How To Stay Healthy When Traveling – Top Tips

As someone who travels a lot, I often get questions about how I stay healthy when traveling. After all, most people sink into vacation mode, eating anything they want and barely moving their bodies. But come the end of the vacation, they struggle with fatigue, stomach upsets, and other nasty effects that leave them feeling out of it.
So, is it possible to stay healthy when traveling without compromising the quality of your vacation? Why, of course! And I have just the tried and tested tips for you.

Stay Healthy When Traveling With These Easy Tips.

Have you ever felt like you go back to zero each time you go on vacation? I used to be like that. I would be great with my workouts and healthy meals at home, but when I caught a flight, took a train, or went on a road trip, my lifestyle would take a 360-degree turn. It wasn’t sustainable – something had to give.
I eventually realized that the key to staying healthy when traveling is to embrace the simple yet doable things that anyone can emulate, as follows:

1. Stay Hydrated.

If you are like most people, being on vacation means being on the go at almost all times. You want to catch the sunrise, visit a museum that’s on the other side of the country, interact with the locals, and go on hikes – there is a lot to do.
But guess what? All that movement takes a toll on your body. Take time to drink enough fluids. Water often works best. But if you like a little flavor in there, you can go for fruit juices, flavored water, and other options. It’s often advisable to limit your caffeine and alcohol intake, as these liquids can dehydrate you a lot.
Also, match your water intake with your movement and the weather in your destination. The more you move or the hotter it is, the more you need to keep up with taking fluids.

2. Eat Healthy Meals.

One of the best parts of traveling is sampling different foods. For example, in Mauritius, I spent a lot of time eating paneer butter masala and butter naan. It’s still one of my favorite meals to date. But while eating out is fun and part of the experience, it’s best to seek a balance if you want to stay healthy when traveling.

3. Pack nutritious snacks to enjoy on the go.

Many people wait until they are ravenous before eating. If you wait this long, it’s hard to make healthy food choices, as your hunger will push you towards the most delicious and carb-rich foods in the vicinity. You can avoid this by packing options like nuts, yogurt, fruit, etc.

4. Enjoy a balance of meals.

Try to have at least one balanced meal a day. For example, you can start your day with fruit and cereal. After that, you won’t have to worry much about whether you have had any nutritious meals. It also helps to plan where you will enjoy your meals the day before. This way, you can decide the best time to grab a healthy option as you work your way through the local delicacies.

5. Keep Moving.

For some people, the idea of a holiday is to lie by the beach, sip cold drinks, and watch the waves in the sea. And that sounds like a fantastic way to spend your time. Even so, your body still requires you to engage in some movement.
Why? The longer you remain inactive, the likelier you are to get sore and experience fatigue. So, while it might seem ironic, the best way to stay healthy when traveling is to move your body.
Luckily, movement does not have to be complicated. I get my workouts in by cycling in areas where cycling is safe, walking around new cities (I especially like this), and swimming.

As part of your strategy to stay healthy when traveling, you can get your workouts in this way or try:

• Going on walks around where you are staying
• Taking a few flights of stairs.
• Using the hotel gym.
• Joining a class at the gym or near where you are staying.

You can also go out dancing, play on the beach with other people – there are so many ways to get moving. And if you can get at least 20 minutes of exercise, you will be good to go.

6. Sleep Enough.

The excitement of being in a new place is always on another level. It makes it hard to sleep because you want to savor every moment – the setting of the sun, the stars in the sky, everything just feels so unique. But the problem is that your body needs to rest after you have been out exploring. If you do not give it this time to repair, you will definitely feel the effect of the sleep debt the next day.
So, how can you get enough sleep?

• Go to sleep according to a schedule, e.g., every day at midnight.
• Set an alarm that wakes you up after you have slept enough, e.g., for nine hours.
• Get off your phone a few hours before you sleep.
• Engage in relaxation activities before sleeping, such as meditation.
• Take naps to account for poor sleep due to jet lag and other issues.

On top of sleeping, purpose to have enough time to just relax, whether this is lying by the pool, cuddling with a book, or just basking in the morning sun. Your body needs it, and you deserve it.

Nurturing Your Mental Well-Being When Traveling

Too often, the focus on health is on the physical aspects. But did you know that traveling also affects your mental health? We all know the positive side effects – the happiness of exploring new places, the resilience that comes from navigating new environments, the fulfilment of ticking another destination off your list – you know all these
But there is another side to traveling.

Amid the joys, there are many moments when you will feel anxious or fearful, e.g., when you get lost in a new place, when your card stops working, or when you can’t speak the local language and your translation software glitches. There are many such challenges awaiting you, even when you are exploring your dream destinations.

Taking care of yourself should always be a priority, even when you are on the go. And the good thing is that these tips to stay healthy when traveling also serve you when you go back home.