How to Stay on Track While Traveling

Hi guys!  I took an amazing weekend get-a-way to Florida with the family!  We visited my brother in Gainesville for his senior year at the University of Florida and went to a Gator football game!  We actually plan this weekend annually and I always look forward to it.  I am not sure if it’s because I feel like I am in college again or because I’m with my family…but that is besides the point.

I definitely had an amazing weekend in food and wanted to share some of my treats!  I did pack some snacks for the trip (Quest bars, tuna packets, and almonds) and ended up buying some new protein powder while I was at home but I also left room for some ‘splurges’.  I usually try to stay on track for my first 3 meals of the day and then allow a little wiggle room for my last meals of the day.  This is what works for ME.  I usually eat 5 meals a day but if I have a larger dinner out, I count this one meal as two meals.  So if you are trying to stay on track a little more, that is my mentality.  But, there are some days you want to eat a cookie at Noon or pick up a Pumpkin Pie Krispy Kreme donut after brunch.  It is OK!  Life is about experiences, not about being perfect with your diet.  If you want to get the most from those treats, eat them around a workout. If not, don’t stress about it too much.  I honestly just don’t feel well if I start my day off eating unhealthy so this is why I try to stick to more regular meals for breakfast, lunch, and snacks and will enjoy myself at dinner.

So I thought it might be fun to provide you with my top tips to stay on track while traveling or taking a weekend trip!

1.Stop at the grocery store right when you arrive.

This is an easy way to stock up on items you couldn’t carry on or couldn’t fit in your suitcase.  My staples I pick up right when I arrive are bags of steamable broccoli, cut french green beans, apples, peanut butter and/or almond butter, and bananas.  I usually don’t have room for these items and the peanut butter is too large to carry on (must be less than 3 oz) so these are my go-tos.

2. Pack high protein bars and carry them with you wherever you go.

Don’t be stuck in a stadium or at a show with nothing to eat but buttered popcorn and pretzels.  These are high carbohydrate foods with NO nutrients so I honestly just avoid.  I ate a Quest bar on the road to Gainesville when the rest of my family was snacking on pretzels and chocolate chips!

3. Skip high calorie drinks.

Drinking sugar-laden juices and fancy cocktails can derail your diet, make you feel hungrier with the drop in your blood glucose, and make you lose your inhibition. If you want to drink, stick to liquor with water and lemon (tequila with soda water and lime OR vodka with water and lemon are my favorites) or lite beer.  Switch to skinny margaritas (tequila with triple sec and 4 slices of lime). And try to skip the mimosas and high-calorie coffee drinks 😉

4. Pick 2-3 splurge worthy items you want to have over the weekend and fit them into your diet.

When we arrived in Gainesville and there was a Krispy Kreme donut shop on the corner, I knew exactly what I wanted to splurge on.  I have been craving a donut for MONTHS and can never justify going to a donut shop alone so I just haven’t had one.  Well, I have seen SO many people talking about the pumpkin pie donuts this time of year so I knew that was exactly what I wanted.  I picked a splurge items each day and this was my item on Sunday. How to make this fit into my diet?  I went on a run Sunday morning and then at breakfast, I ordered an egg white omelet and skipped the potatoes on the side so that I had room in my diet for some additional fat and carbohydrates from the donut.  So lower your carbs and fats at other meals and eat the splurge item around a workout!

 

5. Drink a TON of water.

Like, a TON.  Flying and traveling in general dehydrates you. And you probably don’t have your normal water bottle or cup with you. So, make a real effort to drink as much water as possible. I know this is a huge challenge for me when I travel and I’m still working on it.  You can travel with a water bottle (and get it through sescurity) as long as it’s empty!  And then you can fill up once you are in the airport terminal. Also, carry a bottle of water around with you at ALL TIMES.  You  never know when there might be a water fountain to fill it up instead of paying for a bottled water!

Thank you for reading!  That is it for me today.  Any other tips on how to eat healthy while traveling?!