lot of restaurant eating. Check out my previous post on Restaurant Hacks for helpful tips on enjoyable, healthful meals.
Flex That Mindset Muscle
For the health-conscious crowd, sometimes being too rigid about your routine can be detrimental, especially during travel. Shift your mindset so you can enjoy your trip without feeling guilty–or driving your travel companions crazy!
Some important things to keep in mind…
- Ditch the “all or nothing” attitude. Healthy habits are part of a continuum, and it’s not black-or-white. Just because you’re not keeping all of your usual regimen on vacation doesn’t mean you can’t still do SOME of the things you usually do that make you feel good.
- Be present and choose joy. You spent a lot of time and money planning for this trip, so get out of your head and be in the moment. Whether it’s a special trip with a partner, a family vacation, a solo adventure or heck, even work travel, take in your new surroundings and appreciate a different temporary lifestyle for yourself.
- Embrace the intentional indulgence. If you PLAN to enjoy some yummy local delicacies, then actually doing it can feel more rewarding and less guilt-ridden. Build that in as part of each day to avoid second-guessing if you really need to try those conch fritters or fish & chips (hint: you do).
Bon Voyage!
No matter where I’m headed, these tips help me feel my best while still enjoying the adventure. Travel doesn’t have to mean ditching your healthy habits–it just means packing a smarter toolbox. With a little planning and flexibility, you can stay energized, nourished, and fully present for all thos picture-perfect moments!
Happy Travels,
Nicole
