SUCCESSFUL NUTRITION & FITNESS AS YOU TRAVEL

One of the most difficult things we can do is attempt to be conscientious about our health and wellness as we travel. Lucky for you, it’s easier than you might think! In fact, all it takes is being well-prepared and incorporating proper nutrition and physical activity into your travel plans.

Here are 7 easy tips to help you maintain your journey to a healthier lifestyle before you embark on your next flight.

Tip #1: Load up that carry-on! Assemble yourself an arsenal of healthy snacks like fruit, nuts, prepackaged protein (tuna fish, chicken), raw yams cut up like carrots, chopped jicama in a snack baggie, oatmeal, or breakfast packaged into individual serving sizes for each morning (assuming breakfast isn’t provided). When you get hungry, break out these snacks and you will be better equipped to skip the airport candy bars!

Tip #2: Pack your resistance bands. They are lightweight, take up very little space, and can provide total body workouts right from your hotel room. Band workouts are also great for keeping your body supple after long travel hours and keeping you energized throughout your trip.

Tip #3: Healthy, nutritional products are a must! Don’t forget your individual packets of healthy fitness supplements, nutritional products, and high-quality protein bars!  They will definitely enhance your travel experience by keeping your immune system awake and ready to take on whatever your trip holds!

Tip #4: Eat smart while you are on the run. If you have breakfast provided in the hotel, stick to eggs, salsa, fruit, and a healthy carb such as oatmeal/cinnamon or an English muffin. Avoid carb-heavy meals like waffles, pastries, and juice—waffles are the equivalent to consuming donuts for breakfast. And remember, too much of anything can be harmful to your health. If you are consuming more than a daily recommended dose of sugar at breakfast alone, you are doomed to have cravings and most likely eating more throughout the day—which, in turn, will affect your energy and fat loss goals. If you must eat out, try ordering grilled meats, lowering high starch carbs, and adding fruit to help lower sugar cravings.

Tip #5: Book a hotel near a grocery store so you have access to healthy food. Stock up the fridge inside your hotel room with these good foods and avoid the nutritional dangers of eating out. If you are unable to pack fruit to your final destination, purchase it on your way from the airport to your hotel. If you are prepared, you will succeed!

Tip #6: Stay close to a gym if one is not provided by your hotel. Mixing up your routine is always a great idea because it keeps your body adapting. Visiting new or hotel gyms will sometimes force us to change up our workouts, causing our bodies to guess what may come next. Don’t be surprised if you get muscle soreness just by simply trying new machines and exercises in a gym that you are unfamiliar with.

Tip #7: Suck it in. While sitting on a long flight, shuttle, or car ride, try squeezing your glutes and holding in your core, pulling your belly button towards the back of your spine for several minutes at a time. If you are stuck in a sedentary position, you might as well get a workout in that doesn’t require any additional time commitment. This can be a very discreet, quiet, and fun challenge. The person next to you will have no idea that you are burning double the calories that they are just by “sucking it in.”

The next time that you travel, try any one of these and see if your trip is a little less stressful by having some great tools at your fingertips!

Contributed by: BetterHealthLifestyles.com