I travel a lot for work. My trips range anywhere from 1 night to 2 months at a time. Traveling can be fun & glamorous, but it can also cause an immense amount of stress & wreak havoc on your fitness goals. My friends always ask me how I am able to focus on my goals while on the road.
Here are my tips:
Pre-travel days - on the days leading up to my travel, I like to set my body up for a hectic week.
I prep myself by drinking over a gallon of lemon water & infuse my body with as many nutrients as possible…typically through green juices & salads.
For my mental health, I make sure that my condo is clean, my laundry is done, & that my suitcase is packed well in advance.
The day before travel, whether it be a flight or a long car ride, I make sure I get a good, long workout in. A lot of times this means 2-3 different workouts: 45-60 min of cardio, 45-60 min of weight lifting, 45 min of MMA, 60 min of Pilates, or 60 min of Yoga.
I also like to try to get 8+ hours of sleep the night before a long trip because traveling can be long & exhausting - even if you're just sitting on a plane all day.
Travel day - the day of travel sets you up for success for your whole trip, stay strong!
I am a sucker for McDonald's breakfast. That disgusting meal just satisfies me in a way that I am not proud of. They have mastered the syrup to water ratio in their fountain drinks (literally, there are books on it). It takes every bit of willpower in me to not stop there while I am at the airport. To combat this & any other temptation, I bring an empty water bottle & a ton of tea bags. I also pack granola bars, nuts, baby carrots, & a chopped up apple/pear in my carry-on.
Once I get to the airport, I make a bee-line for a cafe (usually Starbucks) to buy a fruit cup & I kindly ask them to fill my David's Tea Travel Mug with hot water. I also like to buy the biggest water bottle I can find. Side note: airport prices are ridiculous, but it ensures I drink a lot of water - I'm too cheap to let an expensive bottle of water go to waste!
While on the flight, I ask for more water. I try to drink as much water as possible. Get used to having to pee a lot.
Then, once we land, I fill up my water bottle with more water - either at a fountain, or I buy another large water bottle. & I chug.
During my trip -
Food - now, this isn't the easiest for me. There are trips I take where I have to eat out every meal with coworkers. Which means you are at the will of others when it comes to where you eat. My go-to meals are salads, grilled chicken, & lots of veggies.
I like to pack extra healthy snacks in my checked luggage (nuts, granola bars, tea) so that I can fill up during the day. I continue to try to drink a gallon of water every day.
Once, while in Bemidji, I ordered off the "Light & Healthy Menu" what was titled as "Chicken & Vegetables"...I thought it would be grilled chicken & steam veggies - that's light & healthy, right? Well, apparently in Bemidji, they do Light & Healthy differently. I received a country fried chicken with gravy, & 3 asparagus stalks. I asked the waitress if there was a mistake & there was not. My point is…sometimes you're stuck with unhealthy options. Just do the best you can.
Exercise - this is where I excel. I always pack a 18 inch foam roller in my suitcase, an elastic loop band, & a workout DVD, so at the very least I get a good hotel rom workout in. You'd be surprised at how many hotels do not have gyms.
Hotel room workouts = 100 squats 50 side steps (left & right) with the elastic loop band, 20 pushups, 100 crunches, 30-45 min of a workout DVD, 15 min stretching, 10 min foam rolling.
I try to workout every day of travel, unless I have to work really late. It helps to break the workout into different times of the day - in the mornings, do the squats, side steps, pushups, & crunches; in the evenings, do the DVD, stretching, & foam rolling.
If the hotel has a gym, I do 30 min of cardio, 30 min of weights, side steps with the elastic band, foam rolling, & stretching.
Vitamins & Supplements - I might not be the best at taking my vitamins & supplements when I am at home, but I am religious about it on the road. As I am waiting to board my flight I take Airborne religiously - I keep a bottle of the chewable tablets in my purse.
Every day, I take a woman's multivitamin, an Iron supplement (I'm anemic), Fish Oil, Biotin, CLA before every meal, & Melatonin before bed (it helps adjust to sleeping in a different time zone).
Post-travel days - these days are crucial for getting back into your routine. I try to maintain my excessive water drinking & taking my vitamins/supplements. Sleep is far better in your own bed, so I make sure I get a good 8 hours in my first night home. Cleaning is important to me & my sanity is maintained if I immediately unpack & do laundry. & I make sure to get back to my gym as quickly as possible.
Happy Healthy Traveling! :)
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