Traveling with a shaker

Megan in South Africa

I held my breath as I yanked the zipper on my suitcase, willing it to stay shut and saying a little prayer that I would manage to stay under the luggage weight limit. Another two week trip to South Africa was on the horizon. It was a familiar flight – I pretty much had the routine down perfectly, even to the number of Netflix episodes I would need to download to keep me entertained on the 16 hour flight.

I loved these trips – the people, the culture, the work itself. The only thing I dreaded was the hit to my fitness and nutrition. Two months of a solid routine of working out and meal prepping, shortly to be undone by 14 days of eating restaurant food and no access to a gym. Earlier that morning I had dutifully packed my 12 ziplock baggies of protein powder and crammed two giant shaker bottles into my suitcase, convincing myself that I could sacrifice my hair straightener and those favorite pair of heels for my protein shakes. This would be a familiar tradeoff for the next two years, traveling the world and refusing to compromise my health and fitness goals. What other choice did I have?

Each time I crammed those shaker bottles in my suitcase, I’d ask Doug – what iteration are you on? Is this thing almost ready yet? I distinctly remember popping into the women’s restroom during a flight layover and seeing a flight attendant rinsing out her 20 oz plastic shaker bottle in the sink. I was feeling extra bold that day. Excuse me miss. Would you ever buy a silicone version that would collapse down and give you more space when you travel? Her eyes widened a bit. Yes. I absolutely would buy something like that. I left the restroom, feeling pumped up and called Doug shortly afterwards.

As I sit here, reflecting on those trips, I feel a bit nostalgic. We’ve tried to count our blessings during this global pandemic. Being grounded has afforded me the opportunity to focus on my fitness and tune my diet like never before. Yet, I long for the days of cramming my suitcase shut and preparing for another international adventure. Only this time, I’ll be sliding my Kilo into the top pocket of my bag and letting my straightener and heels have their rightful place in my suitcase. This time, there will be no compromise.