It’s easy to fall off the path of healthful eating when you’re on a vacation.
In fact, long flights, dinners out, and a “holiday” mindset can disrupt both your diet and your body. Stay on track while enjoying your vacation with these five tips.
5 Tips to help you eat healthy when you’re on vacation
1) Plan, plan, plan:
Most experts agree that planning is a huge factor in successfully maintaining any healthful diet. It’s important to recognize obstacles in a healthy eating plan ahead of time, and look for ways to work around them. A vacation or trip may present many of these obstacles. Most travellers won’t have the opportunity to cook at home, and restaurant meals can be portion-heavy and laden with fat, salt, and calories; long flights might provide few healthful options for noshing on. Pack nutritious snacks for flights and to keep your energy up while you explore during the day. Before you embark on your trip, research a few healthy restaurants your destination offers. When choosing a restaurant, consider a place with Asian or vegetarian cuisine, or seafood. These days, many restaurants offer their menus online – why not check out your options ahead of time?
2) Be restaurant-savvy:
An essential part of any trip is getting out and experiencing the venues of whatever your destination may be. Of course, this includes local restaurants and cuisine. Luckily, if you know the right choices to make, you can dine out nearly every night and still maintain a healthy diet. Little tweaks are painless and simple: whole grains instead of starchy carbohydrates, tomato-based sauces rather than creamy ones, a glass of quality wine over a sugary cocktail. Choose items that have been grilled, baked, poached, steamed or stir-fried – these preparations usually mean a lower fat content. And finally, watch your portion sizes. Restaurants are notorious for serving larger-than-necessary meals. Consider ordering an appetizer and a salad, or two appetizers as your meal. Or, if a larger entrée catches your eye, doggie-bag half to enjoy the next day. Double the deliciousness!
3) Know your power foods:
Whether you’re scrambling through airports or exploring a far-flung destination, keeping both your immune system and your energy up while travelling is crucial. Fresh oranges and apples make easy-to-pack snacks and will give you a boost of phytonutrients and vitamin C. Bananas, too, contain a combination of carbohydrates and vitamin B that makes them a huge energy-booster. A handful of raw almonds has enough protein and healthy fat to stave off hunger in between meals, and an egg or two at breakfast will keep you full much longer than a sugary cereal or pastry. At Travel to Wellness, we always travel with a trail mix of nuts, seeds and dried fruit pieces. Just be careful when passing through security.
4) Keep yourself in mind:
If you maintain a healthful diet in your everyday life and then throw all abandon out the window when you’re travelling, your body won’t respond well – and it will leave you feeling crummy when you want to feel your best. Try and keep in mind what’s important to you – whether it be eating nutritiously or keeping fit – and find fun ways to incorporate that into your trip. Visit a farmer’s market to take advantage of the fresh local produce your destination has to offer, or strap on your hiking boots and look up some nearby routes. Don’t completely lose sight of what’s important to you and your wellness just because you’re away from home.
5) That being said…
It’s important to enjoy yourself while travelling. Is your destination famous for delicious local cuisine? Sample it! Feel like splitting a dessert with a friend after a meal? Treat yourself. A sense of balance is key to your wellness both physically and mentally. So balance the little indulgences with lots of exercise, veggies and fruit and always stay in touch with your body cues (eat when you’re hungry, stop when you’re satisfied – not uncomfortably full). Also, be sure to take advantage of the local culinary activities and adventures and always, always have fun with it.
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