The Ultimate Hacks To Staying Healthy While Travelling Overseas

Whenever I think about travelling, a quote from Mark Twain pops immediately into my mind: “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness”.

Whether you are travelling long-term and working along the way or you go for your usual vacation time, it's guaranteed you'll discover new places, meet new people and broaden your horizon. Every place I have travelled to has in some way become a part of me, a better, more open me!

But surely, travelling disrupts your daily routine. You are going to unfamiliar places and need to adapt very quickly to a new schedule, you sleep in a different environment, maybe even immerse yourself into a different language and culture. Therefore, one of the most stressful questions that so many traveller have when hopping on a plane is how to stay healthy while traveling. How do you get on a plane and arrive feeling energised and healthy at the other end?

How to stay healthy while traveling overseas

I am sure you also had moments when you came back home feeling sick or extremely tired on a trip. Your body basically shows you, that you ignored your daily rules and routines and have let the energy from all the new places just overwhelm you.

So how do you actually create a travel workout routine and get a healthy travelling experience!

1. Drink Plenty Of Water

Our body is 90% water. You know it's healthy to drink at least 2-3 liters of water per day, and even more if you are travelling in tropical hot climates!

So, if you are travelling, your body probably needs more water, because you are possibly a lot more active as well as flights can be super dehydrating. Carrying a reusable collapsible water bottle is the best option. It has the advantage to be portable and durable. Your body is making an effort to adapt to the new environment. Don’t stress it even more by not drinking enough water.

2. Have Healthy Snacks In Your Bag

How many times did you come back from your trip with a few extra pounds? I don’t know about you, but it happened to me many times. If you wonder how to stay fit while travelling, I can give you the answer: healthy snacks.

When you are travelling, you probably have very busy days exploring new locations and meeting people. Therefore, you might be tempted to eat something fast along the way, which is usually unhealthy. And the healthy snacks will not only keep you healthy but they will also give you a boost of energy.

3. Organize Your Luggage

Long trips don’t necessarily mean heavy luggage. My recommendation is always to pack smart, not heavy.

Make a list of the basic things you need for your trip and try to stick to it. You don’t need a heavy suitcase that will exhaust you before reaching your final destination.

I always make sure to add my running shoes to the list. It helps to keep my daily workout routine.

4. Don’t Forget To Exercise

Most hotels nowadays have fully-equipped gyms or opt for public gyms in the park or by the beach. This way you are outdoors and might even get to know some locals while working out.

So, you really don’t have any excuses to skip your fitness routine. On the other hand, you can also try something new and do a bike tour of the new city, just like I did in Paris. This is how you will combine sightseeing with exercise.

4. Experience Something New: Maybe Yoga?

Staying healthy abroad means not only paying attention to how and what you eat but also taking care of your mind and soul.

And what better way to do that than yoga? Ask your hotel’s concierge about any yoga studios nearby and get ready to embrace total relaxation. In case you already practice yoga, you can also add a yoga mat to your luggage. There are some ultra light options that are also easy to fold.

And if there is no studio around, there are plenty of apps to help you guide through your yoga practice!

5. Try To Sleep More Than Usual

You will most likely feel exhausted after a long flight. Even though you'll be super excited about your new destination, try to take things slowly. Plus, if you are on holiday, you want to come back energised, and not more tired than before. Right?

Therefore, sleep as much as possible and give your body time to recover. You can use a natural silk sleep mask or silk pillow case which is an excellent eye relaxer and which helps me a lot to fall asleep in a foreign place.

7. Stick To Your Normal Routine

Going to a new place doesn’t mean you should forget about your daily routine completely. This includes not only your regular meals and exercise but also taking care of your skin and hair exactly how you do at home.

This is why it is always better to carry your beauty products with you. Also, because not all your favourite brands are available internationally. You can buy some small leakproof travel bottles to fill in your favourite shampoo and conditioner and use them while travelling.

8. Treat Yourself A Little

Travelling is an amazing experience where you get to meet new cultures, places and taste new and different flavours. For instance, you cannot go to Italy without eating delicious gelato!

Indulging can also look like spending a day in a beautiful spa, getting a massage or simply slurping on a cocktail in the sun by the pool. You deserve it!

9. Coconut Oil Fixes Everything

Coconut oil is definitely one of the best travel helpers I have. Apart from being an excellent moisturiser for the skin, you can use coconut oil in many other ways.

For instance, it is excellent for healing sunburns and did you know it acts perfectly as shaving cream too? In addition, it is very efficient to remove makeup, soothes dry lips and it's antibacterial and smells like cookies!

10. Travel Insurance Is Crucial

No one knows what can happen while travelling. Getting travel insurance will bring peace of mind and the feeling of additional safety.

Even though it might seem like an expense, travel insurance is actually the one investment in your health that you should not safe on! Here is some advice on choosing the right travel insurance.

Staying healthy while travelling abroad is not rocket science. As long as you try to plan things a little ahead and keep a routine, there is nothing that could ruin your travelling experience really.

Keep these travel hacks in mind for your next trip and I promise you will come back home more energised and relaxed than ever before. You can thank me later!