When we were prepping for our move to Barcelona I was really excited. But I was also really nervous. And not just about living in a city where I didn’t know a single person or the language. I was nervous about the food.
I’ll be the first to admit it’s a little silly, but it’s the honest truth. As a creature of habit, I know my Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods weekly grocery lists by heart. I love to cook healthy meals at home and know how to order healthy meals when out. I know which almond milk has no added sugar and which paleo granola is the best. Moving abroad takes you out of your comfort zone in a million ways, and the eating habits was one I was pretty stressed about.
The first few weeks in Barcelona were a blur of pan con tomate (a speciality here, bread rubbed with garlic and fresh tomato) and patatas bravas. We were eating out often and enjoying our new lives as expats. But as you can image, after a couple of weeks the real world kicked back in and I was ready to find my healthy habits on this new turf.
It’s been a struggle and a learning experience. I’m pretty happy with where I’m now at in the journey. I know how to navigate the grocery stores, select veggies from the local market and use my European oven. Ok, confession: I use one oven setting for every single thing I make and somehow it always works out fine! Oh and also sometimes I resort to pointing at vegetables I want because I don’t know how to say it in Spanish. But let’s just say I get by.
Before I dive into my tips, let me first say that this isn’t a post on how not to gain weight on vacation. Because let’s be real, vacations are meant to be enjoyed. Eating off your routine for a week won’t ruin your life your body, just like eating salad for one week won’t suddenly put you at your goal weight for eternity. What this is about is feeling good while traveling. Living abroad for a few months has taught me that it’s possible to feel balanced and energized if you make the right choices. Traveling takes you away from routine and can sometimes result in feeling like garbage.
For me, too many carbs, too much sugar, too much alcohol and I feel sluggish, bloated and have less energy to feel good while exploring. The last thing I want on vacation is to not feel good. Do you agree?
If you want to enjoy your vacation, feel great and have the energy to walk all over Europe, here are my tips for you.
Skip the airplane food
This is before you’ve even entered your destination country, but we might as well start at the very beginning. For some reason, airplane food is tempting. It’s free, it’s right in front of you, and you’re bored. So why not eat? How about because that food is nasty! I’m guilty of diving into some mystery meat with a side of white rice too. And ya know what? I feel horrible afterwards. The rest of the flight sucks and I swear jet lag hits harder as your body tries to digest whatever you ate in the air. Instead, buy a somewhat healthier alternative at the airport, pack a meal from home or snack on an RXbar. Or simply wait it out; skip eating on the plane and chug water. Start your vacation eating habits on the right foot.
Balance Your Water & Wine Intake
Wine in Europe is hella cheap, I’m talking 3 bucks a glass for a decent red. On the other hand, water can be quite expensive! I’m talking 3 bucks for a tiny bottle at a restaurant (depending on where you are, free water with meals isn’t a given). If you like to drink, of course order that copa de vino (how’s that for some Spanish for ya?). But also drink some water. Come prepared to meals with a reusable water bottle. As a goal, try to drink more water than you would at home. On a European vacation you’re likely moving around more, walking, perhaps out in the sun, perhaps indulging in saltier food and more wine. To balance it all out, up your H2O intake as well.
Eat Some of the Bread, Don’t Eat All the Bread
I get it, you’re in France and every street smells like fresh baked bread. Eat some of it! But don’t eat all of it. Only indulge in the most delicious fresh breads, not the stale basic bread served at the beginning of some meals. Again, just because it’s there, doesn’t mean you want to eat it. Some of the bread is totally worth having, but skip on the less than exciting rolls.
Use MyFitnessPal & Google Translate
This is a trick I learned while trying to navigate the Spanish grocery stores. I still don’t totally understand energy and kj’s on the label. Instead of relying on my beginner Spanish and pathetic math and conversion skills, I scan the labels with my MyFitnessPal app (I use the free version). The app will give you the macro breakdown (grams of carbs, fat and protein) and calories.
If you want to decode the ingredient list, use the Google Translate app. Once in the app, select the camera icon and place your phone over the ingredient list. Instant translation!
Eat Local & Seasonal
You’re in a new country, take advantage of all the new things to experience, especially the food scene. Find out what the local delicacies are, what’s in season and what restaurants are known for. Those are the things to splurge on. If you are super into health and wellness (you’re reading this blog, so my guess is yes?), then I suggest exploring the local wellness scene. This has been one of my favorite things to do while traveling. Seeing how different countries do healthy is so interesting. I’m loving the acai bowls in Barcelona, I had great avocado toast in Amsterdam and my avocado smoothie from Marrakech was top notch.
Explore the Markets & Grocery Stores
If you want to feel like a real local, shop around the markets. Whenever I’m in a city with a well known market, I always make a visit. You can see what locals eat, buy fresh fruit to snack on throughout your trip and hopefully even try something new (recently I tried a chirimoya and it was pretty good!). And if you like grocery stores, it’s kind of fun to wander through to see how they compare to what you’re used to at home. I’ve discovered European snack bars (favorites are Roo’Bars & Nakd Bars), a variety of oat and nut milks (currently on a hazelnut milk kick) and local dried fruits. And again, refer to my MyFitnessPal and Google Translate noted above as you try to decipher labels abroad.
Stash Snacks
My husband is a really great travel partner. We’ve driven across the entire US together and successfully picked up our lives and moved to Europe. As wonderful of a travel partner as he is, he gets hangry, and it’s not fun. Does this happen to you? I’ve learned from our past mistakes. Whenever I can hear some attitude sneaking into his tone I ask if he’s hungry and hand him a Larabar or RXbar from my bag. I always travel with snacks in my bag and it’s usually my husband that ends up eating them.
Hanger can ruin a perfectly good travel day. Stay ahead of it with healthy snacks on hand at all times. European travel can mean long waits at the airport, days of walking 20,000 steps, or hours spent at a museum (well, I’ve never spent more than an hour at a museum, but I imagine other people do). Be prepared so you don’t end up grabbing some crappy candy bar just to get through the day.
(don’t forget to “drink local”, try all the matcha lattes, feel great, have the energy to explore!)
Traveling abroad can throw some real challenges your way. Be prepared in the food department to eat the best of the best and to also feel your absolute best when traveling.
How do you keep yourself feeling good while traveling internationally? Would love to hear your tips below!
