With summer still in full swing, it’s super common that there’s a lot of travel going on for everyone! Travel can often be a big stress point for people who are trying to keep up a healthy lifestyle regime and let me tell you, I get it. Maintaining healthy eating while traveling is still a work in progress for me! However, I’ve come to understand I can approach trips with one of two mentalities… and one is an absolute game-changer.
Diet Mentality (aka NOT the game changer)
It’s possible that you have found yourself here before… Restricting yourself before your trip, then going all out eating and drinking whenever you want, often in large quantities, and it ends up making you feel like shit. So then you restrict and over exercise when you get home all while feeling guilty about your choices during your trip, and dwelling on negative self-image thoughts.
How freaking miserable does this sound? I’m not for it. So instead, I’ve been focusing on feeling good.
Focus on Feeling Good Mentality
Focusing on feeling good has been my new approach to eating healthy while traveling. It’s actually been my approach to eating healthy in general! Instead of having a mindset focused around restriction, I eat foods that nourish your body and that I enjoy daily. I choose foods that allow me to feel good daily (this could be a big ass salad or a piece of cheesecake) but do so in normal quantities and I eat foods that keep my energy high. This all leads me to feeling amazing and refreshed when I return home.
Here are two things to consider so you can adopt this as well –
- Consider the idea that you can enjoy food, enjoy your life and feel good all at the same time. What this means for you is that you get to choose.
- Prior to eating, ask yourself, “How do I want to feel?”
- Then ask yourself, “What foods will help me feel this way?” If you can focus on feeling good and having energy daily you will find so much more confidence, excitement, and joy in all of your life experiences.
As I said before, this is still a work in progress for me. The summer tends to be a huge travel season for me and nourishing my body has not been on point every day, but the reflection on how I feel propels me to keep figuring it out!
Here is what I have learned over time:
- Vegetables are a non-negotiable for me daily.
- Traveling with ground flax and magnesium is also a must because it helps me poop daily… otherwise, things are not moving!
- Alcohol is OK, but not every day. Everyday consumption leads to inflammation, water retention, and low creativity.
- How I eat is HOW I EAT and nobody else’s business. I focus on what makes ME feel good.
- Limiting snacking and focusing on satiating meals is the way to go for me. (One day, I ate two Quest Nutrition bars, chocolate, and a salad. I did not feel good the next day)
- Trying new foods, experience and flavors is fun, but knowing what works best for me makes meal planning easier.
When is your next trip? Want help? I’ve just recently launched my Monthly Meal Plan program that is complete with recipes and shopping lists so it takes all of the guesswork out of healthy eating! Over time, it’ll become easier and easier for you to cook your own food that is healthy, gives you all of the energy and makes you feel amazing!
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at carmen@carmenohling.com
Sending you a ton of light and love,
Carmen
