It’s Friday, so I’m linking up with Fairytales and Fitness for the Friday Five. I’ve been traveling more for work and life. People always ask me how I keep up my healthy habits on the road. It’s become second nature for me, but it took me a lot of years to get here. Here are some of my favorite tips.
Top 5 Ways to Stay Healthy and Happy on the Road:
1. Plan Ahead – Do some research before your trip. Like what? Plan your flights or travel so that you don’t have to be stressed about being on time. Learn about the destination and see if you can walk places, etc. Pick a hotel with a gym. Look for healthy eating choices. See if any of your colleagues like to run and plan a route (or ask at the hotel for maps). Pack some on the go meals and snacks (see # 2). Check to be sure you have toiletries and all of the items you need for your meetings. Make a checklist – The Husband is really good at this. Check your itinerary a day or two in advance (be sure you have booked the right day, time, airport – learned this one the hard way!).
2. Always Bring Snacks and a Water Bottle– Anyone who has worked with me or gone anywhere with me for any amount of time knows I ALWAYS have snacks… and gum. One of my biggest downfalls for healthy eating is scarfing down everything in sight because I wait too long to eat. Also, airports and rest stops can be food deserts. I always bring nuts, dried fruit and a variety of raw food/super healthy energy bars. (Need energy bar ideas? Check out my past giveaways for tons of great options!) I also have started bringing jerky and other high protein options. At airports, and in life, you never know what you are going to get, so bring your own! Don’t forget your refillable water bottle – most airports have fountains so you can stay hydrated without breaking the bank.
3. Bring Workout Clothes… and Use Them – I always pack workout clothes and sneakers for overnight trips. Even if I only have 10 extra minutes, I try to workout. Whether it is with my J & J 7 Minute Workout App or just doing some basic moves. Why? When I started traveling for my first “real” job, I gained a ton of weight and felt terrible because I never had “enough” time. Now I know that 10 or 20 minutes is better than nothing. I also try to walk or just move more. I walk to meetings, take the stairs and even walk around airports and lobbies while I’m waiting. It may look weird but it works for me!
4. Remember…There’s an App for That – Take advantage of technology. Use Yelp to find a coffee, healthy eats and the gas station to gas up the rental. Use Uber or Lyft to get a ride. Try the 7 Minute Workout app or Sweatworking app for a quick workout that you can do in your hotel room or anywhere. Don’t forget the Kindle app in case you leave home without your Kindle or Ipad. I also have all of my airline apps, and Kayak and Hotel Tonight in case my plans get messed up. Oh, and never forget the power of Twitter when your plans get messed up. What are your fave apps for travel?
5. Breathe Deeply and Smile – Whether it is a crying child, or the one kicking your seat, an obnoxious person or a massive flight delay, some things are out of your control. I have been trying to stop, take a few deep breaths and smile. You can’t control them but you can control your response to them. Traveling is stressful. Try to see the humor in mishaps and enjoy the ride.
Here are some great links on active and healthy travel:
- How to Travel the Active Way from Move Nourish Believe
- Five Things to Keep in Mind For Healthy Active Travel from Active.com
- Eating Well and Staying Active When You Travel from Independent Traveler
- 12 Tips for Healthy Travel from Travel and Leisure (hypochondriacs beware here but very good points on bringing OTC meds, etc.)
- 10 Tips to Stay Healthy in Flight from the Today Show
What are your tips and tricks for staying healthy and happy when you travel? Please leave them in the comments.
Have a great weekend, friends!
PS. Don’t forget my great giveaways!