How to Stay Healthy on the Road
They say the world is getting smaller, but the same cannot always be said about those who travel frequently for business.
It's all too easy to pack good intentions, but return home with extra flab instead. You’ll be doing yourself a favor by sticking to a fitness program and healthy eating habits even when you’re on the road.
Prepare for Success
According to Ben Franklin, “Failing to prepare is preparing to fail”, so plan ahead to keep your body happy on the road by bringing workout clothes and shoes. Recent studies conducted at Columbia University link traveling for business to an increase in obesity, high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol levels. Eating for convenience and failing to exercise are the biggest fitness pitfalls when traveling, so plan accordingly
Packing for Snacking
Forget chowing down at the airport. Even the best intentions to eat healthy can be lost to the endless fast-food options and bar food in terminals. Instead, pack your own snacks—such as fresh fruit and nuts—as well as healthy sandwiches and salads that you can take with you in your carry-on. If you're traveling by car, pack a cooler full of fresh fruits, veggies, sandwiches, whole-grain crackers and cheese
Move It or Lose It
Exercise is the true way to multitask—it burns calories, reduces stress and works your muscles all at the same time. You may not be able to do your regular gym routine while you're traveling, but if you make the commitment, exercise can be the one constant in an uncertain travel schedule. Start by using downtime in the airport to stride the length of the terminal, foregoing the moving walkways. Try to book a hotel with a gym or a pool—and take advantage of it—but hedge your bets by packing a jump rope and a resistance band. Even a short routine of pushups, crunches, squats and lunges helps maintain fitness.
Take a Deep Breath
Stress levels can run high at business meetings, and a new bed and a different time zone doesn’t help things. Eating three healthy meals a day helps to maintain equilibrium; and limiting your intake of alcohol will help you to sleep better and wake more refreshed. If you meditate or practice yoga at home, you already have the tools to ward off anxiety, but for everyone else, a 30-minute stroll around whatever town you happen to be in rejuvenates you and offers some sightseeing at the same time.
Discover more travel tips and recommendations here.
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