6 in 10 Americans go on vacation each year. It’s likely that the number of Americans who travel for work is even higher.

The fact is that being away from home, and away from your kitchen, can really mess with your diet. It can make you pack on the pounds as you constantly eat takeaway or fast food. While they may be convenient, it doesn’t add up to the healthiest options.

In this blog post, we’ll go over how to eat healthy while traveling.

Read on to learn why jetting off doesn’t mean having to break your healthy streak.

1. Keep Track Of What You’re Eating

It can get really easy to lose track of what you’ve eaten in a day, especially when you’re constantly eating out.

You may even begin to overeat to the point that you’ve eaten so many calories that you’ll likely gain weight. With so many takeout and fast food places serving delicious dishes packed with calories and fat, you’ll need to keep track of what goes in your body.

Get an app on your phone to help you keep track of your calories, fat grams, sugar grams, and all the important nutritional information. Don’t go over your limits regularly, as this will keep you in a healthy range!

2. Pay Attention To Calories And Fat Grams

How many calories a day you need depends on a lot of factors, such as your age, your height, your weight, and your activity levels.

While you’ll need to work this out on your own, you should pay attention to how many calories are in each food item.

Most restaurants will have the calories listed on the menus themselves. If they don’t, you’ll usually be able to ask someone at the restaurant for a breakdown of the nutritional information. Or, you can use the Internet, as most restaurants list the information on a special section of their website.

3. Treat Yourself Every Once In A While

Of course, if you live with the mindset of treating yourself every time you go out, you’ll never be able to stick to a sustainable healthy lifestyle while on the road. But, you still need to treat yourself every once in a while.

Have a day where you “cheat” and eat items you may crave. Of course, this doesn’t mean go crazy and binge, but it means order something that’s normally too fatty or caloric to eat every day.

For example, if you’re in Chicago, grab a deep-dish pizza. If you’re in New Orleans, splash out on a beignet. If you’re in Philadelphia, let loose with one of these cheesesteaks. Let yourself enjoy your travels just a little bit. Otherwise, you’ll feel like you missed out because you didn’t allow yourself to indulge.

4. Remember: You Don’t Have To Eat Out For Every Meal

It may seem like your only option is to eat out for each meal when you’re away, but it actually isn’t, especially depending on where you’re staying.

If you go on vacation where you stay in a “home-style” hotel or an Airbnb, you’ll likely have access to a microwave and a stove. Most places such as this will even provide cookware. So make it a family or group activity to make a meal a few times on the trip.

This way, you can not only eat healthier, but you can also save money by going in together on groceries instead of paying an arm and a leg for a restaurant meal.

Even if you stay at a hotel that doesn’t have cooking facilities, you can still decide not to eat out for every meal. Most hotels will have fridges in them, so you can always grab some cold ingredients and put them in the refrigerator to store them for a meal.

You can always have things like fruit, yogurt, salad and vegetables stored to make a quick and healthy meal for lunch or in the morning before you start your day.

5. Choose Wisely At Restaurants Or Buffets

In addition to the calorie count at restaurants, you’ll want to choose items that are full of vegetables and fruits. Remember, you don’t have to go for a huge entree you don’t think you’ll be able to eat. Instead, opt for something loaded with healthy ingredients.

You also need to remember that you don’t need to eat the entire plate of food in front of you. As most hotels or AirBnBs have refrigerators, you can always take food back with you that you can’t finish. This can be your lunch or dinner the next day.

If you stay at a hotel that has a breakfast or dinner buffet, remember that just because it is all you can eat doesn’t mean you are required to stuff your face. Be sensible about portion sizes and what you choose.

At breakfasts, instead of indulging in a waffle and doughnuts every morning, remember that you can choose healthier items like non-sugary cereals and fruits.

How To Eat Healthy While Traveling

Figuring out how to eat healthy while traveling can be difficult, especially if you don’t have a lot of time for meals.

But it’s all about deciding what to choose and being smart about it.

Eating healthy also doesn’t have to mean restriction, but ensuring that you’re giving your body the proper nutrition it needs to power you through your day.

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