I don't know about you, but sticking to routine is the hardest part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle, eating out, on the road, holidaying, whatever it is, it's always harder to stick your plans when you aren't at home or close to your favourite workout spots.Â
Preparation is paramount
Plan your trip, whether you are travelling for work or for a holiday, think about how you want to feel, if its a holiday, then of course plan to relax, enjoy your meals and reduce the exercise if that's your thing, but if you want to stick to your routine there are a few tips below.
Keeping active
Travelling usually includes a lot of waiting around in airports, instead of going straight to the gate to wait, I like to walk around the terminal, looking in shops, or even just up and down the terminals to keep moving, its great if you are going to be sitting for the next few hours.
Always walk to dinner, walking helps digestion, and you'll get to know the place you are visiting if you walk it rather than driving.
Find ways to get active before you go, look for things like walking tracks, swimming, golf courses, surfing, use the opportunity to try something you haven't before.
Take a skipping rope or resistance bands with you, they don't take up much space, they are super light and work perfectly for a quick 15 minute workout if you want to sneak one in.
Finding something to eat
Pack your own snacks for the plane, usually you're given a biscuit, packet of chips and soft drink. None of these things give your body anything of value, pack your own bags of nuts, fruit, and water, just remember to eat the fruit before you get off the plane due to restrictions at some airports.
Drinking water is great for plane travel in particular, flying dehydrates the body, so water is the best way to feel fresh and have you ready to hit the ground running when you reach your destination.
Once you are there, have an idea of what you want to eat, stick to foods served with vegetables and salads, rather than chips, and try to avoid anything with extra sauces and dressings.
If you have to have takeout, go for the high quality options, like Thai for example, these foods are still packed full of vegetables to give you plenty of energy.
Don't feel guilty, enjoy your dessert, have a glass of wine, indulge in things you wouldn't always if travelling for leisure, just jump back into routine when you get home, set yourself a date and stick to it.Â