I’m writing this post on my 10 hour flight home from the most wonderful family vacation in Greece. Full disclosure, I’m not feeling nearly as sprightly or lean as I did on my way here but I travel a decent amount so I like to think I came prepared to keep the side effects of a weeks worth or party time at bay. I’ve come up with some solid hacks to keep myself feeling and looking my best from the beginning to the end of my vacation. I hope to not come off high-and-mighty because most of these travel hacks have been derived from huge travel FAILS. One of which I did this week and have to tell you guys about later in this post. I’m covering 15 things I do to stay healthy while traveling; from staying regular, avoiding hangry mistakes, all the way to reducing that post flight or post drinking bloat.
Getting There
You’ve got to set the tone for yourself early as you consider what to pack for your trip and in your carry-on if you’re checking a bag. For me, the most important phase in a healthy vacation is before it even begins. You have to set the tone for yourself when you’re feeling your best and don’t rely on yourself to make the best decisions AFTER you’ve put your body through the ringer of a night out or a long plane ride. I lay out my clothes right next to my travel snacks… they’ve of equal importance.
Weird? Perhaps.
Anyway, these few things are my FAVORITE travel products:
In my carry on (and more in my suitcase for later if needed):
- Liquid IV – avoid dehydration while flying by popping one of these babies into a bottle of water. One packet into a bottle of water hydrates you as though you’ve drank 3 bottles. Hydration helps with legitimately everything; reducing puffiness, avoiding unnecessary hunger, dry skin, regular bowel movements, irritability… you name it. The liquid IV’s also pair as hangover managers if you’re planning on a boozy travel trip. I always grab a huge water bottle at the airport once I’m through security, pour this in, and wallaaah I’m set!
- Four Sigmatic Hot Cacao Packs – for the long travel trips I like these because they’re packed with medicinal mushrooms that help you to relax. If you’re a nervous flyer they could probably help as well. Finally, if you catch a sweet tooth you can avoid the candy store by just pouring one of these packs into a cup of hot water for a sweet and healthy alternative.
- Matcha Collagen Travel Sticks – matcha acts as the opposite of the hot cacoa mix because it’ll give you a little bit of a jolt. Matcha has less caffeine than coffee, never gives me the jitters, and these packs have the added benefit of collagen in them packing a whopping 10 grams of protein to help extend your fullness to the next meal. Matcha also is PACKED with antioxidents to help fight against toxins in the environment and promote a healthy immune system – critical for travel! I like to replace my morning coffee with matcha on vacation because I don’t need that big kick in the keester early in the morning on vacation and I like to really unwind and stay mellow when I’m taking some time off. I love the convenience of these little sticks… they’re the new crystal light (ick)!
- Travel Coconut Oil Packs from Trader Joe’s – these can be used for almost anything…. but, I like to use them blending in my morning coffee or matcha for a dose of healthy fat in the morning or as a snack. You can use coconut oil as a face, hand, or hair mask if you get dry. Use it as makeup remover, breath freshener, or lip balm. It’s a wonder, that coconut oil!
- Gum – durr! It’s there. Gum helps my ears adjust to pressure on planes so I always travel with a pack of orbit.
- Protein Bars – I like Bullet Proof protein bars the best. Primal Kitchen collagen bars are pretty good too but I don’t think their flavor compares to the bullet proofs. I like to keep one or two of these handy throughout my trip or for a long flight in case I need a little snack. These help me avoid nasty airport food between connecting flights, as well.
- Epic Bars – on the topic of snacks, I love these little turkey jerky packs. They hit the spot when you just need a very little something to curb your appetite. There’s nothing too exciting about these but that’s why I like them for a flight because you don’t snack on them for fun… just for fuel.
- Multi Vitamins for the week – I like to keep these in my carry on so I can keep track of them and remember if i’ve taken them or not. If i don’t do this, they get buried in my suitecase, never to be found again until I unpack. In my vitamin pack is a New Barn Multivitamin, Garden of Life 40 billion strand probiotic, and a hair growth pill because I’m workin on my weave.
