Tips + Tricks On Staying Healthy While Traveling

Whether you are headed for a weekend getaway, vacation or just looking for some helpful tips on how to upgrade your next meal out, I got you!

A common worry I have heard over the years from working with hundreds of men and women of all ages, is the fear around sticking to their healthy lifestyle while traveling and or eating out. Whether this is not a concern of yours or brings you a lot of stress and anxiety, I hope this post is helpful for anyone on this spectrum.

First things first. Life is about balance and part of that balance is giving yourself permission to ENJOY YOURSELF! Travel, food and eating out are part of that enjoyment for so many as it should be. Instead of looking at meals or certain foods as “cheat meals” I would like for you to start calling these food items “fun meals.” You are allowed to have “fun meals!” It is not normal or healthy to eat “perfect” all of the time. Aim on living a healthy balanced lifestyle, not dieting. Dieting will only produce short term results - living a balanced lifestyle will provide you long term and sustainable (much more enjoyable) results.

Words are POWERFUL and the intention behind the words you say and thoughts you think have an immense impact upon your whole entire body. A large part of living a healthy lifestyle is having a healthy mind. The last thing you want to feel is anxiety around food at any point - especially while on vacation or enjoying a fun night out with family, friends and or loved ones. You deserve a stress-free relationship with food now and always, no matter at home or out of your normal daily routine and element. So let’s keep this simple, fun and easy - it doesn’t have to be so hard! Let’s dive in:

MY TRAVEL MUST HAVES:

1.) Organic cleansing wipes! Yes. This is not at all nutrition related I know. But having these babies on hand will help you keep your hands clean (airports + airplanes can be nasty), protect against germs and help to boost your immune system (who wants to be sick while away?), the perfect makeup remover or quick stain remover. Just pack them and thank me later :)

2.) Oregano Essential Oil. Honestly, never travel without it. This little bottle is loaded with natural properties to help your immune system naturally fight off viruses, parasites, bacterias and even fungi. Take 1-3 drops a day in a 1/4 cup of water, chug a lug. Will help to clear your sinuses too. Also helps keep the digestive tract moving and grooving - no one likes to feel bloated while traveling!

3.) Vital Proteins Collagen Travel Packs. Love these little guys. One pack contains 9grams of protein and I mix into my coffee or tea, oatmeal or acai bowl. I like to aim for at least 20+ grams of protein per meal. Utilizing these guys to ensure I am getting the right amount of protein in with each meal helps to keep blood sugar levels stable and the body energized.

4.) Vitamin C. I love innate’s powered vitamin C or I bring Standard Process’s Cataplex AC. Vitamin C is not only amazing for your immune system but it helps to keep your adrenal glands happy. When you’re flying, traveling between time zones or off your sleep routine, your adrenals can take a serious hit. Giving them some extra love with some high quality vitamin C will help to keep your body balanced and immune system supported.

5.) Healthy Snacks! My go to’s when I travel are pre-packed travel size nuts to keep portions in check and for a quick grab and go in luggage, all natural beef jerky and or all natural beef sticks, aloha bars, organic oatmeal single serving packets, evolved keto cups, BHU bites and body fuel cafe bites (Tip: pre-freeze them for sustained freshness).

*Oregano essential oil, vital proteins, vitamins C can all be found on our online shop and Body Fuel Cafe Bites in our office! We ship nationwide :)

Let me Upgrade You (or your next meal out):

Meals out are meant to be enjoyed! On a normal week at home, I like to keep it healthy the majority of the time and allow myself up to 1-3 “fun meals” a week to keep the balance. While traveling for a week, I let myself have more…because it’s vacation! I still like to feel healthy during vacation as well as when I get home, so I do not go overboard but allow myself up to 4-5 “fun meals” on a vacation week which has been a great balance of enjoyment and still feeling vibrant and healthy.

1.) Prioritize. Think about what you would rather indulge in that day and plan your meals out accordingly - waffles with breakfast? an afternoon icecream? or will it be a heavy cocktail night? Doing all of these things in a one day span will make you feel weighed down, groggy and possibly bloated. So pick what is most important to you THAT day and plan your meal out to match your daily preference.

2.) Food Combo. Picture a blank white plate. Let’s build your meal out: a.) choose a protein b.) add a carb (potato, rice or starchy veggies are THE BEST/healthiest choices while eating out and also do not contain any gluten for those who are sensitive to gluten, c.) add at least 1-2 veggies d.) if there is no oil or butter in your meal, then ask for olive oil or avocado to add in a healthy fat. This build-a-plate technique will provide your blank white plate with 4 quadrants: protein, carb, veggie and healthy fat. This type of food combination is fantastic for keeping your blood sugar stable and keeping you satisfied but not TOO full.

3.) Alcohol. Best drinks to choose from are wine (red or white, only 6g or less of carbs per glass), vodka, gin or tequila soda. I personally love gin + soda water + a splash of elderflower or st. germain with lime. Super refreshing, low cal + carb. If you’re feeling fancy add in cucumber slices.

4.) Werk The Menu. Get creative and utilize THE SIDES! You may look at a menu and not see anything you like or that feels healthy to you. So get creative and do not be afraid to ask your waiter for some tweaks, they are used to it by now in 2021. Pick a protein you like and if the meal comes with sides you are not fan of, then swap out 1-2 of the sides. For those of you who like to keep it gluten free - stick with rice, potato or starchy veggies like beets, carrots for your carb. For those of you who like to keep it dairy free or low dairy, anytime you see cheese, swap out cheese for avocado or hummus.

5.) Healthy Food Near Me. Google “healthy food near me” and you will find local hidden gems! I found the most incredible organic cafes, juice shops and restaurants just by utilizing good old google and searching “healthy food near me.” Most recently was The Corner Beet Cafe in Denver, CO, if you’re ever out that way - check them out!

Most importantly - HAVE FUN! If food has been a stressor for you in the past, practice leaning in to not worrying so much. Enjoy being in the moment, your new surroundings, with people you love. Life is too short to stress out about food. Enjoy. Every. Morsel. And Hair-Flip :)

I hope these tips and tricks are helpful for you or someone you know!