Booking a holiday is one of the most exciting things in life. It gives us something to look forward to, forces us to be disciplined in our savings and motivates us to get through our daily grind. But if you’re a little health obsessed, jetting off to an unfamiliar city can seem like a one way ticket to throwing your #healthgoals out the door. But fear not! Here are 8 ways to stay on top of your health while travelling.
Keep Hydrated
When we’re busy seeing the sights of the world or spending time in transit between flights and accommodation, it’s easy to forget one of the biggest essentials for maintaining our health – water! Studies suggest men should have at least 3.7 litres a day while women should have 2.7 litres. When we’re travelling, all the running around (and inevitable plane sweat!) can cause us to lose even more water, so it’s important to make sure we drink extra while travelling and even more if we’re in a hot climate.
Walk
It’s not always possible to find a nearby gym (or find time) for a quick workout while we’re on the road. Fortunately, one of the best ways to get our blood pumping and even work up a little sweat is to go for a brisk walk. So instead of booking an Uber to your daily destination, have a look on Google Maps and see how far away it is. You might even discover a hidden local hot spot on the way!
Eat High Protein
If you’ve spent months in the gym working on those #gains and don’t want your holiday diet to ruin all your hard work, make sure to include some sort of protein in each meal. Chicken, eggs, fish and seafood are all high in protein, so tuck into those fish tacos in Mexico and enjoy a little fried chicken in Mid-Western America.
Carry Snacks
The time we’re most likely to stray from tracking our macros or healthy eating is when we’ve been out and about all day and just want a quick and easy meal to curb that hunger so we can continue on with our travels. Always carry some protein (tinned tuna is a lifesaver), a piece of fruit and some nuts to nibble on. These will help tide you over until you find a meal worth those cals! If you’re travelling cross-continent, you can even keep these snacks in your carry on luggage (right next to your travel-friendly sachets of Beforeyouspeak coffee), you just can’t take them through customs at your final destination.
Prioritise Sleep
As exciting as it is to be travelling, sleep is still important for our daily functioning. Adults need to get 7-9 hours of sleep a night to maintain physical and mental health. The excitement of travel and the effects of jet lag can make getting a good night's’ sleep challenging, but there are a few ways to help create a more restful environment when you’re away from home. Make use of those eye masks they hand out on planes and avoid being woken up by unfamiliar noises by utilising ear plugs.
Healthy gut = healthy travel
When we travel to new places, we’re inevitably going to be exposed to different germs and elements. Although you can’t always completely eliminate your risk of getting Bali Belly (God forbid) or a foreign virus, there are ways to boost your immune system before you set off. Studies have shown probiotics to be effective in reducing the likelihood of getting a stomach bug. Just make sure to start taking them before you leave home and opt for the non-refrigerated kind so you can keep taking them while abroad.
Sanitise Your Hands
There are germs everywhere we go but there’s not always a restroom nearby to wash and dry your hands after a day of exploring a new city. Pocket sized hand sanitisers are perfect for travel (especially if you’re the kind of person to pet every dog you walk past) and can help stop you from accidentally ingesting any germs you come into contact with, by killing them before they sneak into you with your lunch!
Have a Digital Detox
As fun as it is to make all your Insta-friends mega jealous by posting every five minutes about your Euro trip, think about using your holiday to have a mini digital detox and make the most of your time away. Maintaining our mental health while travelling is just as important as keeping our bodies fit and healthy. So, turn off your data for the day (with the exception of getting lost and needing to use Google Maps) and save the Insta-stories for when you’re back at your hotel.
Happy travelling!