21 Important Travel Tips that Make it Easy to Stick to Your Healthy Food Resolutions
I travelled the first 10 days of January and it reminded me of how easy it is make unhealthy choices all along the way; from airports to restaurants. Traveling can pose endless opportunities to eat poorly and feel unwell
Eating in restaurants can turn into pure debauchery every meal unless we know how to handle the inevitable high calorie restaurant food, not to mention the temptation to over eat. It's fine with me to indulge a bit more while traveling, especially in Europe. But weight gain has to stay within arms reach, so it's easily removed once we get home and back to our healthy routines. Here are some travel tips to keep your biological home healthy, until you return home.
Part 1: Traveling Tips
1. Pack a probiotic.
Use a shelf stable probiotic daily while traveling. Eat plenty of fibrous foods like leafy greens to help maintain healthy digestion, as digestion issues are common while on the move.
2. Pack your own plane snacks.
Make or buy veggie wraps, vegetable sushi roll, salads, a few pieces of fresh fruit, sprouted nuts, seeds or gluten free pretzels. PS: don’t pack yogurt and nut- butters if you are flying as they are considered liquid and will be confiscated.
3. Walk the airport.
Get in as many steps as possible on travel days as well as when you get to your destination. It will help you sleep better and burns a few calories in case overeating occurs on personal or business stays.
4. Start every day right.
On vacation, start your morning with fruit and order a big colorful salad for lunch. That way you’ve covered most of the nutrients you need and can be less accountable for the dinner meal.
5. Leave something behind.
If you travelled somewhere wonderful for vacation, try not to feel the need to eat everything in sight because you can’t take it home as a souvenir. You will return one day and the amazing pizza and pastries will still be there.
6. Over-hydrate.
Airplane travel is dehydrating. A lack of humidity in the cabin air can lead to dehydration if you're not careful. Be sure to drink plenty of water during the flights and coconut water is great to get the electrolytes.
Part 2: Hacking Restaurant Menus
A delicious meal at the restaurant NIX in NYC. Even at plant based restaurants I apply the restaurant tips below.
Eating away from our kitchens is the reality on a lot of days. Dining out is fun but definitely less healthy than eating at home because it’s impossible to know what ingredients, oils and taste-enhancers are in restaurant meals.
I’ve had a lot of experience hacking restaurants menus to create healthier dishes. It feels good to take a mindful minute for self care, at different points throughout the day, and ordering food is definitely one of those times. Having it your way is easier than you think.
1. Read the whole menu.
The most helpful information is on the menu. Read the menu start to finish and make a mental list of all the healthy fresh ingredients the kitchen has on hand that day. If the steak comes with hen-of-the- woods mushrooms, then you know you can use the mushrooms in your healthy dish.
2. Don’t be shy.
Be polite but assertive about asking for substitutions on the menu. Chefs are usually very happy to accommodate food allergies and restrictions. Ask your server kindly for their help. For example, ask: what can I get instead of fries, bacon, oily croutons?
3. Make substitutions.
For instance; order grilled, if an item is fried. Change potatoes to a green vegetable. For a burger or burrito, substitute the bun or wheat-wrap for a piece of lettuce.
4. Portion control.
Try to split your entree with someone or be prepared to eat half of a large entree and box the other half. Swap the ratio of protein to vegetables. Ask for a smaller portion of protein and a larger portion of salad and vegetables.
5. Always ask how the food was prepared.
Very often restaurant food is filled with hidden calorie-dense oils, butter or white bread crumbs. Restaurants know how to make food taste good but very often, at the expense of our health.
6. Read between the lines.
Any menu description that uses the words creamy, breaded, crisp, sauced, buttery, sautéed, pan-fried, au gratin, parmesan, cheese sauce, scalloped, au lait, à la mode, or au fromage is usually loaded with hidden fats—much of it saturated or even trans fats.
7. Try double appetizers.
If there is a nice selection of healthy plant- based and light seafood appetizers, consider skipping the entrée and having two appetizers, one to start and one for your meal. Often, that is more than enough food to feel fed.
