Implementing the Bulletproof lifestyle requires discipline and planning. This can pose certain challenges, even in every-day life, let alone while traveling. One of my followers shares some practical tips to overcome these challenges based on his experience during a recent hiking trip through the Caucasian Mountains which he joined me on. His take-away: there is a lot you can do to continue a healthy, high-fat, low carb diet while traveling in remote or non-Western destinations!
TESTIMONIAL
I am Alexander Quarles van Ufford and for 10 years I have been experimenting with various biohacks to optimise my physical strength, mental focus and performance. I’m a personal friend of Eduard de Wilde and I had the privilege to be his coachee in 2016. I successfully implemented the Bulletproof lifestyle, largely due to Eduard’s leadership, inspiration and practical tips.
Last month Eduard and I joined a group of friends on a 5 day hiking trip through the Caucasian mountains in the country of Georgia, involving all-day tracks at altitudes ranging 2000-3600 m and camping under basic circumstances.
While preparing for this trip my goal was to continue my high-fat, low carb diet and avoid processed foods and vegetable oils. So I was keen to have Bulletproof food supplies available in case local food did not meet my criteria. As a first step I contacted our local guide to hear what was on the menu during the trip. As expected, most meals would include eggs, canned meat and fish, rice, pasta and some vegetables. I asked his permission to bring a pot of ghee and coconut oil so at least eggs and other fried food items would meet my requirements. I asked that any canned fish would be olive oil or water based.
As a second step I checked the website of Georgia’s immigration office and it turned out that you are allowed to bring fresh vegetables and nuts. So I stocked up on macadamia and various other nuts, canned olives, avocados, radish, broccoli, sellery and cherry tomatoes. Of course, rather than bringing them in from my home country, I could have purchased them on a local market upon arrival, but our travel schedule was too tight to include a visit to one of Tblisi’s basars. I bought both ripe and unripe avocados, to ensure that I had two ripe ones each day.
Both in my daily life and while traveling I use small containers with the +- 30 supplements I take daily, so I don’t have to open each of the 30 supplement pots every day. As I was traveling with a backpack, I stored the containers in a Tupperware, to avoid that they would open or burst by pressure exerted to the backpack.
I brought a travel shaker to mix and shake my coffee with Bulletproof Instamix (with instant butter and MCT oil). Also, I brought Bulletproof Collagen Protein bars to complement my daily diet. I carried a small bottle of Bulletproof Brain Octain oil to ensure I could continue to get +- 80% of my caloric intake from high-quality fats.
Thanks to these preparations I managed to eat healthy, satisfying meals during the trip, cherry-picking the camp food options provided and complementing these with my own. Unsurprisingly, my diet sometimes triggered some puzzled looks and questions from the cook and my fellow travelers... It goes without saying that staying on the Bulletproof course requires that one is prepared to become the center of attention (and skepticism...) every now and then. My partly deviation from the camp menu also triggered interesting conversations with fellow travelers who wanted to learn more about the Bulletproof lifestyle.
The trip was unforgettable and I managed to stay fit & focused throughout, so I was able to enjoy the splendor of Georgia’s mountains and natural beauty. In conclusion, when traveling, take some time to prepare, investigate what local food options will be available and ‘BYO’ to complement these.
