Now, more than ever, people are traveling regularly for work. That can pose a challenge to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Working with models, I often see new clients who are very unsure of how to approach their hectic travel schedules while keeping up their fit physiques. The good news is that—with some planning and preparation—you can easily fit in exercise and healthy food choices while away:
Plan Ahead.
Your healthy choices need to begin before you leave for the airport: In the days before your trip, prep healthy food to bring along on your journey. On flights, you can’t bring liquids, but you can carry snacks in preprepared containers. I always tell my clients to bring an extra container in case of delays. You can actually pack a few preprepared meals in containers with an ice pack in your checked luggage, as well. This gives you some breathing room after you land and arrive at your destination, before you have to go in search of a grocery store.
Cook For Yourself.
Airbnb is an excellent resource, so you can stay in a place with a kitchen. You can also request hotel rooms with small kitchenettes or even bring a small portable hot plate. While away, the more meals you are able to make yourself, the better. That way, you have control over the amount of oil, sugar, marinades etc. that you’re ingesting. If you don't have kitchen access, you can always grab healthy options like precut vegetables, fruit, canned tuna packed in water and raw nuts to have on hand. If you’re eating at restaurants, order smartly: Oysters, sashimi, shrimp cocktail, boiled lobster and steamed fish are all great protein choices. Pair that with some vegetables for a healthy dinner out.
Bring Your Gym.
While away, you may not have access to a gym or even have the time to commute to one. It’s a smart idea to bring a skipping rope in your luggage as a cardio option. Otherwise, you can perform workouts in your hotel room without any equipment. Moves like pushups, lunge combinations (forward, reverse, curtsy) and body weight squats all require very little room. If you have a chair in the room, you can do tricep dips, Bulgarian split squats and single leg pistol squats etc. You can get a great workout in, if you get creative.
Circumstances in life will never be perfect. Healthy eating and exercising regularly is a lifestyle choice. You make the best decisions that you can with your given circumstances and schedule.
And remember: It’s about the process, not the destination.