How to stay healthy and in shape when travelling?
Traveling can present an obstacle and break in your usual nutrition and activity routine. However, with some preparation and flexibility, you can stay on track and enjoy your trip.
Here's how to make the most of your travels without sacrificing your goals.
Before You Book Anything
Before traveling, it's crucial to research and plan ahead of time. Here’s what I’d be looking for:
Hotel with a Gym: Ensure your hotel has a well-equipped gym with heavy weights. If not, find one nearby. If the hotel's gym doesn’t meet my standards, I choose a different hotel.
Local Parks / Walking Routes / Activities: Staying active on all my trips is key, so I make it easy by finding local parks, walking routes, and activities that allow for physical activity.
Restaurants and Grocery Stores: Finding go-to meal spots during my stay is essential. I always research healthy restaurants and nearby grocery stores.
Bring Your Own: I always take a shaker with protein powder. If possible, I pack some meal preps too. This ensures I have nutritious options on hand.
Activity When on Holiday
When you’re on holiday, don’t neglect your activity. Getting your steps in will likely be much easier. Please do your best to make this happen.
Book Some Kind of Activity: A hike, kayaking, sightseeing – these are great ways to ensure your metabolism is ticking over.
Bodyweight/Band Workouts: If your program requires you to lift heavy and you’re only away for a few days/no access to a decent gym, don’t waste your time with bodyweight workouts—they’re unlikely to provide the necessary stimulus to stay on track. Instead, prioritize being active and doing some cardio. If you do opt for bodyweight exercises, aim for those that will have you fatiguing at a rep range of around 12-15. You may well find that this week off serves as a good deload and you’ll return to the gym re-energized and lifting much more.
Eating When on Holiday
Periodizing your nutrition program.
If you’re in a fat loss phase, and you’ve known of an upcoming holiday for a while, it would be prudent to set up this holiday as time for a diet break. This takes some pressure off, in terms of nutrition. Guidelines for diet break can be found in this article.
HOW TO APPROACH EACH MEAL
Breakfast
These may well be buffet breakfasts, so here are your guidelines:
High Protein Choices: Egg white omelettes and lean meats will do the trick. Prioritize eating these.
Fruit & Veg: Get your fiber, vitamins, and minerals in. This will help you to feel full and keep cravings at bay.
Beverages: Go for water and coffee. I’d steer clear of the fruit juices if I were you.
Pastries: Prioritize everything else on the list first. If you’ve got space, have a pastry.
Lunch & Dinner
You’re likely to be eating out, for this, I’d recommend following the guidelines from this post
Ensure a Smooth Transition Home
On the last day of your trip, get your system at home organized.
Do your usual weekly shop, schedule gym sessions, and prepare to transition smoothly back into your routine.
This is key!!
Conclusion
Staying on track with your fitness and nutrition goals while traveling is all about preparation and flexibility.
Plan ahead, adapt your routine, and enjoy your travels without sacrificing your health.
