Nutrition Essentials for the Full Time Traveler:

If you are trying to find balance and consistency in your routine, nutrition and overall health while travelling. Whether for you, that’s overnights or weekends here and there, or you’re like us and travel for a living full time. Regardless what boat you’re on. The Information is similar: Eat healthy, move regularly and keep your stress levels low. Easier said than done, I know. The internet is flooded with what you should eat, pushing fad diets and expensive instant foods, and fitness regimens that you need access to equipment. Any Helpful information is amazing, but what I’m going to give you is real life scenarios that I have personally lived from living 10 + months performing on cruise ships, 12 years experience traveling all over the world as a singer. And this last year, living off grid in our Truck Camper.  Regardless of where you are in the world, your health shouldn’t take the backseat. In this Blog we’ll go through the hurdles that pertain to those of us who are on the go.  I’d also like to point out that I take into account your financial wellbeing. Growing up in a household below the typical threshold of income. My mother instilled in me amazing life tools especially when it comes to nutrition that anyone can afford. Let’s get into it. These are my 10 top Hacks to Maintaining a balanced Nutrition plan while traveling. 

 

 

Let take a look at the FUEL we give our hard working bodies. Before you get into reading this whole blog: To summarize and simplify things, There are 2 things you should always try to do, to keep your body functioning optimally. 

1: Learn how to listen to your body (Hunger and Fullness cues, energy dips ect.) 

2: Eat whole/ real food. Avoid ultra- processed foods. (Closest to the natural source the better)

We all know nutrition is important to our health, strength, energy and longevity. There is so much information out there these days, which can be, in my humble opinion a blessing and a curse. Along with a myriad of opinions on lifestyle decisions and fad diets with quick fixes like elimination diets and fasting programs, there is a very important element a lot of people miss when recommending the next it “Diet”. 

How do you feel and would you like to maintain this lifestyle forever? 

Chances are, if you are reading this, you travel for a living or you are always on the go. A busy lifestyle requires making decisions and preparations to ensure you are getting what you need. Alternatively you might find yourself running into the corner store in search of a healthy snack or just succumbing to a drive-through meal because you can’t think you’re so hungry. This also leads to spending way more money. 

The signs our body gives us are there for a reason. It’s simply asking for what it needs in the way of physical and mental signs. Brain fog, low energy, frequent hunger, thirst, temperature changes, dizziness, athletic performance, vocal performance ect. Ideally before these symptoms hit is when you make the decision on HOW to fuel your body we do this by educating ourselves on the science behind traveling and reversing some of its effects. Let’s go through some important facts. I’ve personally always been into nutrition. And luckily growing up with a mother who tried to make everything home made was a bonus. It wasn’t organic, it wasn’t full of the new superfood or always super high in protein. 

Always read the Ingredients list. Even foods marketed as super healthy might not be a great choice. know what you are putting in your body by reading the ingredients list. If the 2 first ingredients are oats and brown rice sugar, that’s pretty much what you are eating. which is fine in moderation, but know that should be paired with an adequate serving of vitamins and protein.

 

We’ll go through 3 common hurdles full time travelers go through often and how to keep your health in tip top shape, regardless of what you do.

-Flying and Long Travels 

-Staying Consistent With Your Nutrition

-Eating out of HOTELS or BUFFETS, and Social Pressures.

 

FLYING / Long bus rides :

Jet leg is the result of 3 major things. Dehydration, Sleep Deprivation and Lack of circulation (cankles). These are the culprits:

Dehydration and Proper Electrolyte Balance:

Altitude, air quality, salty, processed foods and maybe that sprint to the gate. It all contributes to dehydration. When we get up there in the air about an hour in, we’re offered about 150ml of water in a little blue cup. Then maybe if we’re lucky in an over night flight we get that 3 more times. It’s not at the fault of the airlines. They can’t be re-filling us camels every 10 minutes. It’s up to us to pack a good 500ml of water and preferably electrolytes.

What are Electrolytes and How Do They Work in our Body?

 Our system is energetic, just like every other living thing in this world. Electrolytes are essential minerals- like sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium. All helping our body to function properly by carrying the electric charge that is found in our blood, sweat and urine.

Why is Proper Electrolyte Balance Extra important for Travelers and Athletes?

They fuel your muscles and nerves. Electrolytes help muscles contract, including our heart and help nerves send signals. They keep you hydrated beyond just drinking water. Without the right balance, your body can’t absorbe water properly even if you’re drinking a S%^%t ton. It’s especially important during long flights, hot climates or high sweat activities. 

