Healthy Traveling Tips with Kendra Thornton

I am incredibly fortunate to have an awesome guest post from Kendra Thornton to share with you today! Kendra is considered a travel expert, she has traveled the world and as a result, has tons of incredible advice to share with us from all of her amazing adventures! 

Check out her awesome tips on how to keep healthy habits for you and your family while on vacation. 

Tips for Fit Family Vacations: 

Health and fitness are important to me, and I work hard to help my family make healthy decisions on a regular basis. At home, we have a regular, healthy routine. When we travel, it can be more difficult to incorporate those healthy decisions, but I’ve learned several tricks that help keep the kids and me healthier and happier.

1. Drink Plenty of Water

Don’t deprive your family of water when you travel. Both kids and adults need enough water to keep our bodies functioning properly. If you’re traveling in the heat or spending time outdoors in the sunlight, your must make sure to drink lots of water. I like to make sure that everyone in the family has a personal water bottle before we head out on any adventure. Refillable bottles can be refilled at convenient spots along the way, or you can pack a cooler with water bottles when your adventures take you away from accessible water sources.

2. Play in the Water

Water can be good for getting your exercise too. Your regular fitness routine probably won’t stand a chance while you’re away from home, but you can get a workout enjoying your vacation. Paddleboats and canoes are great ways to get a good workout and have fun as a family. Rowing around a lake or other body of water can be remarkably romantic. Almost any boating activity that requires muscle propulsion helps burn calories.

3. Watch Out for Buffets

Traveling usually requires some eating out. This can be dangerous, especially if you visit all-you-can-eat buffets. Avoid pitfalls by selecting places that offer health options. When eating at a buffet, put plenty of healthy fruits and vegetables on your plate. If you start with a healthy green salad or fresh veggies from the salad bar, you won’t be as tempted to overindulge on unhealthy, empty calories. Allow yourself to enjoy a treat, but be balanced in your choices.

4. Make Healthy Hotel Choices

Many hotels now offer fitness-friendly options. Choose a hotel with a well-equipped gym. Stock up on healthy foods at a local market rather than succumbing to vending machine options. Take advantage of walking trails on the premises or other fitness options. Some hotels even have free bike rentals for guests!

When my family stays healthy on vacation, it makes the transition back to normal life easier too. I always try to book a hotel with a quality gym and was able to find one for our upcoming trip to Orlando. The process was a little difficult as there are just so many hotels in Orlando. Sites like Gogobot however are able to help a bit as you can read user reviews. I hope these tips help your family. Have a healthy, happy family vacation!

  

my intake for today

7:00am- 1cup (cooked) oats with 1 whole egg and 4 egg whites scrambled

10:00am- 1cup plain non-fat greek yogurt (my favorite is FAGE) mixed with 1/2cup mixed berries, 1 packet stevia

12:30pm- 5 oz grilled chicken, 1/2 cup brown rice or 1/2 cup sweet potato, and 1cup steamed or grilled veggies ie; broccoli, asparagus, or green beans

3:30- ¼ cup almonds and small protein shake (blend 1cup unsweetened almond milk,1 scoop protein powder, ice)

6:30- healthy soft tacos: 4 oz extra lean ground turkey, 1/2 cup black beans, 3 small corn tortillas, 1 grilled bell pepper, salsa or pico, 1/3 cup avocado or guacamole 

tip* use plain non-fat greek yogurt as a substitute for sour cream 



total calories: 1,600
total carbs: 145g
total fat: 43 g
protein: 150 g
fiber: 36 g
sodium: 1,540mg
cholesterol: 355mg

food & you

“ T H E   F O O D   Y O U   E A T

C A N   E I T H E R   BE

T H E   S A F E S T

&

M O S T   P O W E R F U L

F O R M   O F   M E D I C I N E

O R

T H E   S L O W E S T

F O R M   O F   P O I S O N ”

        - Ann Wigmore

When it comes to our overall health as it relates to the foods we consume- her words are brilliantly insightful.

Making healthy choices is something that I work on each and every day. There are tons of opportunities for me to reach for the less healthy option and those few little words help keep me on track. I try to pay attention to how foods make me feel, not emotionally, but physiologically. My body seems to have no problem telling me what it does and does not like. I encourage you to try this as well. 

