Let’s be honest: making the commitment to stay low-carb/keto can be challenging enough to do at home. But, when you are travelling, it can be that much more difficult! Luckily, my travelling experience has taught me a lot about what works best for me to stay low-carb/keto while travelling. Hopefully my lessons learned will save you some time (and frustration).
Travel Essentials
Travel Essential #1: Low-carb nuts (like pecans, Brazil nuts, walnuts, and macadamia nuts). Nuts serve as both a great tool to gently break your fast (if you are doing intermittent fasting with keto) and as a snack if you need a little extra something special after a meal. They also travel really well and don’t have to be refrigerated if that’s not possible for you. Just remember to consume them in moderation as the carbs in even low-carb nuts can add up. A fourth to a half of a cup is typically recommended as a maximum to consume per day. If you want to keep it really simple, like I do, try these amazing portable low-carb/keto nut butter packs called “F-Bombs” from Love You Foods.
Travel Essential #2: Himalayan salt or Celtic sea salt – Remember that “regular” table salt is NOT the same as something like natural Himalayan or Celtic sea salt. Himalayan or Celtic sea salt contain naturally-occurring minerals that help balance electrolytes. So, you cannot rely on other places, like restaurants, to provide this essential for you. [Side note: I even though that I may need to have a sugar-free/keto-friendly electrolyte supplement (like some of the tasty Ultima packets) with me when being active while travelling. But, it didn’t turn out to be necessary.]
Travel Essential #3: LOTS of water (filtered). Although, depending on the kind of travelling you are doing, bringing water with you may not be practical, remember to hydrate! Given that the kidneys filter faster through water and natural salts/electrolytes while low-carb, we need both more natural electrolytes (e.g. that Himalayan or Celtic sea salt I mention above!) and water. Plus, staying hydrated well also helps making fasting easier if you fast and skip breakfast, like I do.
Travel Essential #4: Ketone/glucose meter and test strips. One thing that people often get wrong with being low-carb/ketogenic is that they never actually test their ketone levels (or they use urine test strips, which are unreliable and don’t provide a consistent reading of all three possible kinds of ketones). And, in my opinion, while being low-carb/keto isn’t about achieving the medical nirvana of being “in ketosis” or for the weight loss, one has to stay informed about what keeps your glucose low and your ketones present and what doesn’t. (I reference just how important this is here.) Because it can be a pain to have separate ketone and glucose meters and testing strips, I use a Keto Mojo meter, which allows for testing of both in an easy travel pack. You can find their product with a sweet deal here. [Side note: While it is important to test your numbers, as Jimmy Moore points out in his book, Keto Clarity, the stress of travelling can often be enough to throw off your numbers. So, test to stay informed but don’t if it stresses you out or causes you to not enjoy yourself. Remember, a benefit of being low-carb/ketogenic is that a well-balanced ketogenic meal or two can bring you right back into ketosis even with less-than-optimal numbers!]
Optional Travel Items
Optional Travel Item #1: Peppermint tea. Although I find that making sure I am well-hydrated and am consuming enough salt (the general recommendation within the low-carb/keto community is around 1-2 teaspoons a day; although I find that my body needs between 1-2 tablespoons a day to help balance electrolytes and avoid signs of electrolyte deficiencies like leg cramps) is sufficient to fast well, peppermint tea is thought to be an appetite suppressants and really helps me to make it easily to lunch before I am hungry. Green tea or coffee can also work well for this, although the caffeine in such beverages makes me jittery.
Optional Travel Item #2: Healthy Oils/Fats. I have found that most sit-down restaurants have olive oil handy (given that they offer it with vinegar as an option for salad dressing). So, you can certainly use their oils to make sure to allow your body the fat that it uses for fuel while low-carb/ketogenic. However, when you aren’t sure if you will be able to have access to healthy fats (e.g. coconut oil, butter, olive oil; not the gross highly-processed and inflammatory fats like soybean oil, corn oil, or margarine), I put a daily dose of oil in a small travel-friendly and spill proof container like these and keep it with me to use as needed.
Don’t Bother Bringing
Unnecessary Travel Item #1: Bone broth. While having travel-friendly small boxes of bone broth from companies like Kettle & Fire is an AMAZING option that can make travelling locally easy when you are fasting or wanting to ensure you are getting good nutrients, it is not necessary if you are concerned about weight (e.g. backpacking). Hydrating well and getting enough healthy salts/electrolytes should be enough.
Unnecessary Travel Item #2: Snacks. When of the major benefits of being low-carb/ketogenic is that you are no longer dependent on food for fuel because your body uses its own fat for fuel (more about this and my transition from severe hypoglycemia here). So, I have found that, if I have nuts to break my fast, no other food outside of travel meals is necessary to keep me happy and healthy.
Experiment!
What is listed above is what I found works for me. But, given that every body is different and you need to respect your body’s needs, experiment. See what you can and can’t live without. Stay curious, my friends!
