How to Get Back Into a Healthy Eating Routine After Travel

As a dietitian, health coach, and Pilates instructor, I get a lot of questions from clients about how to stay on track with healthy habits while traveling. But it’s just as meaningful, and sometimes even more helpful, to have a strategy in place for how to get back into a healthy routine after your trip.  

There are a few reasons for this. 

Part of the beauty of traveling, whether it’s for work or pleasure, is that it’s an opportunity to experience different cultures and cuisines and explore places we either have never been to or don’t go to very often. The break from our routine is part of what makes travel so special.  

If you focus too much on maintaining the exact routine you follow in your day-to-day life, you run the risk of feeling deprived, which ultimately can backfire. When you feel like you’re missing out, not only does that chip away at your overall quality of life, but it can also prime you to “rebel” by going overboard with the things you’ve been restricting, which doesn’t feel great—physically or mentally.  

Having a plan that you can follow to help you get back into a routine that directly supports your wellness goals allows you to build confidence and resilience over time, helping you maintain overall healthy eating patterns and fostering a healthy relationship with food.  

But What If You Travel a Lot?  

If travel is a regular part of your life and you travel a few times a month, it can be helpful to have an at-home version of your healthy routine and a travel version that allows for some flexibility so you can still be consistent with your overall healthy habits.  

For example, you can pack some healthy snacks that help you get enough protein and fiber so you don’t have to rely on less healthy (and extra expensive) snacks at airports and convenience stores that won’t give your body as much nourishment as it needs. When you’re dining out, prioritize veggies and lean protein, but allow yourself a local treat if there’s something really special you want to try.  

Staying active can also support your mental and physical health while traveling, support regular digestion, and keep you in the mindset of taking care of yourself. Choose travel-friendly workouts that will fit realistically into your schedule.  

If possible, schedule a buffer day between your return from your trip and when you get back into your usual work and life to give yourself a chance to get settled and get set with some healthy meals and some movement.  

Before You Go 

Stock your pantry and freezer with some healthy staples to make it easy to make a few healthy meals when you return, in case you can’t get to the store. I love frozen produce (great for smoothies and things like omelets, soups, or chili), canned fish like tuna or sardines, legume-based pasta, and beans. You can also plan a few workouts you’ll look forward to doing when you get back.   

When You Get Back 

If you’ve been away for a while, and especially if you’ve been crossing time zones, re-entry can feel a little overwhelming, so be gentle with yourself.  

Here’s what I tell my clients to do:  

• Don’t judge yourself. Give yourself some grace and release guilt if you felt like you overdid it on unhealthy foods or didn’t eat enough of the foods that make you feel great while you were away.  
• Prioritize consistency over intensity. Embrace the sustainable healthy habits you can feel good about keeping up with.  
• Hydrate. It’s amazing what consuming adequate fluid can do for your digestion, energy, and mental clarity. Aim for 64 ounces per day of unsweetened, non-caffeinated beverages like water, seltzer, and herbal tea.  
• Go grocery shopping or have groceries delivered so you have what you need to eat nourishing meals and snacks again.  
• Plan and prep some simple meals. A few ideas: smoothies, omelets or egg-and-veggie bites, yogurt or cottage cheese bowls, salads, Buddha bowls, and sheet pan meals that don’t take much fuss to make but into which you can pack lots of nutrients.  
• Take a post-trip vacation from alcohol, sugar, and ultra-processed foods. The goal of this is to feel better and is not meant as a strict punishment or detox.  
• Ease back into movement.  
• Re-establish a healthy sleep routine. This is important for our physical and mental health. Practice good sleep hygiene and, if you’ve been in a different time zone, reacclimate over the course of a few days. 
• Celebrate small wins. Noting progress and positive steps you take does wonders for helping you stay motivated to keep going with healthy habits. Don’t overlook those little victories.  

Make a Plan for Next Time  

 If you have a post-travel experience that just doesn’t feel great, use it as an opportunity to learn about yourself. Consider what you would like to be different the next time you travel and make plans to put in place what you need so you don’t feel like you’re scrambling to figure it out when you return.  

Find nourishment on and off your plate and be empowered to create holistic practices that improve your relationship with food in our Mindful Eating Course.