How To Stay Healthy ( AND HAPPY ) While Traveling

I have a strategy. A very specific one when it comes to travel & staying healthy. Hell, if I didn’t have a very strategic plan for eating, wellness, & working out on vacation, it’d be a nightmare. Today I’m ready to share that plan with YOU.

Actually, I would have done this post sooner had I thought this was normal but I’m starting to realize that people think they need to go crazy on vacation.

Meaning that they want to stuff their faces, avoid the gym, lay around, & just say fuck it.

I get it.

Sometimes you have to say fuck it.

Over the past couple months, I’ve had a couple of fuck it days.

In fact, once I can wrap my head around the topic, I’ll do a full blog post on how to deal with a funk. But that’s another post for another day.

Before we begin, can I just preface this post with letting you know that I’ve really just given up on workout clothes. As you can see from the above picture, I’m literally wearing black boring leggings with a cheeky t-shirt ( ‘go sit on a cactus’ ). Workout clothes lately are kind of MEH. Either they’re overly fitness-y OR lacking flair. I’m un-impressed. So don’t judge my boring-ass workout clothes.

Really, these were my workout clothes the whole trip ( see my running shoes, LOL ). As Michael would say: “put some effort into it, Lauryn!” HA, what can I say?

Anyway, moving right along & back to where we were: the strategy.

My strategy involves some planning, but it’s fairly easy. Anyone can do it, really.

Whether you travel for work or you’re a travel blogger or you are just a busy vacationing bee, get ready to screenshot!

The Skinny Confidential’s Wellness Tips For Travel:

+ Get active: ALWAYS. Whenever I travel, I get curious. Whether that means riding bikes, walking, swimming, rowing, running, or rollerblading – I get moving. If you follow along on Snapchat you know we’re in Hawaii right now. We are biking our asses off! So much fun…& burns off the fish & chips.

+ Alcohol: this one is tough. You’re on vacation, right? I mean you definitely don’t want to be bloated if you’re in a bikini so here’s my strategy: for each alcoholic beverage, I balance it out with mint tea. Yes, mint tea. For some reason, the tea keeps me from having a hangover. You can just ask the waiter to keep refilling the hot water; no need to break the bank. Also, I usually will pick two drinks to splurge on. I usually do rosé a few times & sometimes an ice-cold beer but the majority of the time, I’ll do blanco tequila on the rocks with a side of limes. Ice in rosé helps to water it down too. Lastly, I stay away from fruity drinks. If you know me you know I’d rather go for Pinot or a specific skinny margarita. Those extra calories & 329083248 pounds of sugar don’t do it for me.

+ Dessert: if I’m drinking alcohol, I say no to dessert. Or just have one or two bites. If there’s no alcohol at dinner, I’ll do my own dessert. I’d rather have a cocktail though…or pasta. I just fucking love pasta so much, can you tell?

+ Green powder: this is an important one. Bring green powder. Every morning, I wake up & chug a bunch of water. Every single morning. It’s a habit now. When traveling I make sure to have green powder on hand. It really makes a huge difference because you get a bunch of nutrients in instantly. Just add it to some water & you’re good to go. This brand is my favorite.

+ Vitamins / minerals / amino acids: YES PLZ. I use this pill case ( which is ideal for travel ) to carry a bunch of antioxidants, probiotics, herbs, & amino acids. You will feel super organized if you get a case like this, trust me. These are kind of a no brainer. For my exact supplement breakdown, check out TSC Bombshell Body Guide. Make sure your supplements are clean too! Read the ingredient labels because there’s so much shit out there. Do your research.

+ Eggs, avocado, & strawberries: that’s right. Keep it simple, stupid. I always start with this as my foundation for the day. The eggs & healthy fats keep me VERY full. Also, I tend to stuff my face with chips & salsa ( more of a lunchtime snack ) or on pasta / red wine at dinner. Balance your diet like a checkbook. Maybe you love breakfast: go for it, you’re on vacation. But do a salad with chicken & lots of lemon for dinner! ( If you need more help with eating, check out TSC Meal Plan. You can order a lot of the meals in there by micro-managing your hotel’s room service. Trust me, I do it all the time ).

+ A fitness guide: whether it’s my fitness guide or someone else’s, get one. Having a guide takes the thinking out of it – straight to the point, you know? Make sure it’s under 30 minutes because you don’t want to be stuck in the gym all day. Your goal is a quick, effective sweat. Get in 30 minutes to set the tone of your entire day. That tiny 30 minutes will make a huge difference in your 23 and half hour vacation. Break a sweat to feel good all day!

+ I bring running shoes, leggings, & a boyfriend tee: ALWAYS. Don’t forget to pack smart. Bringing your running shoes kind of insinuates that you’re going to get your ass to the gym. A podcast ALWAYS gets me through a workout too. I kind of can’t live without the podcast app. Check out TSC Podcast too – I promise the latest episode with The Bare Naked Cucumber will make you laugh your ass off while you’re sweating.

+ READING IS KEY: instead of lying around feeling unproductive on vacation, I always bring a book to keep my mind going. Reading is truly my favorite thing in the world & I never go on vacation without a good book. Currently reading: The Power Of Habit.

So, if you’re avoiding traveling or fearing vacation because you thinking you’re going to let loose. The real trick is right inside of you: craft a strategy. As Ben Franklin said: “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail!” It’s really that simple.

Plan your wellness strategy on vacation.

Thoughts? Weigh in. Do you have a little travel strategy?

OK, enough of me today, off to go to sushi in Hawaii! If you have any Maui recommendations, please leave them below. You guys always have the best tips ; ).

Of course, we’re Snapping up a storm on Snapchat. Meet you there: @laurynevarts.

– lauryn x

+ listen to the latest podcast episode here!

++ more travel posts.

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