Travel is a very new topic for me here on the blog and is something that I’m very excited about! I’m hoping that i’ll be doing a lot more travelling over the next few years, so will be able to make this a more permanent feature and hopefully provide some great content for you all. One of the main things that I often hear people talking about when it comes to travel and holidays is the ability to stay fit and healthy and not gain a whole bunch of holiday weight. For me, this is not something that I find incredibly hard and if you’re willing to put a little time and effort into it, healthy food can be pretty accessible in many places all over the world.
Yes, if you’re not going to be doing any exercise and help your self to a three course meal at the hotel buffet at each sitting, then you might gain some extra weight. But, just because your on vacation or travelling, doesn’t mean all of your healthy regimes and hard work has to go straight out of the window; it will just require you to make a few tweaks here and there in order to fit in with your new lifestyle. I wanted to share with you a few of my top tips for eating well whilst travelling and some of the things that I did when I was over in Malaysia.
Assess your surroundings– Whilst your out exploring, have a look at what kinds of resources you have available to you. Find your nearest supermarket or market place, ask people’s advice and search for things online. A lot of this is trial and error, but totally worth it. I found a great local supermarket that actually sold lots of the brands that I buy at home such as: Meridian, Rude Health and even Pana Chocolate! We also discovered a wonderful little market where you can buy incredible fresh fruits and vegetables at really affordable prices, which is another important thing to consider.
Do your research– Similarly to my previous point, you can carry out some research online or through asking people to find out where some of the best spots are. There are lots of great websites online with cafe and restaurant reviews which could help you select somewhere most suitable to your needs. Make yourself a little list of places that you’d like to visit and try out.. that’s what I’m currently doing at the moment!
Eat local- This was probably the most helpful tip that I followed when I was away and not only does the food taste great, but this is also a top money saving strategy! Opting for fruits and vegetables that are locally grown, rather than imported will mean that they are often a lot cheaper and are also incredibly fresh and flavourful. Malaysia grows an abundance of amazing tropical fruits, so I took full advantage of that and that made up a pretty large part of my diet.
Back to basics- Another good way to save money, is to really pull things back to basics and stick to things that will give you more bang for your buck.. and by this I mean; foods that you can buy in bulk that will cater for multiple meals. A prime example of this is oats, which are cheap and make for an incredibly filling and nutritious breakfast option.
Choose wisely– Sometimes when you’re travelling, you might not always have access to a kitchen and so as a result, might find yourself eating out a lot more frequently. Whilst the food may not always be the kind of thing that you’d like to make for yourself at home, this doesn’t have to throw you completely off track. From my experience, I can nearly always find something suitable on the menu but if not, restaurants are usually very accommodating and will make something on request. I always try and make sure that I order dressings on the side with salads and try and avoid anything that’s been fried or contains lots of gluten (as I am intolerant).
Don’t stress- Perhaps the most important point that I’m going to make here is to try not to stress out over things! Every meal that you have may not always be your best and exactly what you’d like to eat, but sometimes you need to make the best of what you have available to you and enjoy the experiences! Stress itself isn’t helpful for weight and that shouldn’t be the soul focus of your mind at this time anyway. Travel should be an amazing positive experience to create wonderful, happy memories!
