The month of August has been non-stop traveling for me, from California, to Spain, to Nicaragua. As fun as it is, all the traveling poses a big challenge to my healthy lifestyle. My body is very sensitive to changes in setting, time zone, air pressure, and of course, changes in routine. My body KNOWS when its not at home.
Luckily I've learned a few tricks over the past year (as traveling overseas has become a monthly occurrence) that really work well for me. I’ve made it my mission to find ways to have my body adjust as much as possible, and avoid the bloating and fatigue that often comes with these long flights.
It all starts with the flight itself, which is always one of the most challenging things for me. For starters, I’m someone who has a big appetite, and cannot go more than a few hours without eating. And, similar to many of you I'm sure, I have a hard time sleeping more than two consecutive hours on a flight. So if it’s an overnight flight, I’m tired, restless, and my body naturally craves food. Therefore, I would usually end up eating the eat plane food (even though the food isn’t great, and of course, it’s highly processed!) just because I was bored and couldn’t sleep. And since the meals are quite small, I would eat almost everything, including the sugar-loaded dessert.
So what have I done recently to stay healthy during my long flights and disruptive travels?
First and most importantly, I’ve come up with a go-to healthy recipe that I can take with me on the flight, through security with no problem, and that tastes delicious even at room temperature. It’s my Sweet Vegetable Bake. I make a large batch, and take that with me, together with some raw nuts and fruit, and I’m set for the entire plane ride. This way I fill up on healthy homemade food, and can avoid the airplane food filled with chemicals and preservatives, and most importantly, I am able to resist the unnecessary desserts.
I personally prepare this dish of oven-baked veggies every time I travel on long flights (often switching up the veggies depending what I have) and place it in a plastic Tupperware with a disposable fork, together with my glass water bottle and additional snacks. I love it because it’s healthy, it’s filling, and has enough sweetness to satisfy my sweet tooth.
Even when I'm not traveling, I prepare this dish quite often – especially during the fall months – as a wonderful side to my protein of choice (ex. wild fish, organic chicken, grass-fed beef, quinoa, or lentils), or I blend the oven baked veggies with some vegetable broth and make a delicious soup for dinner. It’s a versatile and easy dish to make, so I highly suggest you give it a shot.
What are my other tricks for traveling?
I take the following supplements with me every time I travel in order to help me stay healthy, energetic, and to keep my digestion regular:
- Melatonin to help me sleep during the plane ride, and if needed, to help beat any jet lag the first day or two in Europe
- Fiber pills with digestive enzymes and probiotics – I now don’t travel without these!
- Powdered greens travel packs with probiotics – to ensure I get some alkaline greens in my system first thing every morning. It may not be the same as my usual home-made green smoothie, but it’s a simple & effective alternative that also works well to hold me over until my first official meal (which is often a late breakfast or even lunch at a restaurant)
- Natural Calm travel packs (or a small bottle of Natural Calm) – a natural magnesium supplement which is amazing for relieving constipation in a natural, non-habit forming way. It also helps to relax you for a deeper sleep through the night
What goes into your hand luggage? I’d love to hear from you.
And I hope you give my Sweet Veggie Bake a shot for your next long-haul vacation!
Love and safe, healthy travels,
Mariana
P.S. Despite my tips for staying healthy while traveling, most of us indulge a bit more when traveling and during the holidays. So we all benefit from a healthy, balanced food-based DETOX post vacation (or just once a season) to loose those few pounds that may have crept up on us. So be sure to check out my seasonal small group DETOX workshops. With my detox programs, you'll experience: increased energy, improved digestion, weight loss, better focus, better sleep, increased confidence, less cravings, and you'll feel lighter and better overall. Most importantly, you'll be doing this with me and a small group of others who will provide mutual support on a daily basis; you'll be there to support each other! And I make myself available to answer all your questions. I guide you every day and give you a complete outline, recipes, grocery list, daily tips, and 2 live calls (for my 10 day detox). EMAIL ME at ms@balancewithmariana.com for more info on my next detox!