If you are travelling but are also very keen on keeping fit and staying healthy, then this article can provide a little insight into what you can practice to stay on the fitness trail wherever you go.
Be it a wedding, vacation or business travel, diet and fitness need not take a backseat. And the first habit to always enforce before travelling is the mindfulness to plan a routine and keep a set of rules.
STRATEGIES FOR FITNESS ON-THE-GO
- Intermittent fasting:
A strategy that can work while travelling is to implement intermittent fasting. If transport timings are not well-known and there are a lot of travel variations expected, then planning for a fast-feast cycle can help keep balance. An efficient technique would be to follow the 16:8 rule where you fast for 16 hours and get your share of calories for the day by eating over an 8-hour window.
- Plan and portion:
Know the foods of your destination by researching places and looking up menus before time to understand food portions and to identify dishes that fall under your daily calorie needs while leaving a little room to enjoy the local food.
- Handy food sources:
Convenient food sources like seasonal fruits, protein shakes and even coconut water can help sustain your energy levels while you are on-the-go, travelling for long hours and do not have much time for sit-down meals.
- Get activity in:
When in your hotel or place of stay, and you have time, do morning workouts to maintain the fitness regime and finish your workout before your day begins. In other circumstances, always walk often and move around as much as you possibly can.
TRAVELLING FOR WEDDINGS
When travelling for occasions like weddings, controlling food intake is a challenge that needs to be tackled head-on. On such occasions, portion control while eating is essential. Eat a well-balanced meal by including the right amounts of protein, fats and carbs on your plate.
Always include a fist-size portion of proteins, a palm or fist-size amount of carbs and take a good handful of veggies.
THINGS TO NOTE BEFORE TRAVEL
Overall, during travelling, eating out more often is a given. So, whenever you travel out of the city or country, make sure you do a little research on the foods of the culture to be mindful of calories you consume while you enjoy the local dishes.
Here is a brief checklist that you can refer to beforehand, whenever you need to plan for travel:
- Identify food places, cuisines and stores near your lodgings for your convenience and in order to save time.
- Learn to keep a filled water bottle handy to hydrate yourself well for when you are stuck at airports or travelling for long hours by road or air.
- Keep a note of flight timings or travel durations so that you can plan ahead to consume a balanced meal before the to and fro travel begins.
Stay well-hydrated, keep active even at airports or anywhere on-the-go and always keep a track of the calories you consume when you travel.
