When we are traveling, whether we are an athlete or not, maintaining your normal schedule of nutrition can be difficult. At home, we are in a specific routine of eating and we have the availability to cook and prepare as we please. While on the road, this can be difficult, as we do not always have access to home-cooked meals and may just eat what is quick or convenient. When traveling to other countries, we can be even more limited by what we eat due to the unfamiliarity of the local cuisine. Traveling to different time zones can also affect our circadian rhythm and eating schedule. There are many ways that you can help yourself prepare for travel and keeping a grasp on your nutrition.
Common Mistakes People Make with Eating While Traveling
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Overeating Large Portions
- Travelling brings about the tendency to eat out. When we eat out, we can overeat because of the large portion&rsquos restaurants give.
How to combat this: If you are taking a road trip, you can plan your meals ahead, bring your food and snacks. Prep your food in portion-friendly containers to control how much you consume. Can pack fresh fruits, hard boiled eggs, pre-cooked meats, pasta and vegetables. Bring coolers to keep food fresh. If you must eat out, consider ordering from the appetizer menu to minimize calorie intake.
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Skipping Breakfast
- When we are out on the road, sightseeing, or doing whatever your trip calls for, we may forget to eat every meal or want to just get a head start on the day and end up skipping breakfast. Other times we may not have a proper breakfast readily available for us. This can affect our metabolism and energy levels throughout the day and prevent us from taking on the day with full force.
How to combat this: Even if you start your day with a little something in your system that is still better than nothing at all. It is best to bring non-perishable foods and snacks to eat for breakfast especially when you are on the go and want to get your day started. Foods like trail mix, granola bars, mixed nuts and seeds or even dry cereal can suffice and give you the energy you need to get through your day until your next meal.
Tips to Eat Well While on a Trip
- Try to eat protein with every meal
- Protein helps you to stay fuller longer and is an essential macronutrient that we need to incorporate into our diet every day. Especially if we are on the road for business, you don&rsquot want to be distracted by hunger when you must be on your A game.
- Bring a water bottle
- When you own a reusable water bottle, you tend to drink more water because of the convenience of having something to fill up easily. You may not always have access to bottled water or water service unless you are at a restaurant. You can add water flavoring powders or tea bags to your water to enhance the flavor if you so desire.
- Don&rsquot stress about perfection
- Travelling can get hectic, and if you are trying to maintain a healthy diet while you are away, then your ambition already says something about you! The most ideal meals may not always be easily accessible when you are out and out or on the road. The best advice is just to do the best you can. Do your best to plan ahead and pack plenty of healthy foods and snacks. If you are in a scenario where you cannot get your hands on the best option, or all that is available is less than ideal, then you should just make the best choice with what you are being given.
Enjoy Your Trip with Your Health in Mind!
At the end of the day, you are away on a trip, whether it is business or pleasure. Either way, try to enjoy yourself and not stress too much about creating the most ideal eating scenario for each meal. With proper planning, some patience, and will power, you can manage to eat healthy enough while you are on your trip. Do the best you can, and you can always return to your normal eating schedule when you return home. You can have fun on your trip while maintaining a healthy diet to allow yourself to continue living happy and healthy.