No matter where you are in your intuitive eating (IE) journey, traveling can bring new challenges and anxieties into the mix! Getting outside your usual routine is an opportunity to fine tune your IE skills and learn more about yourself.

First, it might be helpful to review your attunement disruptors. What are the things that make it harder for you to tune into what your body is telling you? Some common ones are; stress, exhaustion, over exercise, increased caffeine or alcohol intake, illness and anxiety. Even just being in new place can be enough of a distraction to disrupt our ability to feel hunger cues. More frequent check-ins with yourself may be required while on the go.

Second, you want to prepare, without obsessing. You might start by figuring out what your options for breakfast are. Is there a complimentary hotel breakfast? Do you have access to a grocery store and kitchen? Starting the day off with an adequate, nourishing meal will not only give you the energy you need, but help you tune into your body’s hunger throughout the day. If you notice yourself planning out every single meal or reviewing menus in great detail, this might be a sign of anxiety. Check in with how you’re feeling and what you might need to feel safe being a bit more flexible. 

Here are some other tips for IE on the go. Remember, there is no such thing as perfection! Each time you’re able to give your body what it needs, more trust is built.

Do research on where you’re going

If you’re in a new country you might do some research on the local cuisine. It could be helpful to bookmark some nearby restaurants that look exciting. If you have food allergies more research might be necessary to make sure you will have plenty of options to feed yourself throughout the trip.

Pack snacks

These days there are plenty of fun sized snacks to throw in a bag or purse. Snacks with protein, fats and carbs will be the most filling. Examples could include mixed nuts, jerky, crackers, protein bars or muffins. While traveling you may not eat within your typical meal windows, therefore having snacks on hand can help fill in those gaps (and save money!).

Frequent check ins

We recommend checking in a couple times a day to manage any strong emotions that may come up around food or exercise. This could look like setting a two minute timer, engaging in some deep breathing and trying to notice any emotions that are present. You could make a list on your phone of recovery reminders to look at daily. Example "my body is working hard for me" or "I need to eat no matter what I did today". We want to avoid the boomerang effect that can happen when we suppress emotions and white knuckle it through a vacation, only to have to deal with the effects of it upon returning home. Not to mention you want to be as present as possible to enjoy your trip!

Advocate for yourself

You may be traveling with people who have different eating schedules or needs than you. If your group doesn’t eat breakfast, it’s ok to need to make time in the morning to eat breakfast. If you are hungry for lunch at 11 am and the reservation is at 1 pm, take the time to eat a snack. It can be hard not to compare yourself or you may not want to stray from the group. However, everybody is different and therefore needs are different. Your recovery is too important!

Whether its a two day work trip or a two week tour of Italy, these tips will help you stay in touch with your body and continue the hard, rewarding work of intuitive eating. What would you add the list? Feel free to add in the comments! We’d love to hear from you.