FIVE WAYS TO EAT HEALTHY WHILE TRAVELLING
by Dr. Shamira Hudda
One thing I dislike most about travelling is the 'on-the-go' eating that usually accompanies commutes by planes, trains and buses. It seems that many of us naturally get the 'munchies' while waiting to board or while in commute...at least I do! While this is partially due to supreme boredom there is also that Emotional Eating that afflicts so many of us. It's also partially due to the fact that usually the meals one can choose from in an airport food court are, let's just say, not the most wholesome and/or satisfying. Here are five tips to help you eat healthy while travelling:
1. Sleep well the night before! Lack of sleep can lead to 'noshing' all the next day in efforts to 'pep' yourself up energy-wise. Get good rest before any sort of commute and you'll be less likely to go for the sugary foods for a pick me up.
2. Drinks lots of Water! Of course, we should always be drinking six to eight glasses of cleanly sourced water a day but it's even more important when travelling. Temperature changes, long periods of static postures and overall fatigue can be reduced by keeping the body hydrated. Also, getting up every so often to visit the loo is a great excuse to get up and stretch!
3. Have a good, hearty breakfast at home before leaving. Make a healthy breakfast with proteins, complex carbohydrates and good fats (ie. an egg white omelet, whole grain toast and a fruit or yogurt) will give you the lasting power to get through the morning.
4. Evaluate the hunger - Is is real or 'fake?' If at the airport or fast-food chain stop - check-in with yourself to see how hungry you actually are. Do you feel hungry? Is your stomach giving you signals for hunger? Or is it your mind being emotionally hungry? Are you excited to get to your destination and are using food as a distraction? Or, are you bored out of your skull and need something to do to pass the time? Just taking a moment to 'check-in' can make a HUGE difference in your caloric intake and food choices. If you just feeling like 'something' - a herbal tea with a low-fat Oatmeal cookie, for instance, can satisfy a sweet craving (vs. the donut and coffee.). But knowing if you're really hungry can definitely help you choose wisely.
5. If you're going to snack - tread carefully! Most fast-foods have hidden (or not so hidden!) fats and empty calories - so if you're going to have a snack, don't use the "I'm on Vacation!" excuse. Your health & well-being is a privilege to serve and vacation time shouldn't be used as a way to 'let loose' on your healthy eating efforts. Instead, it should be a time to enjoy the things you love, but also enjoy the experience of feeling good after a healthy meal. So choose wisely - try to order salads with protein and a lite dressing (preferrably not cream based) and of course, stick with water (vs. juice or pop). If you want to indulge, by all means do - but take one cookie instead of three! Or have a fresh fruit cup instead (sans whip cream or granola - lots of fat!)
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Dr. Shamira Hudda is the founder of Art of Wellness - a boutique-style centre for health & well-being, located near Toronto's waterfront. With a special interest in women's health, Dr. Shamira provides integrated, natural health care to help people live at their fullest potential. To learn more, please visit www.artofwellness.ca or contact her at info@artofwellness.ca
