Tips for Staying in Shape While Travelling for Business
It is easy to get into the habit of slipping into vacation mode as soon as you check-in at the airport. You order a drink at the airport bar and start mentally preparing to visit that delicious Chinese restaurant you hit up the last time you were in San Francisco for a weekend away. Only this time you aren’t jetting off for a romantic weekend, you’re going on a business trip. For those who travel a lot for work, the threat of putting on a substantial amount of weight exists, if you don’t implement some healthy habits and stick to them.
Limit Your Alcohol Intake
Leaving a nightcap in the lobby bar or a glass of Scotch at a client dinner is one thing and isn’t going to tip the scales. Do yourself a favor and cut out the in-flight cocktails. You shouldn’t be treating every plane flight as if you were on your way to Vegas. Calories from alcohol add up fast and lead to poor eating decisions later. Carry water onto the plane to make sure you’re hydrated and instead of a cocktail, order a tomato juice or a club soda with lime. Those two drinks, especially, make for great “mocktails.” Stay out of the minibar in the hotel room. Not only are the drinks and snacks over-priced, but you are also just tacking on more and more calories every time you use that minibar key.
Make Healthy Food Choices
Stay away from room service and fast food. There is nothing nutritionally dense about a hotel burger and fries or a late-night burrito. Even if you have a busy work itinerary, it doesn’t take a lot of time or effort to plan for healthy meals. With things like Postmates and Uber Eats, you don’t even need a car or the time to leave the hotel. You can have an amazing salad or healthy wrap delivered right to you. If you’re wining and dining clients, skip the bread and dessert and focus on a serving of meat and veggies. Steakhouses are an easy place to keep your Paleo or Keto diet on point. Just order a filet with a side of asparagus or broccoli. Save those extra calories for the wine or Scotch mentioned above. Explore the health food scene in the cities you travel to most. San Diego and other parts of Southern California are known for their Acai bowls. Northern California has some seriously delicious Vegan options. Make it a habit to discover a new healthy option every time you travel, to avoid getting bored eating the same foods.
Book Hotels With Nice Gyms Or Buy A Guest Pass
If traveling is an integral part of your career, then staying at hotels that offer the amenities you need to keep your health on track should be a non-negotiable. A clean, easily accessible gym is not a very tall order. You can take it a step further and stay at places that offer more spa-like services, for example, a whirlpool or sauna and even a nice pool to swim laps in. If you stay at the Four Seasons in San Francisco, you will have access to the state-of-the-art Equinox gym on the property. Equinox is one of the top names in the gym world. If you travel to Los Angeles, book a room at the historic Los Angeles Athletic Club Hotel and utilize their state of the art, 88,000 square foot facility. Play basketball or go for a swim in the Olympic size pool. If you’re into CrossFit, research CrossFit facilities in the cities you frequent, and you’ll find most offer drop-in rates for out of town athletes. Buy a guest pass online for Soul Cycle or hot yoga. Do whatever you can to stay in your normal workout routine.
Get Outdoors
If you have downtime, and weather permits, get outdoors. If you are staying in Orange County, head down to Laguna Beach or Newport Beach and go for a run on the sand. If you’re traveling to San Diego, hike Torrey Pines or Potato Chip Rock. If you’re in San Francisco, rent a bike and ride across the Golden Gate Bridge. Instead of filling free time in front of the TV or at the lobby bar, head outside and get some fresh air.
Most of these tips seem like common sense. It just takes some mindfulness and commitment to really make a change to your travel habits, and the effect that it will have on your health will be exponential. At a time of year when people are already focused on resolutions and positive change, take advantage of an opportunity to create a new set of standards for yourself and your health. You give 100% when it comes to your career. You are punctual and prepared for work meetings and are willing to travel across the country, or even across the world, to close that big deal. Putting some effort into your health and fitness will create positive outcomes in every aspect of your life, and you will feel such a sense of accomplishment when you return home from a trip in the same or better shape than when you left. Save the cheat days for the real vacations and, in the meantime, treat traveling like any other day. When you look in the mirror at the end of another year, you’ll thank yourself.
