Watching Your Waistline: Eating Healthy on the Road

It’s tempting to view a trip around the world as one long vacation – with all the normal vacation rules such as ‘eat whatever you want and worry about it when you get home’ and ‘forget the exercise, pass the desert’. Although most travelers won’t notice a change in health for a shorter vacation, those longer than 2 weeks can get you on a path to seriously stack up on the pounds. However, watching your weight doesn’t mean you have to forgo the creme bruleé in France, or skip the sample of fried ice cream. It simply means you have to manage the way you eat.

Resist the urge to always eat out: Cut your budget and the extra calories by skipping the three meals a day at the restaurant or on the run. Plan out some meals that you can eat no matter where you are in that days travel – pack a sandwich and a piece of fruit in the morning and you’re ready to go when lunchtime rolls around. By packing your own meals and refusing to grab a snack at the nearest train stop, you’re limiting what you’re allowing yourself to eat.

Cook: If you don’t prepare your own meals, or are constantly nibbling on candy bars with the fat content written in another language, it’s easy to pretend that the calories aren’t there. However, by preparing your own food, you’re more aware of exactly how many cups of cream go into the French recipe you’re testing out at your Paris hostel.

Focus on the local diet: Mediterranean diets are a current fad, but there is some truth to their claims – people in the area are thinner, healthier and in better shape than their counterparts. If you’re in an area that’s known for stay-in-shape cuisine, focus on the local’s eating habits and see how you can soak up culture and health at the same time.

Eat your fruit and veggies: Don’t forget to get eat your fruits and veggies. They don’t last long and spoil easily, so don’t overbuy. Look for fresh foods that are grown in the region versus ones shipped in from overseas. Hostels in Sydney are commonly located near such markets.