How to Stay Healthy While Travelling: Tips From a Personal Trainer

Keeping fit and healthy on the road is difficult in some cases. You want to enjoy all the new food and desserts, but also don't want to go back home 15 pounds heavier. On a backpacker budget it's even harder to stay healthy while travelling. Most girls I met travelling New Zealand were surviving off instant ramen for their whole trip — great if you desperately want to save money, terrible for your health and waistline.

The most delicious mussels at Sumner Beach

Here are a few tips from a personal trainer so you can stay healthy while travelling on your next long-term adventure.

Eat Your Veggies

Vegetables are a great source of vitamins and minerals to keep your immune system fighting off infections. They're also full of dietary fibre, meaning they keep you fuller for longer. Adding vegetables to your meal helps you fill up faster, so you're less likely to want to finish every last fry on your plate. They can be more expensive in some places, but it's often worth it, since they keep you satisfied longer and you won't want another meal within a couple of hours.

Fresh fruit juices in the market in Cusco

Walk Everywhere

I always find myself walking everywhere on vacation, or at least as much as possible. London and most European cities are conducive to walking all day — my Fitbit racked up over 20,000 steps in one day in London alone. It's a great way to explore and burn calories without it feeling like a workout — genuinely the easiest way to stay healthy while travelling. An active holiday like hiking the Inca Trail in Peru is another option — intense, but so rewarding.

Cut Back on the Booze

I'll admit that on our Iceland road trip we drank a bottle of wine every night, which wasn't exactly moderation. It depends what you're drinking — wine runs about 100-120 calories per glass depending on the type, beers around 150 calories and up, and a single shot of vodka, tequila, whisky, rum or gin is roughly 100 calories on its own. Mix it with lemonade or cola and the calories add up quickly. Don't get me started on cocktails like piña coladas and daiquiris.

A rum and soda comes in around 100 calories, while a rum and coke is closer to 150. Imagine consuming six of these on a night out, partying every night of a trip — that's a lot of calories, and a lot of money. Cut back where you can and opt for soda or diet mixers instead.

A celebratory boozy sisters lunch at Sumner Beach

Indulge — But in Moderation

On that note, you're on vacation, so enjoy it. Have a drink if you want one, just avoid binge drinking. Have the ice cream if you want it, but maybe skip the extra scoop you don't really need. Try the handcrafted chocolate you can only find where you are, but don't eat two full packets of it. It's all about balance.

Indulge within moderation — where else do you get flower-shaped ice cream?

Stay on Top of Hydration

Dehydration sneaks up fast, especially in humid or high-altitude destinations, and it makes both jet lag and hangovers considerably worse. Carry a reusable water bottle and refill it constantly rather than relying on remembering to drink — it's an easy habit to build and one of the simplest ways to feel noticeably better throughout a long trip.

Add Some Exercise

If you're travelling for a while, it's nice to get into a routine — a bit harder if you're sharing a hostel dorm with seven other people, but if you're lucky enough to have your own room or apartment, adding a short workout to your morning routine makes a real difference. You don't need weights or much space. Here's a quick 30-minute workout you can do before you hit the shower:

• 50 squats
• 40 jumping jacks
• 30 push-ups
• 20 lunges
• 10 burpees
• Repeat 2-3 times

This hits legs, upper body and cardio all at once — a great way to start the morning with zero equipment required.

The Bottom Line

Maintaining a healthy, active lifestyle while travelling can make you feel genuinely better when you come home. If you're prone to a bit of post-travel low mood, the last thing you want to worry about on top of it is your weight. So keep active, eat well, walk as much as possible — and do have a glass of wine here and there.

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