I LOVE traveling, but how do you eat healthy while you’re on vacation? There’s something about our routines that helps us stay on track right?
And with so many delicious options at every turn it’s so easy to throw caution to the wind and eat your way through a new city and back again.
While I think that enjoying yourself is a HUGE part of traveling there are definitely some little things you can do, so you can have your cake and eat it too!
1 . Pack or Stock Up on Snacks
One of my go tos while traveling is to pop into a local grocery store and stock up on some fresh fruit like bananas, apples, or any fruit that can sit out and won’t go bad. Other options could include low sugar / high protein bars (I love the Kirkland ones from Cost Co), oatmeal (you can make it by using the water in your coffee maker), or whole grain/organic cereals.
I tend to get peckish in the evenings so I like to pick up pretzels and rice crackers or anything a little salty (always what I crave) to hold me over.
2. You Don’t Need to Eat Everything On Your Plate
Restaurant portions can vary depending on where you are traveling, and while our parents always told us to finish our plates you definitely don’t always need to! Don’t be afraid to order appetiziers to share, order from the kids or senior menu, or ask for a doggy bag to take with you (granted you can properly store it). And if you want dessert order one and share it! 🙂
3. Allow For One Treat A Day
When you limit yourself to one big treat a day it kind of makes it more exciting, and it also helps you curb the guilt about it later. It’s also helpful to note that if you opt for a high fat/sugary treat around the 10 am mark you’ll burn it off throughout the day anyways. If you’re anything like me you’ll be walking from one end of the city to the other, so you’ll burn off all those calories and some!
If wine or a cocktail is your treat of choice just be sure to have it after you have your diner because you’ll be less likely to over eat! Alcholo lowers our inhibitions and can actually cause us to eat things we likely wouldn’t eat or consume quanitities we wouldn’t normally consume. It’s best to allow alcohol be processed on
Also it’s best to allow alcohol to be processed on it’s own, as it always gets priority in your body, so if you’ve just eaten a big meal the food will actually hang out a little longer (and not get used up for energy) because you’re body is working to process to booze first! #themoreyouknow
4. Opt For Salads
Salads are the BEST way to get in a ton of veggies and fibre that will not only fill you up, and keep you going! Try to aim to have either a big salad for lunch or a side salad with your dinner.
I’ve been loving the Strawberry Mango Chicken Salad from Wendy’s (perfect for on the go). The sweet mango and strawberry paired with the tangy hint of crumbled feta cheese, and added crunch of sunflower seeds is refreshingly delicious. You can also take comfort in knowing that their lettuce and strawberries are hand-cut in- restaurant daily – most places these days just don’t take the time to do that anymore.
5. Don’t Be Afraid to be Specific or Ask Questions
We can be shy about ordering our meals when dining out, but unless you ask sometimes there’s really no way of knowing. Things you can do, is ask for your toast dry, sauces, gravy, and salad dressings on the side (typically salad dressings are high in fat and sugar it’s important to be mindful of both). You can also ask for your meat to be grilled rather than fried saving you a lot of unwanted fat, and calories.
6 . Skip The Sugary Drinks
Calories in drinks can REALLY add up, so if you stick to water, and black tea or coffee you’ll save yourself those unwanted extra calories. Some drinks can literally contain more calories than a meal! I also like to drink Club Soda or Mineral Water with lemon or lime to switch things up. The fizz helps to trick into thinking you’re drinking something bad (like soda) but it’s very refreshing.
Some drinks can literally contain more calories than a meal! I like to drink Club Soda or Mineral Water with lemon or lime to switch things up. The fizz helps to trick me into thinking I’m drinking something bad (like soda) but it’s zero calories and it’s very refreshing.
7. Go For Whole Grain
You’d be surprised how many restos offer other bread options other than white bread. White bread essenitally breaks down like sugar in your body, so you’ll end up with a sugar spike and then a crash before you know it! Another option is to ask for lettuce wraps for things like burgers or wraps!
Another option is to ask for burgers, sandwiches, or wraps is to ask for lettuce wraps instead of a bun! It’s a great way to take in more veggies, and it’s really crisp (albeit messy) and refreshing.
8. Be Careful with Condiments
Everything’s better with sauce (except our waist lines) most condiments are super-high in calories and fat especially creamy sauces/spreads like mayonnaise. Not to mention the sugar content! It’s best to opt for condiments that contribute less than 25 calories per serving like marinara sauce, mustard, or BBQ sauce. If you add extras like
It’s best to opt for condiments that contribute less than 25 calories per serving like marinara sauce, mustard, or BBQ sauce. If you add extras like tomato, or onions you can add more flavor naturally and you might be able to skip it all together.
I also like to add avacado in place of mayo, and it’s a much less processed way to get healthy fats without all the added preservatives.
9. Avoid Pre Eating
I get it, you’ve been up and town whatever place you’ve traveled to and you’re starving! Basically ready to eat your own arm off, but all that bread, and oil or butter can add up quick and it’s not going to keep you satiated. Ask for a starter or side salad instead!
10. Hit Up the Healthier Fast Food
One of the best things about fast food is that (a) you know what to expect and (b) you can look up the nutritional information, so you really can make more informed decisions. I love ordering from the kid’s menu, and that a lot of the meats are offered grilled, and when you skip the sauce you can really cut down on a lot of the fat/sugar content.
I’ve never met a french fry I didn’t like, but it’s great when you can order a small serving so you feel like you can get your fix without having to eat a giant plate of them.
As mentioned above, I’ve been loving The Strawberry Mango Chicken Salad from Wendy’s I love the sweetness of the mango and strawberries with the leafy greens and protein of the grilled chicken. It’s only available for a limited time only through the summer so be sure to grab one while you still can!
Want to try the Strawberry Mango Chicken Salad for yourself? Enter to win one of three gift cards by entering the our giveaway below! Be sure to click the arrows for more chances to win!
Happy Travels & Good Luck
xx
Kayla
This post was sponsored by Wendy’s, however, all opinions expressed are my own.
21 Comments
My go-to Wendy’s order is large fries and a vanilla frosty! Not the healthiest of options..but hey, treat yo’self right!?
I really enjoy their burgers, like the Baconator, as a once in a while treat 🙂
Thanks for the tips. I love stoping at Wendy’s. They have the best fast food salads. P
My go-to really is a salad.
I *love* the Power Mediterranean Chicken Salad. It is truly delicious . So much so, it doesn’t require all the dressing provided. 1/2 makes it just right. 🙂 Yummy!
I don’t go too often so I usually choose the burger and fries.
I do like the baconator burger…
My go-to Wendy’s order would be a burger, fries and pop.
My go-to is the grilled chicken wrap.
mine is the Spicy Chicken Breast Sandwich with fries
I like the chili, fries & frosty
I usually order a Bacon Deluxe with poutine…not exactly a salad!
I love their taco salad
I like the bacon burger with fries.
My go to order is Large Chilli with Cheese & a side Caesar Salad.
I love the baconator and frosty.
I get the Grilled Chicken Sandwich, fries and a frosty.
i have had the mango salad and it’s amazing, it’s my go to with a junior burger
My go to Wendy’s order is a chocolate frosty and fries!
A Baconator and fries!
Bacon deluxe combo with fries is my go-to.
I always get a Baconator by itself.