How To Stay On Track While Traveling!

We've all said that phrase before, I'm on vacation! In reality, those three little words mean, I'm going to eat whatever I want, drink whatever I want, move as little as I want, etc.” and not feel guilty about it.  Now, there's nothing wrong with letting loose and having a little fun, but the truth of the matter is that those 5-7 or maybe more days of guilt-free living turns into a healthy lifestyle gone disarray.  We notice we have such a more difficult time getting back into our routine after having done nothing that closely emanates the healthy lifestyle we've been working on so hard on for  2, 3 or 10+ months.  And getting back into a workout routine after all that time off? Well, to be perfectly honest, it just sucks! So how do we stay on track while traveling without depriving ourselves and being too rigid about our exercise routine? Follow these simple tricks to staying on track: Pack protein in your suitcase! That's right! This simple little trick has completely changed the travel game for me! Everywhere I travel, whether it be a weekend getaway or a two week trip to the other side of the world, I always bring my protein. When we travel it is more likely that we have less meals of larger portions in our day with an excessively higher carb percentage and low protein percentage.  So, if we're maximizing our protein intake through two convenient shakes everyday, we're minimizing the probability of falling into unnecessary temptations. I like to have my protein shake right when I wake up to get some nutrient in my system before I hit the gym and have a nice breakfast after and then I'll have another shake right before I head out for the night. But you can have your protein shake whenever it works best for your schedule.  So pack it as a tub or smaller tubberware with a blender bottle next time you travel and notice how it transforms your mindset on the trip. Pack some healthy bars.  Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love indulging and experiencing all different types of cuisines when I travel, that's one of my favorite things to do! However, what I really dislike is feeling forced to eat some unhealthy on-the-go snack because I failed to plan.  And when we're traveling there are so many more options for convenient carbs than good sources of protein.  So, I started packing some RX Bars in my suitcase.  I absolutely love RX Bars! They're healthy, convenient, delicious and have a decent ratio of all the macros so you know you'll definitely be curbing that hunger while you're walking around all day exploring a new city.  I also started utilizing healthy bars for when I'm in my hotel room and need a quick snack! I found myself getting chips and crackers for the room for snacks which doesn't actually satiate your hunger. I soon came to the realization that, If I'm going to be eating packaged food in the room and not indulging in delicious cuisine from the culture that we're in, then it might as well be the healthiest packed food I can find!” And now I bring them every time I fly and it helps keep me on track! Pack Resistance Bands. These little bands have helped me get in a quick, effective workout throughout every vacation. Resistance bands are completely compact and portable so it really makes it a no brainer to pack them when traveling.  Plus, you can workout literally every body part with resistance bands so it's definitely a great piece of equipment to utilize when you're away. Plan your program around your travel. I like to plan my exercise program around whenever I will be traveling. It's important to have a deload or a lighter volume week in your program anyway so I just coincide mine with when I'm traveling. In order to do so I maximize my volume as much as possible while I'm home and have the equipment to utilize.  When I'm vacationing I'm unsure of what type of equipment the fitness center will have, how far away it is and how small it may be despite what I may read and see on the website.  So, to make the most of my time I leave my bodyweight, movement pattern/mobility work, HIIT and resistance band exercises for when I'm away from home.  All of these exercises I can perform right in the comfort of my own room, balcony or beach depending on where I am.  I like to have fun when I workout on vacation so I look forward to it and I find I'm much less likely to avoid or dread it.  And if the fitness center is close and accessible I'll check it out and do something I really enjoy.  The way I look at it, we're probably going to be a little less strict with what we eat and drink throughout the day so if I want to feel accomplished and worthy of those treats then the least I can do is devote at east 45 minutes to a decent workout! Exercising and eating healthy is usually not apart of our travel plans and I totally understand that.  However, when we're traveling away from home it's important for us keep up with our lifestyle even a little bit.  We don't have to be perfect, and that's ok! But when we completely throw the towel and and let go of every positive, healthy change that we've made so far, it makes it that much harder to get back on track and that much easier for us to stay off track.  So next time you travel stick to these tips and I promise you won't regret it!