8. Order salad first.
Before ordering anything else on the menu order a salad. You will likely eat less calories at the main course.
9. Salad do’s and don’ts.
DO get the salad. And remember, it’s a vegetable course. Ask for vegetables and fruits only. Salads shouldn’t be fatty. DON’T order anything creamy like blue cheese, mayo based dressing, coleslaw, pasta salad, or potato salad. And skip the, cheese, meats, bacon bits and fried noodles toppings. Just load up on the raw vegetables.
10. Dressing on the side.
Get your dressing on the side. The best way to get the flavor of the dressing without the calories is to dip your empty fork into the dressing, then skewer a forkful of salad. You’ll be surprised at how this tastes just right, and how little dressing you’ll use.
11. Check the menu before you leave home.
Most restaurants post their menus online. You can decide before you arrive what you’re going to order. Or, if you don’t see healthy choices, go to a different restaurant.
12. No bread basket please.
Ask the waiter to skip the bread basket. If you must have something to eat while you wait for your order, ask for a plate of raw crudité. Exception: It’s a special occasion at a special place with amazing bread. Then go for it, and allocate it from your 10% being-bad rule.
13. One drink'll do ya.
If you want to order an alcoholic drink, pass on the ones with sugary soda. Opt for a glass of wine, a tequila, or a simple vodka.
14. Dips can are dangerous.
Opt for guacamole or hummus, but even then, be mindful of portions
15. Snack in between meals. Yes that's right.
I always bring healthy fast-food snacks like a banana, organic apple, organic carrots, sprouted nuts and seeds to fill in throughout the day so I’m not starving when I arrive at the restaurant. This way I’m not as tempted by the bad stuff.
Happy travels!
3 Easy Steps to Meet 3 Important Health Goals; Generate Youthful Energy, Balance your Weight and Create Mental Clarity
I'm so happy to share the Rawception Energy Food Ebooks with you. I have put my heart and soul into this 3 E-book series full of colorful pictures, deliciously easy recipes, an easy to follow 7-day elimination diet guide, and the 7-day food plan and grocery lists. But there's so much more than that. You'll find out how to organize your kitchen, pantry and fridge for success. You'll learn how to navigate restaurant menus and how to eat on-the-go. Included are important nutrition information, food philosophies, and lots of wellness wisdom. The E-books series will guide you to create core energy that’s instant and lasts all day! You’ll never want to feel any other way. Think of what can be achieved with renewed energy.
The Truth Behind My Book Series
I had to find a way to use food as medicine and nutrition as ammunition for strength, energy and vitality.
The Old Me
Eight years ago I struggled to find enough energy to get through my busy work day in the fashion industry and make dinner for my family in the evenings.
What did I do?
I developed a series of nutritional recipes in my kitchen for me and my family as an experiment. I worked with a variety of organic whole foods and superfoods to create the original Energy Diet Recipes.
The New Me
The recipes helped me transform my sluggishness to lasting energy, my anxiousness to positive vibes and my fluctuating weight to stable, balanced weight.
A peek inside Book 1: “The Basics of Energy Food”
After I Experienced the Initial Results
I left my fashion career and followed my passion. I attended a plant-based culinary academy in Los Angeles and a health coaching school in New York. I gained all the knowledge I needed to perfect my system and further my passion for health and wellness as a profession. As a certified plant-based chef and professional health coach, I guide people to achieve their health goals. All the recipes are delicious and free of gluten, dairy, eggs, soy, processed sugar, trans fats and animal products.
I Never Want to Feel any Other Way
I wrote the recipe books to share my recipes and nutrition information with each of my health coach clients with great success. I live the Energy Diet way and appreciate my youthful energy every day.
I Truly Care About the State of Peoples' Health on Every Level
I have put all my health and diet tips and tricks and nutrition and culinary knowledge into this 3 e-book series. Each one is full of colorful pictures, deliciously easy recipes, an easy to follow 7-day elimination diet guide, and the 7-day food plan and grocery lists.
