It’s 11:45 AM. I am sprinting through the airport Usain Bolt-style trying to make my connecting flight, and I quickly realize I haven’t eaten ALL morning. Story of my life. Luckily, I have an RX bar to get me through the next few hours. If not, I would have to settle for pretzels and peanuts on the plane. Thanks, but no thanks. If you guys know me, you know how much food I must eat to actually function on any given day. This is one reason I stick to a mostly-Paleo diet…give me all the calories. I travel pretty much every week for work, but I am still able to maintain this lifestyle. SO, I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to give you guys some of my ride or die Whole30 and Paleo travel tips. You don’t have to abandon your diet just because you are traveling.
grey denim shirt (sold out but I love this under $50 denim shirt) // grey jeans with zip detail (fav grey maternity jeans) // Quay $60 grey sunglasses (OBSESSED with the After Hours pair as well) // Stella McCartney Fold Over Tote (Looking for a less expensive travel bag? I use this $95 Tumi backback pretty much everyday) // Golden Goose glitter sneakers (obsessed with these $155 glitter espadrilles)
LOOKING FOR WHOLE30 AND PALEO TRAVEL TIPS?
Often I hear people say: I can’t eat well, because I travel so much. NOT TRUE! Short of a birthday trip, honeymoon, or splurge vacay, you CAN continue Whole30 while traveling. Follow these Whole3o Paleo travel tips to stay compliant and feel great doing it!
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WHOLE 30 PALEO TRAVEL TIPS: PREP, PREP, AND MORE PREP
Guys, I cannot stress this enough. If you are not prepared before you head out of town, you will fail. And you will feel like shit. Trust me, it has happened to me WAY too many times. Here is how I prepare to Paleo or Whole30 while I travel:
1. Pack your own snacks and travel lunch.
Yes, I get it. This sounds like a pain in the ass, but trust me, it is better than having to eat fast food. If I have a long travel during my lunch, I usually will pack leftovers or make something for the flight and pack it in one of these freezeable lunch bags. I ALWAYS have RX Bars and/or nuts in my bag. You can always grab a banana at a Starbucks in the airport, but don’t be tempted buy the crap.
2. Plan out your meals before you leave.
Ok, trust me. I ride with sales reps all day and am totally on their schedule. So if I can do this, anyone can do it. No lie, we will leave the hotel around 8:30 and not eat again until 7pm (or later) unless I make them feed me. Communicate with the people that you are traveling with and make sure you scope out the menus before you head out of town. I typically find a few lunch spots and dinner spots to choose from.
3. Go to the grocery store when you get into town.
I do this ALL the time. As soon as I land, I head to Whole Foods. I typically buy hard boiled eggs and fruit for breakfast, then nuts or RXBars for snacks. I am typically eating out for lunch and dinner, but doing this ensures I will get in a few super clean meals.
WHOLE 30 PALEO TRAVEL TIPS: HOW TO EAT OUT AND STAY COMPLIANT
Honestly, this is easier than you may think. The restaurant doesn’t have to be exactly compliant in its entirety. You will rarely find a “Paleo” restaurant, albeit, they do exist. Think about it…what is the primary food group of Paleo and Whole30? Meat. And veggies of course. You can typically order meat and veggies at ANY restaurant, but it is important to avoid mystery sauces, cheese, and bread. Tips:
1. Choose restaurants that focus on local, farm to table ingredients.
These restaurants typically are gluten free and don’t use a lot of bad oils in their foods. There are fast casual restaurants all over the country that focus on better ingredients.
2. Request a gluten free menu.
Most restaurants can accommodate this request, but a lot of times you have to ask. This will make it easier for you to keep gluten out of your diet.
3. Do not order an appetizer and make sure you specify no bread.
Honestly, this is the hardest part of eating out. You are STARVING, and they set down a basket of bread. GAME OVER. Don’t do it. And that spinach artichoke dip? Don’t even think about it.
4. Drink a glass of water as soon as you sit down.
This will help curb your appetite, quench your thirst, and help you avoid eating something bad.
5. Don’t drink too much alcohol.
This is never a good idea. You will be ordering dessert faster than you can say check please!
