#traveltips #glutenfreetraveler #dairyfreetraveler #stayfitonholidays #foodintolerance #fitnessonholidays #stayfit #enjoyyourholidays #holidaysonbudget
Here are some tips I’ve found useful when traveling myself:
MOVEMENT
It’s really hard to get in shape: getting into a workout routine, eating right,…..
I’ve always felt that it’s a pity to just throw that overboard when going on a holiday and having to start from 0 again… The thing about exercise is that the less you are in shape, the less you actually want to move and the harder it is to get going again. I’ve never wanted to get into that situation that’s why I’ve always continued exercising during holidays. Lately, I’ve really come to love hiking, so when being on holidays, my partner and I go on long hikes exploring the beautiful nature which is double compensating because it also helps me find back to my zen space. On top of that I do yoga, pilates or other muscle strengthening exercises so I have a good combination of movement and also keep my muscles in shape. Another way to keep on exercising during holidays is of course swimming or other water sports, choosing an hotel or apartment with access to a gym, biking etc. You could for instance pack a skipping rope or a rubber band that doesn’t take up any space and is not heavy to transport.
I guess the most important thing is get into right mindset and see these kind of activities as part of your holiday.
DIET - So what about diet?
If you are on holidays you should be able to indulge! I just came back from a trip to Rome for instance. Italy: the land of pasta, pizza, tiramisu, gelato... everything that's not good for your waistline right?
Well but there's a ton of very good antipasti you should not miss out on that's a much better choice for your waistline and health but also delicious! So you don't want to miss the pizza , pasta, nor gelato or pastries? Then don't! What I would advise you is to not have everything at once , but spread the pleasure over several days.
If you are on holidays or not:
ALWAYS start your day with a big glass of water (ideally with lemon juice or apple cider vinegar). Have a breakfast high in fat and protein, this will keep you satisfied until lunch without needing a snack. Lunch is the best time to eat raw vegetables and protein and antipasti platter would be a great choice for instance if you are in Italy. At 4PM, enjoy something sweet like a fruit with a handful of nuts or if it has to be pastry or gelato - make a conscious choice... Then for dinner, go for your pizza but have vegetables or salad on the side and let pizza not be the main dish. (By the way, in Rome pizza is sold by weight so you can choose different ones and they sell pizza without cheese and gluten-free too. We found the one only with tomato sauce the best actually.) Ideally, dinner should be a light meal and not too late. If it's hot, a cold soup would be ideal. Have a side of (gluten-free) bread and hummus or avocado to make it a complete meal.
For me this is a reason also why I prefer to stay in Airbnbs, because you have much more space and a kitchen. You can make your own breakfast in the morning (awesome if you don’t enjoy the breakfast crowd at the hotel buffet). It also allows you to keep your budget in control as eating out 3 x day can quickly ramp up the food bill. Having more space means some room for pilates and yoga or other exercise too!
Personally, I love to do grocery shopping in other countries to see what kind of foods they have and try out new things. It feels more living like the locals and lets you explore many more things than eating at a restaurant.
Here are some tips I'm using on a gluten and dairy-free diet while traveling:
if you can't find a decent nut milk or if they are too expensive: buy canned coconut milk and mix with water! I use this for making chia puddings or for my morning coffee or matcha latte
go to the baked goods section in supermarkets, you can usually find almond meal or at least desiccated coconut which you can use for making pancakes or muffins
buy sea salt to add electrolytes to your water
Some easy breakfast ideas you might want to try:
make easy pancakes for breakfast: 1 medium green-tipped banana mashed, 1 TBSP full fat coconut milk, 2-3 eggs (depending on size), pinch of sea salt, cinnamon (if available) whisk all together and bake small pancakes on low heat
egg frittata: put veggies in oven-safe dish, add 6 whisked eggs, salt& pepper or other spices and bake 20-30 mins in oven
make a chia pudding with the mix you brought. Add 2 TBSP full fat coconut milk and 200ml water or more if needed. Alternatively, use mashed avocado with water
have 1/2 avocado with trail mix and protein powder for breakfast
make avocado pudding with cocoa powder (if available), cinnamon, and coconut milk. Add gojiberries or a little bit of honey to sweeten (add protein powder to pimp up protein)
I always bring some basics with me when travelling:
Supergreen powder to make sure I'm getting my daily vegetables
Home-made chocolate protein bars (the best afternoon snack or even for breakfast). This one is the best choice in my opinion, if you don't make your own. You can also make a trail-mix and bring it with you.
I always make a breakfast mix with chia and flax seeds, psyllium husk, pumpkin seeds, goji berries, protein powder, collagen powder, vanilla and cinnamon and Maca powder to have something I can use to make a chia pudding or add to baked goods I'll make on sight. I'll just add it to a ziplock bag.
Spirulina (make sure to avoid Chinese origin)
Miso soup individual packets (great to have on the plane or for breakfast if you want to start with something hearty and hot)
A travel mug (also very helpful on the plane I always ask for hot water to make an herbal tea) and some herbal tea bags. I use this then as my daily water "bottle" also keeps water cool
Coconut oil for cooking, beverages and my skin
And don't forget REST!
Bringing down your stress levels is crucial to your health and wellbeing and will actually help control your weight too. Better sleep = less appetite = less cravings.
Finding your balance of nutrition, movement & rest is the key for optimum health, weight loss and wellbeing.
Now, enjoy your holidays and don't hesitate to get in touch if you have questions or suggestions :-)