How I Travel Without Wrecking My Routine (Or My Digestion)
A simple, grounding approach to travel that’s kept me feeling good from LA to Japan to Bali (plus my packing + supplement checklist).
Thanks to LMNT for partnering with us on today’s post. I’ve traveled with their electrolytes for years, and you can use my link to get a free sample pack with any purchase.
For the last several months, I was on a pretty constant Austin-to-LA commute. Every few weeks, Adam and I would fly out to meet with our builder, check on our renovation progress, and get the beach house closer to actually being finished. It’s been one of the most exciting times of our lives, and also, one of the most travel-fatigued.
I’ve learned there are two types of travelers: the ones who have figured out how to feel good on the road, or the ones who have resigned themselves to arriving at their destination feeling exhausted and depleted every single time (and return home feeling like they need to “make up for” their travel indulgences). I used to be the latter, but at some point, I stopped treating travel days like something to just survive and started treating them like days where I could actually thrive. I wanted to learn how to stay grounded in my wellness routines without sacrificing the spontaneity and joy of travel. This has truly become one of my secret weapons to feeling good.
The result is a system I’ve tested across that Austin-to-LA commute more times than I can count—plus longer trips to Europe, Japan, Bali, Australia, and all over Mexico. Don’t worry, it’s not a 47-step protocol, but a handful of small habits that make a noticeable difference. I first wrote this out last year, and it got a huge response, so I figured: summer travel is upon us, and it feels like the right time to share my toolkit, updated with a few new things I've discovered since.
**This one is packed full of details and will probably get cut off in your inbox, so just click through to my Substack site to read the full post. And behind the paywall—my checklists for what to pack and how to not end up constipated (lol) your entire trip.
Here’s the mindset shift that changed everything for me:
Travel days are not an exception to the routines that make me feel my best. They’re part of it.
Once I stopped treating the airport like a lawless wasteland where I’d consume things I’d never touch in normal life (hello, pretzel bites and iced lattes at 7 am), everything improved. Travel got calmer and, honestly, so much more enjoyable.
There are three main pillars I build my travel routine around:
NOURISHMENT
Stable blood sugar = stable mood, energy, and digestion. I used to fast on travel days because I heard somewhere it was “healthy.” The problem was that I’d land feeling so ravenous that I’d eat anything in sight. Now I focus on fueling my body consistently throughout the day, so I’m not desperately downing bags of pretzels in flight.
LIGHT
Traveling even a couple of hours outside your normal time zone can really mess with your circadian rhythm (Oura ring stats do not lie). The good news: sunlight is an incredible reset tool—when you know how to use it. I make it a point to get morning sunlight, eat during daylight hours, and use minimal screens at night.
A CALM NERVOUS SYSTEM
Your nervous system is your internal control tower—when you support it, everything else goes smoothly. Once I started traveling with this mindset, my travel days stopped feeling like something to just power through. They became an opportunity to slow down, read a book, check in with myself, and arrive feeling replenished instead of depleted.
What’s In My Carry-On
My absolute non-negotiables. I keep backups of these in my suitcase all the time, because I don’t even want to think about forgetting them when I’m packing right before a trip. This little kit keeps me feeling nourished in flight.
LMNT Electrolytes give your body the right balance of electrolytes for enhanced energy, focus, and clarity. These are not only essentials for travel days, but I always bring enough for each day of my trip, and it makes the biggest difference in how I feel.
Cozy sweater to pull on if the plane is cold
Protein-forward snack (all my faves below)
Tea bags — I ask for hot water on the plane
Eye patches — planes are so dehydrating, and these feel like a little in-flight spa treatment
Core Travel Rituals
Here’s what I actually do on a travel day. There are times I skip certain elements, but I’m motivated by the fact that these rituals always keep me feeling good.
Breakfast: Protein, fat, and fiber—this combo is satiating and keeps blood sugar steady. If it’s a super early flight, I bring breakfast with me or grab one of my go-to airport meals (specific breakfasts are listed out below).
Hydration with electrolytes: When I started drinking a big bottle of water with electrolytes on every flight, I realized I felt completely different when I arrived. Below, I’ll share how I get my extremely large water bottle through security.
A quick walk or stretch once I arrive: Just enough to get circulation moving. Bonus points if it’s outside in the sunshine.
Pack the night before so the morning isn’t chaos. Seems obvious, but I feel like someone needs to hear it.
Keep mindless scrolling to a minimum. An entire travel day spent on Instagram doesn’t feel great. Instead, I load my phone with a couple of podcast episodes, a show I’m excited about, or a work project I want to give focused time to on the plane.
Grounding rituals once I arrive: Unpack immediately, shower, moisturize my skin head-to-toe, go outside.
The goal is to bring some intention to the day—be proactive about how you want to show up instead of letting it just happen to you.
If you’re traveling at all this summer, read on for:
My full packing checklist
Protein-rich snacks and digestion-supporting supplements I never fly without
The wellness plan that keeps me feeling good (and non-bloated!!) round-trip
Upgrade to paid and get the full toolkit — your future, well-rested self will thank you.
My Food Plan for Travel Days
Here’s all you really need to remember: travel days are about stable blood sugar and good digestion. Simple, yes, but it’s the difference between feeling cranky and famished when you arrive, or showing up feeling calm and high energy.
WELLNESS WATER
I always bring a few packs of LMNT Electrolytes and make it a rule to drink an entire huge water bottle with LMNT on every flight — I swear this makes the biggest difference in how I feel when I land. What I do: bring an empty 32 to 48-oz water bottle with a pack of electrolytes inside. Once you’re through security, find one of the airport’s filtered water dispensers, fill it up, mix in your electrolytes, and get sipping. I love the grapefruit or watermelon flavors because the hint of flavor helps me drink so much more water.
