Lifestyle Travel

How to Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle While Travelling

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is important to all of us! Eating whole foods, exercising, and drinking lots of water — are all habits that we try to practice in our daily lives. But what about when we go on vacation? I’m sure I’m not the only one who thinks of vacation as a time to indulge but if you’re on a bit of a longer trip and indulging every day, you may start to feel some negative effects. I’m talking about feelings of fatigue, dehydration, irritation, and maybe even sickness! Here are some ways to maintain a healthy lifestyle while travelling (while still enjoying all the things vacation has to offer)!

Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle While Travelling

Drink plenty of water

Whether we are home or away travelling, drinking water is always a good idea. A reusable bottle is a packing essential! Drinking water is helpful for so many things — dehydration (obviously), helping to overcome jet lag and limiting constipation. We’d recommend trying to drink as much as you can in the morning since you’re less likely to remember to drink throughout the busy day! 

Never skip breakfast

Speaking of morning routines, while you’re drinking as much water as you can, don’t forget to eat breakfast! Although it may be tempting to rush out the door as quickly as possible to start sightseeing or to just grab a coffee and go, eating a high-protein, filling breakfast is super important. Not only will it make your morning more enjoyable by actually having energy, but it’ll also make you less likely to buy something quick (and usually not super healthy) on the road. 

Pack your own snacks

If you have a full day of sightseeing on the agenda, it may be a good idea to pack some snacks. This way you’re in control of what you’re eating and you’re guaranteed to have access to food rather than throwing yourself at the nearest snack bar! Some easy, no-fuss snacks include cheese and fruit, trail mix and peanut butter dates (my personal favourite). 

Active sightseeing

Personally, I won’t go to a gym or workout class when I’m on holiday, but I do love being able to combine sightseeing with physical activity. The best way to do this? Join a walking tour! You’ll get plenty of exercises while taking in the region through a different lens. Better yet, sign up for a biking tour. Bikes are a fantastic way to explore a city as you’ll have access to side streets and other areas that larger vehicles can’t get to.

Make sure to get enough sleep

Getting adequate sleep is a pillar of health whether you are travelling or not. However, if your destination is in a significantly different timezone than your home, getting enough sleep may be tricky with the added challenge of jet lag. Try taking a short nap in the daytime — this could help reset your body to the new timezone!

Slow down when eating

This is another great tip whether you are travelling or not — did you know we are supposed to chew our food 32 times before swallowing? While I personally don’t know anyone who does that, there is no better time to slow down than on vacation! While you’re sitting down for lunch on that beautiful, sunny patio, take in the sights and eat slowly. Not only will this help with digestion, you’ll also be practicing some mindfulness by appreciating your surroundings.

Disconnect from your phone/social media

Similar to the previous point, practicing some mindfulness during your vacation is great for your mental health. Also, it will likely allow you to better appreciate your trip as you’ll be fully engaged in maximizing your travel experience. I’m not saying you need to do a full digital detox, but maybe leave your phone behind when you go out for dinner. Take a distraction-free walk, or write a postcard instead of sending a message! Although it can be challenging at first, it’s a great way to appreciate the simple things in life.

Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle While Travelling

Happy and healthy travels!

Written by: Sacha Vincent-Toskin

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