3 Tips To Make Your Next Travel Experience More Enjoyable
You may be hitting the road for a belated holiday gathering or maybe you spend a significant part of each day in a car as part of your job. Either way, in can be difficult to stay consistent and continue working towards your goals while you’re spending so much time traveling. After all, most on-the-road food options are sub par at best, and a person can only sit in one position for so long. Here are some tips to help you keep your health on track while you travel.
Focus on protein. 🍗
Getting a sufficient amount of protein is something that a lot of people struggle with the most while traveling, because most “fast food” doesn’t have good sources of protein in it. Eating an adequate amount of protein is essential while traveling to ensure that you do not lose the muscle you have worked so hard to build. You can plan ahead by packing a small cooler to take with you — go for a sandwich with lean turkey or roast beef, protein bars and/or whey protein in a shaker bottle. Gas stations can also be good places to grab food from because they usually have various high protein options like beef jerky, protein bars, hard boiled eggs, string cheese, almonds, and even low-fat milk. Starbucks is always a great option as well because they always have protein bars, sandwiches, and coffee.
Hydrate. 💦
Always travel with a water bottle. You never know how long you will be in the car or when the next stop is. Traveling with a water bottle ensures that you will stay hydrated throughout the day. Drinking water will also help you to stay energized and focused while you are traveling. You may have to stop more often to relieve yourself during your trip, but it will be worth it when you arrive at your destination hydrated and ready to enjoy your trip.
Stretch. 🙆🏻♂️
Being stuck in a car for hours at a time without stopping can wreck havoc on your hips, hamstrings, upper back, and low back. So every time you make a pit stop, you should stretch for a few minutes. A few years ago, I found an old YouTube video by Dr. Kelly Starrett of The Ready State and it’s helped me a lot with body stiffness while traveling. They actually made this video with police officers in mind because they sit so much while they are on patrol.
Your main focus should be mobilizing the 4 parts of your body that are most affected by sitting in a car seat: quads, hamstrings, upper back, and shoulders. Regularly performing these mobilizations will allow you to remain limber during your trip and not feel twisted up like a pretzel when you reach your destination.
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