Thirsty, hungry and helpless is probably not the vacation experience you had in mind upon booking – but neither is compromising the balanced wellness you’ve worked so hard to sustain. 

We recently tried Genexa’s new homeopathic Jet Lag pills and really appreciated them. It got us thinking: what are some of the best travel tips we’ve ever shared? This piece from holistic nutritionist and wellness expert, Kelly LeVeque is one of our faves — and makes it easy to feel and function at our best before, during and after a getaway…

Part of exploring a new city means trying new things and assimilating into the culture, especially when it comes to food. That’s what vacation is for, but it’s also important to realize that making good choices while away is an essential habit that will keep you balanced and less stressed while off of the grid. You don’t want to find yourself avoiding delicacies because you’re worried about the scale moving, yet you also don’t want to overindulge and enter a state where your body and mind are craving more sweets and you’re mentally fatigued. Balance is everything, especially when it comes to staying healthy on the go!

How to prep for travel…

The Airport Shake: Whether it’s an early morning flight or a red eye, always go to the airport prepared to make the ultimate “roadie” smoothie.

Here’s how: pack a shaker bottle that contains one serving of protein powder and a bit of MCT or coconut oil. Find a Starbucks or coffee shop and order iced or steamed almond milk, coconut milk or a latte. Shake the milk, chocolate protein powder and coconut oil and you’re all set!

This is a foolproof way to balance your blood sugar pre-flight and keep you satiated so you don’t feel the need to snack. You can always pack individual proteins and coconut oils in your carry on if you’re not hungry prior to flying – security lets you through with these products, no problem.

Smarter Snacks: I will always choose a meal over snacks. After snacking all day, I feel a little sick and never totally satisfied. That doesn’t mean I go unprepared — I pack snacks for the entire trip to ensure that I will always have a healthy option while on the go.

Easy To Pack: My go-to flight snacks are hard boiled eggs, nut packs, almond butter packs with an apple or celery slices or the shaker bottle hack above.

Healthiest tips while traveling…

Mindful Meals: Vacation is for relaxing, recharging and enjoying the culture of a new place. If you are in Italy, taste the gelato. But does that mean you should get a double scoop and taste it everyday? Vacation isn’t vacation when you come home bloated and heavier than when you left. That is just more work when you get home. Be conscious of what you’re eating while you’re away. Vacation is about making the right choices without denying yourself; just remember you are already having more fun than any normal day at home.

Lemon Up: Always choose water when sitting down for meals and ask for a lemon wedge. Lemons are a natural diuretic and a gentle laxative. Adding a few slices to a cup of water will reduce the amount of salt retained in the body from dining out.

Staying Active: While in a new city, track your steps using your iPhone Health App and keep moving until you hit at least ten-thousand steps each day.

The Post-Breakfast Walk: A good tip is to map your first destination, and if it’s one to two miles, get a long walk in post-breakfast to start your day to see the city. Push yourself by taking the stairs and walking the extra distance to truly be present in the city and see everything it has to offer.

Find a New Workout: Instagram is a huge resource to get a workout in while traveling. Hashtag your #city and specific #workouts and you are bound to find a class near you. Also, try new things! Boxing in NYC is an awesome way to push yourself and get a sweat in before sight seeing, or if you’re off the grid in a tropical place, run along the beach to really work your legs.

Good advice for coming home…

Reset En Route: Avoiding alcohol and caffeine on flights is a good idea, the altitude and recycled air is already very dehydrating so you don’t want to add fuel to the fire.

Intermittent Fasting: If you really overindulged, consider intermittent fasting on the flight home so that your body can balance blood sugar and begin to burn fat rather than store it. Just a few hours without food is a great way to surge your metabolism and start the process of getting back to your normal eating habits. Besides, most of the time people eat on a flight out of boredom anyway.