So I was creating my travel calendar for the next four months out and I think I’m home two weekends! I’m not complaining though–traveling is up there on my list of favorite things… right next to online shopping and wine (which don’t mix, by the way).
A couple of these upcoming trips require international travel, with connections and being on the plane for 10 hour stints. This is no issue, but you have to plan. Travel is broadening, but it shouldn’t be for your waistline.
Here are my tips for maintaining a somewhat healthy lifestyle while traveling:
Bring Your Own Food
I’m not saying you have to lug around a full course meal or a cooler, but you do need to have back up snacks. I never eat the airplane food because I don’t know what the mystery sauce is and there is ALWAYS a mystery sauce. It’s not the time to be an adventurous foodie. You’ll have time to do this when you land. You are stuck in a small space with lots of people for a long time. Sketchy cuisine = bathroom time.
Here is what I bring:
– Plain, instant oatmeal packets (if you have a nice flight attendant, she will zap this for you or at least ration you some hot water and skim milk)
– Tuna or salmon steak in a packet (they don’t smell, promise, and you will be opening them when the airplane food smell is wafting in the air anyway)
– Light salt (low sodium salt) or Spike
– Almonds
– Energy bars (I know I preach against these, but I do use while traveling)
– Baggies of dry cereal
– Liquid stevia & splenda packets
I swear this doesn’t take up a lot of room in your bag, and at least you know you’ll have a fall-back snack.
Create a Comfy EnvironmentHere are some of the non-food items I bring to ensure a comfortable and awesome flight:
– My ful Gibson backpack
– Laptop with a stocked itunes movie library (I realize you can watch in-flight entertainment, but I prefer my screen)
– iPod
– Skull Candy headphones
– A splitter so my hubby can watch a movie with me if he’s traveling too
– Kindle
– Those Colgate disposable toothbrushes
– Bottled water
– Extra thick socks because my feet are always freezing
– Lotion
– Eye drops
– Cuticle Pen
– Chapstick
– Magazines
– Huge Sunglasses (I don’t wear eye makeup so I put these on when we land so I don’t scare anyone)
Train in a foreign land
Just because you are overseas, it doesn’t mean you have to abandon your workout. Sometimes it’s hard. The treadmills aren’t in English, there’s nowhere to run outside, jet lag, they don’t believe in air conditioning in the workout facility. There are a thousand excuses. You just have to push yourself and I swear you will feel better after the sweat session. Here are a couple things to bring to help you along:
– iPod
– Exercise bands (they take up no room)
– Workout clothes and sneakers
– A zip-front hoodie
– Workout DVDs to play on your laptop (Tracy Anderson’s Mat Workout is awesome)
– My Count Me Healthy bracelet (I count water so I don’t get dehydrated)
Believe me, I can pack as compact as a marine. But girlfriend, if you’re traveling with me and you need something… I got you covered. What do you bring to stay healthy while flying? A little planning goes a long way. As always, keep counting.
I LOVE the DVD idea. Thanks for the support and structure, Chels. this will help my week alot, as it's been rough lately with the cold weather. These posts are SO useful (even if I'm only traveling within a 10 mile radius;))su