Tips, Tricks, and Tools for Health on the Road, Part 3: The Suitcase Edition

Hey there gorgeous!

We are jumping into our suitcases today for a look at what to pack for the holidays to keep your wellness routine flowing so smoothly it will feel like you never left home. Or, even better, like you left for a wellness retreat!

I love to look at even a short weekend getaway – even to somewhere familiar like my parents’ house – as a little wellness retreat. It’s taking me out of my norm, away from little household chores and tasks, there’s fresh scenery, new activities, and probably a slightly different schedule. So I try to ask myself, how can I use this as a little healthy break?

As I’ll discuss more next week, I think we often go into holidays with a ‘gluttony mentality’ – more or less consciously planning, with excitement or resigned despair, to overeat, under-workout, sloppily rest, and come out of the celebration with more weight, more fatigue, and a general sense of having let ourselves down.

Ouch! That does not sound fun at all!

Or there’s the flipside: where we look forward to the excuse to overeat unhealthy foods with an anticipation that borders on lust for food. We look forward to the eating more than we do the reason for and meaning behind the celebration in the first place.

I think this is such a shame. And so I personally took a stand and declared several years ago that my holidays were going to be quite different – both when I hosted them and when I attended or visited others as a guest for holiday parties.

I see these holiday visits now as getaways. I have shifted my focus to other aspects of the holiday to celebrate – including delicious foods that are special and festive but still support my health – and I have a feast mentality rather than a gluttony mentality.

I’ll explain more about how to live this out ‘on the ground’ when you arrive at the holiday venue in the next two posts, but for now, let’s talk about what you need to take to be prepared for it!

So, without further ado, let’s jump in! Here is what I always make sure to bring for holiday getaways:

1. A travel scale. This is a personal choice. Many people are not comfortable with weighing themselves daily as part of maintaining a healthy, balanced, and affirming mindset toward their body. And that is totally fine!

I personally prefer to carry this baby scale by Newline around with me everywhere, because just a few days of unawareness can lead to some big surprises when I come home! This little guy is super cute, super light, and super slim, and comes in several bright colors with a case available separately.

2. Filtering water bottle. Yup, it’s our water bottle friend again! Whether you bring it for your morning walks, or grab it before the whole family jumps in the car for a mini-trip to visit aunts and uncles, having a way to hydrate wherever you go, whenever you need to, is priceless. Drinking enough water will keep you from snacking on food you don’t need, or having to choose between soda and fruit punch when water isn’t available (been there, learned from that!)

3. Basic vitamins. I always bring the essentials so I have what I need on hand. Vitamin C, a multi vitamin, and a pre-workout mix of Fish oil, green tea extract, acetyl L-carnitine, and alpha-lipoic acid.

4. Foldable travel workout mat. It is such a joy to have my mat with me! Often if I have the space or a room to myself, I will go ahead and lay it out as soon as I get there, so it’s always ready and invites me to drop into a plank or a great stretch at any point in the day. Just having it out focuses me back on a wellness mentality – particularly because it’s a bright, calming aqua color!

5. Workout clothes. Don’t forget this one! Know the weather forecast for wherever you’re going, and bring what you need for a walk outside. If you’re really tight on space, wear your workout shoes on the plane and just pack a tank or t-shirt and little shorts that you can stretch inside in. You can always go for a walk in your jeans, and throw your normal coat over your tank. Having an outfit ready to go will make you so much more inspired to move when you get there – it would be a waste of space to take that outfit and then not wear it, right?!

6. Sleeping helpers. I keep a little ziplock bag with several eye masks and lots of earplugs in a pocket of my suitcase, and a bottle of lavender essential oil in my toiletry bag. Then I make sure to restock my carry-on with a few chamomile tea bags, and when I get to my destination, all I have to worry about is figuring out how to get my sleeping room dark, quiet, and cold.

7. Journal or book to catch up on and the Bible. No matter how hectic the holidays may seem, chances are excellent that there will be a little downtime here and there. Bring something you’d love the luxury of getting to spend some extra time doing, and take a little time to yourself.

8. Cute clothes, make-up, and jewelry. Believe it or not, one of my biggest tricks for maintaining wellness over the holidays is to make my outfit and look a little extra festive. Finding my joy and putting my energy into getting all dressed up gives me something to focus on for fun and excitement other than food. Plus, when I look my best, it’s so much easier to keep my self-esteem and my awareness that I deserve good care high, and it’s much harder to slip into that ‘well, I may as well overeat since I’m such a slob at life anyway’ trap. Yikes!

Since I’m usually gone for several days when I travel for the holidays, I make sure to bring a cute little outfit for each day that’s appropriate for whatever we are likely to do. This may sound silly and even superficial, but feeling attractive, festive and put-together can make a huge difference in how you care for yourself.

Plus, the party prep days and the ‘time for leftovers’ days are just as dangerous for sloppy eating if we sink into that stressed or post-party malaise. So extend the party and keep yourself looking and feeling fun and festive before and after the big day as well!

9. A little hostess gift, even if the host is your mom! This is another great way to focus your joy and energy on a much more fulfilling aspect of the holiday. Gifting a little package of holiday tea or coffee or a scented natural hand lotion can bring you as much delight as it will bring her!

10. All the healthy snacks you might need, for worst case scenario prep! I stock up on all the Stevia chocolate, Cocoroons, and clean energy bars I can foresee wanting or needing for each day I’m gone. Throw a few extras in for curious family members who might want to try them as well!

11. Clay and digestion aids. When there is going to be a lot of potentially unusual foods whose preparation I am not in control of, I make sure to bring some oregano pills and clay to keep my digestion happy and healthy. Oregano is an herb known for helping to kill bad bacteria, and Bentonite clay is fabulous for absorbing toxins safely.

Alright, love! Go start getting your bag organized – packing over the space of a week or a few days can help to ensure you don’t forget anything! 🙂

Love and Freedom, and see you next week,

Jackie