How To Feel Truly Vital & Vibrant While Travelling

Sep 17, 2023

Whether you travel away regularly for work, head away on weekends trips, taking off for a family vacay for a week or two, staying with relatives over Christmas, or jetting off on a long-haul overseas trip…it IS possible to maintain good health and vitality doing so. All while having the BEST time of course.

After years and years of perfecting my travel to maintain energy, good digestion and avoid the dreaded weight gain, I am pretty excited to share this blog post with you.

Gone are the days where I don’t fit into the jeans I started the trip off in or coming home feeling super bloated, sluggish and heavy. And you can now say goodbye to those days too!

For me, the healthier I feel the more FUN I have. So I ensure I am well prepared, well packed and well stocked up while on holidays.

I recently came back from a family vacation to the beach and while I sipped cocktails most nights, ate out more times than we could count and was away from my homely comforts…I returned home feeling incredibly vital and HAPPY. Honestly, my heart is still beaming with gratitude. Hands down one of the bests trips yet!

If you desire to feel the same, store this blog post away in your phone or print it out and throw it inside your suitcase before your next trip…it’s PACKED (pardon the pun) with soo many handy tips and tricks you’ll want to reference over and over again.

I will run you through the lead up, the packing stage, once you’re at your destination, navigating each day and some things I like to do straight away once back home.

Without further ado, let’s dive in (with a vacay cocktail in hand)!

*note: this information is based on a recent week long holiday to Queensland (so warm weather location). But this information is based on years of trial and error and experimenting while going on weekends away, longer and shorter travel etc so can be easily adaptable to your situation. Any questions of advice, feel free to reach out to me at @hayley_morcom on Instagram.

BEFORE YOU LEAVE

CREATE A VISION:

In the weeks (at least a month) leading up to a trip I always feel a surge of newfound motivation to feel my very best. I envision how I want to feel in my mind and body the morning of the trip, waking up excited for what’s to come. This also means feeling in the best physical shape possible. So I’ll start cutting back on a few things like alcohol, sugar and extra snacks.It was especially handy in the lead up to this particular trip as I am currently participating in our very own Metamorphosis Method program alongside our clients (head here to join our signature results-driven program in the lead up to your travel), so I was around 5 weeks in before heading away I was feeling my most lean yet! I was down around 4kg with extra lean muscle mass. Honestly I felt incredible (and still do).

I journaled a lot (head here to learn how to create a life of your dreams through effective journaling). I also added in a few infrared saunas, Epsom salt baths, more yoga stretching at night before bed (to increase my muscle tone) and got a few extra walks in, in the lead up. Heading away feeling your best also allows for a bit more relaxation while you’re away which won’t have as much impact if you do jump up on the scales a bit.

ACCOMODATION:

When booking our accommodation we checked the location and made sure everything was within walking distance as we only had a hire car for 2 days during our stay. We stayed at 2 different places and both was just over 1km walk to the nearest strip of shops, supermarket etc. This ensured we would get our daily steps in to keep those holiday indulgences digesting through our system! We also had a tennis court and sauna at our first resort, bonus! (extra points if your accommodation has a gym, another handy tip to check when booking).

Hayley’s pre-travel action plan:

Start prepping about month or so out from your trip.
Reign in your alcohol (those cocktails will taste oh-so much tastier when away), processed sugar, gluten and any extra snacking.
Up your water intake!
Keep your holiday vision in the back of your mind to keep you motivated (better yet create a holiday vision board to keep you motivated).
Track your nutrition or jump into a program prior-to to amplify feeling your tip-top best beforehand. (head here to jump into our kick butt one).
Have a plan of how you are going to move while away – run, morning walks, yoga, workouts in your accommodation – set anything up in your phone so you can easily access it (I had a yoga link ready to go which i'll share below and I was logged into my workout library ready to hit play once there).

LET’S PACK!

