Traveling for work or pleasure can often make it a challenge to keep up your healthy habits.   Many people spend months before their trip eating well and exercising regularly, only to let it all go on holiday.

This year, choose to start the trip off right.  Planning in advance some strategies to make healthy food choices along the way and activities to keep you moving will set you up for success.  Consistent eating and exercise habits also lead to more stable moods and improved enjoyment of your vacation time.  Here are a few things to keep in mind for this year’s trip.

1. MODERATION – Don’t write off healthy eating for the entire trip!  Indulging in new culinary experiences is a wonderful way to explore a new city  and its’ culture, but it doesn’t have to be every meal.

-       Consistency:  Try to eat regularly throughout the day to maintain stable blood sugars.  Pack a snack, if there might be a long gap between meals, to prevent hunger attacks and subsequent overeating.

-       Be Prepared:  Stop at a local grocery store and stock up on some fruit, nuts and energy bars for your hotel room rather than eating chips and chocolate from the mini bar.   

-       Practice the 80/20 Rule:  When you eat out (which may be every meal), try to make healthy choices 80% of the time, while still letting yourself indulge 20% of the time.

2. ACTIVITY – Do a physical activity daily.   This can include walking an 18 hole golf course, swimming laps at the hotel pool, checking out the local fitness facility or spa for a workout and steam, renting bikes to tour around instead of traveling by car or transit, playing a game of tennis, hiking a trail or checking out the town by foot.  Most importantly, make it fun.  This is your holiday!

3.  ALCOHOL – Mentally set your limit. 

-       Alcohol has calories too so be mindful. 

-       Try alternating each alcoholic beverage with a glass of water.  This will keep you hydrated and will also space out your alcoholic beverages so you don’t over-consume.

-       Make your drinks with only 1 ounce of alcohol instead of 2 and add extra ice or  soda water to make it last longer.

4. BUFFET DINING – don’t approach is like “all you can eat”

-       SCAN THE TABLE:  Take a stroll down the buffet table to check out all the items before you start to load your plate.  Your favorite items may be at the end and you don’t need to try everything. 

-       VEGETABLES:  You may want to start with a plate of mainly vegetable items such as salads and grilled vegetables to ensure you don’t fill up on the high calorie foods first.

-       PLEASURE MAXIMIZATION:  Practice pleasure maximization, this means not choosing one of everything on the buffet table, but instead choosing 5-6 items you really like and know you’ll enjoy.  Try having 1-2 half portions of your absolute favorite dessert, or if your favorite isn’t there choose fruit salad instead.

-       FAT: Limit or avoid the really high fat foods.  This means cream sauces and deep-fried foods. 

5. FOOD SAFETY - 

-If you’re traveling to an area where the water is questionable:

-Be particularly careful with children, elderly persons, and those with weak or compromised immune systems such as those with cancer as they are more susceptible to infection.

-Use bottled water for drinking and brushing your teeth.

-Eat only well cooked foods, not raw vegetables or salads

-Eat fruits and vegetables that can be peeled or boiled

-When eating out, choose respectable restaurants and don‘t eat from street vendors who don’t have proper cooling or heating systems.

This year, take your healthy habits with you on your next adventure.