Do the foods you eat upset your stomach? Do they make you feel lethargic and sleepy? Do you have enough energy to get through your busy day? Are you sleeping well at night? Does your skin seem to look dull or grey? How are your digestive habits? How is your overall mood most of the time? No one can answer these questions

when it comes to your body, but YOU.

Here are a few concepts that will help you get started; 

Focus on consuming natural whole foods that come from the earth and minimize your intake of those that are highly processed. Consuming whole foods will provide your body with quality nutrients and nourishment.

Minimizing the consumption of man-made or processed food items will create an internal environment free of inflammation and in turn, decrease your risk of numerous chronic diseases. 

Ignore any diet or meal plan that encourages you to “cut out” any of the following: fat, protein, or carbohydrates. Each of these macronutrients serves a very important purpose in your body. 

As I mentioned above, focus of how foods make your body feel. This is going to take some trial and error, but eventually you will start finding foods that satisfy your appetite as well as your physiological needs

Create a positive and healthy relationship with food. Eating something unhealthy should never make you feel guilty. It should not leave you feeling like you have failed yourself, or anyone else for that matter.

If you do make a poor choice, it’s OKAY! You are only human and guess what? There is always tomorrow so you will get another try! Love yourself and be patient and you will see that these changes will start to come easier. Make the changes become a new lifestyle for you- not a diet. Diets are not permanent.

Take baby steps toward your goal and know you are going to have days that aren't so great along the way. Be proud of yourself when you make even the smallest change toward the new healthy you!

Convenience is Key

Who Says "Convenience Foods" Can't be Healthy?

Let's face it, when it comes to healthy eating, though we mean well- we all fall off the wagon every once in a while. We are only HUMAN and it's OKAY! Life gets messy and things get in the way of our great intentions and motivation to make good food choices. 

Plus, you owe it to yourself to splurge every once in a while! I sure do! 

When it comes to fueling your body with the proper nutrition, the best way to stay on track is to PLAN and PREPARE.

I know.... it's kind of inconvenient to cook a bunch of food all at once. But, the ONE day of INconvenience makes for a whole week of sheer convenience!!! 

3 EASY STEPS to HEALTHY "Convenience Foods" at your finger tips.

1. Buy glass or plastic tupperware-  (I'm sure you probably already have some) 

2. Choose a protein, carb and fat source (enough of each to get you through the week) and cook everything all at once!  

chicken, lean beef, ground turkey, etc...  You can bake it, grill it, or use the crock pot. 

mixed veggies, brown rice, sweet potato, oats, blue corn tortillas, quinoa, etc

almonds, eggs (yolk), avocado, coconut oil, olive oil

3. distribute your food into the tupperware into portions that fit with your caloric intake and macronutrient distribution.  

Mine is as follows;

  4oz meat

   1/2c starch- sweet potato or brown rice, 1c steamed veggies

   1/4 cup almonds, 1/4 c avocado....etc. 

To keep your body fueled and avoid insulin spikes it's a great idea to eat small balanced meals every 3 to 4 hours. 

  

A SWEET POTATO FOR DESSERT?? YEA!!

Okay- I know what you all are thinking. 

"Ewww, I never even so much as TASTED those weird goopy sweet potatoes with the marshmallows on top that someone ALWAYS brought to Thanksgiving- why would I start now?"

Well, first of all- I never tried those either and can totally understand that thought process. I just recently started eating sweet potatoes. They are a slower digesting carb (lower glycemic index) which basically means they will not cause insulin spikes which can lead to fat storage. 

Plus they have a ton of vitamin A and C

I make mine in the microwave!! 

(If it isn't convenient, I'm not taking the time to make it) 

You shave off the bad spots with a peeler, poke it with a knife a couple times, and wrap it in a paper towel to cook for about 4-6 minutes depending upon the size. I usually go for the ones that seem like they would equal about a cup/8oz if they were cooked and mashed.

Let me just say, I LOVE THEM! 

My personal favorite way to eat them is with a "laughing cow" cheese wedge. They come in TONS of flavors. If I am using the potato as one of my sides, I like to use the swiss wedge.

 If I am eating it for DESSERT, I use the cream cheese wedge and then sprinkle cinnamon over the top! 

