Road Trip Essentials
Summer time is a time for fun in the sun, pool time and travel–especially road trips! If you are like more than half of travelling families (53% according to AAA), you will be hitting the road sometime in the near future and exploring the world from the comfort of your vehicle.
Road trips are awesome for so many reasons!
- You have an opportunity to really experience your surroundings.
- You can be impulsive and change course literally at any moment.
- You meet other travelers along your journey who could become lifelong friends.
- You get to enjoy foods and shops just like the locals.
- You bond beyond measure with those who join you road-tripping.
Prepare for your next epic adventure with our Sassy Healthy Fit guide to road trips! Make sure you pack these 5 essential items for the In Demand Woman and you will be all set to create memories that last a lifetime while still keeping your health in mind!
Essential #1: Water
We c
an’t stress enough how important water is for life in general! But when you are travelling, staying hydrated becomes even more critical to keep your mind and body feeling its best.
We recommend packing a reusable water bottle for each passenger on your road trip. And don’t forget gallon jugs or a case of disposable, pre-filled bottles for when you don’t have access to a faucet (or the local tap water is just gross!).
When you travel, your body is thrown off its schedule. Long car rides mean sitting for long periods of time. And activity on vacation such as hiking and climbing is different than normal life.
Staying hydrated is one of the best things you can do for your body!
Staying hydrated is one of the best things you can do for your body! Water keeps your systems on track even when you are outside of your normal routine.
We really love this reusable water bottle from Contigo because it fits in most car cup-holders, doesn’t leak and is easy to drink from. Quick tip: Fill it up with ice before you hit the road and let that melt as you drive for a refreshing treat along the way!
Essential #2: Healthy Snacks
When you are on your road trip you have less control of what you are eating. We all know what this means… bloating, issues with bowel movements (that’s always fun to talk about right?!) and can even wreak havoc on your mental game if you are not feeling at your best.
Let’s take control of this situation Sister and pack some healthy food to ease this transition! The more you can keep your nutrition on-point and consistent when you travel, the better you will feel physically and mentally.
Some healthy snacks that we love to take on the road:
- Fresh fruits and veggies (pack them in a cooler)
- Pre-mixed protein drinks (try these ones)
- Roasted mixed nuts (or whichever variety you prefer!)
- Healthy bars (We love these ones from Exo–use our code Sassy10 for a discount! These Rx Bars are great too)
- Beef jerky (stick with grass-fed, pasture raised when possible)
- Chocolate (dark is best! Always great to have a little treat and the antioxidants in chocolate can’t be beat!)
Whatever snacks you bring with you, make sure you space them out along your journey and keep yourself from getting too hungry in between meals.
Essential #3: Magnesium
Remember when we talked about staying in control of your nutrition to help with dietary regulation and bowel movements on your road trip? Bring your magnesium along for the ride on your travels, and you will be so glad you did!
Magnesium is a natural supplement that has so many health benefits including: relieving muscle aches/pains, alleviating constipation, increasing energy, decreasing sugar cravings, etc. You can read more about the health benefits here.
Natural Calm is a great one to take on your road trip (or any vacation for that matter!). Bring along your teaspoon to measure out the correct amount and mix with 2 oz of warm water before bed (tap water works fine!).
You will be grateful for your increased regularity, decreased bloating and general good feelings even if you are indulging in road trip foods like greasy burgers and fries!
Just because you are on vacation doesn’t mean you give up living healthfully!
Essential #4: Vitamin B12
When you are on your road trip, you might not have access to all the fresh fruits and veggies you normally eat, and you may find a cocktail in your hand more often than during your regular life. Vitamin B12 to the rescue!
Vitamin B12 is found in many foods we eat such as beef, poultry and dairy. A lack of B12 in your diet can result in feeling weak physically and can make you feel tired, constipated and even depressed.
On top of that, when you drink alcoholic beverages, it can flush vitamin B from your system, which can cause a decrease in the production of all the good brain chemicals your body produces to make you feel good [1].
We want you to BE YOUR OWN HERO….so don’t forget the B12! A simple capsule of B12 each day with a meal will help keep your Vitamin B levels more normalized which could be compromised on your road trip.
So take your B12 and feel great…even while you are enjoying that cocktail with the little umbrella in it.
Essential #5: Sunscreen
Robert Heinlein may have written about the moon being a harsh mistress…but we would argue that the sun is even harsher!
During the hot summer months, and even throughout the year, our skin is exposed to harmful UVA/UVB rays that we need to be aware of.
It’s confusing because the sun also gives us a great dose of Vitamin D which we need for our mental health, muscular health and immune system. However, too much sun exposure without protection and your skin can suffer.
Make sure you pack the right kind of sunscreen and apply regularly while on your road trip. We recommend this one from Elta because it goes on light and easy and is made of zinc oxide which is one of the most effective ingredients in sunscreen. While many zinc oxide sunscreens go on white (which is never a pretty look!), this one goes on clear and provides protection for most skin types.
When you can’t keep your skin covered with clothing, make sure you apply liberal amounts of sunscreen and don’t let that harsh mistress ruin your road trip!
Conclusion
In conclusion, we want you to have a killer road trip the next time you peel out on the highway. Make sure you keep yourself and your friends and family ready for the most fun adventure by bringing these 5 road trip essentials for the In Demand Woman on your travels.
We would love to know from you…what is your favorite road trip essential and where is your favorite place to road trip to?
If you really loved this article, we would love a shout out on your favorite social media platform and please tag us (@sassyhealthyfit) so we can give you a big virtual hug!
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