One thing that will always remain true about traveling is that eating is one of the best parts. When you’re 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 that we gain while traveling will shed off on our own when we go back 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 once in a while, then a little overindulgence is okay. But when you’ve fallen into the habit of overeating at the buffet breakfast every morning or enjoying few too many nightcaps in your hotel room, then you may be putting yourself at risk of rapid weight gain. If you ask any reputable weight loss center and 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. That said, it’s okay to eat not-so-healthy food and drink alcohol, but only if you keep it moderate.
2. Order just enough or split meals
Going off from the last tip, it can be challenging to avoid overindulging yourself when trying new foods for the first time. There are so many new dishes to try, and you want to make the most out of your trip to experience them all. However, this is one of the exact reasons we often eat too much while traveling, and oftentimes, the FOMO (fear of missing out) is too strong to avoid.
The good news is that you can still try a lot of dishes without going overboard. First, order the smallest portions available to sample the foods you want, then order bigger portions once you know what you like. Second, split dishes with other people to lower the risk of eating too much for the sake of not letting food (and your money) go to waste. If you don’t have anyone to split the meal with, take the excess portions to go and eat them later.
3. Find other pick-me-ups
Traveling is tiring, and when you’re exhausted, you might turn to food for a quick pick-me-up. The result? Additional calories that you don’t need and can end up as excess fat. Unless you are starving, find another way to boost your mood when the fatigue gets a little bit 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 with you whenever you’re traveling, especially if getting to your destination will take more than half a day. Pack some healthy snacks like nuts, fresh fruits, cut-up vegetables, and sandwiches packed with greens. Not only will you have a supply of food at the ready for whenever you get hungry, but you will also get to 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 drinks and go for the lighter ones, such as gin and tonics, vodka sodas, martinis, and wines. Better yet, avoid binge drinking since every type of alcohol contains a significant amount of calories per drink. Should you let your weight preoccupy your mind while on vacation? Definitely not. But at the very least, pay attention to what you’re eating and avoid going overboard, not only to look good in your travel photos but for your overall health as well.
Meta title: Smart Ways to Avoid Gaining Weight While Traveling
meta desc: Eating out is one of the bests 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.
