TRAVEL CAN BE STRESSFUL — stress that makes it challenging to eat healthily and exercise regularly. Winter holiday travel can be especially difficult given the traditional food offerings that you’re likely to encounter at every turn. It’s more important than ever to be prepared and have the right mindset – this can help you enjoy pain-free travel and stay on track with your health and fitness goals throughout the holiday season.
Don’t Let Flight Delays Get You Down
According to data from the Bureau of Flight Statistics, 19% of the 251,000 flights around the 2018 Thanksgiving holiday were delayed and 1% canceled. Similar percentages were recorded around the winter holidays. The advice? Don’t let bumps in your vacation travel get you down. Have those books you've been wanting to read at the ready, or games for your kids that will turn airport time into quality family time. Better yet, find some space at the gate and sneak in a workout in with a TB12 On-the-Go Gym Kit
Also, pack healthy foods, protein, and snacks so you aren’t at the mercy of what’s available at the airport.
Avoid the Red-eye
“The greatest benefit of sleep is that it’s uninterrupted therapy and natural regeneration,” Tom Brady says. “Sleep is an opportunity to relax every part of your body, and is critical for all of us to recover for the next day’s activities. If we don’t get the right amount of it, our mental and physical acuity is lowered.”
With this in mind, don’t disregard your regular sleep schedule and fly red-eye to save $50. Leave a day early or stay a day late if necessary.
It also makes sense to take advantage of a holiday vacation and catch up on sleep if you can. According to sleep expert Dr. Kirk Parsley, MD, a former Navy SEAL who pioneered the first Sports Medicine Rehabilitation program for the SEALs, the relationship between sleep, health, and performance can not be overstated.
“Sleeping well optimizes your ability to control your metabolism throughout the day,” Dr. Parsley says. “If you want to be an elite performer, you have to make high-quality sleep the highest priority your situation will allow. Both for the performance you want to have today and your overall health in the future.”
Stay Hydrated
The relative humidity in the climate-controlled cabin of a plane can be in the range of 10%. Considering the average humidity of the Sahara Desert is 25%, you might want to think twice about opting for a cocktail to kickoff a holiday trip. Air travel is an important time to stay on top of your hydration program. Even though it might be cold in the airports or on the plane, it's important to keep drinking water.
If your trip has you crossing a number of time zones and jet lag is a worry, be sure to drink a glass of water first thing in the morning, then keep a steady level of hydration throughout the day. This will help shake off that groggy morning feeling and wake up your brain and body. Add electrolytes to boost absorption and make the most out of every ounce you drink.
Prioritize Protein
One of the reasons travel (especially holiday travel) can knock you off good nutrition habits is the fare you tend to have access to. Healthy options at airports and hotels can be limited and holiday occasions include parties and festive dinners.
As always, the ideal is to eat as many seasonal, plant-based, organic foods that you can. But when you’re in a situation where it’s not possible to eat right, make balance and moderation the goal.
“Halfway measures are better than no measures at all,” Tom says.
To help you keep your nutrition in check when traveling during the holidays, be sure to prioritize your intake of healthy protein. Making sure you’re eating enough protein will help you feel satiated and keep your appetite in check. Be prepared by keeping with you single-serve TB12 Plant-Based Protein with you that you can mix with water or almond milk when the time is right for 24 grams of clean protein.
Sleep
If your travel includes stays in hotels, be picky about your room. Avoid rooms near the elevator, vending/ice machines, or close to the lobby — all these areas tend to be much noisier and will affect your peace and quiet. Consider packing earplugs and a sleep mask to ensure that you get the eight hours of quality sleep you should be aiming for, even if your sleeping environment isn’t perfect.
Exercise in the morning
When you’re on the road and off your normal routine, you can help set the tone for a good day by exercising in the morning. It’s easy to unpack your TB12 Vibrating Sphere and On-the-Go Gym Kit and turn any corner of any room into your own personal training center. If you’re with the family during the holidays, you can plan a fitness-related activity to start the day off with. Either way, by getting a healthy start, you’ll be more apt to enjoy the rest of the day and feel good about keeping in touch with your fitness program.
