Travel Tips for Your Health
When the summer heat starts kicking in, clients get nervous about keeping up with their health goals (and less about keeping up with the Kardashians). It’s not about the actual heat. It’s more about the reminder the heat brings: summer travel is right around the corner.
An increase in travel can bring anxiety and stress because you won’t be in your usual routine, space and won’t have access to your typical meals. I get it. That can seem daunting when you have done all this work to feel really freaking good. So, I have gathered some of my best “hacks” to help you stay in your routine while you’re enjoying the vacation you have been dreaming about for months.
I would like to note that my advice to clients is usually more unique depending on where they are traveling and their goals, but these are still good general tips for anyone. It’s what I did this past weekend when I was in Denver!
Also, an important layer to my approach with travel is that I want you to be able to be present and have energy to enjoy. It’s not about avoiding weight gain (although these tips help with that too). I have spent way too many vacations, trips and lifetime experiences where I was just drained. I spent a good portion of the trip sleeping, or wanting to sleep, and I don’t want that to be any of us anymore! These tips are more than just clickbait. They really do make a huge difference in how you feel!
Anywho, without continuing to dive into my season with burnout (which was basically age 25-30), let’s get into the travel tips I recommend as a functional dietitian.
1)It’s almost embarrassing that most of blogs start off with minerals. They are just… the best. So, I have to! They are also the easiest way to improve your health. I always, always, ALWAYS bring mineral powders on trips. I packed 2 Cure hydration berry packets for each day I was in Denver. The altitude does a number on your hydration, and I knew I would have more drinks than usual. BLESS it be I knew I was going to need all the minerals.
2)Pack protein powder. I know you might feel like a gym shark walking around with protein powder in your carry on, but it will help so much. Protein doesn’t always get enough credit for how much it helps with energy and hunger regulation. If you put protein powder (I prefer collagen powder) in your morning coffee or minerals, I promise you will feel better throughout the day. You could do this in the afternoon as well. You will still eat breakfast like normal, but this can help boost your protein content especially if you’re relying on the continental breakfast at the hotel.
3)Speaking of protein, when you go out to eat look for high protein meals. The easiest way to do this is look for meals that have meat. This isn’t about being afraid of carbs or weight gain, this is about blood sugar control so you don’t crash later. I will be the first to tell you that I LOVE French toast and a mimosa. It’s one of my favorite treats, but I rarely order it. This combination is a lot of carbs which makes my blood sugar spike reallllly high and then crash. I always feel awful after I eat this, and I usually must take a nap. For this trip in Denver, I was only there for basically 48 hours so there was no time for a nap. I wanted to enjoy the people more than the food so I’m focusing on protein. If you’re someone who says “I can’t eat meat. It hurts my stomach”, that is a deeper conversation. If you can’t tolerate meat, it’s a sign that you have a hard time digesting your food (you probably struggle with energy, periods suck and maybe even have some skin issues).
4) With every alcoholic drink you have, try to have a glass of water with it. That’s a lot of fluids, but it keeps you from totally dehydrating yourself. Hangovers and poor sleep after drinking is more from your cells just dying of thirst versus the actual alcohol giving you a raging headache. I also recommend drinking a mineral mocktail before bed after a boozy day.
5) Plan for the week after you get back from vacation before you leave. I think the biggest energy sucker and what truly gets people off track is when they have no plan when they get home. That creates so much rushing. In a perfect world, I would recommend taking the day off after your return so you can reset. If that is not possible, have some food in the freezer to pull out for the few days after you get back. I highly recommend getting a seasoned pork shoulder to slow cook, beef you can thaw out or a whole freezer meal to bake. That really has been a game changer for me.
Again, my goal is for you to enjoy vacation by having more energy and not to add stress about your health habits. :) I truly hope this helps you for your next trip!
If you ever need more support with your health, email me at kelseyscot.co@gmail.com I’d love to chat!