It is absolutely delicious. 

Each cheese wedge is I think 35 calories and only a couple grams of fat.

*You can also stir a wedge in with steamed veggies for a creamy texture and a little added flavor!

Nutrient density vs. caloric density

ANNOYING NEWS COMING YOUR WAY....

Guess what?

Unless you have crazy good genetics and 

an extremely exceptional metabolism... 

you CANNOT "exercise away" a bad diet.

.....I don't care if you spend an hour on the treadmill every night, if you are eating pizza, cheeseburgers, and chocolate chip cookies by the handful you will need to multiply that hour by about 5..... you cannot "exercise away" that many calories every day- it just isn't practical, who wants to do several hours of cardio every day? 

I SURE DONT! 

*Not to mention, these foods just aren't good for us. They are calorically dense (high in calories) and lack the key nutrients we need to maintain good health.

I'm all about feeling satisfied after I eat, not full, but satisfied. 

I don't like to feel hungry all the time- that's just no way to live! 

This is why we want to search for foods that are not calorically dense but that are nutrient dense and have a lot of volume. Foods that carry a lot of water and fiber will provide a fullness sensation without the over consumption of calories.  

There are tons of different things you can eat that will essentially take up more space in your stomach and make you feel full for less calories! Do not think that I am telling you to drastically decrease your caloric intake, I'm telling you to exchange the calories you are waisting on junk and start substituting some nutrient dense foods into your diet. If you add good things, the bad things will slowly fall by the wayside.

Think about this...

If you eat 3 Oreos as an afternoon snack you're looking at about 160 calories, 7g fat, and 14g sugar

 Plus, you probably won't feel satisfied after eating only 3 Oreos...who just eats 3 Oreos?

INSTEAD...

You can consume 2 apples for the same amount of calories, no fat, and a little less sugar (plus it's natural sugar) and trust me, you will feel very full!! Have you ever tried to eat 2 apples? They are very filling!

Apples have a high nutrient density and are relatively low in calories (low nutrient density). They also provide a lot of volume due to their water content. This is why as a snack or part of a well balanced meal they help provide satiety. This is only one little example! There are tons of foods that provide these same benefits...

Fruit (2 servings per day it still has sugar!)

Veggies 

Greek yogurt (nonfat plain)

Chicken, Fish, Beans

quinoa, oatmeal, brown rice, sweet potatoes

protein shakes 

And my personal favorite......
EGGS!! 
Particularly scrambled egg whites which are the perfect "filler".
 When I say filler, I mean you can add these to anymeal to "bulk it up" (add volume and nutrients) without adding very many calories. To give you an idea, one egg white contains about 18 calories give or take a few calories depending on the size of the egg! That's great news for you because you can add them to just about anything!!
**My favorite meal** (I eat this almost every night) is sauteed fresh spinach and bell peppers (in coconut oil) with egg whites poured over the top and cooked and a microwaved sweet potato with a "laughing cow" cheese wedge. BEST.DINNER.EVER (especially for someone like me who loves a quick and convenient meal!) So incredibly filling and so full of nutrients.

BODY COMPOSITION- MUSCLE VS. FAT

Have you ever worked out for several months and drastically changed your diet only to find that the scale hasn't budged or even worse, it's gone up? Bust out the calipers and take some measurements... STOP WEIGHING!!! 

The whole "Muscle weighs more than fat" thing is a true statement, SORT OF.... a pound is a pound so 1 pound of muscle weighs the same as 1 pound of fat. However, muscle is more dense and takes up MUCH less space than fat.  

See for yourself!! 

Here is a great example of body composition in women. Take a look at how different 150 pounds can look depending upon diet and exercise. The woman on the far right clearly trains with weights and eats a very clean diet yet she still maintains 150 lbs. This is because she is muscular and dense. 
See.... when you are doing all of the right things, what the scale says does not matter!!! 

***There is always an exception so I will say this...

 If you are someone who only diets and does not resistance train or do any cardio, the scale CAN be an accurate measurement of your progress... This is because you are not doing anything that will change your body composition ie; lifting weights, running, etc... you are merely changing your eating habits which may help you lose some fat, but will not necessarily help you gain any muscle.