When people found out we were selling everything to travel full-time with our families, we had plenty of questions thrown our way. While most people wanted to know how we could afford it, another question came up surprisingly often:
“How are you going to stay healthy?”
Staying healthy while travelling with kids was something we wondered about too.
I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little worried myself. We’re both routine people, so the idea of throwing that out the window felt a bit scary.
I think a lot of people picture full-time travel as one long holiday – eating out every night, skipping exercise and having no routine at all. And yes, there are definitely travel days where everything goes out the window. Airport food becomes a lifeline, everyone’s overtired and simply getting to the next destination feels like an achievement. But those days aren’t our everyday life.
Looking back, we’re actually healthier now than we were before we left Australia. Not because we’ve discovered some magic formula or peptide, but because travelling has naturally changed the way we live. We spend more time outside, move our bodies without really thinking about it and have learnt that looking after yourself doesn’t have to revolve around superfood smoothies or hitting a step goal every single day.
We Built Our Travels Around the Things We Love
One of the best decisions we made was not leaving our hobbies behind.
For Renee’s family, that’s rock climbing. For Carly’s family, it’s running. Those passions have shaped where we’ve travelled, introduced us to incredible people and taken us to places we probably never would have visited otherwise.
It’s easy to think travel means putting your normal life on hold, but we’ve found the opposite. Travelling has given us more opportunities to do the things we love, not fewer.
You don’t have to climb mountains or run ultra-marathons. Whether it’s surfing, hiking, photography or cycling, taking your hobbies with you gives every destination a little more purpose.
We Move More Than We Ever Did at Home
Neither of us has a perfect gym routine anymore, but we’re far more active than we used to be.
If somewhere is close enough to walk, we walk. Exploring a new place on foot usually leads us somewhere unexpected – a quiet café, a hidden playground or a local market we’d never have found from the back of a taxi. Before we know it, we’ve covered kilometres without ever setting out to exercise.
Travelling with young kids helps too. Between carrying backpacks, chasing toddlers and spending hours outside, movement naturally becomes part of the day. And if you’ve ever carried a baby on your chest up a flight of stairs or a tired toddler on your shoulders through a city, you’ll know that counts as a workout too!
Small Changes Have Made the Biggest Difference
We still love trying local food, and we’re definitely not saying no to the occasional pizza or piece of baklava. That’s one of the best parts of travelling.
What has changed is everything in between. We’ve become much more aware of the small choices we make every day because they’re the ones that really add up.
For Carly, that means carrying simple snacks like boiled eggs or fruit instead of relying on convenience food whenever someone gets hungry. Renee has focused on eating more protein after realising she wasn’t getting enough, and those little changes have made a noticeable difference to her energy.
None of it is about strict rules or perfect eating. It’s simply about choosing foods that help us feel good so we have the energy to enjoy the places we’re exploring.
Our Kids Are Learning Alongside Us
One thing we’ve both realised is that children learn far more from what they see than what they’re told.
Kaia loves putting on her climbing harness and heading straight for the rocks, while Chloe has grown up around gyms and running events. Neither of them is being pushed into exercise – they’re simply copying the people around them.
The same goes for food. People are often surprised when Kaia happily eats a spicy curry or asks for salmon for dinner, and Chloe is more than happy to fuel up with one of Mum’s famous buffet boiled eggs before heading off on another adventure.
Those healthy habits aren’t something we’ve sat down and taught them. They’re simply becoming normal because that’s the lifestyle they’re growing up in.
Staying Healthy While Travelling With Kids Isn’t Just About Exercise
When we recorded this episode, we realised we spent just as much time talking about mental health as we did fitness.
Travelling full-time is amazing, but it can also be overwhelming. You’re constantly making decisions, planning your next destination and parenting without the support network you probably had back home.
For us, wellness is just as much about slowing down as it is about staying active. Sometimes that’s enjoying a quiet coffee before everyone wakes up, taking a few minutes to write down what we’re grateful for or simply getting outside for some fresh air.
They’re tiny habits, but they help us feel calmer, more patient and much more present with our families.
Of course, staying healthy doesn’t mean no one ever gets sick – we’ve also shared how we prepare for sickness while travelling with kids.
Final Thoughts
Travelling hasn’t made healthy living harder – it has actually made it simpler.
We’ve learnt that wellness isn’t about following the perfect routine or never missing a workout. It’s about moving your body, spending time outdoors, eating food that makes you feel good and making time for the things you genuinely enjoy.
Some weeks we’ll do that better than others, and that’s okay.
If there’s one thing this lifestyle has taught us, it’s that small habits really do add up over time. The best part is watching our girls grow up thinking those habits are just a normal part of everyday life.
Listen to the Full Episode
In Episode 5 of the Kids Who Travel Podcast, we share the routines, habits and mindset shifts that have helped us stay healthy while travelling full-time with our families. If you’ve ever wondered how to balance travel, parenting and looking after yourself, we hope you’ll find something helpful in this conversation.
We’d love to hear what works for your family too. Come and join us on Instagram at @kidswhotravelpodcast.