PCS Time: How to Stay Fit and Healthy on the Road

In the long, cramped, and stressful days during a PCS the last thing that you’re likely thinking about is healthy eating and exercise. In fact, it’s far more likely that you’re concentrating on not pulling your hair out from the stress and food is an afterthought, only relevant when your stomach is loudly grumbling and you’re searching for whatever is easiest to grab to quiet it down so you can go back to dealing with your never-ending to do list and the long miles ahead. But this is a mistake, because although fitting in exercise and healthy eating may feel like something you don’t have time for, it will make all the difference in your mindset and stress during a PCS. Remember that quote from Legally Blonde? “Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy!” Well, it’s true, and healthy eating will raise your energy and mood level too. Happy Spouse during a PCS means happy everybody. Here are a few tips to fit in healthy eating and exercise during your next PCS: Photo Credit: Linh Nguyen

Eat a healthy breakfast ! You may think that you don’t have time to eat a healthy breakfast while on a long road trip to your new duty station, but taking an extra five minutes to eat a good breakfast will give you so much more patience and energy to power through your day. I like to pack oatmeal & peanut butter packets and use hot water from hotel rooms to make a quickie bowl of filling oatmeal. Whole grain bagels with nut butter and whole grain cereals are good options as well. Sneak in a quick workout. Pack sneakers and work-out clothes and do a quick interval workout at the hotel gym. I love using the (free!) Nike Training Club App to lead me through fast and furiously effective workouts while on the road. No hotel gym? No problem! Take 20-30 minutes to stroll around the neighborhood your hotel is in. Although you may feel like you’re in a rush to get on the road, taking some time to stretch your legs with your family will make the next several cramped hours in the car go by much faster. Plus it gives you a chance to see an area that you may never see again Pack healthy snacks in the car . I know we all have that favorite “road trip only food”. Mine is chewy sweetarts and my husband’s is those delicious donut holes you get at gas stations. Although donuts and candy may be delicious, they are not exactly nutritious and will leave you with your energy crashing and an empty belly again in just a couple hours. Nuts, trail mix, fruit and granola bars are all great, easy to pack and filling options. If you forget to pack healthy snacks, because let’s be real, it’s impossible not to forget something leading up to a PCS, you can also find nuts, granola, and fruit at most gas stations along the way. I’m not saying you can’t still get that “favorite road trip only” candy or treat, just try to eat a healthy snack for every fun one that you eat to keep your energy up. Stop for a picnic lunch. Find a rest stop on the way and stop for a break and a filling lunch. Pack a cooler filled with healthy sandwich ingredients, like tomato, hummus, whole wheat bread, organic lunchmeat, and peanut butter and jelly in order to make yummy and filling sandwiches for everyone. Once you’ve finished lunch, take a much needed break and walk around the area with your family. You can even turn it into a brief play break by bringing a Frisbee or baseball to throw around. Make smart dinner choices. There’s nothing worse than waking up feeling icky and bloated in the middle of a road trip. Prevent this by making healthy dinner choices. At a fast food restaurant, order salads or sandwiches with grilled instead of fried meat. At a sit-down restaurant, order lean meat and veggies, such as fish and a baked potato with a side salad. The fish will give you energy boosting Omega 3’s and the veggies will help beat the PCS road-trip bloat with some much needed fiber. Eat your meals at the same time you normally do. Your body is used to receiving energy from food at certain times of the day and it’s easy to get thrown off your normal rhythm during a long road trip to your new duty station. Try to eat at the same times you normally would as much as possible. It will help keep your energy up and help keep any digestion issues from occurring because the last thing you need during a PCS is dealing with stomach problems on top of everything else. DRINK SO MUCH WATER . So. Much. Water. The more water you drink the less bloated you will feel, the healthier your digestion will be and the better you will feel overall. Aim to have a water bottle on hand at all times for easy drinking during the PCS…and I won’t judge you for pretending it’s vodka during the particularly stressful moments. Stretch before bed. It may feel silly breaking into downward dogs and hip stretches in your hotel room but long hours in a car are notorious for leading to tight hips and sore necks. Try to stretch as much as possible in order to prevent this. I’ve even done quick standing stretches in bathrooms at rest stops before. Everything helps! Hopefully these tips keep you healthy and happy as much as possible when on a road trip to your next duty station! Read Next: Healthy Eating in a Busy World Give Military Spouse A Like

PCS Time: How to Stay Fit and Healthy on the Road

9 [more!] Homecoming Signs We Love

5 Steps to Emotionally Detach from Your Home

5 Steps to Emotionally Detach from Your Home

Latest

When “Strong” Starts to Feel Exhausting

Raising Resilient Kids Without Raising Tiny Stress Balls

Spring Bucket List for Military Families (No Leave Required)

Living in Compressed Time: Why It Makes Friendship Feel Intense

Why Military Friendships Form So Fast

What I Wish I Knew Before My First PCS (That No One Told Me)

In Case You Missed It

Intentional in the Ordinary: A Hello From Your Friend Next Door

The Unofficial Military Spouse Spring Reset Checklist

The Loudest Voice in the Room Is Yours

March Madness, But It’s Just Our Schedules

We Don’t Need More “Strong Spouse” Narratives

Luck of the Military Spouse: 10 Things We Call “Lucky” (But Totally Aren’t)

Fall 2025

Employment

Family

Lifestyle