Claudette Rickett Schwartz understands that staying healthy while traveling is always a tricky situation. After all, you want to try out some delicious meals you’ve never eaten before: who wouldn’t? But if you’re worried about falling off your weight-loss horse during a vacation, it’s critical to follow the suggestions below. These come from reliable sources like Novan Health and Clean Plates and can ensure that readers stop the battle of the bulge in its tracks.

Try to Find Mom-and-Pop Restaurants 

When you’re traveling, the biggest dangers to your health will be huge portion sizes and unhealthy processed ingredients common in many major restaurants. Thankfully, smaller shops (typically those run by a family) usually have fresh ingredients and serve reasonable portion sizes. Most even let you adjust the portion size, if you like, to cut down even further. 

Avoid Snacking Between Meals 

We know that there are a lot of great snacks to try out in different areas while you’re traveling and that it’ll be tempting to splurge a little when you get the chance. However, it’s best to stick to meal times to avoid overeating. Carefully watch your portion sizes, turn down things like extra portions, and avoid buffets like the plague. Doing so will ensure you stay healthy. 

Stick to Healthier Foods 

There’s always a temptation to eat as wildly and off the hook as possible while traveling. However, you can still have delicious meals with healthy ingredients! Lean proteins, fruits, whole grains, vegetables, and delicious high-fiber and high-protein snacks, like nuts and hard-boiled eggs, are not only tasty but very healthy. In this way, you can stay healthy and avoid overeating.

Enjoy Your Food 

Here’s a trick that the French use to avoid overeating: slowly chewing food into very small segments. The goal is to break everything down as much as possible because it stores better in your stomach and satisfies your hunger faster. Just as importantly, it fully brings out the flavors and provides a far more enjoyable meal. Add a little water to break it down and stay hydrated. 

Read Menus Very Carefully

In some areas, you might not get a lot of information about calories in your meals in restaurants. However, you should still read them carefully to gauge a typical calorie/nutrient count. You can even get out your phone and search for similar meals. While it might not be a one-to-one comparison, it can at least give you an idea of what to expect from a specific dish.

Staying Healthy While Eating Well 

By keeping these tips in mind, travelers can eat delicious meals without watching their waistlines grow larger and larger. Even better, most of these simple suggestions actually save money by giving them the opportunity to make food in their hotel or Airbnb rather than going out constantly to eat. Those benefits are huge for anybody trying to save a little extra cash.