- Magnesium Citrate – I keep a separate stash of magnesium citrate because I never know how much my body is going to need. I have gotten into the habit of taking this strain of magnesium before bed everyday by direction of my doctor at the Cleveland Clinic and OMG guys it is a game changer! One, it’s good to take every single day before bed and it’s the best change I’ve made to help me poop every day like clockwork (I’m sorry, it’s a lot… but it needed to be said). Not to mention, many people have trouble doing their business when they travel… fear no more. I was on a boat in Greece for a week and I was “movin” like a champ. GO. ME. I take 2 or 3 depending on how my stomach is feeling. Glad we got that over with… moving on.
So, you see, a few items you can prepare a head of time make a world of difference to the condition you show up to your trip in. Not to mention, you’ve got all of these tools to carry you through your trip as you get ready for the day in the morning and remember that YOU ARE WORTH this TLC.
Once You’re There
Ok. You’ve made it to your destination with grace and you’re feeling all glowy ready to get the party started! What comes next may not be what you think…
- DRINK! EAT! Flipping enjoy yourself. It is more healthy for you to embrace your community and your loved ones and celebrate life together than it is to restrict. Eat the dessert. Let your hair down. Laugh for crying out loud! I’ve decided to love myself enough to invest all of this time and money into my self care. I believe you also need to love yourself enough to give yourself grace to live and celebrate life’s precious moments because they’re limited. Do what makes you happy and your soul will thank you 10-fold. I’ve determined to give my mental health a prominent seat at the table with my physical health because they rely on each other in a critical way.
- Ok, when you drink and eat the dessert and love your life, your body doesn’t have to take a total beating. I have a few health hacks when it comes to vacation eating and drinking that don’t sacrifice much of anything at all;
- Nix the chasers. Ditch the added sugars and juices in your go-to drink. My drink of choice is Tequila with a bit of fresh lime juice on the rocks, maybe a bit of jalapeño in the mix. Use water or soda water and natural citrus flavors (not the artificial juice) to flavor your cocktails. You don’t have to sacrifice your buzz! You’re welcome.
- Try to eat a vegetable at every meal. Don’t take away anything, just ADD. These will keep you feeling energized, keep your movements moving, and help support your daily recovery.
- I try not to snack too much on vacation so I can fully enjoy and indulge at each meal. BUT… but, but, but. PSA: If you are drinking all day, you should probably snack unless you want to recover a photo of you in corn rows crawling under the table to tickle your boyfriend onto the ground the next morning …….. sometimes snacking is a VERY good idea.
- Ok, when you drink and eat the dessert and love your life, your body doesn’t have to take a total beating. I have a few health hacks when it comes to vacation eating and drinking that don’t sacrifice much of anything at all;
- Morning De-Puff – after I’ve indulged and I wake up feeling a little puffy, I love to use a facial massager. I’ll later up with lots of face moisturizer or oil and spend 5 or so minutes just massaging my face with this little vibrator type device. It feels so good and it’s great for lymphatic drainage which causes the puffiness in our cheeks, under eyes, and jaw. Once you’ve massaged and acted like nothing happened, pop back out there and do it all again with a tight and slender smile on your face!
- Sunscreen – on the topic of skin care, I have been working on reducing my sun spots on my face (hello, Malasma) and found this great 50spf facial primer I apply alone or under my makeup every day now. It has caffeine in it so it also tightens and firms the skin while protecting it from sun damage. I take this cream all the way down to my chest to protect the skin from spotting and wrinkles.
- Daily Movements – I am not proposing that you schedule workouts while on vacation because that would be wack. I do however, try to find a fun reason to get my body moving at least a little bit everyday. This could mean jumping in the pool and playing with some kiddos or swimming laps, taking a walk or hike to explore a new area, tread water for 30 minutes or do a few yoga poses as part of your wake up routine… anything. I just know that for me to continue to be energized throughout my vacation and maximize my experience, I need to move my body a little bit everyday.
Well… that’s that! Now it’s time for me to get back to reality and start thinking about what it looks like to create a healthy “re-entry” into daily life.
I hope you enjoyed this post and can pick up a hack or two.
In good health!
Jess
