One thing that will always remain true about traveling is that eating is one of the best parts. When traveling to a new city or another country, you’ll want to explore the local food scene. After all, eating local food is one of the best ways to truly get to know a place as it’s a huge part of the culture, and more importantly, you’re on vacation mode. That said, it’s no surprise that we gain a little weight when traveling. Usually, the extra pounds we gain while traveling will be shed on our own when we return to our normal eating routine. But sometimes, the few extra pounds aren’t few at all, and the next thing we know, our pants are getting a little too tight mid-trip. With all these things in mind, here are some tricks to keep those extra pounds off while traveling to another place, be it for one week or three:
1. Avoid overindulgence
When we’re on vacation mode, we all tend to overindulge ourselves, whether it’s food, alcohol, sleep, or something else. If it’s only occasionally, then a little overindulgence is okay. But when you’ve fallen into the habit of overeating at the buffet breakfast every morning or enjoying a few too many nightcaps in your hotel room, you may be putting yourself at risk of rapid weight gain. If you ask any reputable weight loss center, they’d tell you that one of the most important factors in weight management is avoiding overindulgence. Unhealthy food and alcohol are not inherently bad for you as long as they are consumed in moderation. It’s okay to eat unhealthy food and drink alcohol, but only if you keep it moderate.
2. Order just enough or split meals
Going off from the last tip, avoiding overindulging yourself when trying new foods for the first time can be challenging. There are so many new dishes to try, and you want to make the most of your trip to experience them all. However, this is one of the exact reasons we often eat too much while traveling, and often, the FOMO (fear of missing out) is too strong to avoid.
The good news is that you can still try many dishes without going overboard. First, order the smallest portions available to sample the foods you want, then order bigger pieces once you know what you like. Second, split dishes with other people to lower the risk of eating too much to avoid letting food (and your money) go to waste. If you don’t have anyone to split the meal with, take the excess portions and eat them later.
3. Find other pick-me-ups
Traveling is tiring; when you’re exhausted, you might turn to food for a quick pick-me-up. The result? Additional calories you don’t need can end up as excess fat. Unless you are starving, find another way to boost your mood when the fatigue gets too much. For example, take a walk around the block or go for a swim in the pool. Perhaps watch some TV or take a catnap. More importantly, listen to your body. If you feel peckish, drink some water, and if you still feel hungry after that, that’s the time you should get some food.
4. Buy or pack healthy snacks
Always bring some food when you’re traveling, especially if getting to your destination takes more than half a day. Pack healthy snacks like nuts, fresh fruits, cut-up vegetables, and sandwiches with greens. Not only will you have a supply of food ready for whenever you get hungry, but you will also save money by avoiding the airport shops and convenience stores.
5. Easy on the sugary drinks
Go ahead and enjoy that pineapple mimosa after you arrive at the resort. But after the first few drinks of your trip, try to ease off the sugar-packed beverages and go for the lighter ones, such as gin and tonics, vodka sodas, martinis, and wines. Avoid binge drinking since every type of alcohol contains many calories per drink. Should you let your weight preoccupy your mind while on vacation? Not. But at the very least, pay attention to what you’re eating and avoid going overboard to look good in your travel photos and for your overall health.
Meta title: Smart Ways to Avoid Gaining Weight While Traveling
meta desc: Eating out is one of the best parts of traveling, but how can you prevent unwanted weight gain? Learn how you can keep the extra pounds off while traveling and still get to enjoy your meals.
