| Since March, I’ve had two very different travel experiences: |
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| A week-long all-inclusive vacation to Mexico, and |
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| A 5-day hotel stay with my son while he competed in the 2025 Karate Nationals. |
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| I figured—why not walk the talk and share how I approached both? |
| This three-part blog series will cover the strategies I used (and coached my son through) to navigate nutrition, fitness, and supplementation while away from home. Whether you’re a parent, a frequent business traveler, or an athlete gearing up for a big competition, there’s something here for you. |
| What to Expect in This Series: |
| Coming soon: |
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| How a Fitness Trainer and Nutrition Coach Approaches an All-Inclusive Vacation |
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| How a Certified Trainer Eats on a Business Trip |
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| Tournament Nutrition Planning for My Teenage Athlete |
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| Each post will include real-life food choices, travel-friendly supplement tips (what I brought and what I left behind), and examples of how I kept my workouts consistent—even while away. |
| Why It All Starts at Home: Anchor Habits Matter |
| Eating smart while traveling is so much easier when you’ve already built consistent anchor habits at home. Once these are in place, adapting on the road just takes a little planning, creativity, and flexibility. |
| If you’re ready to level up your consistency, start by locking in the following foundational habits while in your regular home routine: |
| Nutrition Anchor Habits to Practice at Home |
| (See the Fat Loss Accelerator Food List Template for a deeper dive) |
| 1. Build Balanced Meals |
| Each main meal should emphasize lean protein, with a side of vegetables and/or fruit. |
| Add “smart carbs” based on your activity level and life stage (growing kids = more, sedentary adults = less). Use healthy fats in moderation for flavor. |
| 2. Eat Your Veggies |
| Aim for at least 5 fist-sized servings of veggies per day, spread across meals and snacks. |
| 3. Snack Smarter |
| Choose options that combine protein, fiber, and/or healthy fats. Examples include: |
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| An apple or mandarins (low glycemic fruit) |
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| Fruit + ⅛ cup raw nuts (fruit + fat) |
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| Fruit + protein shake (fruit + protein) |
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| ¾ cup high-protein yogurt with optional 1/4 cup of All bran sprinkled on top |
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| ½–¾ cup edamame with sea salt |
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| 4-5 tbsp of Powdered PB made into a Pudding (high fibre carb+protein) |
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| Small handful of nuts |
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| Cheese stick + kiwi |
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| Protein Powder Isolate mixed with water, low fat milk or unsweetened nut milk. |
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| 2 tbsp hummus + raw veggies |
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| Or simply veggies on their own! |
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| ✅ Pro tip: Always have at least one grab-and-go snack option that requires little to no prep. |
| 4. Hydrate Intentionally |
| Stick to non-caloric drinks like water. Use BCAAs or low-sugar electrolyte drinks (e.g., G2, Skratch) only when exercising for over an hour or during tournaments. |
| Enjoy coffee or tea in moderation with minimal cream or milk. |
| 5. Hunger ≠ Emergency |
| You don’t need to eat just because you feel hungry. Learn to recognize comfortable hunger and trust it’ll ebb and flow throughout your day. |
| If you’re out and the only options are poor ones—wait until you get home and make a nutritious choice. |
| 6. Cook at Home More Often |
| Eating out is fine—but keep it intentional. Most people who achieve and maintain their health goals eat out no more than 1–3 times per week. |
| And unless you count it as a planned meal out, avoid ordering Uber Eats. |
| 7. Stock a Healthy Kitchen |
| Your environment matters. Keep mostly whole, minimally processed foods on hand. |
| 📌 Hack: Use the Fat Loss Accelerator Meal Maker List—highlight your favorites, hit the grocery store, and build your go-to meals from there. |
| If a food is more of a “treat” (e.g., pizza, cake, ice cream), enjoy it mindfully—preferably outside your home. You don’t have to make it forbidden, but don’t make it easy to overindulge either. |
| Final Thoughts |
| Nutrition often feels overwhelming because it’s built on habits—and changing habits isn’t easy. But if you understand what to do and just struggle to follow through, coaching can help bridge that gap. |
| Need support getting started? |
| 📧 Contact info@pitraining.ca for information on personalized Nutrition Coaching. |
