If you’re planning a longer trip away, then you’re going to have to spend a little more time and thought to ensure that you stay healthy on the road. It can be tempting to get into the habit of eating and drinking too much, staying up late and getting up early, all of which can eventually cause your health to decline. If you’re heading away but want to be healthy even while you’re travelling, here are my top 3 tips for being healthy when you’re travelling:
1. Portion Size
If you’re eating out constantly, then it’s very easy to overeat. It’s also commonly known that restaurants will focus on how to make the food taste best, rather than how to make it as healthy as possible. Portion sizes in restaurants tend to be a lot more than we would serve ourselves at home and when you’re travelling you don’t have anywhere to take the leftovers home to store and heat up for later. I usually travel with my husband, so to combat the large portion sizes issue we decide to usually share our meals. We’ll order an entree and a main meal, and split them, rather than ordering two giant mains. We have pretty similar tastes anyway so it works perfectly for us and it also means we’re not spending as much money on food.
2. Keep Active
One of my favourite things about travelling is how much walking I do. I love exploring a new town or city on foot, you see so much more and at a slower pace than if you were taking public transport or in a taxi. While I’m at home I do around 10,000 steps every day, but when I’m travelling that number jumps up to 25,000 or 30,000 which just shows how much more active I am. If you work out regularly at a gym when you’re home, then why not make that a part of your travel habit? It can be a fun way to see how locals live and to burn off all those delicious drinks and desserts you’re indulging in.
3. Remember You’re not Invincible
I think that a lot of people take extra risks when they’re travelling. You see news stories all the time of people taking social media photos in crazy locations and actually hurting themselves or worse because they’re being so risky. I think there’s something about being away on holiday that makes people take risks that they might not otherwise at home. You have to take care of yourself when you’re travelling, and that includes regular doctor visits and checking up on yourself when you’re not well. If you’re a little older, you might want to consider palliative care or tinnitus treatment before you head off on your next trip away.
Being healthy when you’re overseas is just as important as when you’re home. Try to eat a balanced diet, keep your exercise up and ensure you’re getting enough sleep. If you take medicines or vitamins when you’re at home, don’t forget them for your trip. I find having good travel insurance to be such an important part of travelling so I have peace of mind that if I’m unwell I can seek medical treatment without worrying about the cost.
