4 Fitness Tips for the Traveler

 

 

Use these 4 Fitness Tips for the Traveler below to help plan and execute your fit living lifestyle at home and abroad. Whether you are traveling for business, pleasure or as a nomadic way of life, staying fit and healthy can be hard.

Keeping that balance of work, play, relaxation and fitness discipline can sometimes seem complicated and futile. With a little planning and fortitude I’m here to tell you that you can have your cake and eat it too. 

1. Travel with some sort of exercise equipment

I believe the phrase is “out of sight, out of mind.” By traveling with some sort of exercise equipment you are more likely to use that piece of equipment. Every time you open your suitcase or backpack you will see it and it reminds you of what needs to be done.

Fitness equipment could be anything from empty fitness sandbags, TRX Suspension Trainer, fitness ribbons/bands, yoga mat, workout video Etc. The main thing is to travel with something you will use and that enables you to get a good full body workout. Remember going for a run is not enough for a full and healthy lifestyle.

You need to build some lean muscle and strength. This will actually help boost your bone density as well as metabolism to burn more calories while at rest. Strength training will also keep you burning calories for longer after your workout is complete. So schedule a block of time during your day for fitness, the benefits far out way the negatives.

2. Disrupt any sedentary time-frames

One of the unhealthiest things you can do is to stay immobile for long periods of time outside of sleep. You may be working hard on an article at your computer, deep in conversation at a meeting or sitting patiently on a train/plane. I know it can be hard to just get up and be active in those situations but if you are serious about your health, you will figure out a way.

• Set a timer while working on your computer to remind yourself to get up and move around every 1-2 hours.
• Make up an excuse to use the bathroom or suggest a group break mid-way through a meeting. Explain it increases productivity and mental alertness.
• Don’t be afraid to get up and stand or walk during transportation.
• Do some stretching, squats or other exercise with your active little break. Even suggest others to join you.

3. Eat to fuel your body, not fuel your cravings

This can be a tough one, especially when traveling. Try to research some healthy restaurant options beforehand so you know where to go for lunch or dinner for a tasty, healthy meal. You will be less likely to settle for an unhealthy option if you have places in mind already. If you have the option, cooking for yourself can often be a healthier and more cost effective. You can monitor what goes into the meals and can even plan lunches and snack for your day.

Track your food intake with various apps which makes you much more aware of what is going into your body and how much. You can then use that information to offset some of that intake with exercise. Also, try to eat small meals and snacks throughout the day instead of skipping meals and then gorging yourself.

Rule of thumb: if you are starving you have waited too long to eat and if you are full you have eaten too much. Remember it takes 15-30 minutes for your brain to register how much you have eaten.

4. Get enough sleep

Without enough sleep all your hard work in the first 3 tips will suffer. Sleep is where our bodies repair and or minds reset. It is essentially where we find our internal balance. Erratic or deficiency in sleep can lead to many physical and mental health issues including obesity, learning disabilities, loss of sex drive, heart disease and more.

• Try to refrain from alcohol, caffeine or sugary filled foods before bedtime. Instead try cherries, bananas , milk, turkey or a fiber enriched or a mixed grain snack.
• Try to stay on your normal schedule if possible and recreate your normal environment as much as possible in your new destination. 7-8 hours of sleep is optimal.
• If you find you did not get a good nights sleep a 20-30 minute power nap can give you a refreshing kick start to finish the rest of your day and boost productivity in both work and fitness. Be careful not to nap for more than 1 hour during the day and hurt your chances of getting a good sleep the next night.

Final Thoughts

Utilizing these 4 fitness tips for traveling can greatly improve not only your health and fitness but your productivity, mood, energy and help prevent illness. As a business traveler, holiday traveler or nomadic full-time travelers it is in your best interest to maintain a healthy and fit lifestyle. So make a plan now and begin your journey, no pun intended!

If you would like more help on leading a healthier and more fit lifestyle. As a traveler I know what it takes to create that balance of work, play and fitness.

Check out the Workout Database. Hope to see you somewhere on this small blue marble we call home.