TeamTraveling alters your routine from wake time to your diet, especially if you catch morning or night flights, stay on the road for long hours, attend back-to-back meetings or stay in hotels. It may be hard to incorporate the small meals that make up your diet plan seeing as you will take what is readily available. We often come back home feeling sluggish or bloated primarily from overeating. However, with a little preparation, you can manage to maintain a healthy diet on the go. Read on for tips on how to stick to your diet when traveling.
Carry your Food
Do not rely on the airline or fast-food joint meals. Pack your food and snacks instead. For more efficiency, carry protein and nutrient-dense food or snacks that do not break or pour easily such as
- Walnuts
- dried fruits
- instant oatmeal
- protein bars
The omega-3 in walnuts helps balance your hormones and adrenaline for high-stress moments. The dried fruits, on the other hand, have superior quality antioxidants that protect your cells from stress and provide the fiber that aids digestion.
Hydrate
Choose water over artificially sweetened drinks such as soda. Also, avoid coffee and tea during breaks when attending meetings. Water makes you feel full, thus reducing food cravings. Hence, you will be able to hold on until you find a spot offering a healthy meal instead of rushing to the nearest fast-food joint due to hunger. Additionally, water may give you the deserved energy boost.
Make a Mini Bar
If you stay in a hotel room with a fridge, you can stock up the fridge with healthy roasted snacks, buttermilk, and fruits. They will help manage midnight cravings, thus deterring you from ordering room service. Additionally, you can carry them when running your errands. Such snacks will not only help you stick to your diet plan but also you will not be spending much-buying food. Moreover, having a snack after three to four hours prevents excessive hunger and ignites your metabolism.
Do Not Skip Breakfast
A good breakfast will raise your energy levels ahead of a busy day as well as help stick to your diet. But do not binge on that hotel buffet; only choose what you eat at home. Most hotels provide high fiber and protein meals such as oats, milk, and wheat bread, filling you up throughout the day. Thus, you will avoid snacking on unhealthy meals in between your errands.
Research on potential restaurants
Before hitting the road to a different destination, ensure you research potential restaurants you can stay in and, if possible, pull out their menus online to get a glimpse of some of the belly-friendly foods you can have to stick to your diet. To find restaurants around the area you will be visiting you can find yellow pages for that city on the web for more insight.
Cooking For Yourself Helps You Stick to Your Diet
The best option when traveling is to find an accommodation facility with a kitchen so that you can prepare your meals. Part of traveling includes trying out new cuisines and dining out. But you might find yourself increasing your calorie intake. Therefore, you must cook for yourself to ensure you stick to your diet.
When traveling to a new destination, you have to strike a balance between trying out new cuisines and eating healthy so that you do not overindulge. If you have to try out new cuisines, then it is best to split portions, especially if you are traveling with a friend.
Treat Yourself
Denying yourself the opportunity to try and enjoy new dishes can be frustrating and may make you crave the food even more. Therefore, if you want to indulge in street food or other cuisines, ensure you make up for it elsewhere. For example, you can cook in the evening, skip dinner or have a light snack. Also, ensure you come up with a workout plan, even something as simple as taking a random walk in the morning to burn down the calories. Therefore, with such a plan, you can still experience new dishes and stick to your diet.
Final Take
Sticking to your diet when in transit almost sounds like an oxymoron. Many people find an excuse to fit in their cheat meals when traveling or on vacation. While trying out and enjoying new cuisines is encouraged, it does not mean that you throw your healthy diet plan outside the window. Therefore, even as you enjoy your trip, you can use these tips to stick to your diet throughout the trip.
