I’m in Baltimore! The flight was good, and to tell you the truth, after my crazy busy world wind days lately, I actually kind of welcomed 4.25 hrs of uninterrupted, internet-free work time. I had absolutely nothing to distract me and actually got quite a bit done!
I have a couple food pics for today, but I thought I’d do a more specific post on staying healthy and feeling good while traveling.
Keep it Moving
Whether it’s a puddle-jumper from San Fran to LA, or a cross-country trip from.. oh I dunno, Phoenix to Baltimore :p .. it’s always draining to travel. Why that is, I’m not really sure. I mean you’re just sitting for a while, and I’ve certainly sat in front of the television longer than it takes to fly across the US, but no matter, I know I often end up at my destination feeling overall blah.
The best thing you can do is keep it moving before and after your travels. There’s enough negativity and stress around flying that the last thing you want is to feel like a giant blob because you didn’t workout or ate crummy preflight. If you can, try to get a workout of some sort in before your trip. Don’t pressure yourself to have some crazy lifting session or run 10 miles (Amanda! hehe), but aim for a little something, even if it’s just a quick 15 minute jog around the neighborhood. I think it’s even more important to keep it moving the next day. This can be especially hard if you’re on vacation. But you’ll be able to enjoy yourself so much more, and be in such a better mood if you don’t get into a traveling no-workout rut.
Here’s a great post I found on YogaJournal.com on good post flight yoga poses to help refresh.. Grounded Traveler.
Keep it Light
Don’t be lazy, bring your own airplane food! On more than one occasion I have fallen into 2 travel-bum food traps: 1) You don’t travel prepared and end up giving in to that oh-so-authentic Chicken Quesadilla at the food court, 2) You stay strong and pass up the food court but end up starving on the plane and instead devour multiple packages of peanuts and 100 calorie Ritz and Chips Ahoy. The result has never been pretty and often involves guilt and stomachaches. So if you’re already packing, just one more little cooler is nothing.
And on that note, one of the best investments you can make towards healthy eating is buying a soft-sided cooler. I got mine at target for $25 and can fit 3 days worth of food in it! I also recommend picking up reusable ice cubes. I found mine at Walgreens but you can get them at any outdoor store. They’re perfect for keeping your healthy eats cold without making a mess. If it can go in Tupperware, it can be your plane meal.. though if you’re sitting next to me, I’d prefer you bring chicken or veggies and maybe skip on the tuna :p.
I actually just finished snacking on Overnight Oats (1/3 c plain Greek Yogurt + ¼ c organic Oats + ¼ UVAB + Cinnamon), topped with a few mixed Fruit & Nuts that I picked up at Starbucks. I also have Kabocha slices, and Greek Salad from Whole Foods for when I get hungry later or tomorrow.
Crappy iPhone pic..
Airport Eats
Most of the time, airport food options are limited.. but you can always, yes you really can, always, find something that will to the trick until you have access to more healthy & nourishing options.
Starbucks
Not surprisingly, my personal favorite is Starbucks. Starbucks gets a bad rap. Yes, there are plenty of horribly unhealthy things (hello! Adding an espresso shot to whole milk, caramel and whip cream does not kill the calories), but it’s so easy to create healthier options.
On the food side, opt for a Yogurt Parfait, Fruit Cup, Oatmeal or Protein Plate. Or grab one of the bags of nuts they usually have sitting by the register.
On the drink side, there are so many healthy options! Generally speaking, you can pick a cappuccino over a latte, switch 2% Milk for Non-Fat or Soy, use Sugar-Free flavor syrups and skip on the Whip.
Your two absolute best bets, because they’re basically calorie-free, are Drip Coffee and Tea. But you can even make these a little more interesting, but still healthy, by adding a Sugar-Free flavor syrup and a splash of Milk. I am loving the new Vanilla Roobios they came out with. I add Sugar-Free Vanilla Syrup and a tiny bit of Soy Milk; it satisfies my sweet tooth every time.
A few of my other favorite include..
Sugar-Free Cinnamon Dolce Soy Latte
Carmel Frappuccino Light
Chocolate Vivanno (I don’t have them add Banana, which reduces calories by ~80)
Gift Shop
Worse case scenario, gift shops have Nuts & Trail Mix. Other options include Yogurt, Protein Bar, and Plain Crackers. Not the most interesting options by themselves, but add a few nuts to the yogurt and have a fruit cup or cup of tea on the side and you’re appetite will at least be held over until you have healthier options.
Others
If I was really being thorough, I could go through the various evil Fast Food chains that inhabit most food courts (whoops, did my rather strong opinion on this issue just come blasting out :0). But when it comes to those.. just try to be smart. Go for a plain Salad, leave off the dressing and add protein by ordering a Chicken Sandwich, tossing the icky bun and removing the fried breading.
Stay Hydrated
Flying dehydrates you (due to cabin dryness and re-circulating air), so keep pushing those fluids! I know I’m not particularly keen on getting up multiple times to use a tiny bathroom (I’m 5’4”, 125lb.. how to bigger people fit in there!), but it really does help to overcompensate on H20 in order to keep your energy, and prevent illness, bloating and senseless eating (often that hunger is really thirst).
The only pretty picture I took today..
Overnight Vanilla Oats (3/4 c plain Greek Yogurt + 1/4 c UVAB + 1/4 c organic Oats + Vanilla Extract + Cinnamon), topped with Strawberries & Protein Nut Butter
Well that’s it for now! Hope you all have a wonderful Friday. And if you’re in the Baltimore area, shoot me and email, I’d love to meet up!
What’s your favorite travel food?
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