TRACKING MACROS WHILE TRAVELING
Whether you’re off to the beach for a summer vacation or heading out for some international adventures, traveling is great but can also be a bit stressful. When it comes to working towards specific nutrition goals, we talk a lot about creating habits and establishing a routine; unfortunately, travel pushes us out of our typical routine, often leaving us feeling like we should just throw in the towel and start over again when we get back home.
We believe that eating the foods you enjoy should not require restricting, rationalizing, or guilt. This post will help you find strategies that will keep you on track as you travel and navigate situations that are not totally in your control.
Tracking your food while you’re traveling may not be possible in every situation, and that is ok! It is by no means necessary. Leaning on habits we’ve created and making choices that align with our goals is most important. If you’re working toward fat loss goals, your body doesn’t discount extra calories just because you’re on vacation, and indulging in extra food day after day can impact the progress you have made so far.
Being diligent about your nutrition doesn't mean you have to carry a food scale around with you and say no to every treat offered. It also doesn’t mean you have to track! It does, however, mean that you may want to focus on making the best possible choices given any given circumstance you find yourself in. These four tips are what we use when coaching clients through vacations, travel weekends, work trips, and times when sticking to your routine is challenging.
Note: This post is written for those who may be looking to continue or maintain their progress throughout travel - short or long. This would be ideal for someone in an active fat loss phase, which is where we should spend the LEAST amount of time! Ideally, we would take a far more flexible approach to travel/being out-of-routine when in a maintenance period. Depending on your travel, shifting to a maintenance phase may be best! But sometimes things come up while we’re actively working towards goals and that is what this article touches on.
1 | HAVE A GAME PLAn
Your travel plans will greatly influence how much control you will have over your food. What are your travel accommodations? Do you have access to a grocery store? Do you have the ability to prepare some of your own food or will you be eating out every meal?
Before you head off for your trip, make sure you know how much control you will have over your food and make a game plan for how you’ll approach your nutrition:
TO TRACK...
If you are traveling somewhere familiar, have access to the internet, and can prepare some of your own food (you are staying in an Airbnb, a condo, or a hotel with a kitchenette), it’s not a bad idea to continue to track as much as possible! You don’t need to have perfect macro numbers, but just continuing to track may help you stay accountable and be more aware of your food choices.
…OR NOT TO TRACK?
If you’re in a foreign country where food choices are out of your control or you don’t have access to the internet, it may be unrealistic to track your food. That is ok! Rather than just giving up, try to employ some of the strategies and goals in this post to continue to make good choices even when you don’t have a lot of control.
TRAVELING FOR WORK
If you travel often for work, travel is a part of your routine rather than a break from everyday life. If you have body composition or performance goals you are working towards while traveling for work, it may be necessary to take more strategic measures to ensure that your food choices are aligned with your current goals. That could mean bringing a travel scale along or prioritizing preparing some of your own food over eating out whenever possible.
If you’re serious about hitting your macros while away from home, especially if you travel for work, it may be worth it to look into a local meal prep service. There are many companies that prepare full meals, with nutrition information included, that can be found locally or delivered to wherever you are staying. If you can’t locate a specific meal prep service, check the local grocery store for fresh, already prepared, and packaged meals. You can sometimes find these in the open refrigerated sections near the produce.
2 | PACK AND PREPARE
STOCK UP ON SNACKS
Bringing along some macro-friendly snacks to have on hand when away from home can be a lifesaver. They can help you address hunger between meals and give you some familiar options between meals out.
If you are able, make it a priority to get to the grocery store at the start of your trip. Picking up some perishables and bulkier foods will allow you access to fresh options and keep you from using up half your luggage space on snacks. Some of these foods are great to have back at your hotel or Airbnb for mini-meals and snacks, while others are great options for throwing in a bag or purse as you head out for a day trip.
PROTEIN
Protein is often the most difficult macro to meet when traveling. On top of these items: protein bars, greek yogurt and cottage cheese, protein smoothie packs, tuna, and jerky, you may want to add in some other isolated protein sources to make sure you are getting somewhat close to your protein target. Consider bringing along pre-measured servings of your favorite protein from home (I love using these little containers), purchasing single-serve protein powders, or bringing along collagen protein that you can easily add to any liquid or even your morning oatmeal. There are also many brands out there creating protein coffee and protein hot chocolate products, which can be an easy way to add protein to your morning routine.
HYDRATION
It’s easy to let our hydration goals go out the window as soon as we’re out of our routines. However, committing to sticking to our water goal can be one of the most helpful tools for staying on track. Bring a reusable water bottle with you everywhere you can and keep sipping all day. If plain water all day bores you, consider adding True Lemon, Mio, Crystal Light, or another zero-calorie flavoring to one bottle daily.
3 | PLAN YOUR DAY
If your travel permits, try to plan your day ahead of time and see where you can fit in your own meals and snacks. Yes, eating out is part of the vacation experience! But it can also be helpful to have one meal or snack(s) that are a bit more familiar throughout the day, especially as we know that meals out are often a lot more calorie-dense. Using the tips above, grab some groceries or bring along some of your own snacks so that you can have more flexibility to enjoy a meal out and a drink or two later in the day.
If you can plan out your breakfast, snack, and lunch each day, tracking it in your tracking app and finding easy, macro-friendly foods, that meal out will align better with your goals. Fill those earlier meals and snacks with lean proteins, veggies, and lots of liquids in order to maximize flexibility for your meal out. This post HERE shares our best tips on tracking a meal out.
4 | SET REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS
It may not be feasible to hit your macros spot on when traveling, and that is ok! You may not continue fat loss progress while traveling, and that’s also ok! If you set yourself up with the expectation of staying perfect while out of town, you may be disappointed. Instead, create other goals that will help you lean on your habits. We often talk about the idea of setting minimums with our clients during busy or extra stressful weeks; it’s also a great strategy to employ while traveling.
Here are some examples:
Get 10,000 steps every day
Move for 30 minutes each day
Track everything you eat (as a tool for awareness/accountability; not stressing if numbers are perfect)
Prepare one meal on your own each day
Drink 100 ounces of water every day
Start your trip with a grocery haul
Have a protein shake daily
You should not have to feel beholden to a food scale or your phone while out on vacation or enjoying a trip. Continuing to log your food when possible can be a helpful tool for some when we utilize it as a tool for awareness and accountability. It’s easy to feel like you’re just wasting time if your tracking isn’t completely accurate, but just estimating your snacks and meals will help you stay aware of what you are eating and will help you make more conscious food choices.
Tracking should not be a source of stress while you’re on vacation AND time out of town doesn’t have to be a roadblock in the progress you have made so far, either. Embrace the idea of flexibility, set some goals for yourself, and enjoy!
For more tips on tracking your macros while traveling:
Tracking and Traveling Like a Pro
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