Hey Trippers,
I have six important and effective tenets of good health. The rules are in no particular order. I guarantee if you do all six of these rules, you will not only be healthy but will also be built for the future. You can pick and choose from the rules but you’ll find you won’t be at your optimum. Do all six and in a matter of a few months you’ll be ready and in shape for meaningful travel.
This Fitness Tenet #2 is the one of the easiest ones
Eat a Big, Healthy Breakfast
In case you haven’t heard what dietitians and nutritionists have recommended for years, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. This one meal sets the tone for your whole day. It contributes to healthy mental and physical function.
I have met many people and have many friends who claim that eating breakfast makes them nauseous or even sick and they can’t deal with that. Rarely do people suffer from the condition of not being able to stomach breakfast. Typically, it has everything to do with what you eat or, more significantly, what you’ve eaten the night before. I was in the cycle of eating a large, late meal and when the morning came – the LAST think I wanted was more food. Heck, I was still digesting last night’s meal. This is part of the unhealthy eating cycle most westerners suffer from (more on that next post).
It’s important to me (and to you) to have a good, substantive breakfast everyday. Except, when I travel I eat even more. I know it’s hard to control regular timely eating like you can at home. Like good meaningful travel, it takes planning.
A Well Balanced Breakfast
At the accommodation breakfast table, I load up on complex carbohydrates (high fiber cereal, whole grain rolls, oatmeal, muesli, etc.), fruit (prunes, raisins, plums, apricots, apples, kiwi, etc.), dairy or non-dairy (yogurt, cheeses, tofu, milk, soy products), fish (smoked fish, herring, lox, and gravid lax), and eggs (hard boiled, scrambled, poached, and the better, egg substitute). And enjoy a local pastry or bread. After all, that’s one of the reasons you’re there. Do not start with your pastry or high sugar item. Eat your “wellness” food first and then your treat (croissant w/ jam, donut, pastry, or sweet bread.
Yuck! Not the way to start ther day! Where's the fried bread?!?!?
Avoid the “English Breakfast” like the plague! It is horrible for you. However, if it means you skip breakfast and there isn’t another morsel for miles, then eat bits of it. A typical “English Breakfast” items (almost all swimming floating in oil/butter) to avoid mushrooms, fried eggs, fatty bacon, and fried bread. Other bits of the typical “English Breakfast” that are acceptable are the broiled tomato and beans in tomato sauce.
If you never eat breakfast, then at least eat something. Yes, even high simple carbohydrate cereal or muffins, pastry, or a banana. This is just so your body and digestive system has something to begin functioning with – even if you come crashing down a couple hours later. I advise that you avoid fruit juices (unless you know they’re 100% fruit juice and have no high fructose corn syrup) because they are high in sugars (you’ll crash hard in an hour or so). Everyday, including when I travel, no matter where in the world I am, I eat something in my room the minute I get up. Typically, (full disclosure) I take a pee and then eat something I brought with me or bought in the local grocery store. That way, my body can begin the arduous process of getting all my bodily functions up to speed. Then, I will go to breakfast for a full meal.
Avoid overeating: this is pretty obvious because you know how you feel after when you eat too much – sluggish, looking for a big easy chair. When you’re spending a small fortune for your trip you don’t want to waste the hours away digesting.
At breakfast in your accommodation you can also grab a few items to take with you as a mid-morning snack (apples, bananas, oranges, nuts, cereal, whole grain bagel, etc.). This and a good, sustentative breakfast add value to your room rate!
Breakfast is the one meal NOT to skip. Eating a good, healthy breakfast daily will lead to a healthy life and a meaningful travel experience. Trust me! If you don’t believe me, read THIS!
Happy Energetic Tripping!
Carter