WHOLE 30 PALEO TRAVEL TIPS: EXERCISE
Do you love Crossfit? What about Orangetheory? Figure out a way to exercise on the road. This honestly may be one of THE MOST important Whole30 or Paleo travel tips. If you continue your exercise routine, you are more likely to stick to your eating plan. I love group classes, because they force me to be there at a certain time. It’s easy to avoid walking down to the hotel gym, because there is no accountability. If you actually sign up and pay for a WOD, you are more likely to commit. Worst case, get outside and walk or run. Just stay active! Here are some ideas for working out on the road:
OBV, this is my favorite option, since this is my workout of choice. They have gyms ev-ery-where and classes that are both HIIT and WOD-focused.
2. Orangetheory Fitness:
I have been doing OTF for YEARS when I travel. There are literally gyms everywhere and times to accommodate anyone’s schedule.
3. Yoga:
I love doing Yoga on the road to stretch, relax, and stay focused.
4. Travel WOD:
There are so many apps and websites (literally Google “travel WOD) that provide travel WODs. You can also make one up. Have you seen the video that Heather from My Life Well Loved and I created? This Quick In-Home workout is PERFECT for travel. Here are a few other options you can do in your hotel room or in the hotel gym:
3 rounds for time: Run 200m, 25 pushups
10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 sets up sit ups and a 100 meter sprint in between
21-15-9 Air squats, push ups, kettle bell (or dumb bell) swings…can substitute push ups for burpees as well
10 rounds for time: 100 m sprints
5. Insanity:
When I first started my management role, I used to do Insanity in the hotel ALL the time. You don’t even have to pack running shoes for this one, and you can play it in your CD drive of your computer.
WHOLE 30 PALEO TRAVEL TIPS: WHAT TO WEAR
Did y’all think I could really make it through an entire post without some fashion mixed in? Not possible. The look you see here is pretty much my travel uniform: denim top, comfy jeans, and stylish sneaks. When I travel, I obviously like to be comfy, but also cute. I typically only pack in a carry on (except for long vacays), so it’s an easy way to have an outfit to wear again without having to pack something else. Make sure you check out my Packing Tips post as well!
Here are a few tips:
1. Keep it basic.
And no I don’t mean like #basicbitch. Just keep things simple, so you can mix and match the items to create additional looks on your trips. I typically opt for neutral tones, classic pieces, and fun sneakers. You can accessorize with an on-trend jacket or statement jewelry.
2. Wear your biggest pieces.
Need to take a leather moto jacket? Great. Wear it over your outfit. What about your favorite hightop sneakers or chunky boots? WEAR THEM, so you don’t have to pack them.
3. Choose comfy.
I LOVE how soft all the fabrics feel in this outfit. My jeans are skinny but stretchy. My top is fitted, but not so confining that I am claustrophobic.
4. Limit metal accents, so you can speed through security.
Sounds dumb, but you don’t want to have to keep going in and out of the scanner thing.
5. Versatile bag.
Either pack a tiny purse than can fit in your second carry on or pack a large purse/tote that can act as your computer bag. I love this Stella McCartney fold over tote, because it can be used to carry my laptop while traveling AND as my purse once I arrive to my destination. I am completely obsessed with my Tumi Backpack (only $95) right now!
grey denim shirt (sold out but I love this under $50 denim shirt) // grey jeans with zip detail (fav grey maternity jeans) // Quay $60 grey sunglasses (OBSESSED with the After Hours pair as well) // Stella McCartney Fold Over Tote (Looking for a less expensive travel bag? I use this $95 Tumi backback pretty much everyday) // Golden Goose glitter sneakers (obsessed with these $155 glitter espadrilles)
WHOLE 30 PALEO TRAVEL TIPS: FINAL WEEK OF WHOLE30
You guys!! I have never been SO inspired in my life. Seeing you ladies fight through this with flying colors has absolutely kept me going. I have loved reading your recipes, hearing your success stories, answering your questions, and seeing how AWESOME each of you feel! It has been SUCH a cool experience. We are in the HOME STRETCH, with only a few days remaining. I am actually traveling most of this week, so I will definitely be putting these Whole30 Paleo Tips into good use! Next Sunday, I will detail next steps and how I will approach life after Whole30.
As always, keep sharing in our Facebook group, follow along on Instagram and Pinterest, and feel free to email me ([email protected]) with ANY questions. Lastly, don’t forget to check out Heather from My Life Well Loved’s Favorite Athleisure Brands and Jessica from Happily Hughes’s Whole30 Antioxident Smoothie. Love you all!
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