Staying healthy while travelling is, undeniably, a little trickier than while you’re at home. Exercise can become a little more difficult, and you never know what foods are going to be accessible wherever you go. However, when it comes to your diet, there are some tips that you can employ to make sure that you’re being as good as possible. Here are a few options to eating healthy while on the go.
Make sure to bring healthy snacks with you
Your appetite is likely to be working overtime when you’re travelling, due to the fact that you’re moving around more. For that reason, make sure you bring with you some of the healthier snacks, especially the non-perishables such as nuts and seeds, apple slices, granola bars, jerky, and so on. That way, you can fuel up when you feel the temptation starting to kick in, making sure that your cravings don’t lead you towards some of the unhealthier choices that are available.
Bring your whole grains
You should always make sure to check the rules for any airport or the laws for what you can or can’t import to any country. In most cases, however, you’re going to be fine with bringing some dry packets of whole grains with you. Having a great breakfast is essential for keeping your metabolism working well and what better than whole grains such as oats? You can pick up some of the local produce to make some really healthy granola recipes. Aside from giving your appetite the right nourishment for the start of the day, granola is great for your heart, reducing the build-up of cholesterol and making sure that you get your dose of fibre right at the start of the day.
Make those three-course meals a special event
Of course, when you are travelling, it is only natural that you want to try the local cuisine. You might think that a nice, local, fancy restaurant is going to be serving higher quality meals, made with whole food ingredients, so they are healthier than street food or junk snacks. This might be true but portion control is important. A three-course meal might be a nice treat once a week, but these are most likely to go over your daily calorie needs. If you’re looking to manage your portion size, don’t be afraid to ask for half-portions or just skip the dessert. That said, if you do indulge, then try to keep breakfast and lunch light to offset the caloric imbalance. Using sites like Fitness Volt to calculate calorie intake can also help keep you on track.
Research your restaurants
If you’re trying to stay strictly on the good side but you still want to visit restaurants and experience some of the local cuisines, then you’re definitely going to want to do your research ahead of time. Even fine cuisine restaurants might serve more salt, sugar, fat, and cholesterol-rich foods in their meals than you might anticipate. There are plenty of guides that you will be able to find on healthy food restaurants, whether you’re travelling to a different state, a different country, or wherever. Simply spend a little time finding those that best suit your needs and have a shortlist to choose from when you decide to eat out for a night.
Consider going with the self-catering options
Part of the luxury of enjoying a vacation is having things done for you, that’s going to be one of the main draws for a lot of people. However, when it comes to eating healthily, there is no better way to ensure the most nutritious meals than to prepare them yourself. Eating options can sometimes be limited when you are on the road, so preparing your own meals can help you ensure that you keep within the rules. Of course, in order to do this, you will need to book accommodation that offers kitchens in the first place. If you can, find out what grocers are nearby that you can pick up fresh produce and whole foods from, too.
Bring a reusable water bottle with you
Aside from the things that you eat, what you drink is very much going to contribute to your diet. The sugar that you start to absorb when you rely too much on hot drinks, or when you quench your thirst with a soft drink, is not good for you at all. As such, you should make sure to pack a reusable water bottle that you can keep on you for whenever you’re feeling thirsty. Make sure that there is safe drinking water from the taps wherever you’re visiting (this is mostly guaranteed in developed nations but still worth checking). Most gyms will offer free refills, too. Just make sure you don’t fill it before going through security at the airport, as they typically don’t allow fluid-filled containers.
Don’t eat on airlines
If you’re already packing snacks, then you might want to pack for the aeroplane as well. If the flights are super long, then it might be difficult to avoid ordering dinner and you shouldn’t feel too bad about that if you don’t have many more options. However, if the flight is only an hour or a couple of hours, then you can stave off hunger by bringing your own snacks on the plane with you. Aeroplane food isn’t often the healthiest option. With pandemic restrictions, food service on the flight may not be an option. Relying on yourself is your best bet.
Don’t beat yourself up too badly if you find it difficult to follow any of the above tips while you’re on vacation or travelling the world. As mentioned, there are few foods that are going to be accessible everywhere. Just follow them as best as you can and don’t worry about the exceptions, they just prove the rule.
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