4 Healthy Summer Vacation Travel Tips For Women In Midlife

Food For Your Soul: Dawn McGee

But I know that for many of you, the summer season will be your big opportunity to travel in 2024. So I want to help you make the most of it! Here are a few tips to help you have a healthy, joy-filled summer vacation.

4 Travel Tips for a Healthier Summer Vacation:

I spent the beginning of June traveling around India. Vacationing is always fun, but I especially love it when I get to travel internationally, seeing new sights and experiencing other cultures. Big travel plans are exciting, and for me, they require a lot of planning.

“Big travel plans are exciting, and for me, they require a lot of planning.”

That doesn’t mean your pre-travel time must be consumed by prepping. Believe it or not, three days before my flight to India, my suitcase was still sitting empty! After all my travels, I’ve developed many tried-and-true systems that streamline my travel preparations. And I’m excited to share some of my travel tips with you!

1. Pack PFC (Protein, Fat, Carb) Travel Snacks:

Whether a short trip or an epic journey, being prepared with food is crucial. Have you ever been stuck on a delayed flight, feeling ravenous? It’s no fun. That’s why I always pack more food than I think I’ll need.

Here’s my go-to travel snack pack:

• Insulated Cooler Bag: I have an envelope-shaped, insulated bag that keeps my snacks fresh. This little gem fits perfectly in my backpack alongside my laptop.
• Powdered Shake Mix and Collagen Packs: Easy to mix with water for a quick PFC meal.
• Peppermint Tea Bags: Perfect for a calming bedtime routine.
• Beef Jerky: I love trying new flavors, but Epic brand is my favorite.
• PFC Bars: Convenient, satiating and always PFC friendly.
  

  “Long flights are tough on your body, so I stretch and move regularly.”

2. Move:

Movement is just as important as nutrition when traveling. Long flights are tough on your body, so I stretch and move regularly. Stand up, walk the aisles, and stretch as often as you can. But even when you’re required to stay seated, you can still move your body! Stretch your arms and legs (without encroaching on your neighbor’s space), or wiggle your fingers and toes to keep them from getting stiff. 

I love to pack exercise bands with me – they don’t take up much space and they allow me to sneak in a workout no matter my environment. Once you arrive at your destination, incorporate some exercise into your daily routine. This will help you feel your best every day! This is one of my top healthy summer vacation travel tips, by the way.

3. Rest & Recharge:

Rest can be the x-factor that makes or breaks your vacation! If you’re tired, you won’t enjoy your planned activities. Exhaustion can also lower your immune system and leave you feeling under the weather. Get intentional about incorporating rest time into your vacation plans. Schedule naps. Plan for the right amount of sleep for you each night. And most importantly: listen to your body!

If you have a big time zone shift, those first couple of nights may be a challenge. My suggestion – stick to your regular nighttime routine, don’t worry about what time it is at home, and do your best to acclimate as quickly as possible.

Rest is super important while you are traveling to your destination too. On long plane trips, I nap as much as I can! This helps me to arrive feeling good and ready to dive into my vacation itinerary.

4. Choose The Right Wardrobe:

The wrong wardrobe can disrupt your vacation plans, leaving you stressed and frustrated. It can even affect your health! If you pack warm clothes for your summer vacation, you are much more likely to overheat. And if you pack the wrong shoes, you could end the day with sore feet (or an injury). This is why I take great care in selecting outfits tailored to both the weather and planned activities. Whether attending business meetings or lounging by the pool, I pack versatile pieces that can take me anywhere, so I don’t have to pack more than one outfit per day.

” I pack my outfits so that the ones I’ll need first are at the top.”

Packing techniques make a big difference. I’ve mastered the art of rolling my clothes–a simple, effective trick that saves space and minimizes the need for ironing. I pack my outfits so that the ones I’ll need first are at the top. That way I don’t have to unpack everything. Not sure if you’ll remember what you planned to wear each day? Worried that you’ll be too jet lagged to even think about it? Ditto. I create a list in Microsoft ToDo that lists out my planned outfits. Seem a bit too over-planned? Maybe it is. But this takes the pressure off so I don’t stress over my wardrobe, I just get to enjoy.

Healthy Summer Vacation Travel Tips Lets You Be Flexible:

I spend a lot of time planning before each vacation so that I can enjoy every moment of the trip. For me, it’s worth it. But no matter how much preparation you do in advance, inevitably, something won’t go according to plan. And that’s okay! It’s good to have a plan, and it’s important to stay flexible when things change. Embrace the unknown, and allow that to also be a part of your adventure.

And most of all, have fun!

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