8 Tips to Avoid Getting Fat While Traveling

When you’re traveling, it’s easy to be a lazy mfker, eat like shit, drink like a fish, and hope for the best even. This might work occasionally for a weekend trip, but for a longer-term traveler/nomad/expat or whatever you go by, it’s not sustainable.
Especially considering a lot of your time might be spent eating out. No one ones to do a bunch of cooking on the road.
As a result, a lot of dudes end up gaining fat by the end of their trip on top of feeling like they need a vacation from vacation just to recover. I don’t consider myself a gymrat whatsoever… So here a couple of simple tips I have to mitigate at least you getting fat while traveling or nodding.

1. Prioritize Walking

Bringing a pair of walking shoes is a simple way to stay active and avoid becoming sedentary. Walking more can enhance your travel experience; consider choosing a landmark, venue, or similar destination to walk to instead of taking an Uber. If the terrain includes hills, embrace them; I walked all over Puerto Vallarta, and those hills provided a great workout.

Pro Tip: Plan a 15-20 minute walk each morning before breakfast to kickstart your metabolism. Instead of rolling out of bed and heading to a high-calorie restaurant, this morning routine can help you stay active and energized throughout your day.

2. Ditch Elevators, Take the Stairs

Every bit of exercise counts when you're on the road, especially if you're accustomed to being active at home. Opt for stairs over elevators if the option is available. You're not in such a hurry that you need to save a minute by taking the elevator walk. Plus, it might help you acclimate. For example, Mexico City's elevation is higher than Denver's. The first couple of times taking the stairs were challenging until I got used to it.

3. Watch Your Alcohol Intake

Starting a new eating schedule during travel is fine, but combining alcohol with junk food can lead to weight gain. In addition to the potentially sluggish effects of a hangover, which might cause you to lose vacation time, alcohol slows down your metabolism, and the empty calories contribute to abdominal fat.

Pro Tip: Limit yourself to 2 drinks and opt for vodka with sugar-free mixers. If you have difficulty with drinking, what I often do is switch to soda water with lime throughout the night. Everyone will assume it's a vodka soda, and no one will try to pressure you into drinking more. This also helps you avoid having your drink spiked in a random place, reducing the risk of robbery or worse.

4. Plan Your Restaurant Stops Ahead of Time

I personally am not a stickler for food, but if you are, consider researching and planning your dining options in advance. Check online menus to see what they offer ahead of time. Occasionally, I add a "healthy" option to my restaurant list just to give my body a break.

5. Bring a Reusable Water Bottle

Supposedly, half of hunger cravings are signals from the brain, indicating that you are dehydrated. Instead of stopping to eat tacos at every opportunity, carry a water bottle and hydrate more frequently. This can be extremely helpful when it's time to go out for a drink. Your body will thank you later.

Pro Tip: Stainless steel water bottles are better than plastic. I'm sure there's a group of people who want to avoid chemicals and reduce the presence of microplastics in their bodies.

6. Get Enough Sleep

Being on the road taxes the body enough, but losing sleep only makes it worse. Sleep deprivation leaves your body and mind fatigued, and poor sleep can contribute to body fat production. I'm not going to say don't take those late nights exploring the city; I'm just suggesting that getting a good night's sleep can help you make the most of your trip.

Pro Tip: You can always go to YouTube and find one of those soothing sleep videos to help you relax at night.

7. Don't Skip Breakfast

If you're staying in a hotel or hostel, they usually offer a simple breakfast with options like hard-boiled eggs, whole-grain cereal, oatmeal, fresh fruit, and yogurt. These are actually perfect choices. Many people travel and opt for a fancy or heavy breakfast in the morning, but you can make better use of your time by waking up early, having something light, and then heading out for your adventure. You wouldn't want to eat and feel sluggish while on vacation.

8. Take advantage of Hotel Amenities or Your Room

Almost every hotel today has some kind of small gym. Even if it's just a few dumbbells and treadmills, you can squeeze in a quick and effective workout to kickstart the day.

Pro Tip: Many cities have outdoor or park gyms and even beach gyms. After lunch, it might be worthwhile to take a short break and do a quick workout to get a little pump before continuing with your day.

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