‘Tis the season again – we’re entering that infamous period from Thanksgiving through New Year’s, where the average American will gain 8 – 12 pounds! One of the main reasons for this is that we are moving away from our normal routines for both exercise and diet. It’s even more challenging if you travel during this season because you’ll be away from home and have less control over your exercise and eating habits.
However, where there is a will, there is a way. Here are some important tips to prevent weight gain while traveling:
1. Plan your meals and exercise. This is probably the most important tip because with a little planning you can eat healthy and exercise.
2. Start by reviewing your itinerary and planning your meals during the trip. We all know how bad the food is in an airline, so instead of being subjected to the bad and unhealthy food, you can bring your own food. Nowadays, at many airports there are plenty of healthy options that you can buy and take with you on the plane. Great options include:
A. Notes – see below
b. Ready to drink shakes (even starting to see these in an organic option at airports!).
c. Nutrition bars – see below
D. Hard-boiled eggs
e. Salads with chicken
3. Even better, buy non-perishable food before you leave home. Excellent choices for meals and snacks that are easy to carry include:
A. Nuts – come in tins and bags with smaller pack sizes, which is ideal because although nuts are healthy, they are high in fat and even healthy fats are high in calories! No glazed honey and if you have to worry about salt, stick with unsalted, roasted nuts. The best choices are pecans, walnuts and Brazil nuts, followed by almonds, and then peanuts and cashews in terms of sugar content.
b. Nutrition Bars – There are tons of healthier bar choices now, and they’ve figured out how to make a healthy bar that tastes damn good without a ton of sugar and is high in fiber, healthy fats, and protein. Several types of Kind bars fit this bill, including dark chocolate and sea salt; Caramel almond and sea salt; and dark chocolate-cinnamon-pecan. These bars taste great and will leave you satisfied and traveling well.
c. Ready-to-drink shakes – There are many great options for low-sugar, high-protein shakes that taste great and come in packets that are easy to mix in a plastic shake bottle after adding water. Gone are the days when these options had to be mixed in a blender. Experiment a bit and you can find shakes that come in single-serving containers and mix very well in a plastic shake bottle.
D. If you’re driving, consider packing some pre-made meals in a cooler that are ready to eat cold or can easily be microwaved or baked when you arrive. If you bring some of your own food and healthy desserts, you know you have good options!
4. Focus on having a great breakfast, because you can get eggs in every city in America, both in restaurants and in people’s homes. Eggs are a fantastic, truly satisfying meal, and they can be prepared in many different ways. Starting the day with 2 – 3 whole eggs, along with some sautéed veggies, some cheese and some berries will keep your hunger at bay and provide you with a healthy meal that is easy to come by!
5. Make sure you get your exercise in! Plan before you go – worst case scenario, you can use resistance bands and get a great workout in a very small physical space, like a hotel room. For a great bodyweight workout, try these: https://workoutanytime.blogspot.com/2016/03/the-three-best-bodyweight-exercise.html
6. Take a walk and explore the neighborhood or visit some nearby attractions. Sitting on your butt all day while food is being prepared all around you is asking for trouble! Get up and go outside and be active for part of the day, or offer to run errands for the group or participate in some physical chores if you’re staying at someone’s house.
#eat #exercise #prevent #weight #gain #holidays