30 Apr Is It Possible To Lose Weight In A Healthy Manner While Traveling?
Trying to lose weight successfully involves healthy, consistent routines. Prepared meals, gym visits, sleep schedules, and the mental preparedness to repeat everything to the point of it being second nature, makes a weight loss plan more sustainable and successful in the long-term.
When you travel, these can all get disrupted and lead to unhealthy results, especially if you travel full-time like Chanel and Stevo used to. Routine goes out the window as you have to take time out to pack, get to your transportation, spend hours in transit, stay in a different environment or different time zone. It’s hard to be consistent when your daily itinerary is changed.
But losing weight (or keeping your weight off) is possible while traveling, and these tips can help keep you on the right track:
Medical Preparation
Travel takes a toll on your body, and you have to get yourself ready before you even leave for your trip. If you have specific medical needs, such as disease management supplies or medications while trying to lose weight, these must be taken into account.
Schedule appointments with your health practitioner pre-trip, and get your medications and supplies ready. For those on prescription weight loss medications, there are programs online which you can have on your phone or computer to easily check-in with professionals for adjustments and support, even when you are on the road.
Plan Your Food Excursions
A big part of traveling is getting to try new food while exploring. Most of the time, though, this is where people tend to lose control over their diet and weight goals. Studies have shown that even short-term vacations or holidays resulted in significant and persistent weight gain.
Plan where to eat while you map out your itinerary. Browse menus to see if they have healthy options similar to your usual meals. Use online apps to track and manage your nutrient needs. Fill up your plate with healthy options each meal. Share your portions or take only a few bites of new food you want to try. Stay hydrated by drinking lots of water and avoid high-sugar or high-calorie drinks. And if you have been good for majority of the trip, don’t feel guilty to try that Gelato when visiting Rome – you deserve it.
Bring Your Own Food
While eating out is fun, there will be instances where you will need to nourish yourself without going to restaurants, and this includes your airport or train station wait, your stay in the car or plane, or even the late-night hunger pangs.
Avoid falling into the trap of unhealthy eating by bringing your own healthy snacks. You can check out the local farmers markets or grocery stores for fresh fruit or other snacks that you can keep in your room for the rest of your trip. You can also bring your usual prepackaged healthy meals or meal replacement options. This way, you lessen the stress of sticking to your diet by having some known and comfortable options handy.
Walk Everywhere
A big part of managing your weight is being physically active. When you are traveling, it can be hard to stick to your daily exercise routines, since you may not have access to your regular gym equipment, or fitness classes.
Walking is a great physical activity to keep weight off, even while traveling. Walk around the airport concourse while waiting to check-in. Try walking tours around a new city. If you can, walk from one activity to another instead of taking public transportation or renting a car. You’ll be amazed how quickly the miles can add up if you just don’t give yourself the option not to walk.
Do An Express Workout
Exercise needs consistency, and you have to carve out some exercise time to keep working on your goals.
Do short workouts in your room, or jog around the hotel grounds before you start your day. Travel-friendly exercise or training equipment such as resistance bands and yoga mats can come in handy for in-room exercises. Use activity trackers, or online fitness classes as prompts to exercise. You can even schedule fun active things to do on your adventure, such as stand-up paddle-boarding, hiking, or even dance classes as part of your adventure.
You’d be surprised how much walking you can do on a walking pad treadmill while binge-watching your favorite travel vlog too, so you can start your exercise plan before you even leave on your trip.. “It’s like sightseeing…but with fewer stairs and more snacks nearby,” says Michael from Boost Fitlab (Trailviber).
Get Sleep
Jetlag is a hazard of traveling, and disrupted sleep cycles are bad for your weight loss plans. Sleep deprivation has been shown to affect hormone, blood sugar, and fat levels. Not getting enough sleep also makes you prone to eat more, and to crave sugary treats.
If you are going to a different time zone for your trip, establish adjusting your sleep routine days before you even get on the plane. Take advantage of long flights by timing when you can sleep. Make your sleeping quarters as close as possible to your usual sleeping environment. You can also bring aids such as white noise machines, blackout curtains, or sleeping masks to help you.
As with any weight loss plan, consistency is key, so intentionally go on your trip with a plan to stay as healthy as possible. If you slip up once or twice, that’s ok – you’re on holiday, and you may never get a chance to sample real Sachertorte again – but just try be consistent in getting back to the healthy options as much as possible.
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