How I Stay On Track On Travel Days

All calories count, even airport calories!

I know it can be easy to disregard your healthy eating when you’re traveling. And while I do believe in letting go, relaxing and enjoying your vacation to the fullest when you reach your destination, I still advise prioritizing when to let go and when to stick to some healthy eating and exercise routines.

One of my struggles used to be eating when traveling. I would eat unhealthy food at the airport and bring lots of snacks to munch on the plane… Hello, travel sized Toblerone! So, when I landed, I would feel disgustingly full from unhealthy food, tired and bloated. Not the best start to my vacation!

That’s why I made these guidelines for myself. I try to follow them whenever I travel, and they are especially good to go by on longer flights, where you’re stuck in a seat for many hours.

1: Hit The Weights Before Your Flight!
If you have a morning flight, try to hit a late gym session the night before. Weights are great because your body can recover in peace on the flight, but even 30-60 minutes of walking will do your body good before it has to sit still in a plane seat for a long time.
If you travel later in the day, try and hit the gym in the morning or afternoon on the day you travel.

2: Stay On An Eating Schedule
The concept of normal meal timings seem to fade when you’re traveling, and instead of breakfast, lunch, dinner, you end up just randomly snacking at the airport and on the plane. It’s so tempting to eat a big meal at the airport when you’re waiting or to eat lots of snacks on the plane when you’re bored. But don’t do that!

When I have a morning flight, I skip breakfast and don’t eat until they serve the first meal on the plane. If I need something, I drink coffee (maybe with a little milk) or tea until then.

When I travel later in the day, I eat normally but as healthy as possible until I leave for the airport, and then I follow the same rule of not eating again until they serve the first meal on the plane. You’re going to be sitting down for hours, your body does not need a whole bunch of calories for that!

3: Go For Low-Calorie Snacks
If my sweet tooth creeps up on me, I go for a diet soda instead of sugary snacks.
When I want an energy boost, I go for black tea or black coffee with a dash of milk instead of a latte. (Okay, sometimes I will have my unsweetened almond milk cappuccino. I’m only human.)

You never know if there’s going to be a delay, and there’s almost definitely going to be a lot of waiting around, so packing some emergency healthy snacks can be a great idea. They will come in handy if you feel your blood sugar drop, and the can save you a lot of both money and calories.
Good travel-friendly snack options are:

• Fruits such as apples and pears
• Portion size packs of nuts or trail mix
• Packets of instant oatmeal – If you’re delayed at the airport you can ask for a cup of hot water at a coffee shop and make a filling, healthy meal that won’t knock you off track
• Protein bars that are high in fiber and low in carbs – I recommend this one

4: Choose Healthy Options And Only eat 75%
I’m actually flying today, and my flight is delayed. Because it’s a morning flight I haven’t had anything but coffee and I didn’t follow my own advise and bring healthy snacks because sometimes I’m stupid and make bad decisions ;)

I had to find something to eat at the crowded airport, and preferably something that isn’t too unhealthy. I haven’t had the best week in terms of diet and exercise because of a very busy work week, and I’m planning to spend my 4 days in Denmark eating whatever I want, so I don’t want to go too crazy at the airport.

Even though airport food isn’t generally the best, it has improved a lot over the past few years and it is possible to find good options if you’re a bit mindful. Depending on the airport, of course. I’m traveling from Dubai Airport and went to a Thai place that also serves a pretty healthy high protein breakfast, where I ordered the breakfast platter.

I had 2 eggs over easy, 1 slice of whole grain toast with butter and jam, 1/2 tomato with mushrooms, one glass of orange juice and a black coffee with milk on the side.
I didn’t touch the baked beans and the hash browns and also left 1 slice of toast on the plate.

When you’re ordering from the menu and can’t choose your portions sizes, I recommend leaving about 25% on your plate. Eat the things you enjoy and leave the stuff you wouldn’t have chosen yourself. Restaurants usually always make the portions too big, so you won’t have to clear your plate to feel full. Promise!

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I hope you found this blog helpful. If you have any great tips for traveling, please share them below. I’d love to hear how you stay on track! :)

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