Bike riding with horsies at New Forest National Park, UK.
One of the many pros of travel is getting to escape the routine of daily life. For a limited time, we get to put aside the calendar and anything goes. But when you get back home reality sets in—and that may mean coming face to face with the repercussions of all the fun you had while away (unless, I guess, you went to Vegas?). If you’re like me, half the fun of travel is all the great things you get to eat and drink, and learning about a new town or culture while doing so.
There is no way I’m going to visit a place I’ve never been before, and maybe will never go again, and not take full advantage of all it has to offer. Of course I’m tucking into tiny open-faced sandwiches in Copenhagen and diving into baskets of torta fritta in Parma. Absolutely, I’m saying ‘yes’ to cream in Vienna and sampling whiskey in Edinburgh. And where there is a celebrity chef or award-winning restaurant, I will find a way to get in on that. I seriously cannot wait to get on line at 7am to finally, one day, experience Franklin Barbecue in Austin, Texas and I’m not going to skip out on that chance whenever I do get to that city. That said, it’s just as important to me to come home feeling as healthy and energetic as when I left. It sucks a bit of the fun out of travel when you return home feeling sluggish and out of shape. Even before I moved to London, I had always done a great deal of travel. Over the years, I’ve worked out how to have my cake and eat it too without regretting it and throwing my health off-course in the process.
There is no way I’m going to visit a place I’ve never been before, and maybe will never go again, and not take full advantage of all it has to offer. Of course I’m tucking into tiny open-faced sandwiches in Copenhagen and diving into baskets of torta fritta in Parma. Absolutely, I’m saying ‘yes’ to cream in Vienna and sampling whiskey in Edinburgh. And where there is a celebrity chef or award-winning restaurant, I will find a way to get in on that. I seriously cannot wait to get on line at 7am to finally, one day, experience Franklin Barbecue in Austin, Texas and I’m not going to skip out on that chance whenever I do get to that city. That said, it’s just as important to me to come home feeling as healthy and energetic as when I left. It sucks a bit of the fun out of travel when you return home feeling sluggish and out of shape. Even before I moved to London, I had always done a great deal of travel. Over the years, I’ve worked out how to have my cake and eat it too without regretting it and throwing my health off-course in the process.
Lapping up a liquid nitrogen ice cream sundae in Copenhagen.
These tips work well regardless of the type of travel you’re doing or how long or short the trip. So, whether you’re going on vacation or traveling for work, following any number of these strategies can help you return home fresh and ready to jump back into the swing of things.
1. Start Strong
Breakfast means something different to everyone. Regardless of whether you like your breakfast big, small, liquid, sweet or savory, try to get a mix of lean protein, whole grains, fruits, vegetables and healthy fats toward the top of your day. If I can, I’ll have a veggie omelet but if I’m traveling in a place where breakfast is kept very simple, I may make do with just a latte, a yogurt or some bread and fruit. Avoiding the sudden onset of “hangry” (when you get distracted by all the fun you’re having) may help prevent mindless eating, like floating over to the nearest street vendor on a cloud of alluring smells!
Starting the day with porridge (whole grain) made with milk (protein) in Scotland.
2. Plan to go Nuts
Plan the meals you’ll go “all out” on. If I’m really excited about the restaurant we’re visiting for dinner, I’ll make sensible choices the rest of the day so I can enjoy a carefree meal that night. The benefits of this are two-fold: (1) you won’t be caught off guard feeling bloated and sluggish after excitedly sampling everything that comes your way all day long and (2) you can fully enjoy those foods you were actually looking forward to.
Round 2 of ALL the starters at Romani in Parma, Italy. Round 1 got eaten too fast for a photo.
3. Embrace the Culture
Act like a local. What may feel like an indulgence to us is often a small part of a more balanced lifestyle to the local population. In Parma, Copenhagen and Amsterdam, where there was no shortage of phenomenal foods, I noticed that folks bike everywhere. In France, rich foods are balanced by relatively small portion sizes. In some cultures, one very large meal is balanced by much smaller meals the rest of the day. Typical foods and drink can also often serve a specific function. On a recent trip, during a heat wave, to Jerusalem—where religious sites require modest dress—and Tel Aviv—where the beach culture and beautiful architecture leave no choice but to spend as much time as possible outdoors, I drank more juice than I could keep track of. At home, I rarely drink juice due to its lack of fiber. In Israel, you can’t get more than a few paces without running into delicious fresh-squeezed juices (especially orange and pomegranate). The combination of sugars and fluids, in the many cups of juice I guzzled, helped to prevent me from fainting (which I’ve been known to do while traveling in hot weather). So, take a tip from the locals to learn how they strike the balance.
My favorite juice stand in Jerusalem.
4. Plan "Active Sightseeing"
My husband and I have a travel tradition: we plan something active during every one of our trips. It’s not only exercise, it’s also a great way to experience a new place from a unique perspective and it can turn a vacation into an adventure. For example, there’s the time we got to gallop across the countryside on a horseback ride in Argentina or that time we came within a few feet of a bear while kayaking in Canada! There’s been lots of yoga and water sports for sure but often, it’s been as simple (and free!) as finding a big hill or trail and going for a walk. Some of my favorite travel memories are of activities like hiking Runyon Canyon in Los Angeles or scrambling up the massive rock we could see from our window in Greece.
Horseback riding in Argentina, back in 2005.
5. Schedule Pre- and Post-Trip Workouts
If you have a regular exercise routine, you may find it’s easy to fall off track both before a trip, when you’re trying to pack and tie up loose ends at work, and after, when you’re trying to readjust to your routine. A preemptive strike is best in these cases so I book workouts for both ends of a trip. This works well whether you sign up for a class or session (you’re less likely to back out) or just pen a run, bike ride, or fitness DVD into your calendar and block out the time (it’ll be top of mind). If you don’t have a fitness routine, consider starting one! The best workout is the one that you find fun, fits easily into your life, and that you can see yourself returning to.
Enjoying a beer and a kebab at a hilltop park popular with the locals, in Prague.
