Healthy travel nutrition can be one of the hardest things to do. There is so much new food to explore and much of it is unhealthy. Where is the balance between exploring new cuisine while maintaining your health? People often indulge while traveling because its something that they only get to do once in a while. They feel like they have a free pass to eat whatever they want.
I am not going to tell you not to enjoy yourself. In fact, I typically eat things that are far outside my regular regime when traveling. I am a huge foodie and I love enjoying new dishes that I could never get at home. Travel and eating go hand in hand. Often the best way to explore a new culture is to get into their cuisine. I love this aspect of travel and I am constantly searching for that next delicious meal. However, I do not use travel as an excuse to completely fall off the rails. Travel nutrition keeps you grounded on the road.
How Can You Improve Your Travel Nutrition?
We all know it can be difficult to maintain good travel nutrition especially when you are surrounded by countless things you want and NEED to try. However, travel is not an excuse to completely abandon good nutrition. I like to think outside the box to maintain healthy nutrition while traveling. I afford myself a little more leniency by exercising more while traveling. Instead of taking a cab I will walk to a sight (or restaurant). Consequently, I have no problem eating that amazing gelato or poutine (French fries and gravy – trust me it’s delicious). I try to walk everywhere I can when given the chance.
Explore the city in your running shoes
Another great way to exercise while traveling is running. I love running in a new city because it is a great way to explore. It is so easy to set out in any direction and find sights by simply exploring. I have stumbled upon beautiful sights and people by exploring on foot. You will also be inspired to explore a city at different times allowing you to gain a true appreciation of how it runs. Running will let you see more while still getting your fitness on!
Making Some Healthy Travel Nutrition Compensations
Don’t String Together Bad Meals
Stringing together bad meals can cause a domino effect making you fall off the rails. If I have a particularly unhealthy meal I will make sure my next meal is much better (lots of veggies). I make a constant effort to mix in these healthy meals. Often these are actually some of the best meals of the trip.
Eat Vegetables FIRST
Get your veggie game on in the morning! It is very difficult to get a solid veggie consumption while traveling. This is especially difficult in developing countries that have clean water issues. Their veggies are washed in this water and can cause stomach problems. I beat this by starting my day with some veggie powder. Not only does this make me feel better (especially after a few beers the night before), it also starts my day out healthy resulting in more healthy choices throughout the day. I recommend Amazing Grass Green SuperFood. It’s fairly inexpensive and does the job.
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Great post Joe! I really struggle with not getting my veggie intake while travelling for the reasons you mentioned. I never thought to take veggie powder because I’m always so focussed on eating fresh ingredients – thank you!
Thanks for the comment Zoe. Yes, it isn’t optimal since fresh vegetables are always better, but it helps a lot. I sometimes can get a little cranky without my veggies. The powder helps me stay balanced.
Follow up: I took green supplement capsules on my last trip and they worked a charm – thank you!
Awesome! Glad they helped. They have kept me feeling a lot better on the road
Great post Joe! What helped me is signing up for a 6K in Paris when I backpacked Europe. It was a short race but it kept me on schedule to train, even when in other cities, before the race. Also making room in my backpack for my running water bottle, hip belt for my phone, and visor made all the difference. I literally ditched a pair of heels just so my running gear would fit and I am SO glad I did. Thank you for the post!
Gina, that’s awesome advice! I sign up for races at home to keep me training here, but I love that idea. Thanks for sharing!
Awesome. It’s funny what we give up to train. Personally, I find my training to be more fulfilling.
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