Tips for staying on the road to great health while travelling

Many clients, friends and family, who recently travelled over Spring Break , have complained about the difficulty of staying on a healthy eating program and losing their routine with exercise while away from home. It seems that most of us return from vacations more exhausted and mal-nourished than before our much needed breaks. I wanted to share some of my personal strategies for staying on track while on the road.

CAR TRAVEL:
• Stop at least every 2 hours and take a short walk for circulation. Deep breathing and stretches will help reduce fatigue and muscle stiffness.

• Most small towns across the country have a well known Super Center. These MEGA giant stores are great for walking in any climate. Why not just do lunges and get some cardio by skipping through the store----you never know, you may wind up on a viral email that has become famous for this retailers shoppers :-) On a serious note, these stores surprisingly have an ever increasing selection of Organic produce. Here are a few healthy and balanced ideas: A bag of pre-washed veggies (i.e. organic brands of cauliflower, carrots and broccoli), a container of your favorite hummus dip -- Sabra brand is great www.sabra.com. On a recent 16 hour trip from Texas to Colorado—we would stop for fuel for both ourselves and the car. I would grab the human fuel and my husband would fuel up the car. During the next hour we would enjoy roasted chicken (low salt)/deli sliced, some olives, organic veggies with some organic fresh fruit. It was so filling and hydrating and kept us on our quest for healthy living AND a healthy budget that only took 10-15 minutes out of our travel time. You might also pick up a jar of natural peanut butter or almond butter www.maranatha.com to spread on an organic apple or on an organic brown rice cakes (my favorite is www.lundberg.com ). In my purse or in the glove box of my car I always have a few Lara Bars- www.larabar.com and the mini bags of natural almonds www.emeraldnuts.com . Water…….you should always fill up several BPA free containers of filtered water from home (save the earth and your wallet) and bring on your trip to stay well hydrated. I also pack several packets of Emergen-C www.emergenc.com in many different flavors. You can add this to your filtered water or even sparkling water like La Croix, Perrier or Pellegrino as a healthy treat that is an alternative to a soda---my kids love these (try the pink lemonade flavor with a lemon La Croix—yum!)Missing your green leafies while travelling....? A great way to keep your energy and intestinal health on track--- try a packet of Green Vibrance www.vibranthealth.us

• Lastly, I carry several essential oils with me while travelling. Aromatherapy can treat anything from a headache (peppermint), sinus trouble/congestion (eucalyptus) and stress (lavender)….there are many more therapies for using oils- read more here www.auracacia.com they even have a new iphone application that you can download for free with many aroma therapy remedies—perfect for the ont the go traveler!


HOTEL:

• Find out ahead of time if you will have a Mini-Fridge, MW and a Coffee Maker

• EXERCISE/MEAL PLANNING: After your check in-- take a walk (or drive if distance/weather is a factor) to the local grocery store to pick up a few things to keep on hand for a quick meal. Look for an on-site fitness center if available. If not, then you can bring along a work-out program that requires only 10 minutes in your room – “The Travellers Ten” ! 10 exercises in 10 minutes for total body that includes; squats, tricep dips, lunges, push ups and more. Send me a message if you have interest in this video.

• BREAKFAST: Oatmeal, Whey Protein Powder, Blueberries, Ground Flax and Walnuts OR 1/2 cup of Blue Diamond Almond Milk and some low sugar granola like Bare Naked or a new favorite--Laughing Giraffe-Gluten Free granola! Thanks to Integrative Nutrition and their generous gift box of goodies- I am addicted to the Walnut,Pecan,Cherry and Ginger flavor. Try some at www.thelaughinggiraffe.com

• SNACK: Guayaki Yerba Mate www.guayaki.com and an Organic Apple with some Maranatha Almond Butter (see above)

• LUNCH: Brown Rice Cakes (Lundberg) , Albacore Tuna, Cucumber, Red Pepper

• AFTERNOON Pick Me Up: A Packet of Green Vibrance (see above) an hour before dinner.

• DINNER: Okay------you can’t stay in the hotel ALL day. Find a local favorite and a make a “Lean and Green” Choice. If you need more information just contact me and I will give you my Lean and Green philosophy and list 

Treat yourself with a SPA Therapy while away. Bring a container of Sprout Wellness Sugar Body Scrub (brown sugar, coconut oil, powdered coconut)for a healthy glow. So pure and good that you could actually eat it! Visit www.sproutwellnessnyc.com. Epsom Salt baths/scrubs are also a wonderful treat to sore, achey muscles from sitting in the car for many hours-Relax and Enjoy!


Try to maintain an adequate sleep schedule so that you do not disrupt sleep habits. Trouble getting to sleep in unfamiliar places…? There are many natural solutions for sleep aids that range from using the aromatherapy oils (see above) Low doses of Melatonin and the amino acid 5 HTP works great for most people. *Please consult with you physician before taking any supplement even if it is over the counter. I hope you found this information helpful. Have an amazing day and stay healthy!