I don’t know about you, but for me travel is one of the most stressful parts of the holidays!
However, over the last seven years of celebrating Thanksgiving as an honorary American I’ve developed some tips and tricks that ensure I arrive for family time stress free (almost) and ready to celebrate my favorite holiday of the year…
Before You Leave:
Plan your travel as far in advance as possible, and leave home far earlier than you feel you need to! Having a plan can help you feel more agency over your choices and less overwhelmed, and know there will always be more traffic on the roads or delays at the airport than you imagined.
I love to come home to a clean home and a full pantry (we love Thrive Market for all our pantry staples) and refrigerator when we get back from the holidays as it helps me get right back on track with my health and wellness regime and stops the ‘slide’ that can happen if you aren’t prepared. It can be all too easy to order take out if there are dishes in the sink and and nothing quick and healthy to make, so tidy up before you leave, and organize a grocery delivery to be there when you arrive.
To take it to the next level you could even arrange for a cleaning service to come the day before you leave or whilst you are away and cook and freeze something quick and healthy such as a my Hearty Cacao Chili to reheat when you get back from your travels. Or join me in my Smart 2 Day Detox – my science based ‘reset’ that will have you feeling back to your best in just two days!
And on this note, make sure you have scheduled your first workout back after your trip – put it in your calendar and book and pay for it in advance to keep you accountable (for me this is booking my first SLT class back – I’m obsessed with this workout and it has transformed by body)!
A great hosting gift is a must, and I’m loving treating my family and friends to these non-toxic, beautiful essential oil candles from Follain (discount code below). Sorry to spoil the surprise to anyone I am visiting this year, but you are going to love them anyway!
What To Pack To Stay Healthy While Traveling
Whilst I am not an expert at packing a capsule holiday wardrobe (although I am getting much better since I became a member of Rent the Runway – discount code below) I am an expert at packing the tools and gadgets I need to live my healthiest life wherever I lay my head!
Nutrition: I typically pack a blender bottle, my favorite protein powder and a greens powder so I have some clean protein to hand for emergencies (this has saved me more than once when delayed at the airport), and always have on hand some nuts or packets or nut butter, clean jerky, and clean protein bars such as Epic, Bulletproof, RX, Primal Kitchen Foods, Beam CBD Protein Bar and Vital Proteins (again, Thrive Market is a great resource for these).
Supplements: If I am just away from home for a couple of days I travel with just my New Chapter Every Women’s One Daily Multi Vitamin and their Probiotic All-Flora, and my Beam CBD Oil (discount code below) which is wonderful for helping me manage travel and holiday induced stress!
Fitness: at a minimum I packer sneakers, a sports bra and some clothes to run in wherever I go. If you are traveling light you can throw a resistance band into your carry on, or if you are traveling by car you can take your yoga mat too. I also make sure I have my favorite workout apps downloaded on my phone (Peloton and Nike Training Club are my go-to’s) so I can workout anywhere, at any time with just my bodyweight.
Skincare: because I travel a lot for work I always keep a waterproof bag packed with mini versions of my skincare essentials, which makes it easy to throw in my case and go. Follain has a super cute travel pouch full of mini versions of their best sellers which is also a great options!
Stress: in addition to my Beam CBD oil, I always make sure I have an essential oil rollerball (the Tata Harper blends are beautiful and very purse friendly) a meditation app downloaded on my phone, and a great novel on my Kindle for when I need some time to decompress on my own.
Sleep: there is nothing worse than not being able to sleep when traveling, and not feeling rested and revived enjoy the holiday fun, so I always pack my Bucky eye mask and silicone ear plugs when traveling. If we are going somewhere by car I have been know to travel with my Ajna Wellbeing Sleep Induction Mat and Pillow (they now have a travel set which is perfect for this), and Tim cannot leave home with our white noise machine and some spare pillows. I will admit, we are very ‘extra’ about our sleep!
Day of Travel:
Wake up early and workout, even if it is just 30 minutes of movement. Whatever your mode of travel you will be sitting down for extended periods of time, and your body and your mind will thank you for it later in the day.
Have a light and easy to digest breakfast that will keep your blood sugar balanced – any of my Breakfast Smoothie recipes are ideal for this.
Pack your healthy travel snacks as above, and plenty of water if you are traveling by car, or a water bottle with a filter if you are flying (pro-tip: Starbucks water is tripled filtered so fill up there when grabbing your coffee). and wear comfortable clothes to minimize stress (you can always change into your cute holiday outfit when you arrive).
Traveling by car: aim to drive in the daylight if possible, and plan your route, alternative route and convenient rest stops in advance. Share the driving and care of any children in the car, and don’t multi task when driving! Whilst it can seem convenient to catch up on work calls on long drives it can leave you distracted and fatigues which creates unsafe driving conditions. Think ‘desk’ not ‘armchair’ when setting up the drivers seat to help with lumbar support and staying alert, and ensure regular breaks to move and re-energize.
Traveling by air: aim to pack all of your things in a carry on so you can head straight to your destination and whilst it can be tempting to jump into holiday mode the moment you get through security skip the pre-flight drinks and food on the plane (honestly, you and your body deserve better than that) so you arrive feeling light, bright and ready to enjoy the holiday season.
Recommended Products / Services:
Whilst the links below are all companies I work with on an affiliate or commission basis I would never recommend anything I did not use daily myself!
Thrive Market: click to get free shipping and 25% off your first order
Rent the Runway: use my code ‘RTRJENNIFERH’ to save $100 on a 60 day trial
New Chapter: I love New Chapter’s Collagen and Plant Based Protein’s, and always travel with their Women’s Once Daily Multi and Probiotic All-Flora
Beam: use my code ‘jennyh’ to save 15% on all products
Follain: use my code ‘‘ref_jenniferhanway’ to save 15% online or in-store