15 Tips on Travelling & Eating Healthy

We all know that eating when traveling can take its toll on your waistline. That’s why we’ve put together 15 hacks to help you keep your eating on the healthy track.

1. Easy on the hotel breakfast buffet.

Most hotels offer free breakfast, which are usually packed with sugar-laden treats like pastries, bagels, cakes, and chocolate. Skip this section and go for the fresh fruit corner instead to grab yourself an apple, a banana, or some papaya.

2. Make your own breakfast.

First, check with the front desk if you’re allowed to bring food in. Then, buy some fruit, nuts, salads, or any other foods you know have a much healthier calorie count.

3. Plastic wrap your banana stems.

Bananas are a great snack for a road trip. To keep them fresh longer, remove each banana from the bunch and wrap the stems in plastic wrap. This gives you about five days more shelf life due to the slow release of ethylene gas that promotes ripening.

4. BYOP – bring your own protein.

Eating protein, or “going Keto” is one of the fastest ways to lose weight and stay fit. Bring along some pre-cooked tapa, chicharon, or pork chop slices for snacks on-the-go.

5. BYOG — bring your own greens.

Crunchy veggies are excellent replacements for chips when on you’re on the road. Seaweed, carrot sticks, broccoli, and cauliflower are very travel-friendly. You can even eat them together with the tapa you brought in your protein snack bag.

6. Use stevia for your coffee.

Too much sugar and chemical-laden sweeteners are not good for you. Best to bring travel-sized bottles of flavored stevia and some low- or non-fat milk to mix with your morning perk-me-up.

 

7. Bring coconut oil packets.

Coconut oil is a healthy and still tasty alternative to buttering your bread. Look for individual packets that fit in your bag for easy transport.

8. Start your meal with a salad.

Dress salads with a little olive oil and vinegar to help fill you up, which helps you eat less of the other things from the buffet table.

9. Order vegetarian — then add protein.

Load up on as many veggies as you can. If you’re eating at a Chinese restaurant, for example, you can order steamed broccoli first to take up a space in your stomach and make you feel full much faster.

10. Order an appetizer for dinner.

Appetizers are closer to recommended serving sizes and fits well as a main course for one. So even if your plate of Calamari is something not totally healthy, at least you’ll eat less. Have a salad or soup on the side if you’re still hungry.

11. Eat the protein first.

If you’re not into eating veggies , go for protein. It fills you up and satisfies you, which helps you eat less. If you’re still hungry, that’s when you go for complex carbs. Always remember to minimize consumption of rice, bread, and potatoes.

12. Blot the oil off pizza.

For many of us, pizza is an easy choice, and could arguably be a healthy one if packed with protein and vegetables. Just remember to blot the excess oil off your slice.

13. Use your hand as a guide for portion sizes.

Watching portion sizes is key to losing or maintaining weight. Use your hands, you can roughly figure out how much you’re eating:

• Two cupped hands equal 1 ounce
• One cupped hand holds half a cup
• A fist is the size of one cup
• From the middle joint to the top of your thumb is one teaspoon
• Bottom joint to the top of your thumb is about 1 to 2 tablespoons
• Your palm is about the size of 3 to 4 ounces

14. Pack food in plastic baggies when flying.

If you’re the type who needs to snack on a plane, put a good amount of proteins and greens in a ziplock. Don’t use aluminum foil to avoid setting off airport scanners.

15. Choose dark chocolate.

Dark chocolate has less sugar than milk chocolate, and choosing one with nuts is great for some added protein.

Follow these tips and come back from your holiday the same weight that you left. Any other healthy-eating travel tips you have? Share it with us by leaving a comment below.