Stay On Track While Traveling
It’s summertime! I hope all of you have travel or staycation plans! I am all about indulging, having fun and giving yourself a break. After this crazy year, we ALL deserve it. I want you to feel great while traveling - while I totally understand the need to indulge every now and again, but when you overindulge, you feel sluggish and your mood is affected. I want you feeling awesome on your vacay! Read below for some great tips on how to stay on track while traveling.
Tip # 1 - Food Prep/ Research Restaurants
Check out the restaurants before you go. See if there are any local smoothie shops or places that offer healthier meals.
Don’t be afraid to speak up - ask for your meals to be prepared a bit differently than normal (oftentimes meals are prepackaged or frozen, when you make a special request your dish is made fresh). Some sample requests:
Pass on the processed rolls and unfamiliar non-butter spreads.
Start with a side salad or broth-based soup.
Look for protein and vegetable options.
Ask how food is prepared, and make requests for dressings on the side and grilled items, instead of fried. Don’t be ashamed to ask to have your meat prepared with olive oil only (restaurants are known to mix olive oil with vegetable oil).
Ask for substitutions, like a side salad instead of French fries.
Box part of your meal to prevent over-consuming calories.
Steer clear of buffets.
Drink water with lemon or plain iced tea, instead of soda.
Tip #2 - Move Your Body
You should have around 30 minutes of physical activity every day. Here are some options to get your body moving:
On Demand workout (Siwicki Fitness offers a two week free trial of On Demand)
Find places that you can walk to rather than drive to.
If you’re staying at a hotel and you can choose between stairs and elevator, choose the stairs.
Use stairs for a quick 10-20 minute workout. Just run up and down and set your timer!
If you only have a room to use or a space outside, rotate between high knees, butt kicks, squats and squat jumps for 1 minute intervals each. Do that for about a 10-20 minute period.
If you are staying somewhere that has a pool, swim a few laps. Swimming is an awesome low impact exercise.
Your body will reward you and you will be in a better mood. I promise you.
Tip #3 - Snack Prep
Bring your own snacks with you. Easy things to pack include:
nuts
protein bars
protein powder + shaker
nut butter packets
coconut chips
veggie chips
dried fruit
Check out our AL Wellness Guide to Packaged Foods for a list of Amanda approved packaged snacks to bring on the go!
Tip #4 - Bring Bands
Okay, okay. I know there are some of you out there that are NOT band fans. Bands are a great substitute for weights when you are traveling. You can use bands for just about anything - arms, abs, butt, legs, back. Check out Power Hour On Demand, we always use bands for Thursday’s Power Hour. It’s a great workout because it incorporates both strength and “power” cardio moves.
Tip #5 - Stay Hydrated
When you become even slightly dehydrated, your brain can misinterpret thirst for hunger, driving appetite and cravings. On top of that, dehydration can drain energy levels, making you less likely to be physically active. Focus on carrying water with you and drinking at least 16 ounces with each meal. As a bonus, drinking water before meals can help with portion control!
MOST IMPORTANT TIP - RELAX AND HAVE FUN
It’s been a tough year guys. HAVE FUN. It’s important to figure out where to cut yourself some slack and where to practice discipline.
Having a healthy relationship with food does not mean carrying a food scale with you on vacation. Any weight you gain during a week of vacation is likely water weight or constipation. When you get home, be diligent about getting back to eating well. Plenty of vegetables, along with healthy carbohydrates and protein in appropriate portion sizes. Your body will get back to its normal in no time.
