Travel is stressful especially with kids and especially if you are committed to a healthy lifestyle. You’re in a hurry to get everything done before you leave, in a hurry to get to your destination, and then in a hurry to get home. The kids get cranky, you get cranky and to top it off, you know sticking to your healthy eating and exercise program becomes difficult.
But, with a little planning, you can enjoy your travel and stay relatively close to your health goals. Try these tips:
Before you leave:
1. Eat a healthy breakfast. We often are tempted to skip meals before a large holiday meal 
in order to “save” the calories. Unfortunately, that mentality backfires. Instead of saving calories, we get to the holiday meal and over eat because we are so hungry.
2. Get a workout in before you leave. Even with 15 minutes squeezed in, you will just feel better and not be as tired driving.
3. Pack healthy snacks. When we travel, we all like to munch on something. And if we don’t pack, we end up stopping at a gas station and grabbing chips, popcorn or donuts. Then the rest of the day we feel pretty yucky! So instead, plan and pack. I know you are saying to yourself – I have enough to do, now you’re telling me to pack? Yup – pack, but keep it simple or make it several days ahead. Here are a couple suggestions:
· Homemade Trail Mix – choose your portions. Add a variety of nuts, raisins, dark chocolate chips, dried fruit or popcorn. Make it fun with different colors
· Cherry tomatoes or grapes
· Apple slices with cheese or nut butter
· Hard boiled eggs
· Homemade dried fruit or fruit leathers (less sugar this way)
4. Pack water to drink that way you aren’t tempted to buy that big gulp soda
5. Pack a workout materials – resistance bands, workout clothes, and tennis shoes.
While traveling
1. Skip the caffeine. Caffeine is a diuretic. You will need to make more pit stops, and it actually dehydrates you making you feel sluggish after long travel times.
2. Snack on foods that will “stick” with you so you don’t make a mad dash to the appetizers and overeat high sugar, high fat foods. Trail mix, eggs, and apples with cheese are good choices.
3. On really long drives, pick a spot where you can stop and move. After a while, our body is telling to do something. Rather than moving, we eat. Instead, find a good spot to get out of the car, stretch, take a walk, breath fresh air. Maybe even plan an activity break like a hike through a park, skating or sledding.
At your destination
1. Find a local grocery store and pick up healthy snacks and foods. That way, instead of heading to the vending machine or the cookie jar, you have other options.
1. Fresh fruit
2. Carrots
3. Cucumbers
4. Avocado
5. Water
2. Incorporate activity in your daily plans.
· Get your workout in
1. Stream a workout and find a corner
2. Go to the hotel gym
· Take a walk
· Go to a museum, park, or mall
· Go sledding or skating
· Build a snowman
3. Eat breakfast
· Grab some of that healthy food you purchased
· Bring your personal blender and make a protein shake so you start your day off right