Travel & Work Nutrition
Staying on top of your health & fitness goals while traveling can be quite challenging for some folks. Now that travel restrictions are slowly lifting from Covid-19 lockdowns, many people are back to work full-time, working within a new hybrid model and traveling for pleasure. During the lockdown, were you person (a) who took advantage of being home and focused on your health and wellness, or were you person (b) who baked and cooked not-so-healthy meals, gave up your exercise routine, drank too much alcohol and gained over 15 pounds? Whether you are person (a) or (b) you are most likely both getting back to work and thinking about your health. Just traveling to your office again can feel like a business trip, and for those of you flying to see clients, attend in-person meetings or travel for pleasure, it can all feel both exciting and overwhelming. How can you make better lifestyle and nutrition choices without access to your kitchen, grocery, and gym while on the road?
I’ve worked with many businessmen and women and by far the biggest struggle is staying on track when it comes to food choices. Depending on what hotel you’re staying at will greatly affect the level of nutritious food provided, but there are many ways to stay on your game. Moderately priced hotels often include a free continental breakfast which includes a lot of starchy, high carbohydrate foods such as muffins, bagels, sugary cereals and oatmeal, sugar-laden low-fat yogurts, pancakes, waffles, juices, non-organic low-fat milk, and some fruit. On occasion, you may find hard-boiled eggs, or an option to order freshly cooked eggs. Luxury business hotels may offer the same types of foods but often have access to a full menu.
And, what about the airports, train stations, and bus terminals? You may find more limitations these days in the airports and more pre-packaged snacks on the flights, so how do you stay nourished and satiated when your food options are sub-par? Not to worry.
5 Tips For Staying Healthy During Travel
Be prepared. I cannot stress this enough, but this is what will separate those who stay healthy and those who will not during business or pleasure travel. Being prepared means bringing your stock of healthy meals and snacks on your trip for emergencies, flights, car trips, and more. Canned wild-caught fish, sugar-free beef jerky, pre-packaged olives, pre-cut veggies, and electrolyte tubes to add to water, are just some ideas. Don’t be shy about opening up a can of wild-caught sardines or pre-cooked grass-fed steak in a travel container to feast. Those heart-healthy, omega-3 fatty acids will keep your brain and heart well-oiled for work.
Location, location, location. Once you know where your company is sending you, or where you’ll be vacationing, scout out the area for health food stores, grocery stores, and local restaurants that serve healthier options. If possible, plan a stop at one of these places before check-in so that you have some essentials in your room to enjoy so that you are not triggered to derail and eat something you’d never eat if at home.
Order a mini-fridge for your room to stock healthy essentials. Not all hotel rooms provide a mini-kitchen with a fridge, but you can request a mini-fridge to be set up in your room – all hotels have them available for free or with a small surcharge. It’s the perfect size for storing cooked meats, full-fat yogurts, olives, canned fish, organic fruits and veggies, and more.
When eating out, enjoy the local cuisine by staying focused on prioritizing protein, healthy fats, and non-starchy veggies. This will help you reduce cravings for between-meal snacks.
Bring your sea salt. Rest assured that you will not be dining anywhere that offers you sea salt to sprinkle on your meal. You can find travel-sized sea salt shakers, or make your own, to bring with you. Sea salt, or mineral salt, is full of minerals that provide us with electrolytes that every cell in our body needs to stay balanced, hydrated, energized, and healthy. Don’t be shy about bringing what your body needs. I love the mini travel-size mineral salts from Redmond Life. Using mineral salt will also help you stay hydrated after drinking coffee and alcohol, and exercising in hot weather.
Don’t forget to keep up with your exercise routine. Use that hotel gym or scout ahead to find a local gym. Some of my clients travel to very rural areas with zero gym facilities. In scenarios like that, make good use of the outdoors. Fresh air walks are a key component to our overall health, so get out there and soak up some Vitamin D. Purchasing resistance bands is a great way to stay on course with building muscle mass, our longevity organ.
Eating well, moving, and getting restful sleep will help you maintain lower levels of stress during your travels. Finding travel-sized options for healthy meals and treats can be difficult. Maybe you don’t have the time to look, the patience to dig through the choices, or don’t know where to start looking. Adding a health coach to your team of health practitioners may be a viable option for you to start taking the necessary steps to continue your health & wellness journey as life begins to open up again.
This blog is not to be used as medical advice or for making any lifestyle changes to treat any medical condition in either yourself or others. Consult your own physician for any medical issues that you may be having.