For many people, food and travel go hand in hand. Aside from visiting new places, traveling is also a good opportunity for you to try exciting new food. However, for most people, travel-related dining is not the healthiest. In fact, survey results indicate that people are more likely to eat unhealthy foods on vacation than they do at home. At the same time, other surveys highlight that travelers find the pressure to eat healthy while traveling to be stressful. As such, many people find that they gain weight during their trips. Evidence suggests that while most travel-related bloating is just water retention, some people can gain up to seven pounds during their trip.
Still, this doesn’t mean healthy eating while traveling is an impossible pursuit for travelers. For weight-conscious travelers, especially, eating healthy is definitely doable regardless of where you’re going. In this post, we’ll explore some healthy eating tips so travelers can still achieve and maintain their weight goals:
Maintain a Travel Food Diary
Just as you would maintain a travel diary, you can also consider starting a travel food diary to track what and when you eat while traveling. Researchers have found that logging snacks and meals – whether using pen and paper or on an app – can help people maintain their motivation for weight loss. In fact, research shows that obese women were more likely to have long-term success managing their weight when they consistently and frequently tracked their food intake.
Of course, this shouldn’t mean you must be focused solely on calorie counting throughout your trip. Some people track what they eat after every meal or snack, while others write down what they’ll eat in advance as a meal plan to follow. This lets you stay on top of your travel eating habits so that you can prevent unplanned weight gain. While traveling, you can also incorporate travel destinations or local restaurants you wish to check out into your travel food diary, so your planning can tie in with your trip itinerary. For example, if you’re looking to visit museums in Paris, you can take note of local restaurants or healthy eateries around the city to form a meal plan for the day that still fits your tourist activities.
Immerse Yourself in Foreign Cultures
Another way you can maintain healthy eating on the go is by taking the time to learn the local culture of your travel destinations. In our previous post listing the best-hidden gems of the Greek Islands, we highlighted Ikaria and its population’s reputation for longevity and overall good health. One in three Ikaria locals make it to their 90s, and cases of dementia in the population are sparse. This may be due to the healthy Mediterranean diet popular on the island and the favorable weather.
Whether you’re visiting Ikaria or some other new destination, it can always help to research local eating habits and culture. You can also talk to locals during your travels to learn and immerse yourself further in the experience. If you find that the local cuisine is to your liking, you can try learning the recipes to practice at home. For weight-conscious travelers, doing this can help you stay encouraged to achieve your weight goals and maintain healthy eating habits – no matter where you are.
Pack Healthy Snacks With You
That said, not all travel destinations are known for their healthy lifestyle, culture, or diet. Some are more well-known for famed landmarks and tourist hotspots, and that’s okay. In that case, consider packing healthy snacks yourself. The best healthy snacks pack fewer calories and provide more nutritional value over traditional “junk food” snacks such as chips, cookies, and french fries.
Instead of giving into midnight temptations for familiar fast-food pickings in a foreign country, you can opt for plain whole fruits such as bananas, apples, pears, or peaches. Alternatively, you can also stock up on smaller “snacky” fruits such as grapes, cherries, and berries to fulfill any snacking cravings on the go. You can also research local healthy snacks to try. For example, when in Japan, you can try snacking on edamame, which are nutrient-dense snacks. Local restaurants and food places that locally source their offering are also healthier than settling for processed, fast-food options.
Depending on where you’re traveling, healthy eating may be easier or more challenging due to availability and accessibility. However, picking up small new habits like keeping a food diary or packing healthy snacks can ensure you stick to healthy eating habits on the go.
