Travel is a beautiful opportunity to experience a different reality, to challenge what you truly need, and to inject life with some uncertainty. Being away from home is also a classic roadblock for people in terms of living a healthy lifestyle, but it needn’t be.
I have a bit of a wandering spirit. For me, travel is a perfect chance to indulge in the adventure and variation I crave, without too much risk or impulsiveness. I include long-drives, weekend trips out of town, or even a night of camping in my paradigm of travel (when I was a little kid, I’d set up a tent in the backyard or sleep on the screen-porch). The word is not reserved for extended, out-of-town vacations. Because of that frame of mind, travel has always been a part of my life, even during periods of non-existent expendable income. While short trips are easy to work into your normal at-home routine, three or more days can pose packing and lifestyle challenges.
A year ago, I took a 6-day trip for work to Ohio. I brought my only suitcase, which is a carry-on, and my computer bag. Together, they contained the essentials — no more, no less. As usual on work trips when I traveled with a group, my small suitcase was a source of good-natured ridicule, but also of curiosity. Invariably after a little teasing, people would ask how I pack. The simple answer is, I plan out all of my outfits and utilize key pieces (pants, shoes, sweaters, etc.) in several different ways. I bring one workout and one lounge-type outfit. If I plan on swimming, I bring one swimsuit. When things get dirty, I wash them (either by hand or machine). On my most recent trip, I also brought a small white noise machine. Then I pack my computer bag with the necessities for work, allowing enough room for my small purse and a reusable water bottle.
Just like packing, essential lifestyle components will be different for everyone. But I prioritize hydration, food, movement, and sleep while traveling. Hydration is the most fundamental aspect of healthy travel. Flying is dehydrating and dehydration can exacerbate jet-lag and worsen travel-induced constipation, so I carry a reusable water bottle to help ensure I stay hydrated and feel great during my journey. Of course you can purchase bottled water while traveling, it’s just an option I try and avoid. Water bottled in plastic is likely to contain endocrine disrupting chemicals (BPA is only one of these problematic chemicals), it’s also enormously wasteful and expensive. Considering that most bottled water is purified municipal tap-water sold at an extreme mark-up by multi-national beverage conglomerates (and I hate supporting those companies), whenever possible I opt to drink from the tap. Most airports have easily accessible water fountains and many have water bottle filling stations. Almost every gas station has a soda fountain with a water tap. There’s even a crowd-sourced app called WeTap that makes it super easy to find public water sources (drinking fountains, filling stations, etc.) in your area.
I’ve found my time-restricted eating pattern to be tremendously helpful when on the road. Because my body is more adapted to periods of fasting, I don’t need to worry about breakfast right away in the morning. Whether it’s catching an early morning flight, enjoying a leisurely morning in an Airbnb, or taking my time to find the perfect spot for brunch, I feel comfortable in the morning without fueling up first-thing. One of my favorite activities when in a different city is to explore their food culture & try things unique to the area. Although my diet does look a little different while traveling, it doesn’t change that much as deviating too far from what I normally eat results in not feeling great. I want to feel my best, especially when traveling, so I stick with the same general dietary framework as I do at home. For days on the road without access to a kitchen or restaurants, I bring higher-protein, low-sugar snacks, such as nuts & seeds, cheese, whole fruit, yogurt, hard-boiled eggs, or nut-based bars. Meat jerky is another travel-friendly food, but as a former (long-time) vegetarian, I just can’t bring myself to eat it.
Regardless of what my travel plans are, I always make it a priority to include movement. When driving, I stop specifically to stretch and do calisthenics — just five minutes of these activities every time I stop helps keep my energy levels up and prevents aches and pains from extended sitting. On flights, I try to sit next to the isle and I get up once an hour to stretch a little. When I’m not on the road, I build activity into my days with a solid base of walking. Exploring a new place on foot is a great way to move and to see an environment on an intimate human scale (as opposed to in a vehicle or on public transit). Often, between walking a lot (I averaged 4-5 miles a day on my last trip) and doing a few selected stretches and strength moves in the morning, I don’t feel the need for a formal workout. While some people with specific physical goals (related to endurance, strength, gains, etc.) find it necessary to continue formal exercise routines while traveling, I generally enjoy the change and I think my body does too.
After a day of walking around a new city, sleep always sounds wonderful. Unfortunately in the past, I have slept terribly while traveling. A different bed, unfamiliar noises, jet-lag, and dehydration compounded upon each other to make sleeping difficult. But I have finally found a combination of things that has resulted in solid sleep away from home. I use earplugs, an eye mask, and a little white noise machine called the Marpac Dohm — it takes up less space than a hairdryer and for me, is invaluable. I also take a couple of sleep-promoting supplements, which I outlined in a prior post on sleep.
Travel is a time of exploration and variety. Prioritizing the basic aspects of a healthy lifestyle while traveling ensures I feel great and have the energy and flexibility to truly enjoy and experience new places.