I've seen this question asked a lot lately in the New Life Promise Family group...
"Isabel, how do you keep up with this way of healthy eating while you're on the road?"
The very simple answer is PLANNING, PLANNING, PLANNING. But then again, that's the answer to eating healthy even when you're not traveling.
If you're going on the once-a-year family vacation or the occasional long-weekend trip to a new destination, it really is OK to ease up on your healthy eating plan.
But for those of you who travel quite often, it's important to know exactly how to maintain a healthy eating plan for weight loss while on the road.
For me, I feel so much better when I continue to fuel my body with nutritious foods, even when I'm away from home. And no, it doesn't have to be "perfect," but my travels are so much more enjoyable when I'm feeling energized and healthy the whole time.
Below is the travel packing strategy I have used and refined pretty successfully over the past few years. It works for air travel, road trips, and even just being away from the house for the day (like going to work all day long!).
Isabel's Healthy Travel Eating Tips
1. Invest in a travel cooler bag (or 10).
I end up using one of my cooler bags at least once a week. You want to find one that is light (it will get pretty heavy when you pack it with food), easy to carry (find one that has a shoulder strap), and contains many compartments (side pockets and front pocket). You also want to invest in some ice packs.
2. Stock up on BPA-free plastic containers.
I keep some plastic containers on hand for travel. I always use glass storage containers in my house for all leftovers, but if I'm going to be eating something at an airport or rest stop, I want to be able to eat my meal and then toss the container. I obviously don't want to throw away my nice glass containers, so I use plastic. Of course, you want to make sure the containers are BPA-free (and always let your food cool before letting it touch plastic!).
3. Do a little bit of food prep.
Now, here is where the major planning comes into play... you must think a few days ahead about which foods you need to have in the house to prepare and cook for your travel day. Some of my favorites are hard-boiled eggs, cut up carrots and cucumbers, healthy baked goods (homemade is best!), leftover chicken, raw nuts and fruits, and even leftover cooked vegetables.
Here is one of my travel meals from a past trip: 2 chicken legs from a whole chicken I baked the night before with spinach, asparagus, and spaghetti squash all left over from the night before. My travel meal was all leftovers (I made more than we needed for dinner for this purpose)... super easy!
4. Stay energized.
I absolutely never, ever leave home without my ENERGIZE Essential Daily Greens. This powerful cocktail keeps my immune system strong and my energy levels high when I'm hopping on and off airplanes and traveling from place to place.
It also squashes any cravings I have throughout the day (which comes in handy when you're surrounded by fast food on the road).
5. Get creative at restaurants.
If they don't have exactly what you want on the menu, it's okay to ask for something a little different. For example, when I was staying at a resort in the Bahamas a few years ago, I asked the restaurant to make a salad for me with all the salad vegetables they had. Then, I added some canned chicken and gluten-free crackers I had brought with me (I packed them in my suitcase).
The next time you travel, remember, you don't have to surrender to fast food or poor airport food. Use the tips above to turn all your travel days into healthy days!
If you're looking for meal plans that include foods that are both healthy and delicious, look no further than the New Life Promise plan!