Hey Guys, Yossif here. Here’s another great guest post about how to balance your diet while on the road. It can be tough to stick to a decent diet or get proper nutrition while away from home but here’s some simple tips to keep you on track.
How to balance your diet while on the road
There are a few things in life that can compare to the excitement of going on a vacation you have anticipated for so long. Your bags are packed, your schedule is cleared, and you are ready to seize the day. While you deserve some relaxation, you need to be careful because traveling is precisely the time when most people completely forget about a healthy diet which significantly sets them back in their journeys.
It’s easier than you think!
You might think that it’s impossible to balance your diet while on the road, which is a common misconception most people have.
The truth is that you don’t have to return from your vacation with extra pounds. Just because you are on the road doesn’t mean that proper nutrition and hydration of your body aren’t important. Quite the contrary – they are a must if you want to have enough energy for all the sightseeing that awaits. And here are some ways that will help you make smarter food choices while on the go.
Pack your snacks – lots of them 
It’s completely understandable that you might not be able to pack dozens of bags of snacks. But pack as many of them as you can carry. It’s simple – if you have healthy choices right at your fingertips, you will be less likely to choose bad ones. If you are flying (and it can only be assumed that you are), stock up on non-perishables a few days before your flight. Great snack choices include:
- Dried nuts
- Protein bars
- Jerky
- Grain crackers
- Granola bars
Pro tip: pack more snacks than you think you will need. It’s better to be safe than sorry and risk running out of healthy food choices in the middle of your trip. Besides, the majority of the aforementioned snacks are great for helping you increase your protein intake while on the road, which is important as it will be irreplaceable fuel for your body.
Do your research in advance
Everything begins with a good plan. Impulsive food decisions are made when you are starving, walking by a hot dog stand and not seeing another restaurant anywhere on the map. That’s because you didn’t research the area you will be visiting and, as far as you know, there aren’t any healthy choices in the vicinity.
It must be mentioned that a few cheat meals during your travels are not just okay – they are encouraged. Sometimes that’s the only way to get to fully experience a culture as some of them offer extra spicy and calorie-infused meals. And with thorough research, you will find both the restaurants with healthy choices and the ones with delicious but heavy meals.
Balance your diet on the road by eating every two to three hours
It goes without saying that you won’t have a full meal every two hours. But at least a couple of almonds need to find their way to your stomach. A mini snack will prevent you from becoming so hungry that you don’t mind devouring an entire chicken. Besides, we are much more likely to make bad food choices when hungry, so you should not let yourself feel extreme hunger. (Unless of course you’re intermittent fasting and that way you utilitze your own fat stores for energy!)
Always carry a water bottle with you
Hunger and thirst might not seem like they have much in common – but one is triggered by the other. If you get even slightly dehydrated, your brain can misinterpret thirst for hunger, making your cravings bigger than ever. Besides, dehydration can drain your energy, leaving you feeling lifeless and tired.
That’s why the first rule of every balanced diet on the road is to have a sufficient water intake. Always carry a bottle with you and take a few sips every ten minutes – especially if you are traveling during the summer. Please note that hydration is even more important if you will be on the road for long stretches of time at once, like when moving to a different state. In that case, you will need all the help you can get. Like the one that comes from professionals like verifiedmovers.com and the one that comes from mother nature, such as vitamins and water. Never underestimate one or the other.
Limit alcohol while on the road
Hey, it’s completely understandable to want to kick back with a few drinks – but don’t make this a daily occurrence for the entire duration of your trip. It’s okay to have a drink or two on a night out because that’s what vacation is all about. But don’t let yourself go out of control and drink an entire bottle of wine per day. Not only will you stop thinking clearly but you will also make the worst choices when it comes to food.
Shop at a local supermarket
Have you booked a place that has a mini kitchen? Then you already have almost everything that’s needed to balance your diet while on the road. Now all that’s left for you to do is to buy the groceries. Visit the local supermarket and buy greens, fruits, and veggies. Focus on making healthy yet quick recipes because let’s be honest, vacation isn’t about cooking. If you manage to prepare two meals a day and eat out for the third meal only, you can declare a huge victory.
Just remember to go grocery shopping with a full stomach. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself reaching out for bad choices, like candy. And one of the best ways to reduce your sugar intake is by not bringing home anything that might tempt you late at night when we, as if by magic, scream for ice-cream.
How to balance your diet while on the road? – Don’t beat yourself up
It’s completely okay if you consume more calories during a meal than you intended to. Hey, we all do it and it seems to happen to everyone while on the road. What’s important is for you to get back on track right away without imposing too much guilt on yourself. Otherwise, you won’t be able to balance your diet on the road because you will be stuck thinking about that one meal.
Everyone be safe and have a great day!
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