5 Ways To Stay Healthy While Camping

5 WAYS TO STAY HEALTHY WHILE CAMPING

Labor Day is often the last long weekend of camping before the kids head back to school. When my kids were younger, we loved a long weekend of camping, fishing, waterskiing, and wakeboarding. I will be the first to admit camping is a lot of work, and food planning and preparation can be overwhelming. I believe it is possible to stick to MOST of our healthy lifestyle choices.

Leslie wrote an excellent article for KOA on 5 ways to stay healthy while enjoying the outdoors.
You can find her full article here. https://koa.com/blog/5-ways-to-stay-healthy-while-camping/

Camping is a great way to shake up your routine and get some exercise different from the norm. Whether hiking or simply going for a leisurely walk while camping, spending time outside is one of the best ways to de-stress. The constant hustle and bustle of everyday life can take quite a toll, and sometimes we don’t realize how unhealthy it is and the damage it’s caused until we take a step away to recharge.

While there are numerous health benefits of spending time outside and camping, it does pose a challenge in ensuring that the food you’re eating while camping is healthy. To simplify things, to save space, and to maximize the amount of time you get to enjoy the outdoors rather than cook, often the default is to pick quick and easy options. Unfortunately, the items that are the quickest and easiest are usually the options that don’t offer many health benefits.

Here are her top tips on how to stay healthy while camping.

1. PLAN
Fast food became popular because it provides a quick, on-the-go option that doesn’t require planning. However, we all know that fast food is not something we should eat regularly, as it is some of the worst food out there. Fast food is what you reach for when you fail to plan.
By spending just a bit of time planning before your camping trip, you can avoid any of those last-minute, fast food choices.

When making your menu, stick to items that are easy to pack and don’t take much time to complete.

2. PREP AHEAD OF TIME
Preparing your food ahead of time helps you to stay away from foods packed with sugars and other unhealthy filler additives.

3. ONLY BRING HEALTHY SNACKS
To avoid overindulgence in snacks, bring healthy snacks that give you the same satisfaction when eating something between meals, but without the guilt. Some favorite snacks include fresh fruit, dried fruit, nuts, protein bars, and veggies with hummus.

4. GET MOVING
Incorporating movement into your day in the form that works best for you will help you make healthier decisions while camping.

5. DRINK WATER
Did you know that you should be drinking half of your weight in ounces of water a day? That means if you weigh 160, you should drink 80 ounces of water daily. Unfortunately, many people don’t consume that much water, and the lack of water damages the body.

Your body needs water to flush itself out and also to keep everything in your body running smoothly. On top of that, many times, we mistake thirst for hunger. Our body tells us it needs something, and we assume it needs food.

When camping and potentially spending more time moving and exercising than you’re used to, you should increase your water consumption.

Here are a few of her easy recipes.

QUICK NO-MESS CAMP OMELETS (IN A BAG)

INGREDIENTS
2 Eggs (per person)
Breakfast meat (precooked, diced) – ham, bacon, sausage, etc.
Veggies – onions, peppers, black olives, green chilies, etc.
Shredded cheese
Toppings (Tabasco, Ketchup, Taco Sauce, etc.)
OTHER SUPPLIES
Sandwich-sized freezer bags (one per person)
Cooking spray
Tall cooking pot with lid
Metal tongs
PREPARATION
Spray inside each baggie with a bit of Pam
Whip and pour the 2 eggs into each bag
Add options & SEAL baggie tightly (leave some air)
Lower each egg-baggie bottom into water (lean the top of the baggie over the edge of the pot, and hold it with the lid). Simmer in a low rolling boil until cooked through (5-10 minutes +/-)
Use metal tongs to pinch baggies every couple of minutes to be sure ALL eggs are cooked throughout
Lift fully-cooked egg baggie from the pot
Open CAREFULLY (hot) and slide out of baggie onto plate and top with your favorites (Shredded Cheese, Tabasco, Ketchup, Taco Sauce, Ranch. etc.)

FAJITAS
This lunch (or dinner) is a great way to get some vegetables mixed in and is easy to prep ahead of time.

INGREDIENTS
8 tortillas
1-1/2 pound(s) round steak or boneless chicken breasts, cut into long thin strips
3 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp oil
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp chili powder
2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
5 Tbsp teriyaki sauce
1 green pepper
1 yellow pepper
1 red pepper
1 yellow onion
PREPARATION
In a small bowl, mix lemon juice, oil, cumin, salt, chili powder, and cilantro
Pour over beef or chicken strips in a sealable plastic bag and marinate for at least 30 minutes.
While the meat is marinating, slice the onion and red, green, and yellow peppers into strips and set aside.
Heat two more tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add the marinated meat. Fry for 4 to 5 minutes, and then add the onion, and peppers
Continue to cook over medium-low heat and pour in the teriyaki sauce
When the onions and peppers are cooked to your liking, transfer them over to the tortillas and serve with lettuce, tomatoes, and sour cream
Mix lemon juice, oil, cumin, salt, chili powder, and cilantro in a small bowl. Pour over beef or chicken strips in a sealable plastic bag and marinate for at least 30 minutes. While the meat is marinating, slice the onion and red, green, and yellow peppers into strips and set aside.
Heat two more tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat and add the marinated meat. Fry for 4 to 5 minutes, and add the onion and peppers. Continue to cook over medium-low heat and pour in the teriyaki sauce. When the onions and peppers are cooked, transfer them over to tortillas and serve with lettuce, tomatoes, and sour cream.

CAMPFIRE RAINBOW TROUT (any fish will do!)

INGREDIENTS
Rainbow trout
Squeeze butter or margarine
Lemon slices
Salt and pepper
PREPARATION
Prepare your freshly caught pan size Rainbow trout with butter, slices of lemon, salt, and pepper.
Wrap in foil (enough to wrap around several times)
Place in the campfire or on the grill (close to the coals) for about 7 minutes on each side
Test fish for flakiness and cook more if needed

Happy Camping!