It is true that travel broadens the mind. However, it often broadens the waistline.

Americans spent nearly $180 billion on international travel in 2019. More and more Americans are finding the traveling lifestyle affordable and desirable.

Yet achieving optimal health on the road can be difficult. You need to plan ahead and learn some health and wellness guidelines.

What should you do to prepare for your trip abroad? What type of exercise can you perform at your destination? How should you prepare meals, and how can you eat healthy food at a restaurant?

Answer these questions and you can stay healthy while you go around the world. Here is your comprehensive guide.

Pack Healthily

You can bring health and fitness tools with you wherever you go. You can still be a digital nomad and carry all of your belongings in a backpack.

Wrap up a jump rope and put it in the bottom of your bag. Try to find a long and thin rope that is lightweight. You can choose one without handles so the rope takes up less room.

If you prefer to strengthen your muscles, you can bring resistance bands. Make sure you can wrap both ends around stationary objects, including your arms and legs.

Do not bring dumbbells, even light ones. Take two refillable water bottles and fill them with water when you land. You can lift them just as you lift weights at home.

Pack exercise gear along with your clothes. Have one sports top, a pair of shorts, and a good pair of sneakers. Try finding waterproof shoes so you can run alongside waterways.

Bring your cellphone and charger with you. You can download different apps to get health and wellness tips and track your workout routines.

Take Supplements

It can be hard getting the vitamins and minerals you need while you are traveling. Pack a multivitamin into your personal bag. Try to get one that incorporates omega-3 fatty acids, which help with cellular function.

You can also take protein powder. Increasing your consumption of reduced-fat protein will help you build muscle definition. Buy a powder that you can stir into your drinks.

Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators (SARMs) stimulate muscle and bone tissue growth, akin to steroids. However, they do not cause liver or skin damage like many steroids. Find SARMs for sale online or at local retailers.

Travel On a Train

You can go from place to place on a plane. Yet, planes give you little room to stretch your legs and perform exercises.

Trains give you plenty of room to get up and walk around. Whenever you are traveling across a country, pick a train. You can also travel on one across Europe, Asia, and Africa.

Book your tickets well in advance to get cheap rates and convenient accommodations. Try to get a private room so you have the most space to do exercises.

As the train travels, go for walks up and down the aisles. If the train makes stops, head outside and perform some stretches.

See if you can go shopping in local produce markets. Buy fresh fruits and vegetables instead of eating in the dining car. Most train meals contain processed or frozen ingredients that can cause weight gain.

Work On a Boat

If you are feeling adventurous, you can work on a ship. Freighters are stationed in most ports, including in the United States. In exchange for offering your services, you will get reduced-cost or free transportation to wherever you want to go.

You should have good physical endurance and upper-body strength. Keep in mind that you are going out on the water. You need to have some natural tolerance against seasickness, and you should know how to swim.

You may need experience in order to get hired. See if you can volunteer on some ships in your hometown. Having some specialized skills in fishing or cooking can help you get hired.

But some ships are happy to take anyone who offers. You can search online for boats looking for extra crew members.

Traveling on the ocean can take weeks, if not months. You should factor in potential delays and accidents into your travel plans.

Yet working on a ship will help you burn calories. The meals you receive will be smaller, which lends itself toward weight loss. Try to bring some produce on-board to make your meals even healthier.

If you would like, you can also get a boat and sail by yourself. This is very difficult and you should have extensive sea experience before doing it. But you will stay fit manning your own ship.

Walk Everywhere

When you get to your destination, avoid using taxi cabs. Some of them are unlicensed and unsafe, and you perform no exercise while sitting down. Walk to all of the places you are going to visit.

Before you start walking, perform some basic warm-ups. March in place for a few minutes, slowly swinging your arms back and forth. You can also jump rope for a few minutes.

Sit in a chair and extend one leg out. Point your toes toward the ceiling, then lean forward until you feel your thigh stretch. Repeat with your other leg.

Stand up and hold onto the back of your chair. Move one leg forward, to both sides, and backward. Tap your toe on the floor as you reach each point, then repeat with your other leg.

Drink plenty of water before you start to walk. Keep a bottle in a shoulder bag or in your pocket as you move. Swing both arms so you can burn additional calories and balance both sides of your body.

Try to avoid stomping your feet or overextending your legs. If you need to stop for a moment, find a place where you can lean against something. Massage any areas that feel sore, rubbing in a circular fashion without applying pressure.

You can take public transportation on days that have inclement weather. Stand up instead of sitting down. Stretch your lower back and pull on a handlebar to relieve pressure on your feet.

If you prefer bicycling or rollerskating, you can do that. See if you can rent your equipment at a store in the town you are going to. Some cities offer public bicycle programs so you can rent a bike directly from the municipal government.

