Tips for the Healthy and Insane

Living in a new country definitely has its difficulties, especially when trying to keep a consistent schedule. I am very much used to waking up at 7:30 am every morning, doing my morning rituals, drinking a protein shake, going to workout, going to school, eating, studying, down-time, showering, sleeping, and waking up to do it all over again. A schedule keeps me sane and helps me be the best person I can be, whether in school, or having it be health related. That being said, it’s certainly been a shock for me to get accustomed to the repetitive motions of my day.

I woke up today, determined to get into a schedule with repetition. First thing’s first, I needed to get up and workout. Now walks I have been doing with my apartment mates everyday since I have arrived, but fully-blown 2-3 hour workouts that I am accustomed to, have not been on the agenda for about 8 days now. This is a rarity for me, since I have consistently been clean eating and exercising 5-7 times a week for almost a year now.

Thank the dear Lord for my roommate, Theresa; if it weren’t for her, I probably would not have gotten out of bed early enough to do my abs circuit training and lower body workout. She’s honestly the real MVP in this story. After a workout, I got ready, ate a cup of yogurt, and drank some earl grey tea. It was undoubtedly a delightful morning.

That being said, I still need to do a few things to get back to a healthy, yet reasonable plan. Here are some tips and tricks to stay active, eat healthy, yet still make the most out of your experience.

Step 1: Buy yourself some groceries. For one, eating out all the time is going to get really pricey really fast. If you want to be adventurous and “do as the Romans do” or in this case, the Germans, get some recipes online that are usually eaten by the natives of this country.

I personally love to meal prep, so this week I am going out and buying all the things I need to prep for a meal or two a day. I’m going to add in some ethnic cuisine, and my normal chicken/broccoli meals as well. That way, I don’t miss out on much.

Stay away from a ton of breads, pastas, cheese, and deserts. I have been nonstop eating a lot of the aforementioned, and although it’s not a bad thing to sometimes indulge in the not so healthy things, overdoing on something tends to turn into a bad thing.

P.S. Not going to lie though, gelato will continue to be in my daily routine since America is lacking, and Alhana gets cranky without it. Fruit is another desert I always crave, so I think that’s good, right? Right. If you’re not a big sweets person, (and I can tell you, I am not) get ready to experience the weirdest daily cravings of all kinds of deserts. They are to die for in Europe, and they’re not as heavy either…or in this case, they don’t seem to feel as heavy in my body, but may be just as fattening, if not more so than the U.S. I guess I'll just add in an extra long cardio everyday and pray for the best.

Step 2: When you go out, get something a little lighter. What I have learned in Europe is that lunch is usually the biggest meal, and dinner is a lot lighter. I usually eat in the school “Mensa,” and one great thing about it is that most of their side items that come with the main meal are healthy. They have all kinds of healthy options, and several different kinds of vegetables, fruits, and even light deserts. You can never go wrong with all of the veggies! The main dish is usually more caloric anyways, so healthy side items are good.

However, when traveling, I like to try all the good, authentic restaurants. So, if you do feel like you really want to try new food, and you don’t really know how healthy it is, go for it. You’re only in Europe a few times (if that) in your life, so live a little. Usually, when I go out to eat, it’s because everyone in my group and I have been sight seeing or shopping and need something to fill us up. In any case, you’ll probably have been walking for hours on end anyways, so you deserve a break.

Step 3: Go out and explore! You are in a new country, and there is never enough time in your day to really see everything there is to see. Walking is a perfect way to keep yourself active, especially if you’re studying or working abroad. The time will pass in the blink of an eye, and before you know it, you’re 10, 000 steps into your walk and have a ton of memories and pictures to show for it.

Life in Europe is pretty easy in regards to walking, because well, you walk everywhere! The hills, stairs, and roads are endless, so there is never a way to not be active. You would have to physically strap yourself to a motorized wheelchair, and tell people about your fake ailments. Nah, just go for the exercise. At first, you’ll feel like you’re dying when you have to go up, what seems like a 90˚ angled hill, but once you’re up there, you feel like rocky balboa after he wins a big tournament match. Repeat after me, “Do it for the butt!” It usually works in my case, haha.

Step 4: Exercise if you can. If you have time, go out for a run, or do a quick abs/leg/arm/back/chest workout at your place of residence (P.S. pick one of those muscle groups, not all of them). It’s good for people like me who are used to the 2-3 hour strain of cardio/heavy lifting. An hour a day is what I’m aiming for, and as my days get to be more consistent, my workouts will start to be consistent as well. In any case, cardio can usually be the walks/exploring you do, so a small muscle workout would be rather simple and quicker to do on a daily basis.

Step 5: Take a break, and make sure to sleep! Just because there is so much to do and see does not mean you can skip on those zzzz’s. You still need to keep up your strength and energy, and Europe will be there tomorrow, so catching those extra two hours is going to benefit you in the future, trust me. This past week has been filled with exhausting days, and it has really been messing with me physically, mentally, and emotionally. Take a nap if that’s what it takes. It’s better than nothing, especially if your nighttime is just as jam-packed as your daytime.

I’m sure I’m missing key elements in my tips, but I’ll probably learn as I go for the next couple of months! What are some guidelines you live by when traveling and trying to maintain good health?