Touring is an essential aspect of every musician’s career. Musicians embark on tours as a way to make money, but ultimately to increase their fan bases. Most tours, international or national, involve constant traveling, nightly performances, and little rest.
With such a hectic schedule, musicians on tour often resort to fast food to subsist for the duration of the trips. But a continuous intake of pizza, gas station food and burgers will soon become tiresome, as well as unhealthy. Tours can place high demands on both physical and mental health, it becomes imperative that musicians eat healthy while on tour, to maintain high levels of energy needed for stage performances. Below are tips for eating and maintaining a healthy diet while on the road.
Drink Lemon Water in the Morning
In the morning, and before breakfast, two or three tablespoons of fresh lemon juice mixed with a glass of room temperature water will detoxify the liver and hydrate you. The body functions best at a PH slightly above seven, lemon water in the morning will also alkalize the body.
Drink Plenty Water
Can this ever be overemphasized? Water is an integral element to maintaining a healthy body, and this is even more true for touring musicians who expend large amounts of energy during their performances on stage and become dehydrated more quickly than usual. While on tour, we advise you to carry along a water bottle, even when not performing. Drinking water at regular intervals will, of course, keep the body hydrated, and to an extent, reduce the craving for carbonated drinks.
Cut Back on Booze and Sodas
Touring bands and alcohol should not mix. During tours and performances, alcohol is very easy to come by, and there is pressure to drink as people will invite and buy drinks for band members. Drinking doesn’t come recommended as alcohol has high amounts of calories. You can easily drink 500 to 600 calories without even noticing.
The same can be said of soda, while it will not get you drunk, it will pack on the calories. Even diet sodas, while sugar-free, contain artificial sweeteners which will not increase calories, but will trick your brain into expecting energy from sugar, instead, your body gets inundated in toxic chemicals. Instead of Sodas, you can have mineral water or coconut water.
Eat Protein-Based Breakfasts
As much as you can, eat a protein-rich breakfast. Doughnuts, bagels, and other pastries will spike blood sugar, increase calories, and do nothing for your health; instead, it will cause low energy and possible mood swings. A proteinous breakfast is best as it will cause you to be hungry less frequently, so you will end up reaching for the candy bar less often. A breakfast with eggs, peanut butter, sausages, oatmeal yogurts, and nuts is an enjoyable and healthy breakfast. You can make exceptional and easy protein meals using printed recipe books.
Vitamin C and Probiotics are Good for You
Chief among the many benefits of Vitamin C is its ability to boost immunity and curb physical stress. This property of vitamin C becomes beneficial as touring musicians may get exposed to several diseases. It’ll also help to buffer the pressures exerted on the body as a result of traveling and performing always. In place of candy bars and bags of chips, snack on foods rich in this vitamin such as Oranges. Alternatively, you can elect for a dietary supplement of Vitamin C. In this case, consider choosing an entirely organic one, made from citrus or rose hips.
Probiotics are touted as good bacteria; this is because they aid digestion and prevent constipation. You do not want to suffer illness just before a big performance. Choose a brand of probiotics that does not require refrigeration; foods like yogurt and pickles are also good sources of probiotics.
Drink Coffee, but Not After 3 pm
You already know that a significant component of Coffee is caffeine. Caffeine can be a good energy boost at times, but other times especially late afternoons, caffeine can upset sleep and may remain in the body for up to eight hours. Also, Coffee has been revealed to be acidic and will erode essential minerals from the body. Drink teas, green or black, in place of Coffee, if you need an afternoon pick-me-up. L-theanine, an amino acid that boosts concentration, is contained in tea.
Get a Cooler and Some Exercise
While this is not a tip on what to eat, it’s still a good idea. If you genuinely intend to eat healthy while on tour, don’t skip a cooler. The presence of a cooler will encourage you to buy and eat healthy snacks such as fruits and vegetables, as you can easily store them in the cooler. This practice will help you cut back on fast foods and pastries.
Exercise contributes to our overall health. You need not go to the gym. Short walks around the city you are visiting, electing to take the hotel stairs instead of the elevator are great and simple ways to burn calories and keep fit. The young professionals’ band has a list of warm-up exercises for artists and bands
Conclusion
Eating healthy has never been a walk in the park. For touring musicians, this is even more true. These tips will help you to eat and maintain a healthy diet while traveling.
