Tips to stay on track while traveling

Traveling can throw the most disciplined healthy people off track. Figuring out what to eat usually without the use of a kitchen to cook and make our own food, with ingredients we know, and without a refrigerator to hold fruits, veggies and proteins can make eating nutritious foods more challenging. Then having to navigate restaurant menus and the preferences and tastes of other people who are traveling with us, can send us quickly off track from our nutrition goals. Below I have some tips to help us deal with these challenges, but also check out my tips to stay on track for the weekend, and tips for dining out at a restaurant! 

Here are some tips to help us deal with these challenges:

Step 1. First, I look through your entire travel schedule and think through every meal -- more or less. If my options look a little bleak in the nutrition department, I pack some ‘emergency back up kits’ to fill in the gaps. My typical go-to options include:

Nuts, unsweetened, preservative-free dried fruit (like dried figs or mulberries) or fresh fruit if possible, pre-washed grapes and cherries and packed a cup each in ziptop baggies. Whole grain crackers and pre-popped popcorn (3 cups counts as a whole grain serving) and, whenever I travel, if I have access to a fridge at my destination, the first thing I do is go to a grocery store and stock up on baby carrots, cucumber, celeery, greek yogurts, hard boiled eggs, and fresh fruit. AND, if I'm traveling by car, I always bring Shakeology and my blender.

Step 2. I go online to check the “food radius” around where I'm staying, including grocery stores and food markets within walking distance. On one recent trip, I knew that a Trader Joe’s was about a 10 minute walk from my hotel. Before I even unpacked my bags, I strolled over and stocked up.

Step 3. Next, I scope out which restaurants near my destination offer healthy selections. This way when I have lunch or dinner out, or I get to pick the place I’ve already done the leg work. Some chains like PF Chang’s, Chipotle, and Panera are sure bets because I already know the menu and have healthy go-tos. And in many cities I’ll use sites like www.menupages.com or www.opentable.com to view menus online. If I already know where to go and what to order it’s much easier to follow through rather than relying on room service.

Step 4. Do SOME type of movement every day, and get the family involved. Go for a walk, do some push ups or squats, go to the hotel gym, OR, even stream Beachbody On Demand on your smartphone, tablet, or laptop, but do 30 minutes of continuous movement each day.

Step 5. Bring a refillable water bottle and drink half your weight in ounces of water each day.

Step 6. If there is a big event around food, choose one or two items that you really LOVE. Have a serving and walk away. You don't want to feel this way anymore so that food is NOT worth it. It's not that you CAN'T have it, but you DON'T WANT to have it anymore. You want a healthy body!!

Step 7. Enjoy yourself. Make it about the reason you're traveling, not about food, the best dish or what tastes delicious.

If you would like more tips and support, fill out the form below to be considered for my upcoming accountability group.

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