Traveling is incredibly good for us. It can help us escape the worries of normal life and really clear our mind of the stresses that we carry around with us. The problem with traveling, however, is that no matter how much it benefits our mental health, there is usually a compromise when it comes to our physical well-being. Many of us see traveling as an excuse to overeat, to cut back on our usual fitness routine and to just let go of our physical health. If you are going away to try to improve your mental health, do you really want your physical health to suffer? Of course not, you want to come back feeling reinvigorated both mentally and physically – healthy travel should be a must for everyone.

Read our 5 tips for staying in good shape while traveling and find out exactly how to come back feeling great.

1. Healthy snacks only

We know it’s tempting. When you travel to a foreign land, there is so much new and delicious food to try, and some of us make an effort to try it all. It’s also easy when traveling, to lose track of our schedule when it comes to meals, leading to lots of snacking or just eating whenever we fancy. This can play havoc on our waistlines and jeopardize our physical health. It is important that you enjoy yourself when on holiday and that you do try those new foods, just in moderation. Perhaps you should try to limit snacking between meals as much as possible and if you do eat snacks, try to make them healthy ones.

2. Jog on the beach

Traveling doesn’t mean that you have to completely let go of your fitness routine. In fact, it should open up new opportunities to participate in something different. Let’s face it, most of us won’t get the chance to jog along the beach as part of our everyday routine. So why not take full advantage and make time to enjoy a run across the sand in the evening once it gets cooler and the beach is quieter? Or take in a yoga session? Trust us, you’ll love it.

3. Don’t always opt for transport

Walking is one of the best things that you can do when traveling. It not only keeps you active and burning calories, but it also allows you to see so much more of your destination. If you want to enjoy healthy travel, you should walk as much as you can. Wherever possible, forgo any transport on offer and walk to your destination instead. You will save some money, and your waistline will be eternally grateful.

4. Rent a bike and go exploring

If walking isn’t your thing, you could always consider renting a bike. These days, many cities have some sort of bicycle sharing scheme that allows you to hire bikes and leave them at various points throughout the city once you have reached your destination. If you aren’t visiting a city and want to travel further afield, you could always hire a bike and go exploring the region that you are in. Bike riding is certainly a healthy way to explore, and you will love taking in all the different views that your destination has to offer. It will be good for the soul as well as for your physical health.

5. Pack a first aid kit as well as your medication

Looking after your physical health doesn’t always involve exercise, it’s also about making sure that you truly take care of yourself. This might mean being prepared in case of an emergency, or just making sure that you’ve packed everything you need to maintain your health. If you take prescription medication, make sure that you have enough of a supply to keep you going throughout your travels. Nothing could jeopardize your health more than not having the medication that you need. You should also make sure that you pack a fully stocked first aid kit in case of emergency. This can help you protect your health as a first response should something go wrong. Taking care of yourself is always paramount, never more so than when you are traveling.