1. Let lunch or breakfast be your biggest meal of the day.
People always go all out on dinner and while this isn’t wrong, the logic behind choosing lunch or breakfast as your big meal makes total sense. If you eat a big meal earlier in the day your body has way more time to digest it properly while you are active and moving. Most times after dinner and dessert nobody does anything or they go to bed shortly after.
If you do eat a big dinner, try to go for a long walk or find a dance floor afterwards to help with digestion.
2. Pack your vitamins.
Freeze dried probiotics are an actual thing and are a game changer while travelling.
Or, a kombucha a day would suffice. Probiotics are essential to keep your immunity up and ensure that vitamins and minerals are absorbed properly.
A good quality multi vitamin or other vitamins that are essential for your well being are a great idea to travel with, as you may not be getting it from your food that you eat from restaurants on the road. Often times, restaurants use cheap oils or GMO filled sauces that wreak havoc on your immune system while you travel. If you keep the vitamins and minerals flowing in your system you will stay healthy and strong!
3. Go easy on the alcohol.
While booze on its own is not always the main culprit in weight gain, it is the decisions that follow alcohol consumption that usually have the worst effects. Examples: late night snacks, too sluggish to be active, unhealthy meal choices, foggy mind creates less presence with the beauty around you, ect.
BUT IT’S SO CHEAP…. Cheaper usually means a worse hang over. If you are going to drink, stick to a minimal amount or drink higher quality alcohol with soda water and lime. You get what you pay for.
Tip – Try kombucha in place of wine!
4. Stay active!
Try not to be one of those people that sit in the communal area and watch movies every day. If the sun is shining get out there and explore! From diving to hiking to biking, there are loads of activities to keep you moving.
Or if you prefer to exercise alone or are on a tight budget you can pack a light travel yoga mat and download some videos to follow. Or find some HIIT workouts or other workouts you can do in your room. Travelling with a resistant band is light and a great tool for working out. You can also travel with a tennis ball to roll out your sore muscles (works like a foam roller would).
5. Find time to be alone or meditate.
I know that traveling may look like it’s all fun and games in the photos we post, but every backpacker knows that traveling can be stressful. Remember to ‘zen out’. Having time to yourself is needed for the mind and soul and keeps you grounded and centered within yourself.
6. Cook in your room or stay in air bnb’s or hotels with kitchens.
Depending on which country you travel to you may or may not have access to a kitchen. If you do have access to a kitchen, eat as many meals as possible made by you with fresh and local ingredients. That way you know exactly what has been put in your food and all your loving energy in your meal will be felt as well.
If you do not have access to a kitchen here are some great tips on how to cook in your room. Travel with a good knife, a small travel kettle or a small travel rice cooker. The kettle can be used to make an epic breakfast bowl with oatmeal, hemp hearts, chia seeds, dried fruit, nuts or whatever else you like. Use stevia or coconut sugar to sweeten. You can mix all your breakfast bowl ingredients in one Ziploc bag and then just add the hot water and sweetener. You can make many more things then just rice in a rice cooker. Use it to make a quinoa bowl with veggies from a local market or google other ideas of what healthy meals can be made in a small rice cooker.
You can also travel with high quality unrefined salt and organic black pepper and a few spices to add to your hotel room meals.
*Precaution – Any food you travel with should be stored in sealed containers to keep mice, rats, or bugs out of your bungalow or room.
7. Take advantage of markets.
The local markets in every country are some of my favorite places to check out. Eat and stock up on tons of fruit as snacks for travel days. Cut up carrots and other veg to carry around. Try new things you haven’t seen before, ask questions, google and research how the locals eat and what traditional meals are healthy and nourishing for your body.
8. Stay hydrated and add minerals to your drinking water.
I could go on and on about the benefits of drinking water, but I think you’ve heard it before, so drink up! Especially true if you’re spending heaps of time in the sunshine, or even just chilling in the tropical heat! A lot of the bottled water has been stripped of the good minerals our bodies need. You can purchase a small dropper vile of necessary minerals that you can add to your water while you travel or check out other options here -> http://wellgal.com/7-ways-add-essential-trace-minerals-drinking-water-health/
If you are somewhere with fresh coconuts, drink as much coconut water as you can! It is so good for you and has so many beneficial properties for you to maintain optimal health!
9. Coconut oil.
Lotion? Coconut oil. Eye make-up remover? Coconut oil. Sunburn? Coconut oil. Cooking? Coconut oil. The list goes on and on and it’s so much better for your body and the environment than most products!
10. Research where the healthy restaurants are located in each place you travel to.
Almost every city has a little organic café or a farmers market. Research where they are and try to eat where you know they use quality ingredients. Or ask for steamed veg instead of wok veg covered in cheap oil. Look for raw food restaurants!
Or when you order, try filling your plate with mostly veggies and have meat or a complex carb, such as a sweet potato or brown rice, as the side. Even better why not travel as a vegetarian or vegan for a bit and see how it goes?!
11. Ladies- use the diva cup.
Saves money and is better for you. It’s amazing!
12. Try intermittent fasting with Bullet Proof coffee or make your own high quality coffee in your room.
Research why high quality coffee matters to your health! Many places in the world do not serve very good quality coffee or sometimes you have no choice other then instant coffee… EW! I am a high quality coffee lover and will settle for no less. I travel with a stainless steal coffee press that doubles as a travel mug and my own high quality ground coffee. MEC carries awesome travel mug coffee presses!
Bullet Proof coffee is awesome! And can act as a breakfast meal replacement. I use a shaker cup instead of a blender while I travel to make my BP coffee. Intermittent fasting is when you don’t eat anything after 8pm, then you have a BP coffee for breakfast, and don’t eat lunch until about 1pm. It’s super great for your body! Learn more about intermittent fasting and Bullet Proof coffee here -> https://blog.bulletproof.com/bulletproof-fasting/
Blog by Melissa Jol, Co-Founder of Breathe in Life Health and Wellness Travel
