I Quit Sugar for Life (13 page)
Read I Quit Sugar for Life Online
Authors: Sarah Wilson
My grandmother embroidered this placemat and my mother sent it to me as a reminder to sit down when I ate.
I GET ASKED THIS QUESTION MORE THAN ANY – HOW DO I NAVIGATE WELLNESS WHEN I’M NOT IN MY USUAL ROUTINE?
It can be tricky, but I have my ways.
Yes, they’re a little unconventional, but it’s become part of my flow.
HIKE. It’s a wonderful raison d’être for travelling.
A nutrient-dense fix: CRUDITÉS.
EAT AS THE LOCALS DO. What they’re choosing will often be in season and high quality.
SALAD BARS in big cities can be a pretty good option. Go for oven-roasted or steamed vegetables, roast meats or steamed fish. But avoid the ‘salads’,
they’re usually drenched in dressing (ergo drenched in sugar).
When I hike, I often TAKE SOME LEFTOVER CHEESE and vegetables from breakfast, or pick some up at a market.
USE CITY BIKE SCHEMES. Many major cities have them now. They are cheap and the best way to get around a city.
EMBRACE TOTALLY TOTE-ABLES (see
here
) for road trips and on short-haul plane rides. I pack a green smoothie wherever I go, then use
the canister as a water bottle for the rest of the trip.
Another SIMPLE HIKING LUNCH pulled from the markets and the breakfast buffet at the hotel/hostel.
My favourite thing has been to catch a train early, with a little picnic and a coffee.
AT BREAKFAST BUFFETS I GO FOR EGGS, any vegetable matter I can find, low-fructose fruit and extra, clean protein.
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GET DENSE AT RESTAURANTS AND CAFÉS
by seeking out bowls of greens at every
opportunity. I always look to the ‘sides’ section of a menu – if they do a steamed seasonal greens dish, I’m sorted. I only need to focus on good protein from there.
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CHOOSE THE LEAST INGREDIENTS.
Favour the steak, roast chicken, slow-cooked lamb,
grilled or baked fish over pastas, pizzas, stir-fries and any other dishes that involve goobie sauces and things that can’t be immediately identified.
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AVOID CARBS.
I tend to do this when I travel. In part because convenience carbs (the
ones you’re most likely to eat on the move) are often processed, sugary and gluten (toxin) heavy. Also because they generally come covered in sugar-laden sauces (to balance the stodge
factor). And finally because they’re cheap calories.
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PACK GREEN POWDERS
to ensure you’re getting enough vitamins and minerals. Many
come in individual serve sachets that you can pour into a bought smoothie or even just into water at breakfast or lunch. I also pack protein powders, again the ones that come in individual
sachets.
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PACK BREAKFAST BAGS.
I mix up some linseeds, nuts, chia seeds and coconut shreds in
zip-locks ready to dump into yoghurt or milk on planes, in meetings or in hotels.
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LOAD UP AT BREAKFAST,
especially at hotels or hostels where breakfast is included.
This means lunch can be a lesser deal.
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HAVE A NUTRITION-DENSE FIX A DAY.
I swap a meal (lunch is best) for a really simple
‘snack’ of raw beans, a cucumber, a head of chicory, a chunk of cheese – whatever I can find at a market or deli.
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ON THE ROAD.
At service stations and late night convenience stores you can grab plain
yoghurt, nuts, a little block of cheddar cheese and a packet of rice cakes.
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EXERCISE DAILY, AS A PRIORITY.
To clear your lymphs and get everything moving right
(travel constipates, disrupts Vata and slows everything down). Doing weights at a hotel gym is great when travelling – they don’t sap energy as much as cardio and get the joints
moving. If there’s no gym, I run the fire stairs in the hotel.
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STEAM. Make use of a hotel sauna/steam room.
Steam is so good for clearing your lymph
glands and getting gunk out of your system.
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WALK.
It’s the best way to see a city, often faster and ticks off exercise.
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ON PLANES.
I wear pressure socks to ensure my lymphs don’t get blocked up. Also,
drink loads of water and meditate to bring your Vata energy down.
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I PACK LAVENDER OIL
– for better sleep and to put on pimples (which I always get
when travelling).