How to Mesh Healthy Eating Habits with Travel Nursing

On the road again could be the theme song for many travel nurses and travel LPNs. While the challenge of new assignments and the thrill of exciting locales make for an adventurous life, it can be difficult to maintain a healthy-eating lifestyle when the begin-fresh cycle repeats itself every thirteen weeks.

Consider the long days of packing and tying up loose ends at the conclusion of an assignment. Then it’s time to hit the road with your sights trained on the next destination. Whether the trip takes hours or days, traveling often throws a wrench in a healthy-eating agenda. Soon, you arrive at your new “hometown” and delve into getting settled into a new housing arrangement, attacking the multitude of details that any move requires like a pro. Then, it’s time to sink your teeth into the new assignment which includes figuring out the commute, adjusting to a new set of administrators and co-workers, and of course, the nitty-gritty of the new position.

All of this busyness and settling in can poke large holes in even the most well-established healthy-eating routine. Here are a few strategies traveling healthcare professionals can utilize to keep their healthy-eating routine intact.

• Track to stay on track

Especially during the hectic period just preceding and just after the move, a food-tracking app can help. My Fitness Pal is a popular calorie counter app and the Lose It! app is an easy-to-use food diary and exercise log. Bring awareness to the not-so-healthy habits that may try to slip into your life, disguised as inevitabilities during a stressful time, by faithfully logging everything you eat and drink in a simple-to-use app. Nip overindulgence and lackadaisical behaviors before they take root.

• Scope out restaurants and shopping points

As part of your getting-ready-for-a-new-assignment routine, scope out restaurants that feature healthy options. Search for grocery stores and fresh markets near your new home and along the route to the new job site. Different areas of the country may offer fruits and vegetables that are hard to find in your hometown. Doing a bit of homework before the move will make it easier to find these gems and maintain healthy eating habits, especially in the first days and weeks of adjustment.

• Focus on preparation

When unpacking that first haul of groceries, think preparation for the days ahead. Separate snacks into serving-sized containers. Cut fruit and veggies and package them with freshness in mind, in grab-and-go containers that will encourage healthy snacking practices at home and on the job.

• Eat every 2 to 3 hours

Ward off the urge to overindulge or make poor food and beverage choices by curbing extreme hunger with frequent, healthy snacks and meals. Banish phrases like “too busy to eat” or the notion that skipping meals is healthy.

• Drink more water

When a routine gets interrupted by a move, a new job, and the busyness of settling in, it’s easy for adequate water intake to fall by the wayside. Renew your commitment to stay hydrated by carrying a glass or stainless steel water bottle with you at all times.

• Check out the local cuisine

Remember that part of the fun of travel nursing is experiencing the local culinary delights. Ask co-workers and neighbors to recommend restaurants and shopping opportunities that will help you take advantage of the healthy-eating options in your new location.

We hope these suggestions help you maintain healthy eating habits while enjoying the excitement of each new travel nursing assignment.

"Your diet is a bank account. Good food choices are good investments." -Bethenny Frankel