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Taking Your Fitness
On the Road
Copyright 2006 by Evamarie Pilipuf
I won’t lie: It’s extremely tough to avoid an
interruption to your eating and exercise routine when you travel. Oh sure, I
can name some examples of when I have managed to make it happen even under the
most unusual and challenging of circumstances. On more than one occasion, I
have been known to pull out the resistance tubing and exercise mat on outdoor
tenting trips, turning them and the ubiquitous wooden picnic table into a
quasi-gym for myself (to the amusement, no doubt, of curious neighbors). Then
there was that time I had room service deliver a microwave oven and mini fridge
our tiny room at a Colonial-themed inn, to ensure a means of cooking the
oatmeal and sweet potatoes I had packed from home. Good ideas, perhaps, but in
the overall scheme of things, probably a bit extreme for most travelers just
looking to avoid weight gain while still enjoying their vacation. Surely there
are more reasonable, middle of the road strategies that can help keep your diet
and fitness on track when you hit the road, be it for business or pleasure. And
indeed, there are. Below, the top tips that are both helpful AND accessible:
- Check to see if your hotel has a fitness
center. If so, take full advantage of it. Not only does it make working out a
whole lot easier, but it can offer a change of pace from the equipment or
type of exercises you’re used to.
- Always assume you will be able to find a way
to fit a workout in, and pack accordingly. Some helpful items to include are
athletic shoes, workout clothes, resistance tubing and a yoga mat.
- Before you take the trip, write a list on a
piece of paper of exercises and stretches you can perform in the hotel room
or fitness center. Having this list done in advance increases the chances
that you will follow through, and it makes the actual workout a whole lot
easier. The worst time to “figure out” what exercises to do is after you’ve
arrived at the hotel, when you’re tired and probably not in the most creative
of moods!
- One option for giving yourself a good warm-up
is to go through “Round One” of your list of exercises and stretches. Perform
the movements very lightly the first time around, more just to get the blood
flowing and to help steer your concentration towards the task at hand. Then,
for Round Two, begin to perform the movements in earnest, concentrating on
good technique and getting the most out of each exercise and stretch. As a
bonus, consider going through the list one more time (yes, Round Three!) for
an even more thorough workout.
- Nothing can derail your hard-earned fitness
efforts than the often limited and poor eating options when traveling. For
this reason, don’t leave your eating to chance. Before leaving, have a rough
idea of what is available and how you will go about making the best of the
situation. Pack non-perishable healthy foods, such as raisins and tuna kits,
as a back-up plan.
-ep
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