A couple of weeks ago I did a poll on Instagram stories about new topics to cover, and I was surprised how many people wanted me to talk about how I keep my health while traveling.

Yes, traveling can be pretty exhausting for your body. I think my body goes through a shock each time I’m in a new place. Thing is, I am pretty inactive, working a 9-5 job, I am always on my desk, but when I travel I will be outdoors more than 12 hours a day, doesn’t matter how cold, rainy or unbearably hot it is. 

So here are the most important things I learned during my travels that helped me maintain my health:

Do some research and plan well

Have you ever been in a new city, walking its streets 3 days in a row, forgetting to take any breaks, just running form a monument to another? 

When I first started traveling I was so excited to see as much as possible, so I always made a long list of the places I wanted to see. I ran from a place to another making sure I cross everything on that list before I get home. Do I need to tell you that after a few trips like that I needed a vacation from my vacation?

Once traveling become more part of who I am, I started looking after myself more, I started getting rid of long lists and focusing more on enjoying the moment. I started planning my trips better, calculating the distance between my stops and giving myself some time to relax.

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Food is medicine

I used to eat crap all day and my excuse was that I do not have money and time to spend hours in restaurants 3 times a day. Yes, it is so much easier to rely on fast food, junk and fall into bad food choices but there are so many options to eat healthy on the go. Fruit, nuts and sandwiches are lifesavers, just don’t be lazy and nourish your body even when you are traveling.

Sleep well and relax

I read an article stating that on your first night sleeping in a new place, half your brain stays awake watching out for danger. Not sure if this is true because I had full weeks sleeping every night somewhere else during my travels and believe me, I slept like a baby.

It’s harder for me to fall asleep at home than in an airport. Why, you might ask… well I kinda trained my brain to shut down and to relax. Traveling became my favourite way of escaping – once you get used to this lifestyle, you no longer fear the unknown and embrace the fact that you cannot control anything. Just close your eyes, inhale and keep counting your blessings.

Warmly,

Claudia x