Do you throw your wellness out the window when you're away from home? I try not to...somewhat anyway lol. Here are the habits that I keep up when I'm traveling...and why!
I try to get daylight first thing in the morning
I'm a morning person- I love to workout first thing in the morning, I feel most productive in the morning, I like the morning time to myself because it makes me feel better set up/ more productive for my day.
Travel can equate with jet lag- Sometimes you're lucky enough to be traveling within the same time zone, & sometimes you're not! I found when I was on ships that I was often going an hour forward as well as an hour backwards within the same five day time frame. Daily daylight is associated with greater ease in getting up, less frequent tiredness, & even fewer insomnia symptoms (Science Direct). When I started to try & get a few minutes of daylight exposure on my eyes first thing when I wake up, I noticed that I was able to get my act together for the day- whether it be working or relaxing.
I always bring a water bottle with me
Staying hydrated is very important for me- my activity levels were pretty high as a professional dancer, so drinking water pretty much came par for the course.
Consuming enough water is very much a visual thing- something I am CONSTANTLY reminding Empowered To Go clients is to keep a water bottle visible; at work, when watching tv, heading out the door for a Sunday drive- literally. Everywhere. Having a water bottle in front of you is a visual reminder to drink more because really...who's got enough brain space to ask themselves "am I hydrated enough today?"
BONUS: enhance your water- it sounds bougie, but hear me out: adding minerals/ electrolytes to your water can naturally increase your inclination to drink more water. In my most recent trip away, I brought LMNT with me & adding a packet of it to one of my water bottles every day helped me drink more water in my day overall.
I get some form of daily movement in
Let's preface with this: I've had an active lifestyle since I was small- my body is used to being active, & feels the impacts of sitting down all day (say, for a trans Atlantic flight).
I feel better when I move...- whether it be walking to get a coffee, walking along the beach, or getting a bodyweight workout done in my hotel room before I start my work day, moving feels really good & helps blood/ lymph flow whilst I'm out of my home environment. It wakes me up, whether morning or afternoon, & I feel really good about "ticking a box" that I normally tick when I'm at home.
...but I don't put pressure on myself to commit to a specific movement- I have my preferred ways to workout. If you were to ask my opinion, I think that strength training is incredibly beneficial, for all genders of high performers, to incorporate into weekly routine. However, just because I think that, doesn't mean it's the only way I will exercise outright. If a walk is what I get, a walk is what I get. If I have access to a hotel pool, I will absolutely use it. There's no point in throwing away an opportunity for movement just because it might not be "perfect."
I aim to have a protein source at every meal
Protein keeps me supported- whether I'm away for work or leisure, I personally enjoy having a break from my kitchen. However, I don't treat it as a time to throw my cares out the window. My body still needs to work optimally, & Empowered To Go clients can attest to that!
But I don't nail a specific target- In a perfect world, you get a targeted 1.2 to 1.5g of protein per kilogram of your bodyweight minimum. When you're away from home, your world may not be perfect! So why put pressure on yourself to hit a perfect target outside of perfect circumstances? I don't see the point, personally....so I don't make it a point. There's flexibility in this approach, which helps me still have autonomy over my nutrition without fear of losing control.
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