Tips for backpackers on staying healthy and active on the road

ralph lauren

With Thanksgiving behind us, and the holidays just a few weeks away, we all know that it's finally that time of the year where we can wear our much anticipated holiday sweaters with pride, buy large quantities of alcohol without being blamed for being an alcoholic, and decide where we will strategically place our mistletoe...

One thing most of us tend to forget during the holidays is how easy it is to gain weight, especially when it's so hard to resist homemade pie, or stuffed turkey, or eggnog...

For those on the road, it can be especially difficult to stay healthy and active, given that traveling, especially backpacking, almost always requires a lifestyle that's largely void of schedules and routine. The place we arrive to in the morning isn't necessary the one we'll remain by sunset. Add in the never ending parties, copious amounts of alcohol and high carb foods, it's easy to lose the months of dedicated cardio workouts and high protein/low carb meals we've worked so hard for to get those abs pre-travel.

Therefore, now is a great time to start thinking about how to stay healthy and active on the road, right before the holiday season begins!

Drink lots of water
Keep in mind that we're supposed to drink a minimum of eight glasses everyday. Water helps to rid our body of toxins, makes us less tired, gives us better skin, and helps us to lose weight. And above all, it's free! I usually bring a water bottle with me on my trips and fill it up with tap water. I hate disposable water bottles since they create so much havoc in our environment, and the cheap plastic is filled with toxic chemicals. For travel in developing countries, I would recommend investing in a good purifying water bottle.

"eat us!"

Take multivitamins 
It can be really hard to eat our recommended daily servings of food on the road. Especially when it comes to backpacking, we tend to buy cheap, filling foods such as bread and pasta, and sometimes forget  to eat as much vegetables as we should. That's why, multivitamins are a great way of making sure we get all our nutrients everyday.

Get some sleep
When you're traveling, there's so much happening every single moment that we don't want to miss out on anything. I know that feeling of getting of the plane, and although jet lagged, I would hardly sleep because of all there is to do. Obviously we're young and want to live in the moment, but getting some beauty sleep is important so that we're actually awake enough to have fun. You're not missing out on much if there's a party every night.

Being active daily
This shouldn't be a problem for most backpackers, especially since most of the ones I know have a deep love for sports and adventure. Whether it's soccer, hiking, surfing, skiing or even mountain climbing, every country has an abundance of energy pumping sports. The trick is of course, making sure we're active daily. Some sports such as skiing, may be too expensive to do regularly, but exercises (albeit less fun) such as jogging is free and you can do it virtually anywhere. If you have a laptop and internet, youtube is also a good source for workout videos. The "8 minute series" (abs, bum, legs and arms) are quite popular.

shorts from Lululemon

Bring your gear
I feel nothing guilt-trips you as much into staying active, as simply bringing your gear with you, whether it's a surf board or a yoga mat. The fact that you've found space in your luggage to put it in, and lugged to another country is pretty motivating in itself. Having nice gear also helps. For instance, a nice set of workout clothes will encourage you to put it on (and show it off to your cute foreign workout buddy).

Have a goal
Having a goal makes everything that much more attainable. If you're goal is to live a healthy lifestyle, then great. Most of us however, have more superficial goals, which is okay as well. A goal's a goal right? So what if our fitness aspiration is to have abs like David Beckham or Gisele Bunchen? If that makes us run that extra mile, all the better for us.

Have lots of (safe) sex
Although preferably with the same person and not several (as nobody wants to be labeled a slut, and there are many risks with sleeping around). 30 minutes of sex burns 90 calories (it adds up!) and it's a lot more fun than doing crunches!

Technology on the road

In the past few years, there has been a drastic increase in the popularity of e-books and portable technology. While I am a firm believer in the traditional method of reading, the alarming popularity of Internet tablets and smart phones may prove that the majority of society is shifting to a digital alternative for reading and social communication. With the term flashpackers referring to travelers who are tech savvy, is the age of the backpacker... gone?

I know a lot of travel guides such as Lonely Planet have already began adapting to this e-book alternative by offering their highly resourceful guidebooks in a digital format and even as apps for smart phones. This can be great as one’s luggage may feel significantly lighter without cramming all those thick books in there, but similarly, I feel that carrying all that technology sort of defeats the purpose of traveling in the first place. I mean, there’s nothing wrong with bringing technology on a trip (I can’t see myself without my ipod), but wasn’t the initial passion to travel because of a desire to see the beauty of nature, rather than to constantly update yourself with news from back home?

I’ve stayed at hostels where I’ve met other “travellers” who prefer to spend their nights on their bunk bed with their laptop, avoiding conversations with everyone in sight. To this I wonder what the point of traveling to a distant land is, if they would rather spend their weekend Skyping with their friends back home, or playing video games.

One of my loves for traveling is as an escape from all the technology in our everyday lives. Obviously I check my e-mail, chat with my friends, write my blog, and take photos while I’m on the road, but anything over an hour or so in front of a computer makes me feel like I’m wasting valuable time. Of course to fully “live life” doesn’t require taking up extreme sports, forgetting to wear underwear in public or shaving your head, but sometimes, there's nothing better than getting in touch with nature's wonders (and best of all, it's free).

As a summer challenge, let’s all try to limit our technology usage and see what adventures a few days without a computer, tablet or cell phone will bring us (which hopefully also includes a nice tan!).

Looking Hot While Traveling (Female Version)

The term "backpacker" rarely conjures up images of Gisele Bunchen or Scarlett Johansson look-a-likes. Rather, it usually projects one of those "one with nature" girls, who will forgo their make-up case for extra space in their luggage to pack their hiking boots. I mean, guys have it lucky considering how for them, prolonged backpacking trips generally just leads to a better tan. And even if they forget to shave and get all hairy, if they resemble Ewan McGregor at the end of Long Way Down, it's still pretty hot.

Consequently, if females abandoned any sort of beauty maintenance in favour of achieving that intimate connection with nature, the outcome might not be so pretty. While the tiny communal bathroom at any given hostel around the world isn't the best place to give yourself an exfoliating facial, or do a smokey eye, there are many ways to look good effortlessly. Below are five products I love for quick fixes to looking good on the road.

Bare Escentuals Mineral Foundation

1. Mineral make-up
Mineral make-up, especially foundation is great because it's free of preservatives and super light. It gives you a nice natural look, and helps to hydrate your skin, preventing that horrible flakey make-up look. I'm personally a huge fan of Bare Escentuals because it provides some SPF coverage, and the ingredients they use are so pure, you can sleep in it! Perfect for road trips, long nights of partying, and time spent with the foreign hottie (FH for short).

My favourite pair of wedges from Spring

2. A Pair of Wedges 
The last thing you want to pack for backpacking is a pair of stilettos - they're uncomfortable and you might wear them once or twice during your entire trip if you're lucky. A better alternative, is a nice pair of wedges. They're as comfortable as wearing flats and a great way of adding a few inches to your height. What's more, they won't hurt your feet while exploring a new city during the day, great for dancing at a club at night, and the wedges are thick enough to inflict pain to use for self defense if needed.