It’s no secret we LOVE to travel. In fact, a few years ago (before we even met), we both decided to rid ourselves of our belongings, pack a bag, and hit the road full-time. Since then, we’ve been nomadic, calling a new country home each month.

One question we are always asked is: How on earth can we stay healthy while on the road? So, we thought we’d compile a list of our top 8 tips for staying healthy while traveling. Whether you travel short term or long term, these tips will serve you when you are away from your home and normal wellness routine. Enjoy!

#1 SET STEP GOALS

While traveling, we aim to walk everywhere—it’s not only healthy but also a great way to see a new place! What a glorious time it is in technology where we can have fun ways to measure our movement. Get yourself a smart watch (we love the Fossil hybrid watch) so you can track the steps you complete at any given day. Our goal is to hit a minimum of 10,000 steps each day as it serves as a great reminder to move our bodies! There is so much joy when that buzzer goes off on your arm, and you feel that wave of accomplishment. It’s so fulfilling!

#2 FIND A DROP-IN GYM

Find a gym where you can drop in! For a combined total of 7 years, we have traveled at least monthly… to over 80 countries! We’ve yet to come across a city, town, or village that doesn’t have a gym where you can drop in. Sometimes, in remote villages, we’ve had to search high and low, but we’ve always found one! While drop-in prices may be a bit more expensive than what you are used to, it’s so worth it leaving your holiday knowing you invested in your health, in addition to the experiences! As a best-case scenario, find a hotel or Airbnb with a gym in the building. As a worst-case scenario, hop on Google Maps and find a gym near your accommodations. We’ve become so committed to our fitness goals that we now choose our accommodations based on a close proximity to gyms. This is such a game changer!

#3 GET AN AIRBNB WITH A KITCHEN

Where was life before Airbnb? Seriously. Nowadays, accommodations make it so easy to be in control of your food choices. Sure, while away, we love experiencing new foods. However, when we asked ourselves if we really needed to eat out for 3 meals a day, every day, the answer was no,  especially given we travel so often! We usually go to local markets and shop from local farmers, which is a different and fun way to get to know a country’s cuisine. When traveling short term, we aim to make 2 meals at “home” and have one meal out. When traveling long term, we aim to have 1 meal out every few days.

#4 PACK SNACKS

There’s always that moment in traveling when you are hungry after a long day of sightseeing. It’s not quite dinner time, but you want something to nibble on. This moment is almost always guaranteed to happen, so come prepared. Instead of having gelato as a snack every day while exploring Italy, perhaps enjoy it every other day, and have an all-natural protein bar, shake, or trail mix readily available to balance things out. The best part is, healthy snacks are so easy to transport and allow you to have something healthy in your bag… always!

#5 HYDRATE, HYDRATE, HYDRATE

We all know hydration is the key to life, so be sure to hydrate while traveling. So often, we get so consumed by all of the excitement happening around us that we forget to take a step back and ensure we are hydrated, which is especially important in warmer climates. So, our way to combat this problem is setting a water goal—usually drinking between 3 to 4 liters a day—and we bring a refillable water bottle around with us to help reduce our carbon footprint!

#6 START A MINDSET SHIFT

It’s really time to get out of the mindset that having fun is synonymous with binging! You CAN have fun and be healthy. We do it all the time, but it took awhile to get here. As a society, we’ve been conditioned to equate fun with over indulging. However, once we decided that we wanted a life filled with travel, joy, and experiences full-time, it became very clear that we had to rewrite that narrative. It all started with attending a few parties and not having a drink and going to a dinner with new friends and ordering a salad. Over time, it just became habit. Once that muscle is built, it’s smooth-sailing from there. Try it in your normal social environment, and it will become easily transferable to your travels. We now have so much fun while remaining focused on our wellness journey, regardless of where we are in the world. It’s the best mindset shift we’ve had!

#7 BRING RESISTANCE BANDS

Pack resistance bands! When all else fails and, for some reason, you can’t get to a gym or can’t get your steps in, you can pull out resistance bands and do a workout in your room. The reason we love bands is because they are lightweight and allow for a full body workout while adding resistance to really challenge your muscles! Combine a resistance band circuit with some HIIT cardio, and you can have a very effective workout in the comfort of your hotel/Airbnb. YouTube is a great resource for workout ideas!

#8 PICK LIKE-MINDED TRAVEL COMPANIONS

We can’t stress this one enough. If you are serious about your wellness journey but hang around people who have misaligned intentions, you are not setting yourself up for success. Traveling together, we encourage one another on our wellness journeys simply because our desires to be our best selves are so in sync. We encourage you (where possible) to travel with people who want to be healthy! The hardest part about remaining committed to your journey is being among unhealthy people who constantly dangle temptation in your face. Travel with people who value taking care of themselves and their health, and you are sure to see success!

We hope this list helps you as you prep for your travels! Leaving a holiday with experiences, joy, and optimal health is the best way to return to your day to day. You’ll feel a new level of rejuvenation. Try it once, and you’ll never go back!

If you need assistance to experience this, join an upcoming retreat! :)