How to Stay Grounded in Your Body (& Habits) During Holiday Travel
If you’re a creature of routine, travel can feel really tough. It’s a major deviation from your norm (new environment, different food, less structure) and that can bring up some anxiety. Those feelings are completely valid, especially if you thrive on predictability (I’m right here with you!)
But travel also gives us an opportunity to build resilience in our habits, practice being a little uncomfortable, and grow confidence for the next time life throws us out of routine - whether we want it to or not.
I work with a majority of my clients for at least one year, so together we get lots of practice navigating disruptions: travel, holidays, sick kids, busy seasons, summer break, all of it. We treat each of those scenarios as exactly that: practice.
Times out of our routine allow us to:
Practice observing how we feel when things don’t go as planned.
Practice leaning on habits even when normal structure disappears.
Practice recognizing what’s in our control versus what’s not.
Practice noticing changes in how we feel in our bodies without spiraling.
As we head into the holiday season (and all the travel that comes with it!), here are a few skills, habits, and mindset shifts to help you feel as comfortable as possible both in your body and in your choices.
Recognize What’s in Your Control (and What’s Not)
Part of why we love routine is because it gives us a sense of “control.” But the truth is that even in our normal routine, there are always things outside of our control. Travel just makes that feel a little more obvious.
When working with my clients we often brainstorm together to come up with an ideal of what our “controllables” and “uncontrollables” really are. This strategy can help us understand where we can make decisions/choices that align with our goals, and where we can let go of the false idea that we have control.
Examples of Controllables and Uncontrollables
Controllables might include:
What you choose to order from a menu
How you pack your bag for the day
How you spend an extra 10–20 minutes
If you bring your water bottle along with you for the day
What you grab at the grocery store
Uncontrollables might include:
What’s on the menu when you go out
What is available at the grocery store
How the scale fluctuates
Delayed flights, rowdy kids, a change in plans
Our goal isn’t to control everything; it’s to focus on what we can do to support ourselves within what’s available.
Maybe that means packing a few high-protein snacks for the day, going for a short walk after dinner, or sneaking in some stretching in your hotel room while watching TV.
Set Your Minimums
“Minimums” are one of my favorite strategies for travel (and for real life).
A minimum is your bare-minimum baseline habit; something that requires effort, but is realistic even when everything else is out of whack. Hitting your minimums helps you maintain momentum, even in less-structured seasons. Anything you do beyond that can become extra credit.
Examples of Minimums That Help Maintain Routine
Hydration: Aim for at least 70 ounces of water per day.
Protein: Include an identifiable protein source at every meal.
Movement: Commit to 10 minutes of intentional movement daily - a walk, a stretch, a quick hotel workout, etc.
Alcohol: Alternate each drink with a glass of water or sparkling water.
When we set these minimums, we’re not mandating we track our food, we’re not limiting what we can or can’t eat, we’re not holding on to the same expectations we set while at home and in our routines. We’re making a goal of still leaning on habits we know are supportive, and also giving ourselves more flexibility given different circumstances.
Minimums can bring a sense of stability and control, which can be especially grounding when travel or holidays feel unpredictable.
Understand How Travel Affects Your Body
Travel is hard on our bodies: physically, mentally, and physiologically. We sit more, eat differently, sleep less, and often experience more stress. All of those factors can cause temporary changes in digestion, inflammation, and water retention.
You might feel puffy, sluggish, or notice a few pounds of weight fluctuation, but those changes aren’t a reflection of progress or “willpower.” They’re simply your body responding to different inputs!
None of it represents true changes in body composition; it’s temporary shifts given varying circumstances.
When that uncomfortable feeling creeps in, try grounding yourself with these reflection questions:
What’s actually different right now in my routine or environment?
Is how I’m feeling a reflection of my food choices, or other circumstances?
Do I feel this way often when traveling?
What do I need right now to feel better in my body?
I asked these questions in a recent check in with one of my clients who was experiencing more body discomfort during travel, and here was their response:
Reflecting on these questions doesn’t mean automatically feeling better, but it can give us insight into why we feel the way we do, and the fact that it may be far less a reflection of our nutrition and more so a response to our current conditions (especially if air travel is in the mix!).
Travel can give us the chance to practice curiosity with how we’re feeling in our bodies instead of automatically assuming it is negative for our nutrition or body composition.
Use Travel as a Chance to Build Confidence
This, again, comes back to practice! Instead of seeing travel as a setback, we can view it as a test run for our long term relationship with food and our bodies. Holiday season or not, life will always pull us out of our routines at times.
Every time we navigate those deviations from the norm without “starting over,” we’re building resilience in our habits and reinforcing the reality that we can trust ourselves.
The goal isn’t to get through the holidays without a single deviation. It’s to come out the other side feeling grounded, capable, and confident that your habits work anywhere; not just when life is perfectly structured.
Want More Tools Like This?
If you’re looking for a simpler way to prepare food and cut down on decision fatigue before your next trip, grab our free Ultimate Batch Prep Guide full of high-protein meal ideas and practical planning tips that make eating well feel easier anywhere.
Or, if you want to build lasting skills that stick long after the holidays, learn more about 1:1 Nutrition Coaching with our KLN team — where we focus on flexibility nutrition that works for real life, not just when you’re in your routine.
Kate Lyman
Leader, nutrition educator, and former chronic dieter helping clients rebuild their relationship with food, escape the cycle of yo-yo dieting for good, and cut through the overwhelm of nutrition misinformation.
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