Electrolytes aren’t just powdered drinks and Gatorade. Mother Nature has supplied us with proper electrolyte balance if we are eating properly. All of these essential minerals can be found in a well balanced diet. Supplementing with electrolyte powders is of coarse great to do if you depleting your natural supply through high sweat activities or flying, but if you wanna save a buck, you can make a great electrolyte drink yourself that, in my opinion is tastier and isn’t full of processed sugar. Electrolytes include foods and drinks rich in: Potassium, Magnesium, Calcium and Sodium. The average “American diet” is already pretty high in sodium, so focus on the other minerals as a priority and supplement sodium if it is safe for you. 

Here’s a list of high electrolyte drinks and foods:

Coconut Water: High in potassium, with small amounts of sodium, calcium and magnesium. Basically an electrolyte super food. Super great post workout drink.

Lemon Water, Sea Salt and Honey : Probably the most cost effective way to get it all in. Squeeze 1/2 a lemon into 500ml of water and a pinch of Himalayan salt with a drizzle of honey. mix it up and hit the road! The Lemon gives you a nice hit of vitamin C with helps your immune system for travel and strenuous activity with suppresses your system. The Himalayan Sea salt is a great quality salt full of other minerals as well as sodium for your electrolytes. The honey is delicious and full of minerals as well. 

Watermelon Juice: Naturally hydrating and high in Potassium. 

High Electrolyte Foods:

Chickpeas, bananas, spinach, avocado, coconut water, yogurt, and pumpkin seeds, leafy greens, lentils, pickled cucumbers, beets, broccoli, potatoes, and chia seeds. Packed with Potassium, magnesium, phosphorus AS WELL as amazing Vitamins and Fibre and protein. 

To summarize to stay hydrated, a well balanced diet of fruits, vegetables, and whole grain foods will set you up for success. Trust what Mother Nature created in these nutrient packed foods and you won’t have to think so hard about staying healthy. If the nature of traveling all over is holding you back from maintaining these natural foods supplement with good quality electrolyte drinks like the ones above or a clean electrolyte powder like : 

Travelling and Sleep:

When you fly across multiple time zones, you’re already battling against your circadian clock. Some choose to pop a couple melatonin, which in the short run is totally fine. But if you always rely on Melatonin, your body is going to get thrown off and wont know when to produce its own in the amounts you need. There is an amazing book called “Why we Sleep”  by Mathew Walker. He is a world renowned sleep expert that makes it so clear not only how important sleep is for us but also the tools you need to naturally set yourself up for success. He says 20 minutes of sunlight exposure in the morning will help re-set your circadian rhythm. It signals to your brain that 16 hours from that time, It’s time for bed. At this time your body has gifted you a literal natural sleeping pill and it’s up to you to capitalize on it. How though to sleep on the plane. I always wear a hoodie, bring earplugs and a mace mask. I also bring a massive scarf blanket to wrap around my neck like airplane pillow. Make yourself a little isolation bubble however that works for you . 

Circulation:

It’s pretty simple. You need to get up and move. Not all of us have the luxury of flying business. So chances are those legs are not getting much variety of movement. So pick your battles I guess you are wanting a window seat. It will be super uncomfortable tapping the persons shoulder next to you every hour. So I usually choose an isle seat. but up to you !

 

I asked an OG Flight attendant if she gets swollen ankles too… And this is what I got. 

“No, because were moving all the damn time”

 In the early days Flight attendants went  through the rigorous training of getting the opportunity to be a server up in the air. As a flight attendant you are trained in first air, fire safety …..

But at first in the 1990s. Not that long ago There were weigh ins. You had to fall under a certain height and weight 5.5-5.9 and under 135 some sources say. There was also a whole section dedicated to Beauty. How you wore your hair, grooming and appearance and etiquette in general. 

I looked it up and there are multiple sources talking about these weigh-Ins 

Things have clearly changed over the years but we all need to remember that these things are still built into all of these peoples beliefs. Eating disorders ran rapid within this community because of lack of education on how to maintain this weight while excicuting such a rigorous schedule in the air. 

There are correlations to what I do as a performer. As a singer and performer in general there are expectations to maintain weight. And to be honest, because of costumes needing to not alter in size during your contract and if other humans are lifting you on stage, I understand the logic. Where I get stuck and frankly angry, is that in both instances these companies are activity telling people to lose weight without giving them nutritional guidance to lose weight after they’ve been hired. Which leads inevitably to people thinking they just have to eat less or trying to do it quickly stemming from the fear of losing their job, or not getting the job. 

All this being said, there is a reason why I am so passionate about living healthy on-the-go. Especially for those of us who rely on travel for our income. It is glorified. Some people do it right. Some people will struggle. I’m here to help you with the HOW behind health on the go.