A Sunflower in Seattle: Staying Healthy While Traveling For Work

Hello!

Mini-Fridge

I am currently staying in Northern California for a couple weeks while I work at our San Fransisco location. Traveling is one of my favorite parts of the job. Although, it can sometimes be tricky to establish good health while I'm living in a hotel and working the night shift.

What is good health? Since being diagnosed with PCOS, I do my best to follow a diet that features wholesome foods with low glycemic levels. I feel that this style of eating is the best choice for everyone, even those without diabetes or imbalances.

Here are some tricks I've learned:

1. Drink plenty of water.

As your body moves out of it's normal routine, make sure that you are staying hydrated and giving your body enough water to digest foods and feel healthy. I always make sure that I either bring a water bottle with me or purchase bottled water from the store.

2. Find a grocery store.

This is my main priority while traveling for work. On this trip I started researching where the closest grocery store was as soon as I stepped off the plane. I always purchase plenty of fruits and snacks that will be helpful if I find myself hungry without a healthy option. I will also purchase easy to make meals that I can bring to work with me.

Examples of my grocery list include: nuts, peanut butter, bread, apples, berries, canned soup, luncheon meat, string cheese, microwaveable oatmeal, crackers and hummus.

3. Have a plan for exercise.

I always look for a nearby park or make sure to book a hotel that has a fitness center. Staying consistent with exercise always makes me feel better and ready to take on a new challenge. I also LOVE the app, SworkIt. It features easy-to-follow workout routines for whatever you are looking to exercise and for whatever duration you want your workout to last.

Better yet, I've been lucky enough to travel to really cool places that have a lot of outdoor activities. For example, I took a day trip to Joshua Tree for some hiking while I worked in our LA site. I plan to head into San Fransisco this weekend to explore the big redwoods or take a trip to Yosemite.

4. Have a back up plan for meals.

Fast food is always so tempting after a long day at work, especially if you are not at home with a kitchen. I try to become knowledgeable of the restaurants around me and find an option that offers a healthy alternative if I need a meal and don't have time to shop. My favorite fast food spot is chipotle. I love that I can create a bowl of meat, brown rice and veggies.

While I went driving to find a grocery store today I came upon a bunch of farmland. It made me feel so happy and made me miss my Florida home. I drove by farms of cows and sunflowers while singing along to Mumford and Sons. It was such a happy moment and I smiled so big!