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5 tips to be a healthy traveler

5 tips to be a healthy traveler

Travel can be full of adventure, meeting new people and seeing new places, but sometimes it can be difficult to maintain a healthy lifestyle. It’s easy to fall off the health band-wagon, but it doesn’t make for a sustainable way to travel. Here are some ideas we think may be helpful for you to have the time of your life and feel amazing too, all the while keeping fit, healthy and happy. Make the most of your travels with these 5 tips:

1) Keep a routine

Sounds funny, right? Isn’t that why we travel, to escape the mundane of our daily routine? Developing a routine in your days may be a good way to keep you feeling grounded amongst all the brand new external stimulation. Routine can be found in the simplest of activities like walking to get your morning cup of coffee, reading your book in the afternoons, journaling in the evenings, going for a swim around the same time each day, or going for a daily walk or run and listening to music. 

We are all for new and exciting adventures, and experiencing things out of your usual comfort zone. Keeping routine, however minimal it may seem, is actually a great way to stay connected to the familiar comforts, to help you keep the peace, while traveling the world. 

2) Stay active

There are so many cool ways to stay active. Get outside. Go for a walk or a jog to explore the area you’re in. Sign-up for a one-month trial at the local yoga studio. Do the free-week trial at the gym up the road. Walk along the beach. Walk through the city streets instead of taking transit. Hike a mountain. Rent a board and try surfing for the first time. Dip your toes or go for a swim. Try the boxing class in the park you saw posted on a flyer at the street corner. Walk to discover the nearest food market. Find the closest national park to explore. Take the ferry to a beach you’ve never been to. Walk. Swim. Explore. Get out there. 

Keep an open mind to all sorts of activities as you may end up discovering new ways to stay fit that you really enjoy, and make it a priority while you travel. Trust me, it’s possible! Pick a time of the day and activity of choice, and schedule your day with that in mind. 

Staying active is a way of prioritizing your happiness. 

3) Eat mindfully

As a traveler, staying on top of a healthy eating regime can be a huge challenge. It’s ok to indulge, you should enjoy your time away and be open to tasting new things. Staying in hostels, hotels, sleeping on couches or visiting friends results in a lot of strange eating patterns. Access to a clean kitchen becomes an obstacle in preparing your own healthy meals. 

The best advice I can give is to eat mindfully. If you want to indulge at dinner, eat something healthy for breakfast. As a traveler don’t completely restrict yourself from enjoying the food you’d like to eat, just be mindful about it. Use the resources that are available while you have them. Your friend has a blender? Take advantage and make a smoothie. Hungry throughout the day? Skip the chip aisle and buy fruit to eat. The hostel has a big fridge? Buy ingredients to make a salad for lunch. 

Your health is so important. Eating healthy will make you feel better, and give you sustained energy to enjoy your travels. With that being said, it’s possible to find a balance. Enjoy your food. Eat with care. Balance out your indulgences with healthy food choices. 

4) Pack light

The last thing you want dragging you down as you travel is extra baggage. Packing light is the best travel tip! It can be an overwhelming task. Don’t fret, it’s possible to pack light and still maintain some fashion sense. 

Everyone has those staple items in their wardrobe that they wear constantly despite all the other options. It’s the same with travel, you’ll likely end up rotating between a few articles of clothing. All those “maybe” options are the ones to leave at home. Pick your favourites, and you can mix and match between them. Great packing advice is to leave with your bag 80% full, so that you have an extra 20% to fill as you travel. 

Best part of packing light? Less weight on your shoulders, literally!

5) Spend Minimally

Possibly the biggest challenge when it comes to travel is not only knowing how to spend your hard earned savings, but how to spend this money wisely. It’s helpful to have an idea of a budget that’s relevant to the place you’re visiting, so you know how much savings you’ll need. Cover the basics first: shelter and food. Keep in mind cost of living for rent, hostels, hotels, food, car rentals, flights, petrol and the like.

It can seem like an impossible task! Spending minimally while traveling is totally achievable, and you can still have the time of your life. After the basic costs for your trip are accounted for, a good suggestion is to invest extra funds into life experiences. Things that will provide you with new insights and allow you to grow as an individual, like a road-trip or a sailing adventure. To save some cash but still maintain a street-worthy wardrobe, check out local op-shops, markets, and vintage stores. 

Be smart with your money. Think to yourself: by spending money on this, is it ultimately going to add to my overall happiness and well-being?

Nicola Anderson - Writer

Nicola is a down-to-earth yogi residing from Canada with a love for all things health related. Having done her yoga teacher training (Moksha Yoga International) and Holistic Nutrition degree (The Institute of Holistic Nutrition) a whole new world opened up for Nicola. As a yoga instructor she has been able to travel and teach at the same time. Her love for fitness encompasses many activities including yoga, running, boxing and circuit training. Nicola is in her element when she gets to be creative, whether it be through photography, playing guitar and singing, writing, or teaching a yoga class. Some of her favourite things include coastal road-trips, summers spent at her cottage in Canada, swimming in the ocean, camping in British Columbia, and anytime spent in nature.

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