This weekend I went on the worst possible road trip known to man. Ok maybe it is just the worst oe I have been on. I went with the soccer team down to Phoenix for a soccer tournament. We left Friday at 1:00pm on a bus and then got in to the hotel at 12:30am. We then had breakfast at 9:00am and got ready for our first game which was at 1:00pm. We then had lunch and had an hour break before getting ready for our next game. Which was at 7:00pm immediately after the game we got on the bus at 9:30 and had pizza on the bus. We then arrived back in Provo at 8:30 Sunday morning.
All of my efforts to be healthy were completely undermined this horrible weekend. The sitting for almost 12 hours straight was hard, but the worst part was my diet. It is hard not to snack when you are confined to a bus seat for that long and especially hard when you don't have a choice of what you are going to have at meals. I should have brought some more healthy snack foods with me, but I thought I could handle it. Boy was I wrong about my level of resolve. And I should have tried to get a workout in when we were at the hotel. I am curious though, does anyone have any other tips for traveling and maintaining your healthy habits?
Road trips are tricky and, for most of us, they happen infrequently enough that we can just write them off as a blip in our otherwise healthy-ish habits. But you may be road trippin' enough with the team, that it's worth prepping yourself for a healthier experience. Snacks like trail mix and turkey jerkey, protein bars(just watch calorie and sugar content: some are sky high!) are good choices because they're portable, nutritious,and don't take up much space. (Oh, and I do NOT recommend Fiber One bars: they make you way too gassy for road trips!) I try to throw in some apples, grapes, tangerines, etc., because I always feel better if I can squeeze in a little fruit. Of course water is my drink of choice or at least lo-cal Propel or something. I figure I don't need any extra calories from beverages - they're totally non-hunger-satisfying and usually nutritionally void. And I always have my standbys of gum and sugar-free hard candy to keep my mouth occupied without mindlessly munching.
ReplyDeleteIt's ironic how sitting for so long can wipe you out so you don't feel much like exercising! If nothing else, do some stretching. That will relieve some of the effects of the road trip and just may be enough action to move you on to an actual workout . If the hotel has a gym, take advantage of that. You can even just do some stuff in the hotel room (jumping jacks, bed push-ups, bed mountain climbers, squats, etc.)
Mostly, don't beat yourself up over it and just get back to your routine now that you're home. Just like anything, it takes practice and now you know what to expect, you can prepare better for the next time!
I'm not much of a traveler but I do know that if you have it on hand, you will eat it. So make sure you don't buy anything that is high in calories. Sometimes this isn't an option, so pick the smallest piece of pizza or choose something light from the menu. Carry a good book to keep your mind off your stomach. I also know that once I start eating, I will never quit so I find it better to not start eating at all. If you do, make sure it is something healthy and low in calories. Take advantage of the stairs instead of the elevator and take extra steps as often as you can. Every little bit helps. As Sharon said, get back into your routine as soon as possible.
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