Staying on Track while TRAVELING

I've been traveling with my family for a week now and have enjoyed it a lot but it can be really tough to still eat well while you're not in control of foods you can eat. Not being in control of my food has been really tough and even made me cranky at times but here are a few tips for staying on track and staying healthy while you're traveling:

1.  PLAN! If you know that your family is going to be going to a burger joint for dinner, eat a lighter breakfast and lunch. Get your daily's worth of veggies and fruits in the first two meals so that when you indulge in a little burger and fries you're not giving yourself the death sentence.

2. Look at the CALORIES: As I've been at a few restaraunts this month, I've noticed that quite a few of them have the nutrition posted and the calories located next to the menus. Make use of that and try to pick meals a little lower in calories.

3. Bring food WITH YOU: I carried granola and wheat crackers with me while I was in Tokyo which provided a better snack than carmel popcorn and ice-cream in Disneyland.

3. Use WORKOUT VIDEOS: If you're in a hotel, cabin, rv or anything else, you can take along your laptop/ipad/tablet and have a workout video on it. They can be really cheap too. I just bought one for $5 at best buy which was done by Bob Harper from the Biggest Loser- it kicked my butt. (Some hotels have fitness rooms- take advantage of those!)

4. When you get to a grocery store: STOCK UP on healthier foods. If you can buy some fresh foods to eat or make a meal of later, it will serve you much better than McDonalds (gag).

5. Drink WATER not soda: Make sure to keep hydrated and keep drinking plenty of water- not soda. I sometimes steal sips from my family's glasses but I haven't drank a whole soda in who knows how long. Soda has no nutritional value and is pure sugar and junk.

Basically what it comes down to is being conscious of what you're eating as you travel and get in the workouts when you can. Have a wonderful summer!

Health Tip: Magnesium is a very important mineral to have in your diet. It helps with muscle cramping, shin splits and yes, even keeping bowel movements regular. You can find it in Almonds, Spinach, Brown Rice and Bananas.