Keep Fit When You Are On the Road
| Taking a trip can be fun or stressful, hectic or relaxing, exotic or routine. Whether you're out of town overnight for a business meeting or on a weeklong vacation at the beach, you can still maintain your current level of fitness.
Check Availability
If you're staying in a hotel, call ahead to find out what fitness facilities are available. Some hotel chains have exercise rooms that rival some health clubs. Others have out-of-date equipment that you're better off avoiding. Be sure to ask what kind of machines they have and how many there are.
Some hotels have agreements with local health clubs that allow you to use the facilities for free or at a discounted "guest" rate. The health club you belong to might also be part of a regional, national, or worldwide chain of clubs so you can continue your standard exercise routine. Ask the staff at your local club.
Even if the hotel doesn't have an exercise room, they might have a pool. If swimming laps isn't for you, consider working with a coach or fitness trainer to develop a water aerobics routine.
Plan for Fitness
If you're planning a vacation, consider a fitness theme – backpacking, skiing, kayaking, or scuba trips. Even on a business trip, you can fit physical activity into your day.- Indoors, you can plan calisthenics that make use of the items you'll find in a hotel room, such as telephone books, loaded suitcases, chairs, walls, and beds. Pack exercise tubing for resistance training and a jump rope for a cardiovascular workout.
- If you're an outdoor exerciser, contact the hotel concierge or a local sports store, or get a map of the area where you'll be staying. Locate schools, parks, trails – even quiet streets – where you can walk or run.
- On the Internet, through a travel agent, business associates, or the hotel staff, locate rental places for inline skates, a canoe and life jackets, or bicycles.
- If you're on a tight schedule, be sure to check sunrise and sunset times. Check the weather forecast, as well, so you can pack appropriately for outdoor exercising.
Pack Only What You Need
Will it be warm or cool? Will a body of water be available for fitness and fun? Making use of laundry services during extended trips could mean you only need one or two pairs of exercise clothes instead of 10.
Be sure to wear comfortable clothes no matter how you're traveling. If you're flying, pack walking shoes in your carry-on luggage so you can take a brisk walk down the concourse between flights.
Eat Light
Be sure to eat at the same intervals you're accustomed to at home. Getting over-hungry leads to poor nutrition choices. You might want to bring along a small knapsack or fanny pack filled with healthy snacks – fruit, nuts, sandwiches, and baby carrots, for example. Locate a local grocery store so you can prepare your own meals.
Still, it won't be very much fun to visit an exotic place and not sample the food. Plan to splurge, and enjoy local cuisine. But be sure to balance a high-calorie meal with sensible meals and possibly increased physical activity.
Salads (with dressing on the side) are always a safe choice – but they can get boring after a while. Select heart-friendly or low-calorie meals from the menu. If you don't see any, you can custom order a meal at most restaurants.
Maintain
Your goal during trips should be to maintain your current fitness level. You don't need to exercise every day – or for a full hour each time. But when you do exercise, do it at the same intensity to which you are accustomed. It helps if you schedule blocks of time for exercise – even if it's 15 minutes twice a day during breaks between meetings.
With planning and persistence, you won't return home feeling overweight, out of shape, and unmotivated.
Paula Wart
Wellsource® Health Writer
Sources:
1. Fit facts. American Council on Exercise.
2. Taking fitness on the road. AARP.
This information is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice or diagnosis of specific medical conditions. You should seek prompt professional medical attention if you have a particular concern about your health or specific symptoms. Wellsource, Inc. is not liable for any health consequences resulting from your use of this site.
Check the websites for Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (www.cdc.gov) and World Health Organization (www.who.int/en/) for information and wellness tips about international business travel.
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