9 Best Tips for Staying Healthy While Traveling

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Are you taking a vacation soon?

Traveling is a great way to explore new destinations, step outside of your comfort zone, and take a break from the hustle of daily life. Although there are countless benefits to traveling, something many people struggle with is staying healthy while traveling.

When you’re on the road (or in the sky), it’s easy to say “treat yourself” and abandon your typical, balanced diet and workout regimen.

There’s nothing wrong with some extra dessert or taking a few days off, but doing so during the entirety of your travels can lead to bloating, low energy levels, and unwanted weight gain. In other words, it can negatively impact your trip!

Here are some of the best tips for staying healthy while traveling to help you make the most of your time away from home.

Eating Healthy While Traveling

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If food is your favorite part of traveling, you’re not alone!

Many people look forward to going to highly-rated restaurants, trying new dishes, and having some extra dessert.

Although you should absolutely enjoy your meals, here are some tips for eating healthy while traveling.

Pack your own snacks for the car or plane

Popular snacks while traveling include chips, cookies, and granola bars—basically lots of processed food. Although these snacks may be convenient and quick, they are very unhealthy. They often contain lots of added sugar and won’t help you feel your best.

To avoid needing to reach for these snacks, pack your own!

You can bring a cooler bag with fresh fruits, vegetables, and nuts. If you have these on hand, you’ll be less likely to purchase an unhealthy snack on the road.

Keep a reusable water bottle with you

You may get dehydrated more than usual while traveling because water isn’t as accessible.

Bring a reusable water bottle with you and keep it on you at all times. That way, you can always refill at the airport or at a rest stop.

This is not only good for the environment, but it will also ensure that you stay hydrated throughout your travels.

Try to have a vegetable with all your meals

Your meals while traveling might be more extravagant than they are at home, and you may find yourself loosening your grip on your diet.

There’s nothing wrong with that, but make an effort to have at least one vegetable with all of your meals.

Then you’ll feel more balanced—even if you have more fries or pasta than usual.

Avoid convenience meals and plan ahead

Sometimes eating unhealthy while traveling isn’t even intentional; it’s purely out of convenience.

Stopping at McDonald’s on the road is easy. Grabbing a bag of chips from the stand at the airport is easy.

If you’re hungry and you see one of these options, you may stop not because you’re craving that food, but because it’s the quickest option.

To avoid this scenario, plan ahead! Know where you are eating your meals, and always keep healthy snack options with you.

Opt for low-calorie drinks

There are always lots of fruity, fun cocktails available while traveling. Although you may find these enjoyable, be mindful of the number of calories they typically contain.

Instead of drinking heavy beer and fruity cocktails all evening, try one of those drinks and switch to a lower-calorie option like a vodka soda, white wine, or hard seltzer.

Be sure to stay hydrated if you choose to drink as well, and alternate your alcoholic beverages with water.

Wellness While Traveling

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Your daily routine is bound to get thrown off course while traveling.

It’s important to still make wellness a priority so that you are physically and mentally in the best space to enjoy yourself!

Here are some wellness tips to help you stay healthy on the go.

Take a few minutes to yourself each day

Unless you’re traveling solo, you may find it difficult to get some alone time.

Taking time to yourself is crucial for your wellness, mindfulness, and overall mental health.

It helps you center yourself and stay present, which are so important while traveling.

Try to set a few minutes aside each day for yourself, whether that means sipping your morning coffee outside while soaking up the sunshine, going for a brief run or walk, or reading before bed.

Get your steps in

If you’re exploring a new city, this is going to be pretty easy!

Instead of Ubering or taking the bus everywhere, opt to walk. This is not only a great way to venture out and see new sights, but it also is an easy way to get your daily movement in and burn some calories while traveling.

You can also opt to take the stairs instead of the elevator wherever you go.

Rest when you need it

Some vacations have fully packed itineraries, while others include lots of white space for relaxing by the pool.

No matter which type of trip you’re on, it’s important to rest when you need it.

You may feel wiped out from the sun or exhausted from a time change.

Listen to your body, and sleep in or take an afternoon nap when you need it. This will help you refill your cup and prepare for more fun activities.

Bring a journal to release your thoughts and document your trip

The benefits of journaling are endless, especially while traveling.

Not only will journaling help you process any thoughts or stress you have, but it also is a valuable way to document your travels.

Write down any key moments or memories you’ve made, and take note of certain activities or restaurants you enjoyed.

This will be a treasured keepsake, and you’ll enjoy reflecting back on your travels.

Final Thoughts

Prioritizing your health and wellness while traveling is a crucial component of a good trip.

When you do so, you’ll have more energy and a clearer headspace to focus on what’s important—exploring and spending time with family or friends.

It might be tempting to entirely disregard healthy food and movement while you’re on vacation, but your body will quickly signal to you that that’s not going to have a positive outcome.

One final tip from this dentist in Staten Island: have your teeth checked at least a week before traveling. This way, you can treat any dental issue that could potentially spoil your vacation.

Implement some of these tips for staying healthy while traveling on your next trip and notice how much better you feel, inside and out!