“Eating healthy is tough when I travel,” said MOST people.
Often times we associate business or weekend travels, vacations, being “busy,” “out of routine” or “on the go” or vacations with the INABILITY to REALLY take care of ourselves.
From all-you-can-eat buffets, junk food laden theme parks, a steady intake of restaurant meals, fast food pit-stops, airport snacks and your mother-in-law’s “home (Southern) cooking,” it can seem like (all) the forces are AGAINST you.
Reality #1?
“Healthy eating” IS a lifestyle.
And just like your human body and brain are designed and wired to survive and thrive, “healthy choices” CAN happen anywhere you go (and no, it doesn’t mean dry salads either).
Whether you arm yourself with a few of my favorite on-the-go, quick bites below, or simply “get creative” with any menu you come across, proteins, vegetables and some healthy fats CAN be found.
We must stop telling ourselves, “It can’t happen,” “It can’t happen,” “It can’t happen.”
(So as we think therefore we become).
Reality Check #2?
A little dirt never hurt.
Seriously, BECAUSE HEALTHY EATING IS A LIFESTYLE, all the more reason to NOT stress out when vacations or lack of routine happen.
It doesn’t mean your “healthy lifestyle” or your fitness or your “will power” is blown.
Simply do the BEST you can to fuel your engine with good-quality gasoline (without stressing out of it too much).
(In fact, you may very well discover that LACK OF STRESS-ITSELF—is the HEALTHIEST thing you can do for yourself—digestion, metabolism and lifestyle included)!
I cannot tell you the number of times I have worked with many of my clients who tend to overthink, overanalyze and stress out about the food they put into their body and their gut health, ONLY to have them take a vacation, travel to Europe, hit the beach or mix up their usual workout or eating routine for several days, and discover…
Their body (and digestion and “metabolism”) actually could TOTALLY handle the bread of Gelato they tried in Rome, the missed day (or 4) of working out,
“Lauryn…nothing happened…” they say.
To which I glow from ear to ear, “Your body TOTALLY knows what to ‘do’ when you eat a Twinkie…”
(Translation: Your body wants to work FOR you—not against you—and when you center your lifestyle on an 80% “balance” of eating real whole foods and moving your body in ways that energize you MOST of the time…then the other 20% of vacations and travel? It KNOWS how to handle it).
The Bottom Line:
When you live a lifestyle aimed at advocating (for yourself) and optimal health choices, your body won’t be “thrown off” on vacation.
In-a-Pinch Snacks & Quick Bites (for Busy or On-the-Go People)
Traveling during the holidays, out for several days for business, or just a busy week (with no time for meal prep) ahead?
No sweat!
Here is my “arsenal” list of In-a-Pinch Snacks & Quick Bites to keep on hand.
(Failing to prepare is preparing to fail).
Stash Snacks:
- Wild Salmon
- Wild Tuna
- Wild Sardines
- Roasted Organic Chicken
- Kelp & Seaweed Snax
- Kale Chips
- Organic Jerky (like Nicks Sticks )
- Raw Nuts & Seeds
- Homemade Trail Mix (nuts, 1 dried fruit or coconut flakes)
- Almond Butter Packets
- Coconut Butter Packets
- Coconut Oil, MCT Oil & Ghee Packets
- Coconut “Chips”
- Plantain Chips
- Fruit Leather (moderation)
Bars
Protein Powder (shake up in a shaker bottle)
“Perishables” (You can easily keep in a lunchbox cooler in your car or wherever you go)
- Rotisserie Chicken
- Organic Turkey/Ham Rollups
- Hard-boiled Eggs
- Avocado
- Celery & Baby Carrots
- Coconut Flour Tortillas
- Fresh Fruit
- Cold-Pressed Juices (like Daily Greens in a bottle)
- Raw Leafy Greens (make into a salad in a pinch)
- Roasted Veggies
- Homemade Sweet Potato
- Grass-fed Greek or Goat’s Milk Yogurt Cups
- Homemade Tuna/Chicken Salad with Paleo Mayo
- Leftover Protein
- Turkey or Bison Meatball Bites
—Basically ANYTHING can be kept in a lunchbox cooler with several packs of ice thrown in there to get you through the day.
Need Some Ideas to Construct “On-the-Go” Travel Meals?
Here are 5 (easily transportable to airport, in the car, or stashed in your bag for a day out at the amusement park):
On-the-Go Meal 1
- Packet Wild Tuna
- 1/2 Avocado
- Plantain Chips
On-the-Go Meal 2
- Canned Organic Chicken (or chicken/turkey in your cooler)
- Handful Raw Macadamia Nuts
- Kale Chips
On-the-Go Meal 3
- Equip Foods Beef Isolate Protein Powder (shake up in water)
- Coconut Butter Packet
- 1/2 Banana
On-the-Go Meal 4
- Turkey or Beef Jerky
- Almond Butter Packet
- Apple
- Cucumbers or Sea Snax
On-the-Go Meal 5
- Coconut Flour Tortilla Wrap
- Turkey or Ham
- Avocado or Almond Butter (spread on wrap)