Healthy living on the road can be challenging, but it’s not impossible. Dustin and I had established a pretty healthy lifestyle before we started our travel journey. We knew the right foods we needed to eat and were both pretty active. After all, our mission for our travel adventures was to get out to see more and do more.
But those long travels can be grueling … many hours of sitting, not to mention the tiredness from driving. We get it! Last year, Dustin and I would sometimes travel 13 hours in a day. How does one manage to eat healthy and stay active on a day like that? It’s easy to just grab a bag of munchies and an endless supply of energy drinks just to keep you going. We’ve been there before.
But those frequent stops to the gas station for that fountain pop and bag of munchies or going through the drive-thru to grab fast food along the way will eventually start to catch up to you. Not only do they put a dent in the ol’ pocketbook, but they can also cause weight gain as well as many other health diseases such as Diabetes. It’s up to us to take action and do what’s best for us, even if it’s not always the easy route. Trust me, you will thank me later!
Here are 5 tips to help you stay healthy while you travel:
#1 – Meal Prep
Dustin and I had been meal prepping for a
It turns out, everywhere you stop,most places have a microwave you can use. We always wait for when we need to stop and get gas, and then usually while Dustin puts fuel in the vehicle, I run inside for a much needed bathroom break and to warm up our food. By prepping our meals ahead of time, it prevents us from making unhealthy food choices while at the gas station. It also helps save a little coin so we can spend it on something we’d rather have or enjoy later.
#2 – Keep Healthy Snacks In Reach
Whenever we travel, we ALWAYS bring snacks with us. Have you ever been held up in traffic somewhere and was hangry by the time you got to where you were going? Yeah, we have. It totally ruins the mood. This is when we usually start bickering with each other.
We have gotten to the point where we never leave without having snacks available that are within reach while driving. These snacks include:
- Beef jerky
- Trail mix or mixed nuts (not the ones loaded with sugar and sweets)
- Fruit (bananas, apples)
- Veggies (celery, carrots, cucumber slices, broccoli, cauliflower, snap peas)
- Tuna pouches
- Cliff bars or LARABARs
You can find a majority of these at any gas station, too! No more reaching for that greasy breakfast sandwich that’s been sitting in the warmer for the past few hours and has started to go stale.
#3 – All Natural Caffeine Consumption
When needing a little extra pick me up, we try to steer clear of drinks that are full of sugar and have loads of calories. Instead, we stick to all natural caffeine products such as black coffee and/or tea.
However, if we do feel the need to have something a bit more, we will buy calorie free energy drinks, such as a Rockstar or a Bang. Are they the best for you? No, not really. But every once in awhile, when coffee or tea just isn’t doing the trick, we splurge on one to give us that little extra oomph we need! We just try not to make a habit out of it.
#4 – Enjoy Some Movement
There’s no denying that after a few hours of driving you can start to feel a bit fatigued and weak. Your body cramps up, your butt’s asleep ,and you need nothing more than to stretch your legs. Dustin and I will usually take a few minutes to get in some movement before we have to sit for another long period of time.
We’ve learned to keep a few things with us so we can workout anywhere. Some of those items include:
- A jump rope
- A set of 35lb dumbbells
- A resistant band
- A couple of blankets
We have done countless workouts in parking lots and parks. You don’t even need to have equipment to get in a good workout … just use your bodyweight. I guarantee if you did as many burpees as you could in 10 minutes, you’d not only be exhausted but you’d have gotten a full body workout in for the day.
But sometimes we don’t need or want a full blown workout. This is where carrying a frisbie, hacky sack, longboard and skateboard comes in. Even if it’s just for 10-15 minutes … we have some fun and catch a few laughs before having to hit the road again.
#5 – Have Fun
Traveling can be exhausting. It can sometimes even raise our blood pressure … especially if you have road rage! But the important thing is to have fun. Remember why you are traveling in the first place. Spending time being angry over things that are out of your control won’t get you anywhere. You might as well enjoy the moment, appreciate the little things, and make memories in the process. After all, it is your life. Live it being happy!
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