How to Stay Healthy when
Travelling.
I am a firm believer that travelling is absolutely one of the best
things ever. I’m personally afflicted with a serious case of wanderlust and
seem to find myself in a perpetual cycle of either saving every cent that I can
for an adventure or spending all my money on plane tickets to far-flung
destinations. I’ve just returned home from my most recent adventure; a 5-week
solo trip in Europe through the UK, Germany, Czech Republic, Poland, Lithuania,
Latvia, Estonia, Finland and Sweden and then 10 days in Thailand with my dear
mother. Yes, I’m quite well aware of the fact that my travel itinerary is
extremely random but I wanted to really go off the beaten track and see some
parts of the world that are unique and less travelled. I also have a personal
interest in Post-Soviet States, so I’ve been hanging out to visit the Baltics
for quite some time now. I had the absolute time of my life wandering about,
but from the outset one of my biggest worries was that all my hard work in
being healthy and losing weight would go out the window when I was on the road.
I didn’t want all that hard work to go to waste but at the same time I was
absolutely not going to deprive myself of the culinary delights of Europe.
Here’s a few tips and tricks and tidbits of advice for the health conscious
traveller that are tried and tested because I’ve managed the mean feat of
returning home without any unwanted extra baggage (aside from all the
clothes…)!
1. Fresh Fruit is your Friend
I honestly cannot put into words how much I love all the fresh fruit
that seems to be available whenever and wherever I have travelled. If you’re in
Europe in the summer, berries are absolutely everywhere, which is basically a
dream come true! In Asia, you’ll find mango and banana and other tropical
delights on effectively every single street corner and whilst I’ve never been
to the Americas, I can only assume they too have their fair share of food
markets and street vendors with fresh produce. When you’re on the road, fresh
fruit is not only quick, easy and inexpensive, but also really good for keeping
up all those vitamins and minerals which you’ll need if you don’t want to get
sick. When I was in Europe, I would head out every morning and wander the
streets (usually for not very long) before stumbling upon a local grower
selling their produce. In actual fact there is a high possibility that I single
handedly sustained the European berry industry whilst there because
German/Finnish/Swedish strawberries are pretty much the most delicious thing ever.
Fresh German raspberries in Bamberg. YUMMO! |
2. There is Nothing Better than Being Outdoors
Sure museums and exhibitions and castles and shopping malls are fun
and absolutely worth visiting, but there is simply no better way to see the
world and learn about a new place than being outdoors in the streets, in parks
or sitting outdoors in a café observing the local people go about their life.
People-watching is one of the best ways to just absorb and learn about the
local way of life and the best place to people watch would absolutely have to
be the local park, which is conveniently also a fantastic source of fresh air.
I spent many afternoons eating fresh berries whilst sitting in the sunshine in
the various parks of Europe which was a fantastic way to get outside, get some
fresh air, partake in some casual people-watching and most importantly, get a
dose of Vitamin D!
3. Walk Whenever and Wherever you Can
Whilst it is incredibly tempting to jump on the metro, catch a bus
or hail a cab, you will almost always find that the extra time and effort to
walk instead will be worth it. This is especially true for big cities such as
London where you will often find that walking between major sights instead of
catching the tube is not only cheaper and better for you, but also quite often
quicker! Obviously it is far better health-wise to walk and you would be
surprised how easy it is to walk a few kilometers in a day whilst sightseeing.
And, because the sights are so interesting and there are so many new things to
see and do, you’ll rarely realize just how far you’ve actually walked! Walking
between sorbet shops is also an excellent way to simultaneously indulge in some
delicious food whilst burning some calories! Win-win situation!!
4. Indulge in some Treats Every now and Then Because Moderation is Key
Speaking of sorbet, you should absolutely indulge in some treats
when you’re on the road. So much of the experience travelling is in sampling
the local food which often tends to be on the not-so-healthy side of the
spectrum, which is unfortunate, however a simple reality of life. But, life is
no fun without some treats, so go ahead and indulge in whatever the local
delicacy is, but keep in mind that moderation is key. If you try and avoid all
the treats, you’ll almost always find that one day you will lose your willpower
and binge eat all the bad stuff at once and leave yourself feeling sick. Indulging
every now and then in smaller amounts is a far more sustainable and healthy way
to eat.
It wouldn't be a proper trip to Europe without some sorbet! |
5. Start your Day with a Walk or a Run
This is absolutely my number one piece of advice for anyone
travelling. A lot of people consider a morning walk/run off-limits when on a
holiday but I discovered that getting outdoors for some morning activity was
the best way to stay fit whilst on the road and also had the added bonus of
effectively allowing me to go on a city tour without all the tourists. I
usually did a quick scan of Google Maps the night before to get an approximate
idea of the direction I wanted to head off running the next morning and then I’d
wake and head off the next day. So many people sleep in and then head off to
the tourist hotspots along with all the other tourists, meaning they get stuck
in a crush of people. By getting up a bit earlier, I not only got some quality
exercise into my schedule, but I also managed to see large parts of the cities
I visited before breakfast meaning I had a better idea of what was worth
visiting and dedicating time to later that day. I also got some of the best
pictures whilst running by stopping for a few moments at major sights to snap a
picture and enjoy the moment before any of the tourists arrived.
See all those tourists? NOPE BECSUE I WOKE UP BEFORE THEM AND BEAT THEM TO THE SIGHTS. |
6. Always Eat a Quality and Wholesome Breakfast
BREAKFAST IS KING. There is truly nothing more important than having
a quality, wholesome breakfast before a day of travelling, sightseeing or
activity. This is especially true if you are travelling on a budget because if
you skip breakfast you’ll inevitably find your money being poured into buying
snacks all day long because of constant hunger. Many hotels and hostels include
free breakfast these days and even if yours does not, breakfast is one of the
easiest meals to find at an affordable price. I always started my day with a
feast of fresh local fruit, which is the perfect source of energy for a day of
exploring.
Breakfast in Lithuania. |
7. Shopping = Cardio
I have a shopping addiction that I’ve generally always considered a
bad habit, however this is not necessarily so because when you add up all those
steps taken around the shops hunting down the perfect pair of shoes, you’ll
often find that you have done a fair bit of walking. This not only justifies
the need to buy a new pair of shoes because you wore the other ones out but is
also great exercise! Additionally, whilst it may seem a pain, lugging all those
extra clothes around in your suitcase is also good weights training. I know
this because I left with effectively no upper body strength but after 6 weeks
dragging my 30kg suitcase up and down flights of stairs in apartment buildings,
I think I almost rival the Incredible Hulk in terms of my arm muscles.
8. Walking Tours are the Best Things Ever
Last but not least, in most major towns and cities around the world
you will find that the local tourism board offers free walking tours that take
in the major sights. Even when the tours are not free, they will pretty much
always be very cheap for what they are. A walking city tour is a great way to
tick of all the must see sights, hear a guide explain the local history, get
some great pictures and sneak in some exercise. Often walking tours take place
in the morning, which is perfect when travelling in the summer because you will
avoid the heat of the day. Tour guides are also usually very knowledgeable
about the best food destinations, so if you head off for a walking tour in the
morning, you can get the low-down on the best restaurants in town for lunch!
House of the Blackheads in Riga, Latvia. I took this whilst on a free walking tour simultaneously getting some exercise and my dose of local knowledge for the day. |
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