You guys have been asking me for a long time now about how I keep healthy habits when traveling. Everytime I travel and show a glimpse or two, I get so many messages back asking to expand on it, and share more of the little tricks I do to feel great, no matter where I am in the world.
I mean, these days it’s more important than EVER to be aware of how we take care of our bods on the go– looking at you, coronavirus.
And it can be so tempting to just grab or do what’s easy and convenient when traveling. But easy and convenient doesn’t = feeling good from the inside out.
I feel like some people look at vacations as escapism– to let go of regular life completely and jump in the deep end of indulgence.
And yeah, I get it. Getting away is so good for my heart and soul, and I love trying new things and experiences (food and drinks included and as a huge part of that). But I’ve also realized that keeping some healthy travel routines and rituals makes adventuring all the better. Because I FEEL better when I’m making good choices for my body, sleep habits, skin, health, digestion and beyond.
I have things I love here and there, but planning ahead a little and just being more aware of what I’m putting in my body makes vacay so much more restful, and joyful.
And it’s not like it takes a day’s worth of extra planning. It’s literally throwing a few extra things in your suitcase and calling it a day.
So I wanted to round up and share a few of my top healthy travel routines, so you don’t have to come home from trips feeling like you need to “detox” and take another vacation to recover from your vacation. Let’s get into it!
Healthy Travel Routines & Rituals
1. Always pack your own bevvies.
Obviously the #bevvielady herself always recommends bringing your own. It’s so great to pack for the airport, flight, to have for hotel rooms/airbnbs or to bring in your purse when you’re out and about.
I always bring a little bag of matcha travel packs, organic chamomile tea, organic ginger tea, unsweetened chai mix, etc. Order your almond milk or coconut milk at the coffee shop and mix away. (So yeah– it’s not going to be the most clean nut milk, but you’re doing the best you can with what you’ve got, ya know? It’s not about being perfect, it’s about doing the best you can, especially on the go).
You can even prep for healthier adult bevvies, too. Kyle and I were in Hawaii for a work trip for him this past week and we’re BOTH always a little extra/slightly high maintenance when it comes to our drinks–because we don’t have a lot, they’ve got to be good & super high quality ones when we do. What’s the point otherwise? We always bring this awesome travel-size citrus juicer and orange bitters for clean cocktails/mocktails and Kyle ordered this bottle this time to mix up cocktails like a pro, minus any mess.
We grab club soda, high quality liquor (usually tequila or gin because those are the two kinds we can agree on), limes/grapefruit and cointreau at the store when we stop for our food staples. My skinny marg recipe serves as a great base, then we can easily mix it up with grapefruit, lemons vs limes, etc.
We make them in the room/where we’re staying because I like to control specifically what goes in (and what doesn’t go in– like simple syrups, sugars, and other chemicals). No thanks. Also, this is a much more affordable way to travel. And having those two tools make it way easier to do.
2. BYO-Travel Snacks.
Mhmmm, you’re gonna wanna toss some snacks in with your bevvie stuff. Snacks for the plane ride, car ride and back again, designated JUST for travel days.
Trust me, this will save you.
No more arriving to the hotel hangry. No more fending for yourself or being at the whim of whatever happens to be available at the airport.
My favs are these salmon bites, macadamia nuts, an apple, banana, cashew or almond butter packets, kale chips, trail mix, or TJ’s broccoli bites. The kinds of things that only sound good when you’re actually hungry (to minimize mindless snacking as an activity when you’re bored waiting to catch a flight or on the plane/care/train).
3. Always stop at the store.
I always map “Whole Foods Market” or “natural food store” after the plane lands at the destination and we make a stop on the way to our hotel or airbnb.
Most places have some sort of option and we make a quick pitstop to stock up on the basics: bananas, spinach/kale, avocados for smoothies, coconut water, kombucha, sparkling water, rose or stuff for clean cocktails (like my skinny marg from the first cookbook or the palm spring from the second), citrus, almond or cashew milk (cleanest I can find), gluten free crackers (like these), carrots, hummus, peppers, olives, etc.
This = being able to do breakfast/lunch/snacks in the room. Aka keeping some meals much healthier AND cheaper!
4. Stock up on stowaway snacks.
Are you sensing a theme? I pretty much have healthy food on me at all times, travel included. Before leaving town, pack some stowaway ICE (in case of emergency) snacks that don’t need to be refrigerated or prepped.
Things like garbanzo bean crunchies, extra nuts, banana chips etc so that you can reach for something that you know is good for you rather than tracking down or ordering something out of desperation. Don’t let it surprise you- you WILL get hungry at least one during a travel day, so plan for it.
5. Book lodging intentionally.
Staying in places that have a small kitchen, fridge and ideally a blender (and a workout room, too) is major.
These are non-negotiables when I travel these days. It’s just worth it and makes the trip so much more enjoyable being able to workout, eat well and take care of yourself.
6. Collapsable water bottles are your friend.
Are you on board with collapsable water bottles yet? They’re so good for travel. You can pop it open and refill again and again, without wasting plastic or needing to buy cases of water for the room. I always go the workout room for their filtered water.
When you’re back home, just roll it up, store it in a cabinet and it takes up zero space!
7. Find a great workout app.
I use and love Peloton– it has more than just cycle classes and is just about $12 a month. You can also do yoga, strength workouts, indoor and outdoor runs and more on the app. Other app favs that I know people love are options like Tone It Up and Balanced Life Pilates.
Then you have zero excuses for not knowing what kind of workout to do (if you don’t enjoy making them up as you go).
8. Travel size, chemie-free
Grab travel sizes of your favorite natural and non-toxic body care products to take with you, because for sure, no places just have these. Some of my favorites are mini versions of my fav natural shampoo and conditioner, dr bronners bodywash, natural travel toothpaste, and primally pure’s face cleansing oil, dry shampoo (now in a travel friendly bottle!), beauty cream, deodorant, plumping serum or CBD serum. Remember, you always get 10% off your first order of primally pure with the code “simplyrealhealth” at checkout!
I’m also loving my newest gua sha tool from this beautiful company– it’s so perfect to de-puff your face and keep your lympnodes healthy after flying all day! Tutorial coming soon.
9. Yelp is your best friend.
I always search for “gluten free restaurants” “gluten free bakery” “juice bars” and “hipster coffee shops”. You’d be surprised the gems you find this way. I do it often even in my own city! 🙂
See? Healthy choices while traveling so don’t have to be all or nothing. In fact, it’s always about the small things that add up, over time, no matter where you are or what you’re doing. So you can fully enjoy your day, no matter where you are in the world, and come back feeling refreshed, rested and ready to integrate back into your real life with ease.
Love this post? You’d love the cookbook then too. My second book, Simply Real Eating also just came out in November, so make sure you grab your copy here. And be sure to check out the seasonal meal plans (or the new Easiest DINNER ONLY Plan)! It’s what we literally eat for dinner every week.