How to Travel with Your Nutrition in Mind

Pack the Food, Not the Pounds

Traveling. It always sounds luxurious, and it can be if you are surrounded by the right people, a beach, and a Pina Coolada in hand. But what we tend to forget is that, when traveling for work, the tables can quickly change. When traveling in short spurts & being on a very specific schedule, it can do much more than just damage your idea of traveling, it can also take a massive tole on your health, your weight, your self esteem & it brings a whole new meaning to the word: dehydration. Below are my “must have” items, that can easily be packed in your suitcase, or carry on, to keep you at your very best, no matter what delays, or obstacles you might run into on your journey!!

Pro Bar: The Whole Food Meal Replacement

I have to say, I am really not the biggest fan of the protein bar, but I might just be Pro- Bar’s number one fan. These bars are delicious, organic and are made from ALL natural ingredients (which most meal replacements are not). I pack these bars on all of my trips. Most of my travel days start with early morning flights; I don’t have a chance to grab breakfast, which makes these bars even more perfect to keep in my purse, to make sure my day gets started in a healthy way. My two favorite flavors are Nutty Banana Boom & Oatmeal Raisin, BUT don’t fear, if those two don’t sound good to you, you have another 10 delicious flavors to choose from! Not only from a nutritional standpoint do I love this company, but I also love what they stand for. Their product is crafted with love, and the following are just a few of their core values:

1. Let your actions define you
2. Big steps, leave a small footprint
3. We love real food, and we love what we do, we laugh everyday, what else is there?

4. Treat business like family

Because I truly love what I do, these core values speak volumes in their business, which makes me want to support their product even more. You can stay healthy & happy while traveling by eating healthy and supporting amazing brands like Pro-Bar. These amazing bars are available at most health stores.

Justin’s Classic Almond Butter Squeeze Packs

One word: Protein. Our body needs protein to function at our best ability. Unfortunately the long travel days and airport fast food make this a hard thing to battle. Thankfully, I have found these amazing portable Almond Butter Packs. These 1.15oz squeeze packs are portable, and are filled with a whole 7grams of protein! This company is another that is high on my list, not only because they use local California growers, but also they are limiting their usage of packaging materials to condense their carbon footprint. Justin’s products are made from California almonds & all organic ingredients. This is another great breakfast snack to get the day started. And if I have the chance to pack apples before I leave, I always bring them along, they a perfect addition to this lovely snack. Stay happy, stay healthy, and pick these little packages up at your nearest whole foods, and while you are there, don’t forget to try their Hazelnut Chocolate butter, its to die for!!

Justins-Nut-Butter-Squeeze-Pack-Classic-Almond-894455000186

WATER

It is no secret what the benefits of water have on our bodies. You might not realize it now, but we take GREAT advantage of how accessible water is to us, here in California, and all over the United States. You can get water just about everywhere. Myself included, have been spoiled with being able to just pick a bottle of water up pretty much anywhere I go, anytime of the day. UNTIL, things changed. It all started in the line for security at John Wayne Airport. Before boarding your flight, you are asked to get rid of any fluid liquid over 3oz, and myself the religious water drinker .. this means, bye bye water. Conclusion? Dehydration. Once that water is gone, it doesn’t really dawn on me until I land how badly my body actually needs to be hydrated throughout the flight, and not only that, but before and most importantly after. After a few tough lessons of being stuck in a small airport after hours when the shops are closed, to arriving at a hotel that has no gift shop, it dawned on me, I needed to think ahead.

Now what do i do? I carry an empty water bottle. I know it may sound crazy right now, but trust me, it WORKS. Instead of throwing my water bottle away at the airport, I make sure to drink all my water before I proceed through the security line, then simply just throw the bottle back in my bag. I have completely set myself up for success. You might not be able to find a store where you can purchase water for the rest of your day, but 99% of where you end up WILL have a water fountain. Simply, fill up, and TA-DA, you abandon that awful feeling of dehydration. Water plays a key factor in our overall health, and therefore when you feel better, you simply do better. Water has huge impacts on our body, it keeps our skin glowing, helps our kidneys function, energizes our muscles & can help control calorie intake. The list goes on and on about the benefits this wonderful liquid has on our body, so the next time you are headed for the airport, make sure you don’t forget your water bottle!!:)