And There's so Much More Than That
You'll find out how to organize your kitchen, pantry and fridge for success. You'll learn how to navigate restaurant menus and how to eat on-the-go. Included are food philosophies, important nutrition information and wellness wisdom for every body.
A Peek inside Book 2: “Use Nutrition as Ammunition” adds in superfoods.
The Rawception Ebooks were created for everyone
I’m so excited to offer my three e-Books without the cost of my health coaching programs. The Energy e-books show you how easy it is to make nutritious food, dine out and eat on the go, the energy diet way.
The 3 steps to 3 health important goals
The energy diet is a 3 e-book series. Each step builds upon the next step. Step one builds the foundation of youthful energy. Step 2 balances your weight and step 3 creates mental clarity.
A peek inside Book 3: “Hit the Pause Button on Aging”, show’s how-to make fermented food and add in super-herbs.
Look and feel your best
The e-books will guide you to create core energy that’s instant and lasts all day! You’ll never want to feel any other way. Think of what can be achieved with renewed energy.
The Rawception Energy Food E-Books Series
Guide to Hack a Junk Food Store
What's the best way to hack a junk food store? What do you do when you're hungry and want something healthy but there's nothing around except convenient stores? Read labels! Amongst all the really unhealthy food lurking around convenient stores with loads of sugar or trans fats, there are some healthy-ish choices even at 7-Eleven. Here's what to look for.
I was in Miami with my boyfriend watching his son run the Miami half marathon. It was a uncharacteristic Miami day. It was windy, raining, and cold, around 40 degrees. After the race we called an uber to drive us back to our hotel in South Beach. The roads were blocked and the traffic was gridlock so we had to wait about 45 minutes for the uber to get to us.
We took refuge in a 7-Eleven convenience store to get out of the wind and cold while we waited. I was cold and hungry and needed something warm to drink. I made it a challenge to hack this junk food store for something healthy. I was searching for the most nutritious snack I could find, not necessarily the tastiest, but the vegan cookie I settled on, was indeed tasty.
How to choose the best snack in a 7-Eleven convenience store.
Healthy-ish packaged Snacks at 7-Eleven.
Lenny & Larry's Complete Vegan Lemon Cookie. This lemon cookie is not too sweet and the texture is nice. It does contain processed sugar but no animal products. The calories were reasonable for the portion. This is what I would recommend in a pinch at a convenience store.
Luna Lemon Zest Bar. This lemon zest Luna bar is a healthy choice. It's low in calories and high in protein.
Nuts and Dried Fruit packs. This shelf at 7-Eleven holds the healthiest options. The puffed pea chips near the bottom are another good choice.
Detour Bar. Another option for high protein.
Go Smart Sprouted Chips. These chips contain healthy plant protein and some nutrients from seeds and sprouts.
Unhealthy packaged snacks to avoid at 7-Eleven.
Doritos. These contain high sodium and high carb plus lots of ingredients I can't pronounce and artificial food coloring.
Cracker Jacks. An old favorite from my childhood but high sugar and high carbs.
Pop Tarts. These are very unhealthy. Trans fats, high sugar and high carbs.
Packaged Cookie Shelf. All are but high sugar and high carbs.
Pretzels. High sugar and high carbs.
Freezer Section. These all contain trans fats, high sugar and high carbs
Dips and Chips. The dips are all very high in calories and contain trans fats and sugar. The chips are all Doritos (see above)
Break the unhealthy Junk food cycle.
If you want to break your junk food junkie habit, check out this article about healthy snacks by Dr. Frank Lipman, a top functional medicine doctor in NYC.
The Rawception Book 1, 7-day diet plan for lots of deliciously, simple recipes to build a healthy lifestyle.
Energy Bar Superfood Squares
The Ultimate Snack Recipe to Travel with.
Energy Bar Superfood Squares
My favorite snack to bring when I am on the go and traveling are these Super Energy Squares.
I always carry these in my purse everywhere I go.