1. Always bring water!
Since I've been trying to lose weight, water has become my very best friend. I feel wrong if I don't have a bottle with me at all times, so this is my most-important tip for sharing! When you get to an airport, always make sure that you have brought your own empty water bottle to fill up there. If you've forgotten one, just buy another from one of the many vendors in the airport.
During the flight, you will have opportunities to get drinks with your meals and snacks. Although you get that opportunity a lot, sometimes it still may not be enough. Consider this, if you are on a flight for ten hours, (like mine from Germany to Georgia) you are spending an entire day on a plane. People say that you should drink at least eight glasses of water a day, so do you think you are getting enough from the stewardesses during that time? Most likely, no. Also, your body is going though different elevations and climate changes in a short time period. If you aren't hydrated, it could lead to headaches or other uncomfortable situations.
While enjoying your time traveling, make sure that you always bring a water with you. You never know when you may be able to stop next to find a drink! I learned this lesson early while traveling with my husband. We had spent the entire day riding trains and walking around Nuremberg, only to find a food stand that sold bubble water. That wasn't the type of water I wanted or needed, so I barely drank anything! This led to a migraine, which ruined the rest of the day.
2. Snacks are important!
Ever since I've been working on my health, I've tried to eat smaller portions of food more often. I've learned that doing so will help maintain or increase your metabolism, which is a GOOD thing! Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not a health expert, and I don't do this all of the time. I have learned though, that it is EXTREMELY important while I'm traveling to carry a snack with me. Like I said before, when my husband and I explore a place, I usually get hungry before him. He would rather march around all day instead of stopping for a break. So I always carry some sort of snack with me. My go-to snack is usually a granola bar of some sort. They are small and easy to carry. They also usually contain a good amount of protein to hold me over until my next meal.
3. Just because you are walking, doesn't mean you can eat everything!
Lets say that you come to visit beautiful Germany. You've spent the day walking around the markets and old castles, and then settle into a nice biergarten for dinner. The European style of eating is VERY different from the U.S. People actually TAKE THEIR TIME to enjoy the food, drinks, and the atmosphere. Honestly, you could spend hours just sitting at the same place. This is very fun, but it can also lead to bad eating and drinking. The price for a beer is about the same as buying a water, so generally people get the first. Also, the food is absolutely delicious, but rarely has anything healthy with it. For instance, a good meal is bratwursts, bread, and sauerkraut. Another favorite is wienerschnitzel and pommes, a.k.a. french fries. This is my favorite because you can't go wrong with frying things! So not only are you eating unhealthy food, you are drinking very caloric drinks, and most likely eating too large of a portion. This leads to gaining weight! So try to make a healthier dinner choice, keep in mind portion control, and don't drink too many calories!
4. Catch some ZZZZs
I know that when you travel, your sleeping schedule is usually out of wack. Not only is there a time difference, but you also may stay up much later than you are accustomed to! For instance, Germany is seven hours ahead of my home in Alabama. So when I go from place to place, I feel EXTREMELY off on my sleeping pattern. For those who take the drastic time change and then begin their vacation, there is most likely a greater change in their sleep. So my advice for this is, take the time to rest! Sure staying up to meet some locals at a bar could be fun, but if you don't get the needed time for sleep, your body will not take it well. It could lead to unhealthier choices in eating, as well as preventing your body from re-cooperating from long travel. If I personally don't get enough sleep, I am prone to migraines. Those usually take out an entire day of fun for me, so I've learned that I'd rather go to bed a little bit earlier than everyone than spend the rest of the next day in bed sick!
Traveling is fun! If you are ever given the opportunity to take a trip, TAKE IT! Just make sure to keep in mind these easy tips. You will be able to have fun on your journey, and can come home feeling happy with yourself for staying healthy!
