Do you travel often, whether for work and/or for fun?
This year, I’m on the road or on a plane at least a couple of times each month, for various lengths of time. Regardless of how much or how little you travel, being on-the-go can take its toll on your health. Outside of the shared germs in air travel, there are delicious calorie-laden exotic dishes to be enjoyed at every turn, local wine, beer, and spirits to imbibe, and sometimes several hours of sitting while traveling via planes, trains, and automobiles.
I like to try to balance the excess that comes with traveling with some health smart habits on the road. While some destinations lend themselves to more active travel – hiking, backpacking, skiing, etc. – my focus for this post is non-adventure travel trips.
Here are five tips that have helped me keep my health on track while traveling.
1. Walk everywhere you can.
Just one of the steep cobblestone steps of Bellagio, Italy that kept us active during our family trip to Lake Como!
Some destinations lend themselves to more physical activity while other destinations make it so easy to drive everywhere. I’ve been on a few of the latter and can attest: indulging in local food & drink plus being shuttled everywhere by car is not a healthy combo. Before you leave for your trip, plot out at least a few hours each day for sightseeing on foot. Bonus points for walking to those museums or local attractions that are up hills!
2. Sign up for local activities that allow you to also see the sights.
Taking a large, family-size paddle boat out on Lake Zug in Switzerland was a great leg workout… and then we got to kick back, relax, and enjoy the view from the middle of the lake!
Most destinations offer tours by bicycle, which is a great way to really experience a new location. But also look for local lakes and rivers or parks where you can rent paddleboats, kayaks, canoes and take those out to see the sights. You can get a great leg and/or upper body workout while enjoying the views.
3. Shop outdoor markets for fresh, local produce.
I love the Bürkliplatz Market – it’s one of the biggest markets in Zürich, Switzerland, and has an incredible selection of regional fruits and vegetables. I also love that it’s right across the street from Lake Zurich!
Most destinations, whether within the United States or outside of the country, have local markets where you can buy fresh produce, seafood, meat, and more. I love these outdoor markets because they give you such incredible insight into the regional cuisine, they give you the chance to meet and learn from locals, and they’re also probably the best way to eat healthy and local while traveling. These markets are an awakening of your mind and body to the new location: they allow you to breathe in, taste, touch, hear, and see your destination in a full feast for the senses. Load up with local fruits and vegetables here!
4. Pack healthy snacks
Packing healthy snacks may seem like a no-brainer, but I’ve learned that it’s important to distinguish between healthy snacks that you know you should eat (but maybe will forego for the more appealing calorie-laden local sweet treats), and healthy snacks that you know you will love and will eat and drink. There’s a difference!
I’ve written about my love of Naked Juice products before; they’re one of those healthy travel-friendly options that are also super delicious! I usually stock up on Naked Juice smoothies and juices when I’m on the go in everyday mom/work life, and when I’m on a road trip. Recently, I’ve added the new Naked Cold Pressed Juices to my family’s healthy travel kit!
Each Naked Cold Pressed Juice is made with ready-to-eat, high quality fruits and vegetables that are cold-pressed right into the bottle. These are SO refreshing and taste absolutely clean. They make awesome travel companions because they contain no added sugar, no preservatives and are verified by the Non GMO Project. Plus, they come in five delicious flavors: Lively Carrot (my favorite!), Bright Greens, Hearty Greens, Bold Beet, and Cool Pineapple (get the full details on each flavor in this post).
As you can see, I stocked my mini-fridge during my last trip to Seattle with one of each flavor! They were great to keep me hydrated, to keep my energy up while constantly on-the-go, and to make sure I got my fruits and veggies in during the indulgent Seattle Wine & Food Experience.
Naked Cold Pressed Juices are available now in stores throughout the West Coast and are rolling out to the rest of the country. I found mine at my local Target store!
In addition to Naked Cold Pressed Juices, I also rely on the following healthy snacks while traveling:
- Nuts: almonds, cashews
- Various flavors of jerky
- Portable fruit: mandarin oranges, apples, bananas
- Homemade trail mix
- Crackers (my daughter loves rice crackers in particular)
- Carrot sticks with peanut or almond butter
This last tip is really important, and has more than once saved me from travel exhaustion and poor health. While it’s tempting to try to fill every breathing moment while you are traveling, leave some breathing room in-between activities. This not only allows you room for those unexpected surprises that come up during travel, but this also allows you to truly enjoy each individual experience fully, without being rushed or stressed. And we all know that stress is no bueno when it comes to your health, especially when you are supposed to be enjoying your travels!
There are, of course, many more travel tips to stay healthy, but those are my top five for everyday, non-adventure travel. What about you?
What are your fave travel snacks to pack to keep your health on track?
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