I have the luxury (sometimes not so much a luxury) of traveling a lot for work. So, when I travel I try to pose as minimal of a burden on my schedule and diet as possible. I’m not talking about vacation, if you’re on vacation, eat and drink all of the things! Vacation is not for tracking, dieting, or guilt; it is for relaxing and living in the moment. It should also be noted that when I travel, I take full advantage of the amazing food that the area has to offer to appease my Foodie nature. SO, how can you enjoy your trip while not falling completely off track? Here are some helpful tips and tricks I do that has helped me immensely!
First and foremost, planning in advance is the ultimate key to success here. The more research and planning you do beforehand, the less chance you will stray from your routine. If you rely solely on motivation, you will most likely not succeed.
Hotel
I research the hotels in the area I’m visiting. I’m personally a die-hard Marriott fan and try to rack up rewards, so I tend to only stay with them. By no means do you need to stay with Marriott, this is just my preference. Depending on the length of my stay, I try to find hotels with kitchens/kitchenettes in them so I can prepare my breakfasts, lunches, sometimes dinners, and snacks. This helps me out so much because it ensures I am eating healthy for at least 1-2 major meals in my day. This provides control over most of the meals in a day and it also allows me to somewhat indulge for dinner at the local attractions.
If there is a decent selection of hotels left after filtering by having a kitchen/kitchenette, I narrow it down based on the gym. We all know that hotel gyms aren’t the greatest, there might be some dumbbells and cardio equipment, but that’s it. So, if you can find one that has more to offer than normal, definitely go with that one. Keep in mind, this aspect isn’t a must-have when selecting the hotel and you’ll see why next.
Gym
Again, depending on how long I am staying in an area depicts this option. As mentioned earlier, hotel gyms just don’t cut it with a weightlifting workout style. My tip here is to research the gyms around your hotel or the address of whatever you’re in the area for. Most gyms offer a free trial period that can run between 3-7 days, which can be really helpful and cost effective. Another option, is getting a membership with a gym that allows you to go to other gym locations (Planet Fitness, LA Fitness, etc). However, the gym your membership is through may not be located in your area, so a trial can still be a viable option.
As far as when to attend the gym, I base this off of my schedule around what I will have going on throughout the day. If you can go in the morning or throughout the day, there will be significantly less people at the gym. I typically try to take my gym clothes with me to change into and head to the gym after my day. This prevents me from going back to my hotel and talking myself out of going to the gym. If I don’t have much time or my motivation is nonexistent, I at least try to walk on the treadmill for 30 min. to just move my body. This typically motivates me to start my workout.
Traveling
In terms of flying or driving for long distances, there are two things that are pertinent.
- Drink your water people. I know that no one likes to pee on an airplane or stop every 20 mins. on a road trip, but it really is essential. You are supposed to drink 8 oz. for every 1 hour you are in flight, according to the Aerospace Medical Association. I know it is inconvenient since TSA doesn’t allow liquids through security, but I’ve been to a lot of airports in the U.S. and there are countless water fountains, most specifically for water bottles. If you’re drinking coffee due to an early start, plan to drink even more water to fuel your trip.
- Bring all the snacks. Load up on protein/granola bars, veggies (carrots or bell peppers), fruit (berries, bananas, apples), pretzel thins/ low-cal popcorn, hummus, protein powder, the list could go on forever. Airport food is expensive, not the best quality (though it does exist), and you may not have time to sit down for a nice, macro-friendly meal. Snacks will save your life when the free almonds or pretzels just don’t cut it or when you’re hitting hour two or three of driving. Don’t forget to pack some form of chocolate, because no matter what you tell yourself, you will absolutely crave chocolate throughout your day of travel.
Food
After checking in at my hotel, I immediately go to the closest grocery store to pickup my staple items. I always get eggs, almond milk, syrup, protein/granola bars, bananas, and other snack options. One of my favorite breakfast items to get while traveling is Ore-Ida Just Crack an Egg. You just put in an egg, put it in the microwave, and there you have a (surprisingly) flavorful and protein-packed breakfast. Another favorite, is to make protein waffles.
Eating relatively healthy, not binge-eating, and staying on track with macros while traveling is HARD. The struggle is real and I totally relate. As I mentioned earlier, I definitely participate in eating at local restaurants and make sure I get the full experience (i.e. deep dish pizza in Chicago). But, this doesn’t mean I binge or stray too far from my allotted macros per day. Usually, if I know I’m going to eat somewhere and eat something not particularly healthy, I plan my meals and snacks for the day in advance. But, what I don’t do is beat myself up if I don’t stay within my macros or don’t get my full workout in.
A big thing to accept is going home from a trip guilt-free. Maybe you didn’t eat the best or maybe you didn’t workout. Whatever the case, when you get home and can get back into your routine, you will be able to get back to your diet and workout schedule. It is definitely not the end of the world.
You can always make progress, but you don’t always get to explore and enjoy a new area.
Lifestyle Worthwhile 