How to stay healthy while traveling and teaching in 2021
If you’re wondering how to stay healthy while traveling and teaching, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve put together this list of the five top tips that we’ve tried and tested on the road. They are the ways that we managed to cut down our calorie intake and stay fit and focused while working abroad, ranging from meal plans to new hobbies. Ready? Let’s go…
Try to keep a routine (or at least a little bit of routine)
Routine and global travel don’t really match that well. In fact, it’s the excitement of a spontaneous life on the road that keeps loads of globetrotters reaching for their backpacks and passports. That’s especially true of the new breed of TEFL teachers that work online and travel from place to place as digital nomads. However, having a daily plan of action is a really great way to work in regular exercise. That could be something as small as a morning yoga session on the beach or a full-on trail run through the mountains. The point is, if it’s on the schedule, you’re less likely to duck out of staying active.
Watch that diet
From soy-sizzling pad Thai noodles in the street markets of Thailand to juicy Argentinian steaks in the Gaucho taverns of Buenos Aires, there’s almost no end to the culinary joys of traveling. Sadly, calories work just the same on the road as they do back at home. That means you might not feel so trim if you indulge at every opportunity. The good news is that most destinations offer lots of chances to stay healthy with your chow, too. Take Thailand as an example. The fresh fruit platters we ate while living there were some of the best in the world. Our vitamin intake must have skyrocketed!
Travel to places where the lifestyle is healthy
Some people find it way easier to exercise when the sun is shining and there’s an outdoorsy playground right on the doorstep. To put it another way, it’s a whole load simpler to stay active if you’re living in the middle of the Italian Alps than in, say, traffic-choked New York City, for example. If you’re the sort that needs the great outdoors and Mother Nature to tempt you into stretching the legs after a day in the classroom, it’s worth considering looking for TEFL jobs in places where that will be the case. Summer camp jobs in Europe could be perfect. Not only are they usually located in places like the Swiss mountains or Polish forests, but they also often involve loads of activities, whether that’s hiking or canoeing.
Get a hobby!
If you’re wondering how to stay healthy while traveling but aren’t the sort for forced gym trips at 5am, then perhaps all you’re really looking for is a hobby. We’re not talking video games or weekend sunbathing sessions, mind you. We’re talking a hobby that gets you out, about, and active without you even realizing it. It’s best to pick the pastime to match the place you’re going to be teaching. In Portugal? How about bagging a surfboard and paddling out into the Atlantic – the country has some of the best surf there is. Based in Peru? Score some hiking boots and look to the Andes, because they’re laced with fantastic trails. You get the idea.
Keep one eye on the drinking
It’s no secret that a bit of the fabled Dutch courage can help you make new friends in a new city when you rock up for the first time as a TEFL teacher. From Bangkok to Krakow, Berlin to Lima, new groups of expat buddies have been forged over beers and wines since anyone can remember. However, it goes without saying that you’ll have to manage the amount you drink. Try to stick to only weekends and skip any school nights. That’ll keep you fresh for your EFL lessons and help you cut down on the grog overall.
We hope that this short guide to how to stay healthy while traveling has helped you get some ideas on how to keep trim and active while on the road. If you have anything to add, we’d love to hear about it in the comments below. And if you’re just about ready to start your TEFL and travel journey, be sure to head over to our courses page to begin.