If there’s one thing that you know about traveling, it’s that food plays a large role. Food in the place(s) you visit can make or break your experience. Because most travel involves hotel stays and different moving elements, your food choices may be hasty and poorly calculated. That means that you may just opt for unhealthier options to reduce the time it takes to find a better eatery.
When you travel, and summer is a big time for traveling, there are things you can do to stay healthy during your time away. You don’t have to live in the gym or drink kale smoothies every day, but you can prepare yourself better to handle different situations. When you enter your travel with the following tips in mind, your trip will not be as unhealthy as previous trips.
Wipe Down Your Area On The Plane
There are cleaning crews that quickly clean planes, but you know that they don’t always do the best job. You may find a pretzel, empty bottle, or gunk in and around the seat from time to time. One of the dirtiest places on the plane is the area around your seat: the buckle, the screen in the seatback in front of you, the tray table, and air vent. Data from Travelmath revealed that the average air vent had 285 colony-forming units of bacteria (CFUs), while the buckle had 230 CFUs. For this reason, it can be beneficial to your health to wipe down your seat area with a sanitizing wipe prior to settling in. This is especially beneficial if you have a weaker or sensitive immune system.
Find the Perishable In Airports
It’s too easy to walk by airport stands, vendors, or kiosks and purchase unhealthy snacks and sugary beverages. They are easy and readily available, but you can also find whole fruits and vegetables in the airports. It just takes a little more searching on your part, but most coffee stands or cafes offer whole fruit options, in most cases. Big hubs often have more food options, including healthier restaurants to choose from between or before flights. The best approach, though, is to bring your own fruits or vegetable snacks. Apples, carrot sticks, celery sticks, and other similar options travel well.
Go For A Walk When You Land
After sitting on a flight, you may notice that your body is very sore. Airplane seats are not very comfortable to begin with, and the limited position that you are confined to can be uncomfortable as well. After getting off a long flight, health experts recommend that you get moving right away. Not only does a brisk walk loosen up your muscles, but it also helps you familiarize yourself in a new location. Once you arrive at the place where you are staying, head out for a 20-30 minute walk to get fresh air and explore. If you arrive late at night, go for a walk the next morning.
Have A Game Plan If You’re An Anxious Traveler
If you know that you develop anxiety on planes, you need to have a plan in place before your trip begins. Ideally, have a coping mechanism or technique to calm your anxiety when you feel it coming on. Make sure that you are calm from the start to set yourself up for success. Check in via mobile apps or fill out what you need to do prior to arriving at the airport.
When you enter the airport, turn on your most relaxing playlist to distract your mind from the chaos of the airport. If you feel anxious, try to engage in diaphragmatic breathing to help calm your nerves. If you feel like you are going to have a panic attack, take action. Access to a restroom? Go sit on the toilet, put your head between your knees, and breathe deeply. Go to the sink and splash water in your face and wet behind your neck to pull yourself out of the moment.
You Can Always Fit In A Workout
No matter the hotel, hostel, or AirBnb, you can always do some sort of exercise. A simple yoga flow in the morning, stretching in the evening, or a series of bodyweight exercises can go a long way. The great thing about bodyweight exercises is that you don’t need a lot of space. Squats, push-ups, chair dips, planks, crunches, and other similar workouts don’t require more space than your body length. If you really want to get your heart rate up, do these exercises back-to-back for high-intensity interval training.