Packing the essentials to support good health while you’re away is the BIGGEST game changer! Here’s my go-to list of things I’ll pop inside either my carry-on or checked-baggage (or will buy anything else while we’re there, see below for shopping list).

Hayley’s go-to packing list:

Journal
Inspiring/uplifting book
Tongue scraper
Dry body brush
Red light reading lamp
Blue blocking glasses for night
Sleeping mask (block out any lights in your room)
Magnesium spray for pre-sleep
Small stainless-steel containers for greens powder, protein powder, natural pre-workout (enough supply for whole trip)
Supplement travel container (enough supply for whole trip)
Healthy snacks/chocolate (I love the brands Tropeaka, Judy’s Organics, LocoLove etc)
Stainless-steel Hydro Flask bottle for easy re-fills while out and about
Herbal teas (in individual wrappers)
Natural perfume (I love DoTerra)
Organic Hand Sanitiser
Natural tinted SPF40 face cream (I love the brand MooGoo)
Low-tox travel skincare and beauty products (face masks are a must!)
Resistance tube/band/light ankle weights for easy workouts
Runners and activewear! (I only pack 1-2 sets and wash while away)

WHEN YOU ARRIVE

When we arrived we checked out all the amenities, had a look at the fridge and pantry to see what was supplied and headed off to the supermarket to stock up. Both places had a full fridge, oven and pantry etc which was super handy.

I noticed a supplement store right next to the supermarket so I popped my head in and grabbed a small bag of Happy Way protein (cookie flavour as I knew I was just having it with water so had to be yummy) and a handful of clean protein bars to pop in my cross over bag each day.

Hayley’s go-to travel supermarket shopping list:

Small bottle olive oil
Kefir
Lemons
Avocado
Spinach
Eggs
Free range/organic Chicken
Packet coleslaw
Sweet potatoes
Blueberries
Apples
Kiwi fruit
Organic rice cakes or crackers
Protein
Protein bars (minimal ingredients)
Organic chocolate
Kids healthy snacks
Mineral water
Organic herbal tea

We also went to a shopping centre nearby to pick up a few things we didn’t have (like hats, clothes etc) and while I was there I picked up a soft pair of 1kg hand weights at Kmart (these ones only because these ones were sold out - they are more travel friendly and versatile) which had a handy handle on them I cleverly slid over my foot and used as ankle weights. They were $5! I had planned to just throw them out before coming home but we actually managed to fit them in our bag on the last day. Bonus.

HANDY TIP:

Jump onto Uber Eats or your favourite food delivery service and hit the ‘healthy’ category. This is a great way to spot all the local nearby healthy cafes/restaurants. Either then go visit them throughout your trip or put your feet up and get them delivered.

Some favourite kind of places we discovered nearby:

Build your own Acai bowl place (be careful not to order too many extras!)
Nourishing warm bowls with grilled salmon/chicken, rice and veggies
Poke bowls
Sushi/Sashimi
Rice paper rolls
Fresh Thai
Healthy burgers

YOUR DAILY FUNDAMENTALS

Good sleep, meditation, journaling, working out, watching the sunrise/sunset, running, sauna, playing tennis, jumping into the ocean, goin on a solo morning walk…whatever you have access to, do it! Also, look for ways to connect with nature as much as possible to aid in your mental health. Make a list of things you wish to do and try to tick off at least 3 things to do each day that your mind & body will thank you for later.

MOVE! We moved A LOT. Pippa (daughter) included. There was so much to see and do to keep her mind off the fact we were moving so much.

For us it was walking! Holy moly did we cover some ground while away. We racked up on average between 15,000 to 25,000 steps per day – walking from our accommodation to the shops and back multiple times a day, to the beach, going on rainforest walks, exploring theme parks, aquarium, zoos etc…we were zonked each night and were in bed by 8.30pm…we also naturally rose at 4.30am most mornings! Ahh the beach life hey.

A few active family activities we did included:

Playing tennis.

Walking along the beach.

Going for a beach swim.

