Healthy Travels!

Recently I needed to fly out of town for a family event; in doing so, I sat next to a traveler who commutes via plane weekly.  As the conversation went from weather to vacations to stress…he admitted that he had a difficult time staying healthy while traveling, not an uncommon complaint by half the population!  So many of us don’t know what to eat and how to manage activities during travel.  Well, there was my window of opportunity to let him know my passion towards fitness and nutrition!  Little did he know what he was in for!

Seriously though, it was quite eye opening to learn that the average traveler knows little about navigating through exercise and food  while staying in hotels,  running through airports, back to back meeting schedule obligations and trips to other countries.  Not to mention the entertainment factor of dining out with clients.   It all can be quite daunting!

I thought this would be a  good topic of easy and quick reminders and suggestions for those who travel.

Grab a chicken, fish or shrimp salad to go with mustard packets (for dressing as a suggestion) so you have something to eat on the plane.  If you are traveling through a bigger airport, there are options of fish restaurants which will give you some tasty sides of salmon on a bed of greens or you can get a side of chicken at many mexican restaurants to add to another salad.  I even like to get 2 salads (keeping one for after the flight)  if I know I will be traveling beyond the airport for a while.

Getting an apple, or two is also a smart choice for not only the flight, but stocking up for later in the day or even the next day.  I find fruit easily in most airports.

At the risk of sounding “obvious”…walking everywhere in the airport is a perfect opportunity for a little extra exercise.  Stairs are great and the upper body workout is good with a carry on suitcase.  Just switch hands so one shoulder isn’t over taxed.

Of course, if you are late getting to the airport…sprinting is a fabulous workout!

Call ahead and ask for a fruit basket to be left in your room.  It’s a good idea to ask them to keep the key to the mini bar (trust me on this one…never ever a good option!)

Also ask for a room with a refrigerator and a microwave if possible.  The fridge will keep your fruit fresh and the extra salad you ordered crispy for the next day’s lunch.

Instead of going to the all you can eat breakfast buffet, order an egg white omelet and have that brought to the room.  If you aren’t hungry enough to eat the whole omelet, ask for a “to go” box at the same time and you can either stash the rest in your refrigerator to eat the next day (microwave comes in handy here), or bring it to the office with you to eat for a snack or lunch.  This reminds me…always bring a little foldable carry cooler with your for events just like this and have plastic spoons and forks on hand.

If you have the option, choose a hotel which has a gym.  Check out local personal training studios, yoga and pilates centers and bigger gyms as well.  Often you can get a week’s pass or easily book one on one appointments to keep your accountability front and center.   Pack some tennis shoes and a workout outfit so you feel ready for any healthy activity. Ipods and fit bits are fun motivators in these situations.  Take a look at trails in the area to run, hike or walk on.  This is a fabulous way to see the landscape.   Always check the weather so you pack the right gear!

One of my clients coined “when in doubt choose protein and veggies”.  This is simple and tasty!  I always recommend choosing fish when you can.  Poultry is something easy to get when at home, so when you are dining out, check out the fish options!  More times than not, I ask simply for poached fish (I check to see what’s on the menu) and ask them to add it to a big house salad, leaving the croutons off and going easy on the other fatty items.

You can mix this combo up at almost any recipe.  Ask for the sauces on the side and order sides of veggies light on the oil vs. starches.  Making these choices week after week will keep you waist line in the same belt notch.

This one can be (a) a lot of fun or (b) REALLY hard!  First, remember the “when in doubt” option and try to stick to the founding mantra.  However, I know often there are language barriers and not always the easiest of choices.  Sometimes working backwards and choosing to do away with lots of oils and breads might be an easier track in deciding what to and what not to eat.

I did find out that if you go to the same hotel out of the country (or even in the our country), often the staff keeps a record of what you need and like (i.e. gluten intolerant,  low salt, vegetarian, etc.) meaning for future visits, you are set towards eating healthy once you get in your groove of how to order.

Another tip is call the hotel ahead of time and ask for healthy restaurant choices who might speak your language.  If that is difficult, try talking to someone who works with the company you are affiliated with and ask for recommendation.

Another option is to hire a nutritionist to do this for you and set up your meals and snacks ahead of time.

As is true in most situations…there’s always a way to find how to eat healthy and exercise, you just need to ask the right person!