Go Outdoors

Go to rural and natural areas more than urban ones. A 2017 meta-analysis found that experiences in nature can relieve stress and anxiety. Breathing in air ions in forests can relieve respiratory problems and improve the immune system.

You can go camping in national parks, or you can find a cottage in a rural area. Even if you choose to stay in a city, you can go to parks and nature preserves. Just seeing plants and animals can be enough to relieve stress.

Try to engage in a few different outdoor experiences. Go on a hike along a nature trail one day, then go fishing the next day. This gives you multiple opportunities to train different parts of your body.

Make sure to wear plenty of sunscreen and cover parts of your exposed body. Wear a hat with a long brim so you can block the sun and any precipitation.

Have at least one meal with locally grown ingredients. Foods like mushrooms can give your body microbiota that fight against infections and inflammation.

Cook Your Own Meals

Go to a grocery store soon after you arrive at your destination. Buy plenty of fruits, vegetables, and lean sources of protein like nuts.

You want to eat three meals a day while you are traveling because you need energy. Cook your own breakfast whenever possible. Many breakfasts at restaurants contain high amounts of saturated fats and refined carbohydrates.

Make egg white omelets, oatmeal, and fruit salads. Eat some sauteed spinach or peppers on the side.

Eat until you are full, but avoid gorging yourself. Adopt some mindful eating techniques so you don’t consume too much.

Slow down as you chew, and take time to roll your food across your tongue. This will allow the flavors and textures of your meal to last longer. This will also trigger your digestive system, preventing indigestion.

Serve your dishes on smaller plates. This tricks your brain into thinking you are eating more than you are actually eating.

Lunch can be hard to prepare and bring with you. But try to cook as many of your dinners as possible.

Combine a source of protein with whole grains. You can cook yourself a steak, but serve it with quinoa or brown rice instead of French fries. Make a side salad with a light vinegarette, and then eat a dessert of yogurt and fruit.

Be Smart When You Eat Out

Lunch tends to be smaller than dinner. If you choose one meal to eat out, pick lunch so you won’t overeat.

A sandwich is a quick and easy lunch you can have. You can find one at a cafe, deli, or bar.

Opt for whole-grain or multi-grain bread, and try to get thin slices of them. You may be able to discard the bread entirely, eating your sandwich between two pieces of lettuce.

Don’t eat a hamburger, which contains high amounts of saturated fat. Get a slice of lean meat like ham or turkey and fill your sandwich with vegetables. You can add mustard or relish as a condiment.

If you have to eat out more often, try going to a location with healthy dieting options. The Mediterranean region offers a lot of fresh vegetables, low-fat seafood, and unprocessed ingredients. French and Italian cuisine can be high in saturated fat and processed grains.

Avoid eating dessert whenever possible. Baked goods and ice cream offer empty calories with minimal nutritional benefits at best. If you do have one dessert, go out for a walk so you can burn some of it off.

Do Not Drink Your Calories

You need to be smart with your drinks in addition to your food. Many people like to travel so they can sample beer and wine. But alcoholic beverages contain a lot of calories, and they can spike your blood sugar levels.

Avoid drinking alcohol as much as possible. If you choose to drink, have one glass at a restaurant that serves other beverages. Drink plenty of water so you fill your stomach before you start to indulge.

Do not drink soda, even “all-natural” brands. Order some carbonated water and add some lemon and lime juice to it.

Go to Bed Early

Sleep is essential for the smart traveler. Sleep deprivation impairs your decision-making, making it harder to book tickets and navigate from place to place. It also increases your chances of dementia and heart disease.

Avoid going out to clubs or attending long nighttime shows. Go to where you are staying and head straight to bed.

Try to create a comfortable place so you can stay asleep without waking up in the middle of the night. Put curtains over your windows to block out any light source.

Turn off the television, computer, and smartphone in your room. They produce blue light that your brain can misinterpret as sunlight. This will keep you awake for longer periods.

It may take some time to unwind from your day of sightseeing. You can take a warm bath, listen to some calming music, or write in a journal.

If you can’t fall asleep, you can get up and do a light activity. Go for a brief walk or read a book you have with you.

How to Achieve a Healthy Traveling Lifestyle

A traveling lifestyle does not have to entail gaining weight. Pack some tools that will help you exercise, namely workout clothes. Pick a destination that offers healthy food.

Find a means of transportation that will let you exercise. When you get to your vacation spot, go for walks every day. Head out into nature, including along waterways.

Cook small meals in your new home. When you eat out, avoid big portions and caloric drinks. Get some sleep before you start the next day’s adventure.

You can live the life that you love. Follow our coverage for more travel guides.