Whether you’re roadtripping it or jetting to an exotic location this summer, balancing sleeping in with daily exercise and poolside cocktails with staying hydrated and healthy can be TOUGH. But, with just a few small tweaks to travel habits and minimal prep work, you can keep your energy levels on the up and up while having a blast somewhere new.
BONUS: you’ll actually come back rested and refreshed instead of feeling like you need another vacation or a week long detox.
Here are some tips we live by at HealthKick to balance summer decadence with a healthy kick!
Pack an Expertly Planned Carry-on
STAY HYDRATED
As soon as you cruise through security, all you’ve got between departure and your destination is your carry-on gear. Landing hydrated, relatively rested, and with a happy tummy starts your trip on the right foot. Starting with hydration, we like to pack a glass or non-plastic bottle in our pack – especially a smart one like Bellabeat’s new Spring bottle that measures hydration levels.
Counteract the moisture zap of dry airplane air with a generous coat of Beautycounter’s Countermatch Adaptive Moisture Lotion.On a longer haul? Yuni’s full travel set includes No Rinse Body Foam so you’ll feel squeaky clean even with no shower for miles.
EAT CLEAN
Stocking clean protein snacks before departure can be the ticket to beating bloat inducing boxed meals on an airplane or sodium packed roadside food. A few of HealthKick‘s top picks? All-natural and delicious meal replacement powder from Mele, protein bars from RXBAR and organic nuts from NatureBox are some of our go-tos.
KEEP ZEN-FUL
If healthy snacks aren’t enough to make you forget you’re cramped in an upright position for hours, try meditation app Headspace to help you zen out until landing.
Remember to Sweat
PRE-PLAN YOUR WORKOUTS
It’s so to easy to get swept up by late night meals, late-r night drinks and extra shots of caffeine to beat jet lag into submission. But by researching and booking workouts that speak to you before you leave, or downloading hotel room-friendly fitness apps, you can manage energy levels the natural way, without the 3pm crash.
CHOOSE ACTIVE ACTIVITIES
Best way to see a new city? Rent a bike or go for a run! Check out the sites and get a lay of the land without the tour bus. And by using apps like Aaptiv, you can get extra motivation for your hotel gym workout (especially that dreaded treadmill run). Or with FORTE, you can still get in your favorite live streamed classes from Exhale or Flex Studios.
Committing to one hour of movement will help you sleep better, and your muscles will thank you when you bounce back into your workout routine back home.
Pamper Yourself
After the hustle-bustle of a long travel day, let the anxiety go and get into true vacation mode by treating yourself to a pre-dinner massage at your hotel’s spa, or with an on-demand service like Zeel to loosen grumpy muscles cramped by miniature coach seats (or inter-terminal sprinting!). One during a trip is key, two is a well-deserved luxury. Double the relaxation punch with a 20 minute sweat session in a steaming bath or sauna.
Book your Restaurant Reservations
Trying all of a new destination’s cuisine ranks high on our list of travel musts, but while its easy to get swept up in a diet of croissants and carbonara while vacationing, doing a pre-trip OpenTable investigation can help you find restaurants that offer a combination of local specialties and healthy options.
Or take this tip from Miguel Vargas, Training & Development Manager at TRX Training Center,
“When I’m in a new city I love to ‘try the good stuff,’ so I have to plan accordingly. If I’m going to go out to dinner, I’ll make sure I stick to my ‘boring stuff’ like oatmeal, chia or hemp seeds, eggs, and other foods I eat early in the day, and try to sneak in an extra workout before or after so that meal doesn’t stick with me for too long! I don’t want to be the guy that ‘can’t eat that,’ instead I want to enjoy what’s around me, and then get back to my routine to keep things in order.”
Be Easy on Yourself
As much as we emphasize the importance of self-care, denying yourself some of the pleasures that come with time away undoes the good stuff. Don’t be hard on yourself.
Have an extra glass of wine, split a dessert with a friend or partner. You’re on vacation after all, so go for the Champagne AND the chocolate mousse, and work it off on a morning hike, beach run or exploring a new part of the city.
And, if you splurge a little too much, don’t fret. Have healthy groceries from Good Eggs or Our Harvest delivered straight to your door when you’re back. You can even book a personal trainer with FindYourTrainer on your return to get you back into fighting shape.