Hiring bikes for half the day.

Walking around the zoo, aquarium, theme parks etc.

Hayley’s go-to travel routine:

Wake early (4.30/5am naturally), tongue scrape and watch the sunrise while stretching/yoga (around 5-10 minutes).
Grab my lemon water and sip while journaling/meditation (still watching the sunrise at times).
Have a few gulps of Kefir (I don’t travel with my fridge probiotics so grab this instead).
If working out, have pre-workout.
Slide into workout gear and press play on my workout on my phone. I used hotel towels/beach towels as a mat and hand/ankle weights I purchased at the shops. I did this most mornings as I felt set for the day afterwards – endorphin hit first thing!
Had protein shake with just protein powder and water as well as greens powder with water (separately).
Head out on a morning walk or short run and grabbed coffees on the way back.
Cooked breakfast: 2 scrambled eggs, ½ avocado and wilted spinach and ate on the balcony.
Shower time! Dry body brush and finished off the shower on cold for 2-minutes. Felt invigorated afterwards!
Self-body massage with beautiful natural body oil (smells amazing!).
Applied sunscreen and got ready for the day feeling incredible.
Pack protein bar and fruit/snacks in day bag.
HAVE FUN, BE IN THE PRESENT MOMENT! MAKE MEMORIES. GET KISSED BY THE SUN.
Drink plenty of water, re-filling my stainless-steel drink bottle as we went along.
Night: sometimes I’d add in a sauna if time/parenting allowed, watched the sunset and always finish off the night pre-bed with 5-10 minutes of yoga. I love this one on YouTube which is targeted at holiday digestion (helps you easily drift off to sleep too!).

STAYING ON TRACK

Hayley’s tips for eating out:

Most café’s serve barista milks (non-dairy alternatives) which have added nasty oils and fillers. They are also super yummy and should be enjoyed and sipped slowly without guilt. So I’ll always stick to one large strong oat milk latte each morning.
Look for words on the menu like ‘grilled’, ‘steamed’, ‘baked’ and avoid ‘fried’, ‘battered’, ‘tempura’ and ‘creamy’.
When ordering pasta look for dishes with tomato bases instead of cream. And order the gluten free option.
I love a good seafood risotto so I ordered this dish a few times and asked them to replace the cream with Napoli sauce.
I’ll always look for high protein dishes (fresh seafood or chicken) with plenty of veggies or salad and start eating the protein first to fill up.
Always, always I’ll order gluten free to ensure my tummy is kept happy and inflammation is kept at bay. That’s always a non-negotiable.
Alcohol: if alcohol is your thing look for quality and clean ingredients, ie cocktails that aren’t laden with syrups/sugar etc. When ordering cocktails I’ll spot the ones with minimal ingredients and natural flavourings like citrus etc.
When ordering wine, its almost impossible to find an organic one out these days (for some reason) so I’ll just pop my preservative diluting spray/drops in my bag and pop a few drops in at the table (reduces your headache/hangover too).
Breakfast: I’ll usually select items from the ‘make your own’ section and do 2-3 poached eggs (not scrambled while out as they add oils and milk etc, I leave the scrambled to at-home) with spinach, avocado and sometimes gluten-free toast.
Smoothies: be mindful of ordering smoothies as a side with your meals as these are sometimes big enough to have as meals themselves. I’ll usually grab a delicious smoothie for either breakfast or lunch and enjoy it on its own. More room later for snacks/wine/cocktails etc!
Dessert: alcohol OR dessert, never both (unless you REALLY feel like it and its good dessert and drinks then by all means relax and enjoy every bite!). I usually see my cocktail/wine as dessert as the meal out in itself is also an indulgence.
Unsubscribe from the ‘Clean Plate Club’: most dishes are designed for men and to entice customers to return because most people see a good meal as also being a ‘good size’. Eat slowly, mindfully and stop when you’re about 80% full.
Sideline your extras: politely order your extras like toppings, dressings, sauces etc on the side and have control of popping them on yourself. While you're at it and if you feel like it's the right setting, ask if they cook with olive oil.
Taste everything eat nothing: how great do the first few bites of something taste...incredible right!? What about by your 56th spoonful/forkful of something? Not as great right? And by then you are usually mindlessly eating and just finishing it off just because its in front of you. Try just tasting everything but not actually consuming a lot. A few bites of a (shared) dessert, ice cream, a side dish etc. Eat mindfully taking in all the flavours, dabble in the experience and fun of it but stop, then move on. It's not restriction or deprivation, its learning to have things in small amounts, tune into your satiety cues and know when you've had enough. It's a skill in itself! (the gorging and overeating is usually stemmed from a lack or scarcity mentality somewhere along your life, most likely in your childhood).

