How To Travel With Disordered Eating

Don’t pass on a meal then blame your lack of an appetite from the jetlag.

If you’re traveling to a new territory, whether it’s another state or international, your destination will undoubtedly have a different food scene than what you might not be used to. When coming back from a vacation, most people will talk about the scenery, the locals, and inevitably, the food. Some people travel worldwide specifically just for the cuisine. Why else would restaurateurs and renowned chefs travel to Italy, France, and Spain in hopes to bring back the same authentic recipes to New York, San Francisco, or Seattle? If traveling for the sole purpose of diversifying our palates didn’t exist, it’s safe to say Anthony Bourdain would’ve been off the air many seasons ago.

Imagine being so thrilled to soak up a completely foreign culture. The adrenaline is strong and you can hardly contain yourself because you know you’re in the midst of creating the most unforgettable memories. Then you start to get hungry. All of the options are completely unfamiliar to you. They’re not the healthiest either. You start to panic at the thought of having to settle for something that doesn’t contain any nutritional value. So you decide to pass on a meal instead, blaming your lack of an appetite from the jetlag, which is a total lie. This is disordered eating. This is something so many travelers deal with, yet society is just now beginning to openly discuss these mental health issues. Imagine traveling like this, not once, but every time you’re off to your next destination.

I have dealt with disordered eating for many years, and with a lot of patience, I’ve learned how to not let it affect my travels, and can even be bold enough to say I am slowly starting to overcome it. Not everyday is easy, but that’s life, isn’t it? This is my best, most honest advice for handling disordered eating while traveling.

Remember You’re on Vacation

It’s OK to eat! On my first trip to Australia, my disordered eating was at its worst. I was in the most beautiful, picturesque cities, yet too afraid to indulge in any of the native foods, fearful of how it would completely alter my body, even though I was already at my skinniest. It was only on my recent trips that I realized the food I eat does not define my self worth. I wanted to fully submerge myself in Australian culture. Traveling is all about broadening your views on the world, inhaling unique traditions, and experiencing gastronomy you may never be able to try again. Allowing yourself to taste different ingredients, regardless of health benefits, are crucial to enjoying the whole experience of being away from your familiarities.

Forget About the Calories

This can be a seemingly impossible task when we live in a world where counting macros, fat content, protein intake, somehow make people more “health conscious”. Does anyone even understand the macro trend anyway? Look, I am a firm believer in eating wholesome, beneficial meals made from real ingredients, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to be staring at the menu in a foreign country asking how many calories are in each of the dishes served. Last thing I want is validate that Americans are even crazier than what we already appear to be on TV. Not only is it time consuming, but it’s exhausting and takes away from all the fun of actually trying something completely new. With a guaranteed huge list of sight seeing, you’ll unquestionably be putting in thousands of steps walking everywhere. So basically, you’ll be walking so much that those calories don’t even matter. Plus in reality, enjoying one piece of kangaroo or indulging in decadent gelato isn’t going to make you gain weight.

You’re Traveling, Enjoy it!

Need I say more? If you’re in Mexico for spring break, New York City for New Years, or somewhere in the middle of Europe for three months, the trip you’re making is unique in that it’ll never be the same experience if you visit again. Each trip, whether it’s local or abroad, is and should be different to one another. Who knows when you’ll be this far from home again? You may never even make it back to where you are. So enjoy it. Down the road, you may be filled with regret knowing you let disordered eating interfere with your ability to have the most amazing experience possible. I’m speaking from personal experience when I say it’s not worth the stress and disappointment to obsess over food rather than utilize your time away from home- truly absorbing your surroundings to your absolute maximum capacity.

So, if you’re planning a trip sometime soon, and have apprehensions about the dietary options, your appearance, or even your headspace, trust me when I say you’re not alone. I can say that traveling abroad truly changed my outlook on food, disordered eating, and has enabled me to come back feeling more inspired to branch out of my comfort zone every single time. If I can overcome a mentality that I’ve dealt with for years, and genuinely enjoy being emerged in another culture, I promise you can too.

Blair Siegel

Contributor

Blair is a LA local with a huge appetite for delicious foods, adventure, writing and quality coffee. When she's not working in fashion or traveling, you can catch her by the pool or at the best rooftop bar!