On the (fit) Road Again:

STAYING FIT WHILE TRAVELING

FITNESS TRAVEL TIP #1:

Before any exercise-on-the-road strategies can be planned, it is important to know what goes into a complete fitness program:

1. Cardiovascular exercise (also known as “aerobics”): Cardiovascular exercise is an important component to any fitness program, as it helps to promote heart disease risk reduction, reduce stress, and burn a high amount of calories for weight management. It is generally recommended that you do some form of cardiovascular exercise for at least 30 minutes, and a minimum of three days per week. Examples include walking, jogging, bicycling, and swimming. This form of exercise is commonly made more easily accessed by the many hotels who feature a mini-gym as part of their facilities.

2. Strength training: Strength training can include the use of resistance machines (such as Nautilus), free weights, resistance elastic, calisthenics, and certain types of yoga. Strength training helps to promote and increase in lean muscle mass, which keeps your metabolism running higher. The weight-bearing quality of strength training can also be helpful in warding off the risk of osteoporosis. Exact workout durations will vary, but recommended are exercises that strengthen a wide variety of muscles and muscle groups, with special attention to the “core” muscles (abdominals and low back), at least once per week. Some hotels offer some strength training equipment in their mini-gyms; this is not the most reliable option, however; my experience has typically been one in which I am better off doing my strength training routine in my room.

3. Stretching: Ideally, stretching should be done on a daily basis, but if this is not possible, then at the very least, stretching should occur in conjunction with workouts. Yoga is a great choice, as it can both help with flexibility (stretching) as well as reduce stress. It is a good idea to establish a regular, high-quality stretching routine when you’re not traveling; this makes the prospect of stretching on the road much more enjoyable, as you won’t be wondering what stretches to perform. In any event, only perform those stretches you understand fully, and that feel comfortable.

 

FITNESS TRAVEL TIP #2:

Let’s be honest: chances are high that you won’t want to engage in long, exhaustive workouts while on the road. Remember, we’re trying to stay fit while traveling, not get fit while traveling. Knowing this, you are much more likely to see success if you limit your plans for working out to no longer than 10-20 minutes per session. Do, however, make a commitment to follow through with these shorter, “mini” workouts.

 

FITNESS TRAVEL TIP #3:

Traveling involves a host of distractions from our everyday life and schedule. These distractions will increase the temptation to skip exercising, especially at the end of a long day of meetings, or a weary day of flight delays. To help resist this inclination, focus your sights on the benefits of this activity: for example, to reduce travel anxiety and stress, boost your energy, sleep better, and enhance your mood. Knowing that these are the payoffs to just a few minutes of effort makes it much easier to go through with your workout, even when you'd rather crash in front of the TV.

 

FITNESS TRAVEL TIP #4:

 

As part of an end-of-the-day unwind, or a first-thing-in-the-morning wake-up, have your workout become part of several activities. For example, start some coffee or tea, and exercise while it brews. When your workout is finished, take a refreshing shower, after which time you can relax as you sip some coffee or tea. Who knows? This just might become a regular travel ritual for you!

 

FITNESS TRAVEL TIP #5:

Do I need to tell you what your chances are of exercising if the first time you think about it is after arriving in your hotel room? Take a few minutes in advance of your trip to plan your workouts. These days, checking for workout facilities is easier than ever, now that so many hotels have included this information on their websites. Of course, if you have any additional questions, you can always call for clarification. Once you know what facilities are available to you, you can then plan on what to bring. If you plan to workout in your room, you should become familiar with the plethora of extremely lightweight, travel-friendly strength-training tools on the market, including resistance tubing. Pack a change of fitness-friendly clothes that make you feel comfortable and ready for activity; you’ll be more likely to want to change into them. Don’t forget a water bottle! You may also want to pack a fitness book or magazine, to help motivate you and provide guidance. Speaking of guidelines, it’s a good idea to put together a modest list of exercises and stretches—a quantity of 8-10, for instance—that you can do while away from home. Keep this list with your other fitness-related gear. Finally, schedule your workouts in the same manner you would any appointment: write them into your travel itinerary.

 

FITNESS TRAVEL TIP #6:

Evan the best-laid plans can go awry, and this especially holds true whenever travel is involved. Before you throw in the towel with any last-minute changes, use some creativity to determine an alternate solution. Unfortunately, we tend to treat exercise with the kind of negativity that the moment something comes up to offset the plans, we immediately submit to them and say, “Oh, well.” Make a commitment to make every effort to salvage as much of your exercise plans as possible; you’ll be happy you did!