Many people seem to neglect their healthy eating habits while travelling. For some, it is like an excuse for them to take a break from eating healthy. A healthy lifestyle and healthy eating habits should still continue despite the fact that we are on the road. Our daily routines at home may be affected, but it is much more important to be aware of what we are putting inside our bodies while we are in a different place.
Make sure you have your comprehensive travel insurance in place before you go, and here are 8 comprehensive guidelines to eating healthy while travelling:
- Eat frequently, in smaller amounts.
Eating every three to four hours is more beneficial to your metabolism than eating every six to eight hours. After six hours, you have the tendency to be so hungry that you eat bigger portions. While travelling, remember to take a little something every few hours or so.
- Allow yourself to splurge.
There should be one cheat meal during your trip. You are after all, in a new place and you should allow yourself to sample its culinary delights. If possible, schedule the splurge during lunch and not dinner, since our metabolism works faster in the middle of the day compared to at night.
- Pack healthy snacks
When going on long bus or train trips or during day-long tours, it is wise to pack healthy snacks to munch on. The best snacks are fruits such as apples, pears or oranges. Carrot and cucumber sticks are also excellent snacks. Many health buffs prefer to bring a bag of nuts such as almonds, cashews, hazel nuts, and peanuts.
- Bring your own water – lots of it
Water is usually provided in restaurants. Hotel gyms usually have water coolers. You can get free water from these places. Make sure that your water bottle is filled up all the time so that you are able to take a sip of water wherever you are. Drinking a lot of water instead of fruit juices or soda will benefit your body in the long run.
- Research best places to eat
Pre-planning and research is important for healthy eating during a trip. Research the best places to eat where they serve low-fat, low-calorie, delicious food. Plan your meals and schedule your visit to these restaurants.
- Look for juice and smoothie bars
Be on the lookout for juice and smoothie bars in the area. Juice bars are already available in most countries, and it is a good idea to know where the nearest one is just in case you need an additional energy boost.
- Avoid alcohol
On a trip, there are usually nights out when you and your group will drink copious amounts of alcohol. It is wise to choose one specific night to drink alcohol, and avoid it the rest of the trip. This also includes asking the hotel to empty out the minibar inside your hotel room, just to avoid the late-night urge.
It is quite a challenge for a considerable number of people to stick to their diet plans and healthy eating habits when they are not at home, but following these easy guidelines is a step in the right direction.