How to Travel this Year without (Completely) Breaking Your Diet and Workout Program

By Shen Mascarinas

Two of the most common New Year’s resolutions are 1) to travel more and 2) #BalikAlindog2016 through diet and exercise. If you think you need to choose one over the other, you need to inject more ambition in your thoughts. It’s absolutely possible to make 2016 the year you achieve both.

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Here are 8 things you need to drill in your head as you explore your dream destinations with a diet and workout program in your back pocket.

8. Concretize your diet.

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What exactly are the rules of your diet? Are you going to reduce your carb-intake or avoid fried food? Whatever it is, list it down simply and clearly before your much-awaited trip. Having a concrete list of dos and don’ts is easier to follow than a vague diet concept.

7. Give your travel buddies a heads up.

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Don’t be shy; share you struggle to the people you’ll be traveling with. Tell them your concrete diet and workout rules so they can try to accommodate you situation in the travel plans.

6. Diet-proof transit times.

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Airports, planes and (duh) buses or cars have very limited food selections. That means it’ll be very hard to find diet-friendly meals. Anticipate this roadblock (hehe) by bringing healthy snacks like fruits and trail mix, as well as meals like salads and whole grain sandwiches. Make water your best friend, too. Resist the urge to choose the flight’s free alcohol and sodas.

5. Choose your accommodations strategically.

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If you can afford it, choose a hotel that has a fitness center and actually take advantage of it. You can also pick accommodations located somewhere far that involve a lot of walking to get to areas with public transportation. This way, you’ll have no choice but to get moving. If those aren’t options for you, you can also exercise in your room with just a resistance band or a downloaded exercise program on your laptop or phone.

4. Do your homework.

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Research, research and more research! Find restaurants that can accommodate your diet while still giving you a taste of the local cuisine. Aside from food websites and blog reviews, also take advantage of incredibly useful apps like VegOut and GoodFoodNearYou. These apps identify nearby restaurants that are healthy, vegan or vegetarian. Don’t let ignorance and unpreparedness be the cause of your diet failure.

3. Check out local groceries and markets, too.

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Here’s a tip that’s awesome for both your bod and wallet. You don’t have to eat out all the time (but when you do, avoid fast food at all costs). If you have access to a kitchen, shop at local groceries or markets and cook some of your meals. This lends you more control over what you’ll be eating. Plus, you’ll also get to sample your destination’s fresh produce and distinct ingredients.

2. Make it an active getaway.

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Including skiing, horseback riding, hiking and other fun active things in your itinerary won’t only make wonderful travel memories, but also great, exciting workouts. Also, make exploring by foot your default. Whether it’s a nature trail, city viewing or just exploring the local neighborhood, do it while sneaking in some exercise. Quirky tours like bicycle and running tours are fantastic options as well.

1. Savor your cheat day.

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Notice the lack of s in day? Only bend the rules of your diet and workout program for a single day and nothing more. If you faithfully stick to your program all the other days, then you’ll feel pure pleasure as you enjoy the cheat day you absolutely deserve.

Ready to travel with (or to get) your healthiest bod yet? Share your own tips below!

How to Travel this Year without (Completely) Breaking Your Diet and Workout Program