Hello from San Fransisco!

Some of you may have noticed my different zoom backgrounds or emails sent at strange times. On what felt like short notice, I packed up my car and drove across the country, stopping in Chicago, Denver, and now, San Fransico. I felt a pull to explore more of the country, visit friends/family, and make the most of the fact that my job allows me to travel!

Why am I sharing this?

I know that not everyone is interested in my personal life, but I think I learned a few lessons along the way that are worth sharing.

Finding the balance of being a “health freak”

I’ll admit it- I’m a health nut! I know how toxic our world is and I have dealt with many health issues that have forced me to care about my health and change my lifestyle. Plus, it is my job. It would have been easy for me to fill my car up with my air filter, water filter, and every single health gadget and supplement I have.

But I also know that’s not realistic and I don’t want to live in fear. I’ve had to let go of some of my daily rituals and healthy habits. Some days I drank tap water, sat for hours a day when driving, and relied more on convenience foods.

And guess what? I was totally fine!

If you feel overwhelmed by trying to be “perfect” with being perfectly healthy, let this be your reminder that there is no perfect and some balance or toxins won’t kill us.

How to know what to prioritize for my health (while traveling or otherwise)

While I feel great about not being in my “perfect” health routine, I did realize there were some things that were just non-negotiable for me to feel myself. These might vary for you based on your health conditions, goals, and lifestyle, but here are my top priorities:

• Moving my body – this sometimes looked like a 15-minute walk in the hotel lobby, doing some stretches at a gas station parking lot, or trying out a new yoga studio for a class. Moving my body in some way helps my sleep, mood, and joints immensely.
• Keeping up with my top supplements – I was proud of myself for only choosing the top supplements that make me feel great day-to-day. I avoided packing every “emergency” supplement I owned and stuck to magnesium, probiotics, inflammation, and sleep support.
• Prioritizing sleep – Sleep is always a top priority for me. I made sure to get enough sleep to allow me to travel, adjust to new time zones, and feel my best! I brought a sleep mask, my nasal strips, and mouth tape (if you know, you know 😉) to make my sleep the most comfortable.

How to eat healthy while on the go

In addition to the above, this trip taught me I am not meant to be a food blogger. My meals were not very pretty, but they tasted good and felt nourishing, nonetheless. I do have dietary restrictions and always managed to find food along the way that I could eat. Here are my top tips:

• Pack a cooler and water bottle – Since this was a longer trip, I brought my Hydroflask cooler + ice pack, re-usable utensils, and a water bottle
• Stop at grocery stores – My favorite things to pick up when stopping in a new city or while on the road were mixed greens, avocados, hummus + crackers, baby carrots, hard-boiled eggs, smoked salmon, and Whole Foods hot bar. From these items, I could easily make quick, high-protein salads, breakfasts or snacks
• Look for high-protein gas station snacks – If I stopped at a gas station, I opted for Rx bars, Perfect bars, mixed nuts, or jerky.

Thank you all for your support and words of encouragement during this adventure!

~ Tamara