THE THINGS YOU CAN SURRENDER TO:

Oils! My gosh, a someone who only uses olive and coconut oil, I could always taste the oil in my mouth well after finishing our meals out. To keep costs down, most restaurants use highly processed and cheap oils. Unfortunately, this is un-avoidable and something you just have to be ok with. That’s why I keep to 1 (delicious) coffee per day and dishes that don’t overdo the oil (poached over scrambled eggs, fresh spinach over wilted), smoothies for lunch over cooked meals and kept the indulgences to dinner.

ONCE YOU’RE BACK HOME

Straight back into the clean stuff baby! Stock that fridge and pantry back up with all the good stuff, keep your routine up and drink lots of water! And keep that extra movement going into your lifestyle back home.

You might find you'll still crave the sweets and extra foods on the first few days back home as you've just become accustomed to more decadent food so be kind to yourself and allow a few extra snacks here and there while you re-adapt to home life.

I choose to have a detox from alcohol a fews post holiday/travel to get my gut balanced again.

Journal about the holiday and find gratitude in all the big and small memories you’ve just created.

Soak in the joy, the gratitude and your sun kissed skin.

BONUS TIP:

Go offline! To add to the rejuvenation benefits of the holiday I decided to do an online detox while away (with a few little exceptions here and there). Before jumping on the flight I turned off all my notifications for email/Instagram/Facebook and work DMs. I kept snapchat on and text messages/phone calls as I communicated with family through these avenues. I also dragged the Instagram/Facebook/email apps (most used) to the back page off my phone and set the home screen wallpaper to a calming purple colour. It was soo refreshing to look at a blank screen when picking up my phone. We are creatures of habit so every time my thumb went to hit the icon without thinking and it wasn’t there, it soon jolted me out of this habit and reminded me to stay off it (a physical pattern breaker which took days to get used to I must admit!). And even now back home, they are currently still on the last page so I have to scroll across to get to them giving me enough time to question what I need to do while using these apps and quickly get back off them again. I have also left a lot of the notifications off, it has been working wonders for my mental health.

I should also mention I went up on the scales about 1.5kg due to the daily cocktails, different food, oils etc, which didn't bother me one bit! (and could have been MUCH worse If I didn't follow the above). I was super relaxed and happy and so content within myself. 4 days since arriving back home and being straight back into MM (even though I was still technically still following it while I was away, because we believe in balance and fun!), it has dropped off again.

There you have it! The biggest thing to remember is doing your best with what you have got and keeping everything balanced and in moderation. And surrender to the rest - ENJOY every moment of your trip.

I’d love to know what you got most out of this post – it helps me know what to keep sharing with you.

Reach out on Instagram or Facebook or pop me an email [email protected] I’d love to hear from you.

Need more support to feeling your very best?

I have many resources and services available – check them out in the store here.

P.S Are you ready to get into the best shape possible before heading away on your next travel experience? (and continue to get support remotely while you're away?), Metamorphosis Method is THE superior results-driven health program you NEED in your corner - it's also our wish it'll be the last program you ever need.

Head here to learn more and book into your free no-obligation Game Plan Call.