Eating and Traveling- starting off right

Whether you are taking a day trip, a weekend break, or a long vacation, traveling offers a supreme opportunity for relaxation and enjoyment. For many, traveling also invites unwanted situations contradictory to the joy and vibrancy of “getting away”- indigestion, malaise, lack of activity, a sense of laziness, overeating, constipation, stress, and irritability. Fortunately, there are some ways to help prevent these from happening. Here are some helpful tips heard from clients over the years:

“I often have to travel for work and leave on the early morning flights. In the past I used these times as an excuse to eat fast food and it helped me to look forward to getting up so early. But after learning the hard way time and time again, I finally admitted to myself that those breakfasts don’t make me feel good and completely throw off my whole day (moody, fatigue, more hungry than usual). On my last trip, I experimented with bringing leftovers as breakfast instead and it made a world of difference. I had more energy, felt healthier, and didn’t get as tired with all the travel. I’m going to do that from now.”

“In the past, I was hesitant to increase my awareness around meal timing. I thought that somehow greater awareness would draw me into rigidity or detailed planning which felt like the antithesis of “vacationing”. Surprisingly, just keeping in touch with my body allowed me to be more spontaneous because I didn’t have all the other pitfalls during the day- bouts of hunger, irritability, feeling overfull, etc.”

“My family and I go camping a lot in the summer and being a foodie, I have often used this as an opportunity to eat lots of “fun foods.” This is fun in a way, but actually it dampers my experience more than helps. I end up beating myself up by feeling guilty over my choices when I get back. Working with CPF this summer has helped me to realize that planning out balanced meals in addition to some of my favorite snack foods can feel good and I don’t have as much guilt. Now, when I have that hot dog, s’more, or crab mac and cheese, I really do enjoy it because it’s not just another junk food I have been splurging on. My body just feels better.”

"Most helpful for me, day trip or long vacation, is just remembering to stay hydrated!”

What’s your favorite tips and tricks to feeling your best when traveling?