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A traveler’s wellness guide to avoid the bloat, ditch the stress, and come home recharged
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A traveler’s wellness guide to avoid the bloat, ditch the stress, and come home recharged

We all long for a getaway to feel good, recharge our minds and bodies, and gain a better perspective right after.

But how many times have you traveled only to end up feeling more exhausted than when you left? This post-vacation crash can give unwanted feelings of bloatedness, stress, and fatigue—the exact opposite of what we are hoping for. Many travelers get sick during the last days of their trip due to a weak immune system, resulting from sleep deprivation, physically and mentally draining itineraries, and stress-inducing food choices.

Vacations should be strategically scheduled several times a year for enhanced well-being. Traveling at regular intervals allows you to experience the best moments with your loved ones in a different setting that enhances fresh thinking, improves mental health, and strengthens social connections. It can give you a chance to discover more about the world and yourself. And you don’t really need to spend a lot because even a simple vacation to nearby provinces or a relaxing hotel staycation can already have a significant impact on your well-being.

This travel wellness guide, backed by studies and inspired by my recent trip to Taiwan (plus firsthand learnings from previous trips and insights from clients), will show you the best ways to have the most refreshing, energizing, and perhaps even your healthiest vacation yet, without missing out on the fun.

1. Before the trip: Enjoy planning ahead

Spend enough time planning for your next getaway

Start planning at least three months ahead to save money on airline tickets. To avoid stress, devote at least a month to planning your itinerary, budget, booking tours and events, and arranging your transportation. This will prevent you from cramming these tasks together with your last-minute travel needs, work duties, and home tasks one week before departure.

Plan on how you can incorporate wellness and fitness

Even if you are not a fitness buff, it’s still best to create a game plan for your travel that can make you feel at your best—this means getting the best sleep, avoiding digestive issues and illnesses you can catch, feeling energized each day to fully enjoy the trip, and getting rid of the uncomfortable belly bloat.

Be a minimalist traveler but don’t forget your wellness essentials

Packing less means fewer outfit decisions and less stress from heavy luggage. However, do not forget your wellness travel essentials, which significantly contribute to your overall health and well-being. For short trips, I manage with just a knapsack and a handbag for my laptop and daily essentials, so there’s no need for extra baggage on promo flights. Being minimalist doesn’t mean skipping self-care. I never travel without my basic wellness needs:

• A pair of running shoes + socks

• Running belt and cap

• Light workout clothes

• Emergency healthy snack foods (nuts and seeds)

• My usual supplements (vitamin D3, omega-3, and magnesium)

• A water bottle

With our wishes on the sky lantern at Shifen Old Street

2. During the trip: Avoid the stress while enjoying each moment

Savor the moment with your companions

Traveling is one of the best ways to reconnect with loved ones in a fresh environment that sparks fun, energy, and self-expression. These elements are powerful contributors to happiness, health, and longevity. When you travel for wellness, it’s best to spend time and money on experiences that can strengthen your bond with the people you love.

I recently had the most significant time bonding with my best friend and cousin Babylyn and my niece Clare in Taipei. It was our first overseas trip. I let them plan the itinerary and we thoroughly enjoyed each moment, including nature tours, savoring the yummiest Taiwanese cuisine without guilt, and still managing to reach at least 20,000 steps for four days, even without trying.

I’ve been close to my cousin since we were kids. We grew up together and tell each other almost everything, but we still discovered a lot about each other, which strengthened our bond even more in ways I did not expect. The trip was one of the best things I have done for my well-being.

Enjoy the food, but stay balanced and in control

One of the best parts of travel is trying out the food you’ve been researching and looking forward to. However, it is essential to eat mindfully and employ strategies to avoid gaining weight, experiencing bloating, and feeling sluggish.

We always share our fave Taiwanese taro dessert to satisfy the cravings

Here’s how we enjoyed (without feeling deprived) and balanced eating Taiwan’s local food. You can use these strategies for your own getaways, too:

• If your schedule is packed, grab a quick, simple, yet sustaining breakfast. During our full-day nature tour, I bought two boiled eggs (for protein) and my favorite Taiwanese baked sweet potato from 7-Eleven. I lasted the long walks in hot weather until lunchtime.

• If you plan to have a heavier meal (such as rice), consider intermittent fasting with a smaller eating window. Brunch around 10 to 11 a.m. and dinner around 6 to 7 p.m. works great for calorie control without depriving yourself.

• Eat carbs earlier in the day and ensure you have enough protein and vegetables before indulging in rice, bread, or noodles. Do not feel obliged to finish larger servings of noodles or rice.

• Share dishes, especially the desserts, and enjoy them after your meal to help regulate blood sugar levels.

• Choose protein-rich options for dinner, especially if you’re eating late. We visited two night markets during our trip and chose grilled high-protein options, such as chicken and beef skewers.

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• Explore fruits in season during your travels that you can find in supermarkets, local markets, or convenience stores to get a fiber boost and as a light dessert.

• Hydrate well and aim to drink at least four full refills of your 500 to 750 ml water bottle, especially in hot weather.

Start your day with an exercise so you feel energized and in a good mood

A recent study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology shows that those who incorporate exercise into their trips experience enhanced restoration and a stronger sense of well-being.

During our trip, I made it a point to start my mornings with some form of physical activity. I squeezed in three 5K runs, two quick full-body strength exercises in the hotel room, and one visit to the gym for a 30-minute strength session with heavier weights. These workouts made me feel more energized, helping set a healthy, positive tone for the day.

After a 6 a.m. 5K run around Ximending

When you travel, don’t just rely on daily steps, although aiming for 10,000 steps is a good start. To truly stay on track with your fitness goals, incorporate short, formal exercises designed to stimulate your muscles and increase your heart rate.

A quick 10-minute body weight resistance routine in your hotel room is all it takes. Not only does it help maintain (or even improve) your fitness level while you are away, but it also prevents the “back to zero” feeling when you return home and resume your regular workouts.

Get excited for recovery because you are on a vacation to recharge

A vacation is not just about exploring and trying the best food; it’s also about recovery:

• Take a short nap as soon as you arrive at the hotel. This will give you energy to make the most of the day ahead. I always choose an earlier flight so I can take at least a 30-minute nap right after check-in and feel energized from the afternoon to evening.

• Set the room temperature between 18°C and 20°C for optimal sleep quality. However, a study published in the Science of the Total Environment shows that older adults derive the most sleep benefits between 20°C and 25°C.

• Don’t stay up too late fixing other things and doing late-night planning.

• Spend a pressure-free final day, with nothing particularly scheduled; maybe a casual shopping trip and visits to nearby attractions.

3. After the trip, feel refreshed and reenergized.

Allow one to two days of a free day to recover, reorganize, detox, and reflect so you can return to your routine with ease. Coming home the night before your workday can leave you stressed, sleep-deprived, and prone to getting sick, which are typical results of a fully packed trip. Pay extra attention to getting a good night’s sleep, adjusting your home environment, and resuming a healthy diet to detox and debloat. Exercise only if your body allows you to, and once you have fully recovered. Remember that one of the goals is to recharge after your vacation, so give equal importance to recovery as to your adventures.

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