Travelers tend to face dietary disasters while on the road. There are the airport lounges with free booze and snacks, the butter-soaked steak dinners, and the free meals at the hotel. All of these can be fun and enjoyable but they can also make you pack a few pounds.
A little planning can go a long way when it comes to eating healthy while traveling. Here are some great healthy tips when going on a trip.
1. Research the area you’ll be staying online
Before you leave home, use online tools like Google Maps to search for restaurants near your hotel, check out their menu online and see which restaurants offer healthy options. Check to see where the closest grocery store is.
2. Scan the buffet
On a cruise or in a hotel, buffets offer an almost never ending amount of food that’s fried, covered in sauce, or heavy in carbs. Head over to the protein-packed items instead. At the continental breakfast bar, your best choice is eggs. At dinner, visit the carving station with pork tenderloin and pair with vegetables or a salad. Eating high-protein meals can keep you fuller throughout the day and make you less likely to call up room service for pizza late at night, reports a 2011 study from the University of Missouri.
3. Drink more water
Bring a Reusable Water Bottle with you and drink about 8 ounces of H20 every hour to prevent dehydration. Thirst often masquerades as hunger.
4. Eat frequently, and in smaller amounts
Eating small amounts of healthy foods throughout the day sends a signal to the brain that the food supply is plentiful, so it’s okay to burn through those calories quickly.
5. Pack some Healthy Snacks
When you travel, plan to take some healthy snacks with you to tie you over in case you’re delayed for some reason. Here are some ideas you can use: fresh fruit like bananas, apples, and oranges, oatmeal packets (all you need to add is hot water), nuts and dried fruit, protein bars or fruit and nut bars, peanut butter sandwich on whole wheat.
6. Limit the alcohol
Most beer and mixed drinks are loaded with calories, and even a minor buzz can make it difficult to make healthy choices at dinner. Choose drinks with club soda or on the rocks, or choose a glass of wine.
7. Use the hotel or a nearby gym
Use Google Maps and check if there’s a gym nearby. Being physical can help remind you to eat healthfully and it will make you feel better throughout the day.
8. Rest and Sleep
Just as exercise is especially crucial while traveling, so is rest. If you don’t get enough sleep, especially when switching time zones, you will feel tired and exhausted the next day when you’re ready to tackle work meetings or fun adventures.
9. While in Developing Countries
According to the FDA, you should avoid tap water in all forms. This includes ice, water by the glass or in mixed drinks, and water used when brushing your teeth. In developing countries, water may be contaminated by such unpleasantries as amoebas and other parasites, and the virus that causes hepatitis. Even a small amount of infected water can make you ill.
For other tips while traveling to developing countries, visit
http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm049047.htm