Can you believe that it is almost labor day weekend? I mean seriously.  Is it just me or does time shift to fast forward when you have a kid?  Holy crap.

Pretty soon we’ll be packing away the swim suits and opting for snow boots..  Ughhh the thought of having to put Piper in a coat sounds awful.  Its hard enough getting a diaper on her, a coat is going to require a level of ninja skills that I haven’t mastered yet.

Until that time comes I’m just going to soak up the sun… and the baby rolls.

Lately, the girls in my coaching program, having been asking me a lot of questions about staying healthy while traveling. Basically how can they avoid falling off the healthy living wagon just because they are traveling for work or fun.

Staying healthy while you are traveling is TOTALLY doable, it just requires some planning ahead.  Here are my top 9 tips for staying healthy while traveling.

1. Pack Your Own Snacks

This is probably the most important thing you can do when it comes to staying healthy while traveling.  You have to pack your own snacks, otherwise you are going to end up with a slim jim and a diet coke hating the way you feel.  Need some ideas? Here are my top 20 snack ideas to get you thinking.

2. Choose wisely when you are out to eat

When traveling, it is pretty much inevitable that you are going to end up eating out at some point.  Depending on the trip you might be eating out at EVERY meal.  Its important to make your meal selections wisely.  While a cheat meal or 2  is totally acceptable you want to try to avoid eating like you are a 14 year old boy at every meal.  I recommend choosing grilled meats, steamed veggies, salads (with the dressing on the side), and eggs for breakfast.  Skip the bread basket before the meal, toast with breakfast, or lots of sandwiches.

3. Hydrate

Chances are when you are traveling drinking lots of water won’t be top of mind like it would be when you are at home.  Its so important though to stay hydrated, especially if you are on a trip where you are being extremely active.  Often times we mistake our thirst for hunger, if you’re feeling hungry try drinking 8 oz of water first to see if that helps curb the appetite.  A well hydrated body also experiences less cravings and less cravings mean less of a chance of you losing yourself in a pint of fr0-yo or a large pizza.

Tip! Bring your own water bottle.  If you are traveling on an airplane you can’t bring water through security, but once you are through security you can pull your bottle out and fill it at a drinking fountain or a restaurant.  Often times hotels have a large jug of water in their lobby so make sure to look for that.  My favorite water bottle is the Lifefactory straw cap.  The glass is heavy yes, but the water stays cooler and tastes better.

4. Hit a grocery store

Chances are there is a grocery store fairly close to wherever you are staying.  Instead of shopping in the hotel lobby or strictly dining out do a quick google search and find the closest grocery store.  Even if you have to take a cab there the amount you will save in not eating out as much is totally worth it.  Grab some fresh fruit, nuts, lara bars (if you didn’t already pack your own) and maybe some cheese and turkey (I recommend the Applegate farms brand).

5. Stock a cooler

If you are going on a road trip definitely stock a cooler! All the items I mentioned above you can totally pack in there, plus maybe a few gallons of water (to refill your bottle).  No worries about not having a big enough fridge in your hotel room, just keep refilling the cooler with ice and you will be good to go!

6. Do some recon work

There is this super new tool called google, have you heard of it? Do some searching for classes you could take or gyms you could visit while traveling.  Most gyms and studios will sell you a day pass or give you a drop in rate for a class.  The Om Finder app from Lululemon can tell you where the nearest yoga studio is.  Go Recess is another resource that allows you to select what you are in the mood for, how far you want to travel, and what time you want to take a class.  Honestly, what DID we do before the internet??

7. Make fitness a part of your daily routine

Exercise doesn’t only have to happen at a gym.  Stay active throughout the day by taking the stairs, parking far away from the entrance, or walking instead of taking a cab.

Bonus: Try adding small bouts of exercise to your day.  I’m a big fan of squats while I brush my teeth, calf raises while I’m on the phone, and 5 minutes of core work before bed.  Give it a try and see if it works for you.

8. Eat small meals and snacks throughout the day. 

Have you ever noticed what happens when you feel STARVING?

Do you choose the salad over the pizza?

Probably not.

Missing a meal and hitting that point of extreme hunger (or hangry as I like to call it) often ends with us choosing a carb heavy meal (think pizza or sandwiches).  At this stage of hunger its also common to miss the “I’m full” signals your brain gives off and eat past the point we typically would.

Eating small meals and snacks throughout the day that contain protein keep will keep you from experiencing that starvation sensation which can send you off to binge city!!

9. Pack your own blender

Sounds crazy right, packing your own blender? But what if you could find one that was smaller than your hair dryer?

Well you’re in luck.  This travel sized blender fits super easily into your luggage and allows for you to make your own healthy smoothies while traveling.  You can use whatever fruit your hotel is offering at the continental breakfast along with some water and greens if you have access (spinach, romaine, anything you can get your hands on) plus if you bring your own protein powder you can add a scoop of that in there.

No free breakfast at the hotel? Hit a local grocery store, grab some fresh strawberries, blueberries, and a bag of spinach and you will be good to go.

You got this

As you can see, staying healthy while traveling is totally doable, you just have to plan ahead.

How do you stay healthy when you travel? I’d love to hear any tips you have… tell me in the comments below!

Stay tuned!

In part 2 of this 2 part series I’m going to share a few quick workout ideas that you can do while traveling.  You don’t have to miss a workout just because you are on the road!