Week 9: Travelling/Eating on the run
Travelling can prove to be difficult while still maintaining your healthy eating goals. With the right planning and preparation, sticking to your healthy eating plan will be as simple as it is when you are at home. Before you leave to go on a trip, what do you plan for? Is healthy eating on your agenda? If so, what do you currently do to prepare to eat healthy while travelling? If not, what steps might you take to make healthier choices? Making healthy choices while travelling may help you to feel better, increase your energy and better deal with the mishaps that occur while travelling, such as delayed flights or traffic.
Learning:
- Tips for travelling
- Action plan
- Best selections
- Foods that travel
If continuing to eat healthy while travelling is important for you, here are some tips that might help you.
- Plan ahead
In order to eat healthy while travelling, you must have a plan of action before you leave.
– Request a refrigerator and/or microwave in your hotel room if you are staying overnight.
– Plan out what grocery stores are nearby, and grocery shop and eat just like you do at home!
– Plan out what restaurants are nearby and write down the address or map out directions. Write down the healthy menu options for you to choose from.
– Plan transportation method to be able to get to the grocery store or healthy restaurants.
– Bring utensils, such as a spoon and fork, can opener, container with a lid and bowl. Use the containers to prepare and pack lunch and snacks to bring with you for the day, just like at home! Can openers can be helpful for canned beans, soups or canned tuna fish.
– Bring a water bottle, fill up your water bottle at the airport and make sure to bring water with you each and every day. Be sure to drink additional water when travelling by airplane.
- Take healthy snacks en route (airplane, car, bus, etc.)
No matter the means by which you are travelling, it is important to stick to your plan of eating healthy small meals and snacks every two to four hours for sustained energy. This is just as important and possible when you are travelling. Prepare and select snacks that are easy to pack and do not require refrigeration (e.g., nuts, cereal, whole grain bread with almond or peanut butter, fruits, vegetables, whole grain crackers or canned tuna fish)
- Stock your hotel kitchen
If you are staying in a hotel for a period of time, grocery shop for the week as soon as you arrive at your destination. Grocery shop just like you would at home. Make a list and determine breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack options what will be easy to prepare. Do you have use of a microwave or oven? Attempt to incorporate hot and cold options. Buy pre-cut, pre-washed, pre-shredded options to save on preparation in the hotel. Here are some meal examples that are easy to prepare in a hotel room:
– Salad with grape tomatoes, cucumber, chick peas and whole grain bread
– Soup with whole grain bread
– Vegetables, hummus and steamed brown rice (frozen individual bags to be microwaved)
– Frozen meal with a side vegetable salad
– Create your own salad from a salad bar with quinoa, tofu, vegetables and more
– Sandwich with canned tuna, lettuce, tomato and sprouts
– Steamed vegetables with sliced turkey
– Lettuce wraps with chicken and vegetables
- Stick to your schedule
Stick to the routine you carry out at home. Eat breakfast within the first 30–60 minutes of rising. Eat a mid-morning and mid-afternoon snack. Consume a healthy, well-balanced lunch. Eat every two to four hours. Make a healthy dinner with at least ½ the plate vegetables.
- Snacking
Snack just like you do at home. Buy the same foods and stick to the consistent schedule your body likes!
- Sleeping
Stick to your regular sleep-wake schedule when you are travelling. Time changes can throw you off for several days, but do your best to get six to nine hours per night. Lack of sleep can lead to cravings and consumption of unhealthy food choices.
- Exercise
Stick to your regular exercise schedule to help provide consistency for the body. Individuals who exercise often crave healthier food. Exercise releases endorphins, which may help with stress and anxiety and help improve your mood.
Self-exploration exercises
Do you travel frequently? If not, spend some time creating a plan of action for the occasional travel dates. If so, evaluate your travel habits to determine small changes you can make to improve your health.
Describe your eating habits when you are travelling?
How do they compare to the plan you stick to at home?
What might you change in your eating habits to better improve your health?
How do your eating habits while travelling affect your overall health?
Goal setting: Set SMART goals to work on for the next week
A key point to any successful plan is to complete and review your goals on an ongoing basis. Complete the following goals sheet. Putting pen to paper on what you want and need, your obstacles, challenges and back- up plan is key to long-term positive change.
- What do you want to do?
- Why do you want to make this change?
- How are you going to make this change?
- When are you going to make this change?
- How many days per week are you planning on making this change?
- What barriers might you encounter that might inhibit you from making this change?
- How might you get past these barriers?
- What is your back-up plan?
- Evaluate your confidence and motivation for making these changes on a scale of 1–10.